Need to make changes to a lot of records at once? Use Cliniko’s data import tool to update existing information without having to edit each record manually.
Whether you’re refreshing patient details, updating product prices, or fixing contact information, a bulk update can save you hours of work. 🕐
Once you update the records, the changes are locked in and cannot be reversed. Deleting the imported file won’t undo them, so please be certain of the updates before proceeding.
How bulk updates work
A bulk update uses the same process as importing new data to Cliniko but instead of creating new records, it matches the information in your file to existing records and updates them.
The matching is done using unique identifiers for each type of record (for example, patient ID, product ID, or billable item ID). If the identifier in your import file matches one in Cliniko, the record will be updated with your changes.
If your file doesn’t include the unique identifier, or we can’t find a match, that entry will appear in a “failed” spreadsheet in your account. To prevent duplicates, no new records will be created for mismatched entries.
What you can update
Similar to the bulk import process, you can mass update these types of records in Cliniko:
Patients (e.g., name, address, DOB, email). Custom patient fields is not currently supported.
Contacts (e.g., occupation, company name, provider number)
Products (e.g., name, price, stock level, tax rate). Concession pricing is not currently supported.
Billable items (e.g., item code, price, name, category)
Preparing your CSV file for updates
Since Cliniko uses unique identifiers to match records, it's best to work with export files from Cliniko which will contain these IDs.
1. Export the current records from Cliniko for the type you want to update. Head to Settings → Data & docs → Data exports to get this:
Here's more information about data exports.
2. Make your changes in the exported file. In this example, the patient ID number is listed in column A:
3. After making all the required changes, save the file. Make sure this is saved as a .CSV file which is the only supported file format for this import process.
Importing your updated file
1. Head to Settings → Data & docs → Data imports. Select the type of record you’re updating (e.g. patients, products) and hit Import:
2. Select your updated CSV file to upload and click Next - Match information:
3. If you're importing patients, you'll see an option to Update existing patients which will update the records you already have rather than create new patient records. Cliniko will automatically detect the Patient ID column. Double-check the correct column is selected:
4. Within the Enable column, select the fields you want to update. Tick only the ones you need to change (unticked fields will be ignored):
Updating is permanent. There’s no “undo” button. If you delete a data import, this will not affect the updated information. To restore old data, you’d need to upload a new CSV with the previous information.
5. When you're ready, you can click on Next - Import and finish. Your import will begin immediately. For small spreadsheets, this will only take seconds.
Once it’s completed, check your patient, contact, billable item, or product list to confirm the changes.
What happens if we can't find a match
If your file doesn’t include the unique Cliniko ID, or if we can’t find a match, that record will appear in a “failed” spreadsheet generated within your account.
To find the “failed” spreadsheet, head to Settings → Data & docs → Data imports. In the Status column, look for the pink link showing your failed records (the number in brackets tells you how many there are):
Select the link and download the spreadsheet to your device.
What is in the "failed" spreadsheet
Once you download and open the file, the “failed” spreadsheet shows all the entries from your import that couldn’t be matched or updated. It helps you see exactly what went wrong so you can fix any issues. Each entry includes information about why it didn’t work.
For example, you might see “Record could not be found” if the unique Cliniko ID didn’t match any existing record in your account:
This spreadsheet makes it easy to review and correct any problems before trying the import again.
If you’re new to data imports, we recommend starting with a small test file to make sure the updates behave as expected. If you need help, get in touch with us anytime!