How to import members from an Excel spreadsheet
If you are setting up OPS for the first time, or if your association already keeps a member list in a spreadsheet, you can load it directly into OPS using the member import. The import reads an Excel file (.xlsx or .xls) that matches the official template: you fill in the columns, upload the file and OPS creates one member record per row. The import is additive — it adds new rows and does not delete or overwrite existing members. After the import, each member can be invited to activate their account.
Before you start
- You must have an administrator account on the platform.
- The member import is available on the Standard and Full plans.
Steps
Open the Members section
In the left navigation, click "Members". The member list opens showing the Musicians tab by default.
Download the import template
Click the "Import" button in the toolbar (top right, visible to administrators). A modal opens. In the first step, click "Download template (.xlsx)" to save the official Excel template to your computer.
Fill in the template
Open the template in Excel or a compatible application. Each row represents one member. Fill in the columns: last name, first name, email, phone, address and any other fields the template provides. Required fields are marked with an asterisk. Do not change the column headers. Save the file as .xlsx or .xls when you are done.
Upload the completed file
Back in OPS, in step 2 of the Import modal, drag and drop your completed Excel file onto the upload area, or click the area to open a file picker. Only .xlsx and .xls files are accepted.
Review the import results
OPS processes the file and shows a summary: how many members were imported and, if any rows contained errors, which row numbers failed and why. Rows with errors are skipped; the valid rows are imported. Correct any errors in your spreadsheet and re-upload if needed.
Invite imported members to activate their accounts
After importing, the new members appear in the list with status "No account". To let them log in, either use "Invite link" on the member row to generate a personal registration link, or use the platform's invitation email feature. Each member clicks the link to set their password and complete their profile.
Tips
- Use the template's header row exactly as provided — do not rename, reorder or delete columns, because the importer relies on the column names.
- If a member's email address is already registered, that row will be skipped to avoid creating a duplicate account. Clean up your spreadsheet before importing.
- Custom fields you have defined in Administration appear as extra columns in the template, so you can populate them during the initial import.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import members from a CSV file?
No. The member import requires an Excel file (.xlsx or .xls). Download the provided template, fill it in, and upload it. CSV files are not accepted.
Will importing overwrite existing member data?
No. The import is additive. It creates new member records and skips any row whose email address already exists in the system. Existing members are not modified.
What happens if a row has an error?
Rows with errors are skipped and the import report lists the row number and the reason. The other rows are imported normally. Correct the error in your spreadsheet and re-upload — only the corrected rows will be added (rows already imported are skipped because their email is now known).
Is there a limit on the number of members I can import?
The platform enforces a member limit based on your plan: up to 40 members on Standard, up to 100 on Full. If your spreadsheet would exceed the limit, the import stops and reports the overflow. Upgrade your plan or reduce the number of rows before importing.
Can I import pupils (music school students) the same way?
The member import creates musician-type members. Pupils in the school module are enrolled separately through the School management tab. Contact your OPS administrator if you need to bulk-enrol pupils.