How to move your salon client records to new software

Moving salon software starts with a simple question: what can you bring with you? A client list, a calendar, treatment notes and prepaid balances are different kinds of data. An import that accepts one does not automatically accept the others.

This guide focuses on client records. It gives you a sequence you can use with any system, followed by the fields Soloona’s client import currently accepts.

1. Decide what needs to move

Make an inventory before exporting anything. Separate the records you need to run tomorrow’s appointments from those you want for reporting or reference.

• Client identity: names, phone numbers and email addresses.
• Client activity: last completed visit, visit count and total historical spend, if your current system can export them.
• Separate records: future appointments, service menus, staff schedules, formulas, photos, notes, gift cards and package balances.
• Permission records: the source and status of messaging permissions and opt-outs.

Ask the new provider which items it can import and which need a separate process. A contact-list import should never be treated as proof that the calendar or a client’s remaining balance has also moved.

If you are still choosing a system, use our salon booking software checklist to test the workflows before committing.

2. Export and keep an untouched copy

Use your existing provider’s export tools or request an export from its support team. Available fields can vary, so check the file itself rather than assuming it includes every record you see on screen.

Save an original copy with a clear name and export date. Work on a second copy. Store both where only your authorized team can access them; client contact details do not belong in a public shared folder.

Check the number of rows and column headings. Is it one row per client, or one row per appointment? Repeated appointment rows need a different preparation step from a client list.

3. Clean the working file

Look for blank contact details, duplicate clients and dates that changed format in a spreadsheet. Keep phone numbers as text so the spreadsheet preserves a leading plus sign.

For Soloona, prepare a UTF-8 CSV, with a maximum file size of 16 MiB and no more than 100,000 data rows. The importer recognizes these client fields and lets you review or change their column mapping:

Field	How to prepare it
First Name and Last Name	Use separate columns, or supply one Full Name column.
Phone	Include a usable phone number; an international number can begin with a plus sign.
Email	Use an email address, without spaces around it.
Last Visit	Use a real date such as 2026-09-15.
Visit Count	Use a non-negative whole number of visits.
Lifetime Value	Use historical spend in dollars, such as 450.00, without a currency symbol.

A Phone or Email column is required, and each client needs a usable contact identifier. Last visit, visit count and lifetime value are optional. Keep them when available: they provide a more useful picture than names alone.

Do not invent activity figures to fill empty cells. A missing visit date is different from a client who has not returned for six months.

Download the blank Soloona client-import CSV template. It contains column headings only. Add your records to a working copy; the template does not contain client data or transfer permission records.

4. Review a small import first

Prepare a small subset: a client with a phone number, one with email only, and one with historical visit information. Keep a note of the expected results.

In Soloona, upload the file and review the preview before confirming. Check the mapped columns, valid rows, duplicates and rows needing attention. If you change the mapping, rebuild the preview so it reflects that change.

Correct the working file and upload it again when needed. A total that looks close enough can still hide missing dates or duplicated contacts.

After confirming the test import, open the actual client records and compare them with your source. The preview tells you what is about to happen; checking the saved records tells you what happened.

5. Keep messaging permissions separate

Soloona imports client contacts with messaging permission marked unknown. Importing a phone number or email address does not establish permission to send messages.

Retain your existing permission and opt-out records separately. Before planning outreach, check the permission status and review each client’s situation. Soloona’s messaging and automated win-back features are currently coming soon.

The client insights guide explains how to review clients who have gone quiet without turning an imported list into an automatic campaign.

6. Check the result before switching your day

Use this final checklist before relying on the new client list:

• Compare the imported total with the valid rows you expected; account for duplicates and skipped rows.
• Open several records and check contact details and imported activity fields.
• Confirm your team can find the clients needed for upcoming appointments.
• Keep a separate plan for appointments, notes and balances outside this import.
• Keep the original export and reconciliation notes until you have checked the result.

Start with one clearly defined set of records, prove that it arrived correctly, and then decide what to move next.

See Soloona’s import feature, or book a demo to walk through the process. Bring your column headings or questions; you do not need to send a client database to request a demo.