Preparing a CSV File for Import

The Migration Wizard accepts CSV files (.csv). If your subscriber list is in a spreadsheet — Excel, Google Sheets, or another app — you’ll need to save or export it as a CSV before uploading. This is a one-step process in every major spreadsheet app.

Why CSV and Not Excel?

CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a plain-text format that every platform, tool, and database can read without knowing anything about the software that created it. An Excel file (.xlsx) is a proprietary binary format that requires Excel-compatible software to parse — and the structure varies between versions.

For subscriber data, CSV is the right format: it’s unambiguous, universally readable, and contains exactly the data you need with no formatting overhead.

When you export from Patreon, Supercast, or any other platform, you’ll always get a CSV — this is the standard format subscription platforms use for data portability.

Exporting to CSV

From Microsoft Excel

1. Open your spreadsheet
2. File → Save As
3. In the “Save as type” dropdown, choose CSV (Comma delimited) (*.csv)
4. Click Save
5. If Excel asks whether to keep the current format, click Keep Current Format (or Yes)

If your workbook has multiple sheets, only the active sheet is saved. Make sure the subscriber data sheet is selected before exporting.

From Google Sheets

1. Open your spreadsheet
2. File → Download → Comma-separated values (.csv)
3. The file downloads immediately — no save dialog

If your spreadsheet has multiple sheets, only the currently visible sheet downloads.

From LibreOffice Calc or Numbers

LibreOffice: File → Save As → choose “Text CSV (.csv)” from the format list → Keep Current Format if prompted.

Numbers (Mac): File → Export To → CSV → Next → Save.

What the CSV Needs

The Migration Wizard requires at least one column containing subscriber email addresses. Every other column is optional — the visual field mapper lets you assign what each column means.

For the best import results, your CSV should include:

• Email address — required
• Subscriber name — used for personalized migration emails
• Plan or tier name — used to map to a Benecaster subscription tier

If your CSV comes from a supported platform (Patreon, Supercast, Hello Audio, Memberful, Castos), the wizard auto-detects the format and pre-fills the column mapping for you — no manual setup required.

Common Issues

“The wizard isn’t recognizing my columns” — Your file was likely saved with an .xls or .xlsx extension. Open it in Excel or Google Sheets and re-export as CSV.

“Some rows imported but others didn’t” — The import skips rows with malformed or missing email addresses and reports them after the run. You can correct those rows and re-import; duplicate emails are detected and skipped automatically.

“My file has multiple header rows” — The wizard expects a single header row at the top. If your file has extra rows above the data (a title row, a blank row), remove them before importing.