Uploading Pet Records
This guide walks you through the process of uploading multiple pet records to PawPlacer using the Data Uploader tool.
Before You Begin
Ensure you have:
- Pet Manager permissions
- Available pet slots in your account
- A CSV, XLS, or XLSX file containing your pet data
Preparing Your File
Your spreadsheet should include columns for the pet information you want to import. The following fields are supported:
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| name | text | Pet's name | "Mrs. Cat McCattington" |
| species | text | Type of animal | "cat", "dog", "rabbit" |
| sex | text | Pet's sex | "male", "female", "unknown" |
| status | text | Current status | "intake", "available", "fostered", "adopted" |
| health | text | Health condition | "good", "fair", "excellent", "poor", "unknown" |
| age_category | text | Age category | "adult", "young", "senior", "baby" |
| size | text | Size of pet | "small", "medium", "large" |
| spayed | yes/no | Whether pet is spayed/neutered | "yes", "no" |
| breed | text | Breed(s), can be multiple | "Siamese", "Labrador Retriever" |
| color | text | Color(s), can be multiple | "Black", "White" |
| description | text | Description of pet | "Friendly and energetic dog" |
| image_urls | text | Image URLs, can be multiple | web links to images |
| microchip_id | text | Microchip ID number | "985141000123456" |
| show_public | yes/no | Whether to display on public pages | "yes", "no" |
Tips:
- Headers in your file should be similar to the field names above (exact matches work best)
- For multiple values (like breeds or colors), separate with commas
- The system will try to recognize variations (e.g., "F" or "Female" for sex)
Upload Process
- Navigate to Settings > Data Uploader
- Click the "Select pets File" button (or drag and drop your file)
- Wait for the file to be processed and analyzed
Field Mapping
After uploading your file, you'll see the field mapping table. This shows how your spreadsheet columns match to PawPlacer's system fields.
- Review the automatic mappings
- For any fields marked as "Unmatched" or "Possible Match", click on the row to open the sidebar
- In the sidebar, select the correct column from your spreadsheet, or set a default value
- Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required
Data Preview and Validation
Before finalizing the upload:
- Click the "Preview Data" button to see how your data will be imported
- Review the data for any errors or formatting issues
- Close the preview when ready
Completing the Upload
- Click "Upload Data" after previewing
- Confirm the upload in the dialog
- Wait for the upload to complete
- You'll see a success message with the number of records uploaded
Common Issues
- Empty required fields: Ensure all required fields have values
- Incorrect data formats: Check that dates, numbers, and other values match expected formats
- Duplicate records: The system will attempt to prevent duplicates based on name and microchip ID
- Pet limit reached: Upgrade your account if you need to add more pets than your current plan allows
Next Steps
After uploading your pets:
- Review the imported records in the Pets section
- Add additional details that weren't in the spreadsheet
- Upload photos if you didn't include image URLs