Spreadsheet Import Field Formats
Use this reference when preparing an Excel or CSV file for an attendee, speaker, activity or leaderboard import.
Before you start
You need:
- the template for the type of information you are importing;
- one header row with clear column names;
- one row for each attendee, speaker, activity or leaderboard participant.
Prepare and review a file
Download the matching template
Use Download Template on the attendee, speaker, activity or leaderboard page. The template contains the current fields for that import.
Add your rows
Keep the required columns and use the formats below. You can add different header names, but you may need to map them manually.
Upload the spreadsheet
Choose Import Spreadsheet or Import Scores, then select an Excel or CSV file. If an Excel file contains more than one sheet, choose the sheet to import.
Review the mapping and rows
On Review Mapping, check each column and correct every validation error. Lylac enables Import N rows only when every required field is mapped and every row is valid.
Confirm the import
Choose Import N rows, review the count, then choose Confirm Import.
File formats
- Lylac accepts
.xlsx,.xlsand.csvfiles. - Save CSV files as UTF-8. If Lylac cannot read the text encoding, save the file again as CSV UTF-8 in Excel.
- When an Excel file contains several sheets, Lylac asks which sheet to import.
- Use the downloaded template when possible. It reduces manual mapping and includes the current fields.
Common value formats
| Field type | Accepted examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 2026-04-23, 23/04/2026, 04/23/2026, 23-04-2026, 23 Apr 2026, April 23, 2026 | Lylac converts recognised dates to one date format during review. Your saved date preference is used for ambiguous slash dates when available. Use YYYY-MM-DD to avoid ambiguity. |
| Time | 09:00, 09:00:00, 9:00 AM, 9:00AM, 9 AM, 2026-04-23T09:00:00 | Lylac converts recognised times to 24-hour HH:MM. |
| Number | 0, 12, 12.5 | Do not add words or symbols to a number field. |
attendee@example.com | The value must be a valid email address. | |
| Speaker URL | https://example.com/profile or example.com/profile | Lylac adds https:// when needed. Only valid http or https web addresses with a domain are kept. |
Attendee fields
| Field | Required | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Valid email address. | |
| Name | No | Text. |
Duplicate email addresses already invited to the event, or repeated in the same file, are skipped.
Speaker fields
| Field | Required | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Valid email address. | |
| Display name | Yes | Text that is not blank. |
| Title | No | Text. |
| Organization | No | Text. |
| Company | No | Text. |
| Biography | No | Text. |
| LinkedIn URL | No | Web address. |
| Twitter URL | No | Web address. |
| Website URL | No | Web address. |
| GitHub URL | No | Web address. |
Duplicate speaker email addresses are skipped. Invalid social links are left out. Each new imported speaker also gets an invitation and is added to the event's Speakers group.
Activity fields
| Field | Required | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Yes | Text that is not blank. |
| Activity Type | Yes | Must match an activity type available for the event. |
| Date | Yes | Recognised date within the event dates. |
| Start Time | Yes | Recognised time. |
| End Time | Yes | Recognised time after Start Time. |
| Location | Yes | Text that is not blank. |
| Description | No | Text. |
| Speaker Name | No | Text. This does not assign an existing speaker profile. |
| Vendor Name | No | Text. |
| Prize Details | No | Text. |
| Capacity | No | Number. |
An activity must be at least five minutes long and fit entirely within the event start and end times. An existing activity with the same title, start time, end time and location is skipped.
Leaderboard fields
| Field | Required | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Participant Name | Yes | Text that is not blank. |
| Group | No | Text. Participants rank against other people in the same group. |
| Day 1 Score, Day 2 Score and so on | No | Numbers. Empty day scores are allowed. |
A leaderboard can contain 1 to 31 day-score columns. Lylac adds the day scores to calculate the total. Do not add a total score column.
Importing a leaderboard replaces the entire existing leaderboard with the uploaded rows. Participant names can repeat.
If the import cannot continue
A required field is missing. On Review Mapping, choose a target for every required column. You can also rename the spreadsheet header to match the downloaded template.
A date or time is rejected. Use one of the examples above. For activities, also check that the date and time fit inside the event and that the activity lasts at least five minutes.
Some rows or values were skipped. Check for duplicate attendee or speaker emails, duplicate activities, unrecognised activity types and invalid speaker web addresses.
The CSV text looks wrong. Save the file again as UTF-8 CSV, then upload the new file.
Next steps
- Follow Import attendees from a spreadsheet.
- Follow Invite and manage speakers.
- Follow Build the event schedule for activity imports.
- Follow Set up the leaderboard for score imports.