How to Import Tickets in BoldDesk
BoldDesk enables you to import tickets in bulk, making it easier to migrate data, onboard quickly, and manage support workflows efficiently. This guide walks you through the complete process, including file preparation, field mapping, and tracking import results.
Check out this video tutorial for more details.
Why Use BoldDesk Ticket Import?
Importing tickets in BoldDesk helps teams:
- Migrate data from other systems.
- Bulk-create tickets for faster onboarding.
- Maintain accurate records with custom field mapping.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure that you have:
- Admin access in BoldDesk
- A properly formatted CSV, XLS, or XLSX file
- Valid values for required fields
- Knowledge of your ticket form and custom fields
- When tickets are imported, the ‘created_at’ field is automatically set to the system’s current date and time. This value cannot be modified before or after the import.
- During ticket import, the Requester field in a ticket import file does not need to be a hyperlink. You can provide it as plain text, typically the requester’s email address. BoldDesk uses this email to match an existing contact or automatically create a new one if no match is found.
Supported File Details
- Supported formats: CSV, XLS, XLSX
- Maximum file size: 5 MB
- Maximum records per file:
- Momentum (Legacy): 25 tickets
- Enterprise: 50 tickets
- Use || to separate multiple values (e.g., tags, watchers, CC)
- Date format for resolution due: mm:dd:yyyy hh:mm:ss
How to Import Tickets
BoldDesk allows importing tickets, enabling quick creation of tickets. Follow the given steps to import tickets.
- Access Import Data
- Navigate to Admin > Import Data under the General section.
- Select Module, Brand, and Ticket Form
-
From the Modules dropdown, choose Tickets.
-
Select the preferred Brand based on your access permissions.
-
Choose the Form to define the ticket structure and fields during import.
-
- The brands shown in the dropdown menu are dependent on the current user brand access.
- The Form field is mandatory, and it determines which ticket form configuration (including custom fields) will be applied during the import.
- Only forms associated with the selected brand will be available in the dropdown.
- Ensure that the fields in your import file align with the selected ticket form configuration.
-
Configure Email Notifications
-
Leave the Don’t send an email checkbox unchecked to ensure notifications are sent.
-
Check it if you want to suppress emails for imported tickets
-
-
Upload Your File
-
Click Browse and upload your file
-
Ensure it meets format and size requirements
-
-
Map Fields
-
Match your file columns to BoldDesk fields
-
Map all required fields (marked with *)
-
- Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required and must be mapped to a column from your source file.
- If the ‘Visible in Customer Portal,’ ‘Priority,’ and ‘Status’ fields are not mapped, the default values shown below will be applied.
- To use a Custom field during data import, ensure that the “Visible while creating the ticket” option is enabled in the field configuration as shown below.
Default Values
| BoldDesk Fields | Default values |
|---|---|
| Status | Open |
| Visible in Customer Portal | True |
| Priority | Low |
-
Review and Import
-
Preview mapped fields.
-
Click Import to start the process.
-
Option to Cancel Import if needed.
-
-
Track Import Status
-
The import runs in the background
-
You will receive an email once the process completes
-
You can cancel the import by clicking the Cancel Import button.
The request will be queued, and you will receive an email once the import is complete. After the automation process finishes, the corresponding user will receive an email for the respective tickets.
-
Once the ticket import is complete, click the View Details option to view the report.
- Added - Indicates the records that were successfully added.
- Failed - Indicates the records that could not be imported due to invalid values.
-
Additionally, you can access the failed records along with the reasons for their failure. You have the option to download these records, correct the issues, and upload them again.
BoldDesk ticket import supports only structured ticket data (such as subject, description, and fields) through CSV/XLS files. It does not support importing inline images, attached images, videos, or file attachments as part of the import process. While these media types are supported within tickets after creation, they must be added manually, via email, or through APIs post-import.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Can I import tickets with attachments in BoldDesk?
No, attachments are not supported during bulk import. They must be added manually after ticket creation. -
What happens if I skip mapping a required field?
The import will fail for those records. Ensure all mandatory fields are mapped. -
Is there a limit on the number of imports per day?
BoldDesk does not enforce a strict daily import limit. However, there are limits on the number of tickets that can be imported per file when using the Import Data option:- Momentum (Legacy) plan: Up to 25 tickets per file
- Enterprise plan: Up to 50 tickets per file
To import a larger number of tickets, you must split the data across multiple CSV files and import them separately.
-
Can I import tickets for multiple brands in one file?
No, imports are brand-specific. You must run separate imports for each brand. -
How do I handle failed records?
Download the failure report, correct invalid values, and re-upload the file. -
Can I import activity in BoldDesk?
No. BoldDesk does not support importing activities. -
Can I import a file to open multiple activities?
No. You cannot upload a file (CSV/XLS/XLSX) to create multiple activities. Importing is available for other modules like Tickets, Agents, and Groups—but not Activities. -
What is the default date for imported tickets?
The default date for imported tickets in BoldDesk is the system’s current date and time at the moment of import. -
When importing tickets, can the created date of the tickets be bound or adjusted?
No, you cannot change the created date of imported tickets in BoldDesk. The system sets the “created at” timestamp automatically at import time, and it cannot be altered. -
How can I import tickets using the BoldDesk REST API?
No. BoldDesk does not provide a dedicated ticket import API. Instead, you can use the Create Ticket REST API to programmatically add tickets one at a time. For bulk migration, you must send multiple API requests to recreate tickets individually, as there is no native bulk import or batch upload endpoint in BoldDesk.
