How to Import a Guest List from Excel — Free Guide
Importing a guest list from Excel into Event Flo takes about two minutes: keep three columns — Name, Email, Phone — save the sheet as a CSV, and upload it (or paste the rows) in your event dashboard. Every imported guest lands on the guest list with a QR code that works at the door scanner, and the bulk upload tool is free with no per-guest charge.
The Excel-to-CSV import, step by step
1. Structure the sheet — one header row with Name, Email, and Phone columns. Only Name is required; headers match in any order, case-insensitively, and common variants like 'Full Name' or 'Mobile' are recognised automatically.
2. Export as CSV — in Excel, File → Save As → CSV (Comma delimited); in Google Sheets, File → Download → CSV. Every spreadsheet tool produces CSV, which is why the importer standardises on it.
3. Upload or paste — open your event, click Import, and either choose the CSV file or paste rows straight into the dialog. A live preview counts the guests that are ready and flags any row that needs attention before you commit.
4. Scan at the door — each imported guest immediately gets a QR code that works at the door scanner, so bulk-uploaded attendees check in exactly like guests who registered themselves.
What the import validates for you
Duplicate rows are skipped automatically — matched by email address, or by name when a row has no email — so a forwarded spreadsheet with repeated entries never produces double guests. Malformed email addresses are flagged in the preview and the guest is imported without the address rather than rejected outright.
Rows missing a name are skipped with a per-row warning, and emails are normalised to lowercase so the same address never creates two records. All of this surfaces before you confirm the import, not after.
Free bulk upload of attendees, no per-guest fees
Guest list import is part of Event Flo's free event check-in software: no premium tier, no per-guest charge, no cap tied to a paid plan. Several ticketing platforms gate bulk upload behind paid tiers; here it is standard for every organizer.
One planning note for multi-session conferences: imported guests check in at the main entrance, while per-session room-door scanning applies to guests holding platform-issued tickets.
Frequently asked questions
What file formats does the guestlist import support?
The importer takes CSV — the one format every spreadsheet tool exports. In Excel use File → Save As → CSV (Comma delimited); in Google Sheets use File → Download → CSV. You can also paste rows straight into the import dialog instead of uploading a file.
Can I import a guestlist for free?
Yes. Guest list import is a standard feature of Event Flo's free check-in tools — no premium tier, no per-guest charge. Several ticketing platforms gate bulk upload behind paid plans; here it is included for every organizer.
Do I need to format my Excel sheet in a specific way?
Only a header row. A 'Name' column is the only requirement — 'Email' and 'Phone' are optional, columns can be in any order, and common header variants like 'Full Name', 'Guest', 'E-mail', or 'Mobile' are recognised automatically.