How To Import Client Information Into TherapyNotes

If you are leaving a different EHR and coming to TherapyNotes, welcome! If you are leaving a group practice and striking out on your own, congratulations! Whether you're transferring from another EHR or converting from paper records for the first time, the TherapyNotes team is here to help you get started quickly and easily.

We offer a service to import client information directly into your new account, free of charge. No matter how many clients you see, this can drastically reduce your startup time and help eliminate data entry errors.


Note: At this time, TherapyNotes is only able to import your client list. We’re unable to import clinical documentation, diagnosis/treatment plans, billing history, or your existing calendar.

Gather your client information into a spreadsheet

TherapyNotes is able to import a variety of demographic and insurance information into your new account. Refer to the table below to see what data can and cannot be imported.

Data Type Able to import? Format Requirement
First Name Yes  
Last Name Yes  
Middle Name Yes  
Email Address Yes  
Contact Phone Numbers (Home, Mobile, Work, and Other) Yes Can be 7, 10, or 11 digits. Dashes, spaces, and parentheses are OK.
Address (Street, City, State, Zip) Yes Zip codes can be 5 or 9 digits. Dashes and spaces are OK.
Account ID Number Yes  
Social Security Number Yes Must be 9 digits. Dashes and spaces are OK.
Date of Birth Yes Various formats supported (MM/DD/YYYY, MM-DD-YY, etc.)
Marital Status Yes  
Sex Yes  
Employment Status Yes  
General Billing Comments Yes  
Primary Insurance Limited Insured's information, including insurance ID number and payer name.
Secondary Insurance Limited Insured's information, including insurance ID number. Secondary payer name cannot be imported and needs to be inputted.
Occupation No  
Employer No  
Assigned Clinician Name No  
Scheduling Data No  
Notes and Session Data No  
Billing Transactions and Data No  
Information Specific to Legacy System (Username, Client ID, Signature on File, etc.) No  

If you are converting from paper records, enter as much of the importable information into an Excel document as desired, using one row for each client.

Tip: If you are transferring from another EHR, you may be able to export your client information from your current EHR into a spreadsheet. We accept Excel documents (.xlsx) and VCF files from other EHRs. Read  Send your file to TherapyNotes below to learn how to begin your import.

Format your document

The most important part of preparing your data for import is consistency. While multiple formats are supported for each type of data, formatting within the file itself should be consistent.

Follow the guidelines below to ensure a quick import process:

  • Organize your file with column headers which clearly identify which type of data is in each column
  • Ensure that all dates are formatted in the same way
  • Ensure that all names are formatted in the same way
  • Ensure that all phone numbers are formatted in the same way

Below is an example of what a properly formatted document may look like.

First Name Middle Name Last Name DOB Sex Address City State Zip
Jane A Doe 4/5/1972 Female 123 Sample Road Willow Grove PA 19090
John X Doe 1/23/1969 Male 123 Sample Road Willow Grove PA 19090
Richard   Jones 10/31/1984 Male 10 Circle Court Horsham PA 19044
Mary Z Perez 12/1/1950 Female 5678 Generic Avenue Philadelphia PA 19008

Send your file to TherapyNotes

Please never send client information or other PHI through email - email is not a secure method of communication. Use our secure portal to send us your Excel file.

To send your Excel file or spreadsheet to TherapyNotes for import:

  • Log in to your new TherapyNotes account
  • Send a File to TherapyNotes Staff
  • Click the Choose File button and select your Excel file
  • Include the following information in the Description field:
    • The words Patients List
    • Your new TherapyNotes Practice Code for the account you want the information to be uploaded to
    • Your full name
    • The name of your old EHR or your old TherapyNotes Practice Code, if applicable
  • Click the Submit File button

You will receive an email confirming that we received your Excel file upload and another confirming that your import is complete. The import process may take 1-5 business days.

Next Steps

Your clients are not assigned to clinicians when they are imported, so your client list may appear empty at first.

To see your migrated client list once the import is complete:

  • Click Patients
  • Select No Assigned Clinician from the Assigned to dropdown
  • Click the Search button

For instructions on how to assign clinicians to clients, read Manage Clinician Assignments. 

To upload additional files into TherapyNotes:

  • Click Patients > Patient Name > Documents tab
  • Click the Upload a Patient File button
  • Choose any file related to the client, such as consent forms, practice policies, or session notes
  • Click the Add Document button

For more information on uploading files into TherapyNotes, read Upload Client Documents.

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