Importing Clients and Companies House Sync

Import Templates

The import templates must be completed exactly as provided

  • File must be saved in CSV format
  • Column structure and order must not be changed
  • Column headers must not be renamed, removed or reordered
  • Data must be entered using the exact formats specified in the template
  • Values must not be inferred from how data appears in the app

VAT quarters can be imported in either of two formats: “Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec” or “MarJunSepDec”.


There are two separate import templates, one for Organisations and one for Individuals.

In the Organisations template, example rows are provided for both:

  • Limited companies (using a Companies House number is the only method supported)
  • Sole traders (where additional fields must be completed manually)

See Articles: Import Template - Organisations and Import Template - Individuals for full details of the field names and required data format.


Companies House Sync

Where an Organisation has a valid Companies House registration number, PracticeFlow links it to Companies House and synchronises selected company information. This includes the company name, type, registration number, date of incorporation, year end, registered address, Accounts dates and Confirmation Statement dates. Information synchronised from Companies House cannot be edited directly in PracticeFlow.


Syncs take place automatically overnight to keep company data up to date.

You can also force a sync manually from the Organisation side panel:

  • Click the company name.
  • Locate the Last Synced timestamp.
  • Click Sync Now to update the company information immediately.

Note: You do not need to complete a task in order for a client organisation to sync with Companies House. For more information about the Companies House integration, including the information synchronised with PracticeFlow, see Companies House Integration.


Import Validation

During import, the system performs validation checks. If any rows contain errors, the import will identify the specific lines that need to be corrected.


Recommended approach

To minimise errors and avoid rework:

  • Start with a small test import (for example, a few clients) to confirm the format is correct and the data behaves as expected.
  • Once validated, proceed with the full import.

Avoiding duplication

  • Do not reimport the same client list to add missing fields (for example, VAT quarters). This will create duplicate records.
  • Duplicate prevention only applies to Companies House entities with a unique company number. Other records will duplicate.

Undoing an import

After completing an import, returning to the import section (Organisations or Individuals) will display an Undo Last Import option.

  • Imports are undone in reverse order (most recent first).
  • This provides a controlled way to correct mistakes without manually deleting records.

Tip: For the most efficient setup, include the minimum required information for any services you are providing for each client. This will allow Smart Tasks to be created automatically. The required fields can be identified in the client settings (lightning icons) and are listed int he Article [Triggering Smart Tasks].