Importing bids from Excel
Import existing bids and line items from Excel or CSV files — map your columns, validate the data, and let Gradeworks geocode all site addresses in the background.
If you're migrating from spreadsheets or another system, the Excel import wizard lets you bring in bids without re-entering them manually. Upload a file, map your columns to Gradeworks fields, review the preview, and import. Gradeworks looks up all site addresses automatically.
Preparing your spreadsheet
The import works with .xlsx and .csv files. Each row should represent one line item, with a column identifying which bid it belongs to. At minimum you need: bid identifier (name or number), line item description, quantity, and unit cost. Optional columns include customer name, site address, unit, cost code, and category.
- One row per line item (not per bid)
- A consistent bid identifier column to group line items into bids
- Headers in the first row
- No merged cells, formulas, or conditional formatting (export as values first)
- Dates in a consistent format (MM/DD/YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD)
Running the import wizard
- Navigate to Estimating and click Import
- Upload your Excel or CSV file
- Map your spreadsheet columns to Gradeworks fields using the dropdown selectors — the wizard suggests matches based on header names
- Review the preview table — Gradeworks shows how each row will be interpreted
- Fix any validation warnings (missing required fields, unrecognized units, duplicate bid names)
- Click Import — bids are created in Draft status
After import
Imported bids appear in your bid list with Draft status. Site addresses are looked up automatically — you'll see a progress indicator on each bid. You can continue working while this runs. Review each imported bid to verify line items, quantities, and costs look correct before changing status.
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