How-to · Cast & Crew

How to import cast and crew from a spreadsheet

Upload a CSV or XLSX cast or crew list to Storiara, review how columns were mapped, fix flagged rows, and import only the rows you select.

If the production already has a crew list in Excel or Google Sheets, import it instead of adding people one by one. Cast and crew import separately, from their own tabs.

Set up the sheet

Put headers in row 1 and one person per row below, on the first tab of the workbook. Header names don't need to match Storiara's, since columns are mapped by AI, but clear names map more reliably. A crew sheet like this imports cleanly:

First NameLast NameRoleEmailPhoneDay Rate
DanaRuiz1st ADdana@example.com555-0142650
TheoGrantGaffertheo@example.com555-0187575
MiaOkaforScript Supervisormia@example.com555-0119500

Cast rows need a first and last name. Crew rows also need a role. Email, phone, union affiliation, contract, and daily or weekly rate are optional. From Google Sheets, download the file as .csv or .xlsx.

Steps

  1. Open Cast & Crew and choose the Cast or Crew tab.
  2. Click the upload icon beside the Backstage button. The tooltip reads Upload crew from CSV/XLSX (or cast).
  3. In Upload Crew Data, click Click to upload or drag and drop and pick the file.
  4. Click Parse File.
  5. Read the summary: Total Rows, Successfully Mapped, and Needs Review, plus any Warnings.
  6. In the table, untick people you don't want and use the trash icon to delete junk rows like department headers.
  7. For rows with a problem, click Fix, correct the form, and save it.
  8. Click Import 3 Items (the count matches your selection). Only selected rows marked Valid are imported.

After the import

Imported people don't get availability requests automatically. Click Send on each card. Cast also need assigning to characters on the Characters tab before they show in the Day Out of Days. Every import adds new people, so importing the same sheet twice creates duplicates.

If it doesn't work

  • "Invalid File Type" means the file isn't CSV or XLSX. Old .xls workbooks may also fail to parse, so save as .xlsx.
  • "Excel file has no column headers" means row 1 is blank or holds a title. Delete rows above the headers.
  • Rows split oddly from a CSV usually mean a cell has a line break inside it. Remove it or upload XLSX.
  • "Upgrade Required" appears when the free plan's monthly AI allowance is used up.

The spreadsheet import page covers locations and equipment too, and the Cast & Crew guide explains each tab.

Last updated September 14, 2026