How to download and upload an import file in Mews Operations

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How to download and upload an import file?

You can use an import file to quickly add multiple companies, customers, or reservations into Mews Operations in bulk. You download, complete, and upload the file to add these details to the system. You perform this action when you migrate data from a previous system or prepare data before going live, using the import tool in Mews Operations.
 
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Note
  • Before you import reservations, deactivate automatic payment policies in your rate groups. Otherwise, Mews Operations sends payment requests to guests whose payment was already settled in your previous system. After the import, you can activate the policies again.
  • You can also control this per reservation in the import file using the Skip Automatic Settlement column. Use this option if you want to keep automatic payment active for other reservations. For more details, check the guidance in the import template and the help article on automatic payments.
  • You can also enter the reservations manually, which is especially useful if you do not have many reservations and would like your teams to practice creating reservations.
  • If your property has many reservations coming from a specific channel manager or an OTA, for example, Booking.com, Avialpro, Cubilis, Synxis, you can consider importing these reservations via direct integration and then use the import tool to import the remaining reservations.
  • You also have the flexibility to import only profiles, for example, customer profiles and or company profiles. You can use the import tool in different ways depending on your needs

 

In this article, you can learn about:

 

How to download and upload an import file in Mews Operations

Important: Before importing the reservations, deactivate Automatic payment policies for your rates groups. If not done, emails are automatically sent to guests asking them for payments even when the payment was settled in your old PMS. Once the import is done, you can re-activate the automatic payment in your rates groups. This is the best practice for both the Import file (Excel) and manual creation of the old reservations in Mews. Find out how to disable and enable automatic payment in this article.

Step 1: Download the import template

  1. In Mews Operations, go to the main menu main menu > Settings > Property.
  2. In the top right corner, click on the import customer icon  .
  3. Click on the download empty template icon and open the file. This is the file or template that needs to be populated with your data from the old PMS.

 

Note: Mews updates this template regularly to include the latest fields and validation, so Mews recommends that you download a new template before each import to ensure you have the latest version.

 

Step 2: Complete the import template

  1. Open the Excel file and add your data.

The template includes built-in guidance to help you complete it:

  • Descriptions appear when you select a cell
  • Dropdown lists show accepted values
  • Validation highlights missing or incorrect data
  • Formatting helps identify issues
  • Protected sheets prevent accidental changes

 

Use the template as the main source of guidance. Fields and formats can change over time.

 

Note: Check the column headers and field descriptions carefully. Each column includes instructions on how to complete it, accepted formats, and examples. This guidance helps you enter valid data and avoid import errors.

 

Basic use

Use the file as downloaded:

  • Do not rename column headers
  • Do not delete tabs, columns, or rows
  • Do not change the workbook structure
  • Resolve highlighted cells before uploading

Advanced use

Unprotect the sheet only if you need to adjust the file.

  • Keep column headers the same
  • Keep all required tabs
  • Validate the file before uploading

 

Note: Moving columns or changing the structure can break validation and formatting in Excel and cause import errors.

  1. If a field is unclear, check:

  • the description in the column header or cell
  • available dropdown values
  • any validation messages or highlighted cells
  • the corresponding field in Mews Operations, as most fields match what you see in reservation, customer, and company profiles

Step 3: Upload the import file

  1. Go to Settings > Property.
  2. Select Import customers.
  3. Upload the completed file.
  4. Select Import customers.

 

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You receive an email after the import completes.

 

Step 4: Check the import status

  1. In Mews Operations, go to the main menu main menu> Queues > Installations.
  1. Open the installation item. Check:
  • import status
  • error details

  1. Click Import.

 

Note:

  • Do not upload the file again if the status shows Pending. The import may still complete, and re-uploading can create duplicate records.
  • If the status shows Warning or Fail, none of the reservations on that import were created. You need to repeat the import process.

 

Successful imports display a success message.

 

Troubleshoot import issues

In case the import fails:

  • Review the error details in the installation item
  • Correct the data in the file or the configuration in Mews Operations
  • Upload the corrected file.

Common causes of errors include:

  • Incorrect date format
  • Outdated template with incorrect header names
  • Mismatch between the file and how room, rate, or product names appear in Mews.
  • Overbookings or blocked rooms where no space is available for the reservation dates
  • References to entities that do not yet exist in Mews, such as companions, companies, or travel agencies
  • Incorrect country codes, for example, using UK instead of GB

 

Note:

  • Some fields are case-sensitive. Make sure values match exactly how they appear in Mews.
  • If you reference other entities, such as companies or travel agencies, create or import them first in a separate file before importing reservations.

 

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