Importing Players: How We Prevent Duplicates

The short version: You can import the same file as many times as you want. It won't create duplicate players. That's really all you need to know.

But if you're curious about how this works (or want peace of mind before importing a big roster), read on.

Before You Import: The Preview

When you upload a file and map your columns, we show you exactly what will happen before anything is imported:

• "3 new players will be added"

• "47 players already exist and will be skipped"

This preview lets you verify everything looks right. If you accidentally upload last season's roster, you'll see "0 new players" instead of accidentally creating 200 duplicates.

How We Recognize Existing Players

When you import a file, we check each row against players already in your organization. We use a step-by-step process to find matches:

Step 1: Name + Birthdate

This is our most reliable method. If a player in your file has the same first name, last name, and birthdate as someone already in your system, we know it's the same person.

Example: Your file has "Emma Johnson, 03/15/2015" and you already have "Emma Johnson, 03/15/2015" in your system. That's a match—no duplicate created.

Step 2: Name + Parent/Guardian Email

If the birthdate doesn't match (or isn't in your file), we try matching by name plus parent/guardian email.

Example: Your file has "Emma Johnson" with parent email "sarah.johnson@email.com". You already have "Emma Johnson" linked to that same email. That's a match.

Step 3: Name Only (When There's No Confusion)

If your file doesn't have birthdates or guardian emails, we can still match by name alone—but only when there's exactly one player with that name in your organization.

Example: You only have one "Emma Johnson" in your system, and your file has "Emma Johnson" with no birthdate. We'll match them since there's no ambiguity.

If you have two players named "Emma Johnson" and the file doesn't include a birthdate or email to tell them apart, we'll create a new player to be safe. It's better to have an extra record you can merge than to accidentally combine two different kids.

What Information Should My File Include?

For the best results, include as much of this as possible:

The more information you include, the more confidently we can match players. But even with just names, we'll do our best to avoid duplicates.

Common Questions

"What if I import the same file twice by accident?"

Nothing bad happens. The second import will show "0 new players" in the preview, and if you proceed, it simply skips everyone since they're all already in the system.

"What if the spelling is slightly different?"

We're pretty forgiving with spacing and capitalization:

• "emma johnson" matches "Emma Johnson"

• " Emma Johnson " (extra spaces) matches "Emma Johnson"

But "Em Johnson" won't match "Emma Johnson"—we can't guess at nicknames or typos.

"What if the birthdate format is different?"

We handle most common formats:

• 03/15/2015

• 2015-03-15

• 3-15-15

• March 15, 2015

"What if a player's guardian email changed?"

If a player has a new guardian or their email changed, we'll still find them by name + birthdate. The guardian email is a backup method, not the only way we identify players.

"What if I import a player into a different division?"

The player gets added to the new division while staying in their existing divisions. We don't create a duplicate player—we just add them to an additional division.

Example: Emma Johnson is already in your "U10 Spring" division. You import a file into "U10 Fall" that includes Emma. She'll now appear in both divisions, but there's still only one Emma Johnson in your system.

This is helpful when:

• Moving players between seasons

• Players participate in multiple age groups or programs

• Importing the same registration file into different divisions

Summary

1. You can import freely—the same file, updated files, files from different sources. We handle it.

2. Check the preview—it tells you exactly how many new players will be created before anything happens.

3. Include birthdates when possible—it's the most reliable way to match players.

4. When in doubt, we err on the side of caution—we'd rather create an extra record than accidentally combine two different players.

Questions? Reach out to support and we're happy to help walk you through your specific situation.