How to Import from HoneyBook, Pixieset & Dubsado

Switching platforms doesn't have to mean starting from scratch. ShootMuse's CSV import tool lets you bring over your clients, sessions, and financial records from HoneyBook, Pixieset, Dubsado, or any other platform that supports data export. This guide covers the full process — from exporting your existing data to verifying everything landed correctly.

Before You Start

A few things to prepare:

• Export your data from your current platform. Every major photography CRM lets you download your client list and financial records as CSV files. We'll cover the specific export steps for each platform below.
• Clean up duplicates first. If you have the same client listed multiple times in your old system, merge them before exporting. It's much easier to de-duplicate in the old system than after import.
• Decide what to import. You might not need to bring everything over. Old leads that never booked? Inquiries from three years ago? Consider starting fresh with only active and past clients who are likely to rebook.

Exporting from HoneyBook

1. Log into HoneyBook and navigate to Contacts.
2. Click the three-dot menu in the top right and select Export.
3. Choose CSV format and click Download.
4. The export includes: name, email, phone, project type, project date, project value, and status. These map directly to ShootMuse's client and session fields.

HoneyBook exports projects and contacts as a single flat file. Each row is a project, with the client info repeated. ShootMuse's importer handles this automatically — it creates one client record and links multiple sessions to that client if the email matches.

Exporting from Pixieset

1. In Pixieset, go to Clients from the top navigation.
2. Click Export Clients in the upper-right corner.
3. Download the CSV file.

Pixieset's export is client-focused (name, email, phone, address). It doesn't include gallery or session data in the export. You'll need to manually create sessions for ongoing projects after import, or use the "Notes" field during import to capture any context you want to preserve.

Exporting from Dubsado

1. In Dubsado, navigate to People.
2. Click the Export button above the contact list.
3. Select the fields you want to include and download.

Dubsado exports are more customizable than HoneyBook — you can choose which fields to include. At minimum, export: name, email, phone, project type, project date, and project value.

Importing into ShootMuse

Step 1: Navigate to the Import Tool

In ShootMuse, go to Clients and click the Import button in the top-right area of the page. This opens the CSV import wizard.

Step 2: Upload Your CSV

Drag and drop your CSV file or click to browse. The importer previews the first 10 rows so you can verify the file looks correct before proceeding.

Step 3: Map Your Fields

This is the most important step. The importer shows each column from your CSV and lets you map it to a ShootMuse field:

CSV Column	ShootMuse Field	Required?
Name / Full Name / Client Name	Client Name	Yes
Email / Email Address	Client Email	Yes
Phone / Phone Number	Phone	No
Address / Location	Address	No
Project Type / Category	Session Type	No
Project Date / Event Date	Session Date	No
Amount / Value / Price	Session Price	No
Status / Stage	Tags	No
Notes / Comments	Notes	No

The importer auto-detects common column names and suggests mappings. Review each one and adjust if needed. Any unmapped columns are ignored during import.

Step 4: Review and Confirm

The importer shows a summary: "X clients will be created, Y sessions will be linked, Z rows have warnings." Common warnings include:

• Missing email — The client will be created but won't be able to receive emails or access their portal.
• Duplicate email — If a client with that email already exists, the importer skips the duplicate and logs it.
• Invalid date format — Dates must be in YYYY-MM-DD, MM/DD/YYYY, or DD/MM/YYYY format. The importer tries to auto-detect which format your file uses.

Click Import to proceed. The import runs in the background — you can navigate away and come back. A notification appears in your notification bell when it's complete.

Step 5: Verify the Import

After import, go to Clients and spot-check a few records. Verify that:

• Client names and emails are correct
• Sessions were created with the right dates and types
• Tags and notes came through
• No obvious duplicates were created

Manual Data Entry Fallback

If you have fewer than 20 clients or if your CSV is too messy to import cleanly, manual entry might actually be faster. Here's the quickest approach:

1. Open Clients and click + New Client
2. Enter the basics: name, email, phone
3. Save, then immediately click + New Session from the client detail page to add their session history
4. Repeat. With practice, each client takes about 60-90 seconds

Tips for a Clean Migration

• Import clients first, then set up workflows. Don't activate automated workflows before your import is complete — you don't want 200 "welcome" emails going out to clients you booked two years ago.
• Use tags to mark imported clients. Add a tag like "imported-honeybook" during import. This lets you filter and audit your imported data easily.
• Don't import test data. If you used test clients in your old platform, remove them from the CSV before importing.
• Keep your old platform active for 30 days. Don't cancel your HoneyBook or Dubsado subscription immediately. Keep it as a reference while you verify that everything transferred correctly.
• Re-create your contract templates manually. Contracts don't import via CSV. Copy the text from your old templates into ShootMuse's contract template editor — it takes about 5 minutes per template and gives you a chance to update your language.