11 August 2026

Import an org chart from CSV

How to turn a spreadsheet of names and managers into an org chart — column format, common mistakes, and a step-by-step import walkthrough.

If HR already has names in Excel or Google Sheets, importing beats typing fifty people by hand. Simple Org Chart reads a CSV with a Name column and an optional Reports to column that names each person’s manager.

Download the free template if you want a ready-made file to edit.

Column format

Name — required. Must be unique in the file.
Reports to — manager’s name, spelled exactly as it appears in another row. Leave blank for the top of the chart.
Job title, Department, Email — optional; they show on the chart if present.

Name,Job title,Department,Email,Reports to
Sarah Chen,CEO,Executive,sarah@example.com,
Mike Okonkwo,CTO,Engineering,mike@example.com,Sarah Chen
Lisa Park,Engineering Manager,Engineering,lisa@example.com,Mike Okonkwo

Minimum viable CSV: Name plus Reports to. Other columns are optional but useful.

Import in the editor

Click Import CSV and select your file. If you exported from Excel, choose “CSV UTF-8” — the preview will flag encoding problems early.

CSV import dialog in Simple Org Chart with a choose file button — Toolbar → Import CSV → choose your file.

Check the preview before you commit

The preview shows which rows will import and which will be skipped. “Reports to” must match exactly one person — Sarah Chen and Sarah are treated as different names.

Importing replaces everyone currently on the chart, but you can undo afterwards if you need to.

CSV import preview table listing names, job titles, reporting lines, and row status — Fix rows marked as errors before importing. A typo in a manager’s name is the usual culprit.

After import

Drag people to fix any reporting lines the spreadsheet got wrong. When you are happy with the layout, export PNG or keep editing in the browser.

Import your spreadsheet

Open the editor, click Import CSV, and load your file.

Open the editor