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How do I import my league schedule from a spreadsheet?

Fill in the league schedule template, upload it, and check games, divisions and teams before they're added to your season.

Use the schedule importer when your league's games are already in a spreadsheet. You can add a whole season of games across every division in one upload.

This is for league managers. Events are added to the season you have selected, so switch into your league and check the season first.

Step 1: Open the schedule importer

  1. Go to Schedule.

  2. Click Add (on the web) or tap + (in the app).

  3. Choose Import Schedule.

The league Schedule page with the Add menu open and Import Schedule highlighted, on desktop and in the iOS app

Step 2: Download the league template

The league template has a Division column that the team schedule template doesn't have, so start from this one.

  1. On the Import Events screen, click or tap Microsoft Excel Template or CSV Template.

  2. Open the file in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.

The Import Events screen with the Microsoft Excel Template and CSV Template links, on desktop and in the iOS app

Step 3: Add one row per event

BenchApp reads the columns by their position, not by their names. Keep every column in the template's order, even the ones you leave empty. The columns and date formats are listed below under "Template columns" and "Dates and times".

  1. Enter each game on its own row, under the template's header row.

  2. Type team names exactly as they appear in your league.

  3. Type division names exactly as they appear in your league's divisions.

  4. Save the file as .xlsx, .xls or .csv.

Tip: BenchApp skips any row with five or fewer filled-in cells. If a practice or event row goes missing, fill in its Duration or Location too.

Template columns

In this order, from left to right:

  1. Type: GAME, SCRIMMAGE, DROP-IN, PRACTICE or EVENT. Left empty, the row is a game. Example: GAME

  2. Game Type: PRE-SEASON, REGULAR, PLAYOFF or TOURNAMENT. Left empty, the game is regular season. Example: REGULAR

  3. Title (Optional): needed when Type is EVENT. Example: Team BBQ

  4. Away: the away team. Only used for games. Example: Hammerheads

  5. Division (Optional): the division the game belongs to. Example: Division A

  6. Home: the home team. Every row needs one. Example: Bulldogs

  7. Date: the day of the event. Example: 01/01/2026

  8. Time: the start time. Example: 9:00 PM

  9. Duration: hours and minutes, or a number of minutes. Left empty, it's 1 hour. Example: 1:30

  10. Location (Optional): the rink, field or facility name. Example: Rink 1

  11. Address (Optional): the facility's street address. Example: 1234 Hockey St, Vancouver, BC

  12. Notes (Optional): notes players can see. Example: Bring both jerseys

Dates and times

  • Dates: The safest formats are 2026-10-04 or Oct 4, 2026, which can't be misread. Day-first (DD/MM/YYYY) and month-first (MM/DD/YYYY) dates also work. Use one format for the whole file and a four-digit year.

  • Day or month first: If one date in the file can only be read one way, like 25/10/2026, BenchApp reads every date that way. If every date could be read either way, like 03/04/2026, BenchApp reads them month first (March 4). Check the dates on the review screen before you import.

  • Times: 12-hour (7:30 PM) or 24-hour (19:30). Times are read in your league's timezone.

Step 4: Upload and review

  1. Click Upload a file or drag your file onto the box (web), or tap Upload a file (app). Files up to 10MB are supported.

  2. Check every row on Review Events. Rows with a problem are highlighted, such as an invalid date or time or a missing home team.

  3. Fix a row by editing it, or remove it. Use Add Another Event (web) or Add Event (app) for anything missing from the file.

  4. Pick a division for any game that doesn't have the right one.

Step 5: Confirm the import

  1. Click Import N Events (web) or tap Import N (app). N is the number of events that will be added.

  2. Read Confirm Import. It lists any events that will be skipped because they're already on the schedule, new divisions and new teams that will be created, and team names that were matched to a close spelling.

  3. On the web, turn Notify team via push notification on or off, then click Import N Events. In the app, tap Import and Notify Team or Import Without Notifying.

Tip: Check the new teams list before you confirm. A name that's spelled differently from an existing team creates a second team. Cancel, then pick the existing team on those games.

How names are matched

  • Teams: For games, home and away names are matched to teams in the selected season. A close spelling counts as a match, and it's shown in the summary so you can check it.

  • Divisions: Division names are matched to the season's divisions. Capital letters don't matter. A division name that doesn't match is created as a new division when you import.

  • Duplicates: Events that already exist on your schedule are flagged and skipped.

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