Importing Businesses (Entities)

Open the import screen

From Entities, choose Import. Select the import type, CSV or Excel, choose your file, then Import. Use Download Templates for the correct column headers.

Create an entity manually

Go to Entities → Add entity (or from a user’s profile, Add entity to tie an owner).
Fill in the form and save.

Use a file import when you have many rows or spreadsheet data already prepared.

Import entities only (one sheet)

For entity rows only (no separate business-profile sheet).

Import type: Entities
Format: CSV or Excel
Download the Entities template, fill it, upload, then Import

Matching: Each row matches on name. The same name as an existing entity updates that record.

Columns

name — required
owner_first_name, owner_last_name — optional; both must match an existing user’s first and last name to attach that user as owner
description, dbas, email, website_url, import_context — optional text
phone_number — optional; numeric (10-digit style)
type, tax_classification — optional; use enum keys from Allowed enum values (not the display labels)
naics_code — optional; must be a code that already exists in RISE (see note under that section)
state, locality, town — optional; see State, locality, and town under Allowed enum values
Social URLs — optional; one column each: facebook_url, twitter_url, instagram_url, linkedin_url, youtube_url, meetup_url (valid URLs)
comments — optional; creates a comment on the entity

Import entities and business profiles (two worksheets, Excel)

One workbook for entities plus business profiles.

Download Entities and Profiles (Multiple Sheets)
Import type: Entities and Profiles (Multiple Sheet)
Format: Excel (.xlsx), upload, then Import

Worksheet 1 — same columns and behavior as Import entities only.

Worksheet 2 — one business profile per row.

entity_id — optional; RISE entity ID (used first if present)
entity_name — optional; exact entity name if entity_id is not used (must match sheet 1 or an entity already in RISE)
entity_stage — optional; enum key (see Entity stage)
registered_on_va_scc — optional; 0 or 1
chamber_link — optional; URL
target_market — optional; text
import_context — optional; text

If neither entity_id nor entity_name resolves to an entity, that row does not create a profile.

Business profiles only

If entities already exist, use the Business Profiles shortcut on the entity import page and its single-sheet templates.

Errors

Failed rows may list on the screen with a short message; fix the file and import again.

Allowed enum values for imports

Imports expect the key (left column). Labels are for reference when reading the UI or exports.

Entity type (`type`)

Key	Label
`sole-proprietorship`	Sole Proprietorship
`s-corp`	S-Corporation
`c-corp`	C-Corporation
`b-corp`	B-Corporation
`corporation-type-unknown`	Corporation (Type Unknown)
`llc`	Limited Liability Company (LLC)
`partnership`	Partnership
`pllc`	Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC)
`llp`	Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
`pc`	Professional Corporation (PC)
`cooperative`	Cooperative
`501c3`	Nonprofit - 501(c)(3)
`nonprofit-other`	Nonprofit - Other
`not-yet-formed`	Not yet formed
`government`	Government
`other`	Other

Tax classification (`tax_classification`)

Key	Label
`disregarded-entity`	Disregarded Entity
`partnership`	Partnership
`c-corp`	C-Corporation
`s-corp`	S-Corporation
`501c3`	Nonprofit - 501(c)(3)
`llc`	Limited Liability Company (LLC)
`trust`	Trust
`estate`	Estate
`exempt`	Exempt
`not-applicable`	N/A

Entity stage (`entity_stage`, worksheet 2)

Key	Label
`ideation`	Ideation
`startup`	Startup
`growth`	Growth
`expansion`	Expansion
`mature`	Mature

NAICS code (`naics_code`)

Not a fixed list in this manual: the value must match a NAICS code already stored in RISE. If import fails on naics_code, use a code from the app’s NAICS list or leave the column empty.

State, locality, and town (`state`, `locality`, `town`)

These follow RISE region configuration (states such as VA and NC, with locality and town keys under each—for example county keys like halifax, mecklenburg, and town keys nested under the locality). The importer may normalize some human-readable county or town names to the correct keys when state is set. When in doubt, use the same keys as on an exported entity or as shown when editing an entity in the UI.

In this project, entities import does not use a separate “county” column. The spreadsheet column locality is validated and normalized against config('enums.region_localities') for the given state (EntitiesImport maps either the enum key or the display label case-insensitively to the stored key). Counties, cities, and other places all live in that same region_localities list.

Below are markdown tables you can paste into docs or a PR.

Virginia — `locality` enum (`state` = `VA`)

Stored enum key (`locality`)	Import/display label	Typical kind
`halifax`	Halifax County	County
`mecklenburg`	Mecklenburg County	County
`brunswick`	Brunswick County	County
`lunenburg`	Lunenburg County	County
`charlotte`	Charlotte County	County
`prince_edward`	Prince Edward County	County
`cumberland`	Cumberland County	County
`buckingham`	Buckingham County	County
`nottoway`	Nottoway County	County
`amelia`	Amelia County	County
`pittsylvania`	Pittsylvania County	County
`henry`	Henry County	County
`patrick`	Patrick County	County
`fairfax`	Fairfax County	County
`danville_city`	City of Danville	City
`martinsville_city`	City of Martinsville	City
`charlottesville`	Charlottesville	City
`centreville`	Centreville	Place
`dumfries`	Dumfries	Town

North Carolina — `locality` enum (`state` = `NC`)

Stored enum key (`locality`)	Import/display label	Typical kind
`durham`	Durham	City / locality
`garner`	Garner	Town
`greensboro`	Greensboro	City
`chatham`	Chatham	Locality (label as in config)

Import behavior (short)

Column	Role
`state`	Must match a key in `region_localities` (e.g. `VA`, `NC`).
`locality`	Use the stored enum key (e.g. `halifax`) or the display label (e.g. `Halifax County`); import lowercases and resolves labels to keys when they match that state’s map.