CSV Import

Import a spreadsheet of sermon metadata and recording URLs in one upload — ideal for migrating a large existing archive.

CSV import is the fastest way to bring in a large archive when your sermon metadata is already organized in a spreadsheet. You prepare one CSV file with a row per sermon, upload it, and PreachKit creates every record at once and queues them all for transcription. Each imported sermon consumes one token.

What You'll Learn

• The required CSV column format
• How to download and fill in the template
• How to upload and preview before committing
• How to read the import results

Step-by-Step

1. Open CSV Import

   Go to Sermons > Import, then click the CSV Import card. The page explains the required format and gives you a template to download.

   

2. Prepare your CSV

   Your CSV file must have at minimum these two columns:

   title,url

   Every other column is optional. The full list of recognized columns:

   Column	Aliases accepted	Notes
   title	—	Required. The sermon title
   url	recording_url, file_url	Required. Public URL to the audio or video file
   date	datePreached, date_preached	Date in YYYY-MM-DD format
   series	seriesName, series_name	Series the sermon belongs to
   scripture	scriptureRefs, scripture_refs	Separate multiple references with semicolons: Romans 8:28; John 3:16
   speaker	speakerName, speaker_name	Speaker's full name
   type	recordingType, recording_type	audio or video (defaults to audio if omitted)

   Column headers are case-insensitive and can use spaces, underscores, or camelCase — PreachKit maps them all. Click Download Template on the import page to get a pre-formatted starter file.

   Note

   Recording URLs must be publicly accessible. If your files are in a private storage bucket or require a login, CSV import will not be able to fetch them. Use Bulk File Upload instead.

3. Upload the CSV

   Click the upload area (or drag your .csv file onto it). PreachKit parses the file in your browser and shows a preview list of all recognized rows — no data is sent to the server yet.

   If there is a formatting problem (for example, a missing title or url column), an error message appears below the upload area explaining what needs to be fixed.

   

4. Import

   After reviewing the preview, click Import [N] Sermons. PreachKit sends all rows to the server in one request. A spinner shows while the import is in progress.

   When finished, a results summary shows how many sermons were created and lists any rows that failed with a short explanation.

   

Common Questions

What happens if a row is missing a title or URL? Rows without both a title and a URL are silently skipped during parsing. They will not appear in the preview or be imported. Check the preview count against your spreadsheet row count to catch any gaps.

Can I use a URL that points to a file on my own server? Yes, as long as the URL is publicly reachable without a login. Cloud storage links (such as Amazon S3 public URLs, Dropbox direct links, or Google Drive public sharing links) all work.

Does column order matter? No. PreachKit maps columns by their header name, not their position. You can arrange columns in any order that is convenient for you.

What's Next?

After importing, your sermons appear in the Sermon Library. To track YouTube videos waiting to be imported, see Import Queue.