📝NOTE: This article applies to imports that include date fields such as Schedules, Jobs, Promo Codes, Budgets, and TODOs.
Flexible Date Format Support
ClearEvent now supports multiple common date formats when importing CSV files. You no longer need to strictly format all dates in a single predefined format.
The system will automatically:
Detect the date format used in your file
Apply that format consistently across all rows
Handle ambiguous dates using the overall dataset
Use the default date format (see below) if the format cannot be determined
Default Date Format
When importing data from Excel .CSV (Comma Separated Values) files into ClearEvent, it's important to format dates consistently and correctly in your .CSV import file to avoid data import errors. If you don't provide the expected date format, invalid dates may be imported and will later need to be manually fixed in ClearEvent, or data may fail to import completely.
Supported Date Formats
ClearEvent supports a wide range of common date and time formats, including:
Date Format | Notes |
| Default date-only format |
| Default date-time format |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How Date Detection Works
ClearEvent uses an intelligent two-step process:
Format Detection: Reviews all rows in your file to determine the most likely date format
Parsing: Applies the detected format consistently across the import
Ambiguous Dates (e.g. 03/09/2026):
The system evaluates all rows to determine whether this represents March 9 or September 3
If still unclear, it defaults to
MM/dd/yyyy(US Date)
Time Handling Rules
No time provided: Defaults to
00:00:00Extra time in a date-only field: Time values are ignored and/or an import error may be raised
AM/PM and 24-hour formats are both supported
Excel & CSV Formatting Tips
Even with flexible format support, you should keep your date data consistent to avoid ambiguity.
💡TIPS:
The year should always be in the format
yyyy(e.g. "2027").Use the same date format across all rows in a column
Avoid mixing formats like
MM/dd/yyyyanddd/MM/yyyyin the same fileWhen possible, use unambiguous formats like
yyyy-MM-ddoryyyy-MM-dd hh:mm:ss AM/PM
Formatting Date Columns In Excel
If you are editing your file in Excel:
Open your
.CSVfile in ExcelEdit or paste your data
Select each date column
Right-click and choose Format Cells...
Under the Number tab, select Custom
Enter your preferred format (e.g.
yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss AP/PM) into the Type field.Save the file as
.CSV
Why Date Formatting Is Not Saved In CSV Files
CSV (Comma Separated Values) files store raw data only, not formatting.
When you save a file as .csv, spreadsheet tools like Excel:
Save only the underlying values in each cell
Do not preserve formatting such as date formats, colors, or formulas
For example:
A date displayed in Excel as
01/28/2026may actually be saved as2026-01-28or another format depending on your system's Date & Time settingsCustom formats you apply in Excel (e.g.
yyyy-MM-dd) are not retained when the file is saved
Because of this:
The format you see in Excel may not match what is actually stored in the CSV file
Date values can appear differently when opened in another tool or imported into ClearEvent
💡TIPS:
Always verify your
.csvfile using a plain text editor (e.g. Notepad or TextEdit)Keep date formats consistent across all rows to avoid detection issues during import
Verifying Date Formats In Your CSV File:
Excel can be deceiving when you are trying to inspect date formats. The best way to verify that your dates are in the correct format is to open the .CSV file using a plain text editor like Notepad, TextPad, TextEdit, etc...
Once you've opened the file in your favorite editor, look for the date column and verify the date is in one of the two formats outlined above.
Here are a few example of .CSV import files that contain a valid date formats:
TODO .CSV Import File
Schedule .CSV Import File
Still have questions?
Chat with us.