Data Import

Ranch.Bot can bring existing livestock records into a farm through a supervised import. Uploading a file starts a request. It does not write animals or records by itself. For the switching overview, source checks, and current export boundaries, see Import Livestock Records.

What you can send

Open More → Import/Export and send up to 10 files per request, 25 MB each. The upload accepts common record formats, including:

  • CSV, XLS, and XLSX spreadsheets;
  • PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, MD, and JSON documents; and
  • JPEG, PNG, GIF, or WebP photos of paper records.

Add an optional note explaining what the files cover or where a confusing column came from.

What happens next

  1. Ranch.Bot stores the files with your request.
  2. Ranch.Bot reads the files and prepares entries for review.
  3. A person checks entries and counts against the original files.
  4. If a detail is unclear, Ranch.Bot asks you before that entry is approved.
  5. After approval, Ranch.Bot loads the records and checks counts and sample entries.

Request status

The Tools page uses four plain statuses:

  • Received - the request is in the queue;
  • In progress - the files are being prepared and reviewed;
  • Loaded - the approved import was applied and checked; and
  • Needs attention - Ranch.Bot needs clarification or the request could not be completed.

What to include

Send the source you trust, even if it is untidy. Helpful context includes:

  • which sheet or photo set is current;
  • whether tags repeat across years;
  • units used for weights or doses;
  • the date range covered; and
  • rows you already know are duplicates or corrections.

Do not remove important context merely to make the file look clean. The review is designed to surface ambiguities before they become farm records.

Limits

  • Uploading does not delete or overwrite existing farm data.
  • Ranch.Bot does not promise an automatic field mapping or immediate completion.
  • A texted photo is stored for the account, but is not shown in the conversation and does not enter this import process automatically. Use More → Import/Export for files you want read and reviewed.
  • Account and farm creation are not imported.

For a walkthrough of an existing record set, schedule a demo. For an active request, email support@ranch.bot and name the farm and files. Do not email sensitive files unless Ranch.Bot asks you to use that channel.

How source entries are checked

The reviewer keeps original files as references and checks each proposed entry against its file and row or page. Management tags, EIDs, names, tattoos, and brands remain separate identifier types. Checks include leading zeros, repeated tags, and long identifiers changed by spreadsheet scientific notation.

Duplicate submissions, implausible counts, unreadable rows, mixed date formats, unclear units, and unexpected personal or payment details are flagged for review. A blank remains unknown. An impossible date is not replaced with a guess; an unclear identifier is not silently merged. A row can be skipped or returned as a question before approval.

Reviewed imports add records without deleting or overwriting existing farm data. Larger sources may be split into reviewed batches. After loading, counts and sample entries are checked against the approved source. There is no fixed public turnaround.