# Importing data

> Bring data into a project from AGS or CSV files, with validation and a preview.

Manage imports ground investigation data from **AGS** and **CSV** files, validating
and previewing it before anything is written. Imports are available on all plans,
subject to your role.

## Start an import

On the **Imports** screen, choose **New import** and add your files:

- **one AGS4 file** (up to 20 MB), or
- **up to 50 CSV files** (1 MB each).

You cannot mix AGS and CSV in a single import.

## Choose how it merges

Set the **import mode** for how incoming data meets what is already there:

| Mode | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **New rows only** | Create new rows, skip all updates. The recommended default. |
| **Fill gaps only** | Only fill empty fields, never overwrite existing data. |
| **Merge** | Incoming values overwrite existing data (blanks are skipped). |
| **Overwrite all** | Incoming values overwrite everything, including with blanks. |

## Validate

Manage checks your files and shows **warnings** and **errors** per file. Open a
file to see the detail - the rule, line, group and message. If there are errors,
fix the file and try again; informational AGS notices are flagged but do not block
you.

## Quality checks (advisory)

For AGS imports, Manage also shows **Quality checks** alongside the required
validation - reference only, they never block the import:

- **Validation engine** - advisory geotechnical and data-quality checks (BS 5930,
  depth, spatial and more).
- **Project rules** - your project's [acceptance ruleset](/manage/supplier-submissions),
  the same one used to vet supplier submissions.

These are the same checks a supplier's data goes through, so you can hold your own
imports to the same standard. If your data has **Project-rule errors**, Manage shows
a warning and the action becomes **Import anyway** - you can still proceed (the
checks are advisory for your own imports), but it is a nudge to review first.

## Choose what to import

<Steps>
  <Step title="Locations">
    If the files contain location data, pick which **locations** to import.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Tables">
    Choose which **tables** to bring in. They are all selected by default to save
    time - clear any you do not want.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Review the plan">
    Manage shows an **import plan** - exactly what will be added and changed, table
    by table, with the differences highlighted - so there are no surprises.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Run it

Submit the import. It processes in the background - wait on the progress screen or
carry on working. The **Imports** list keeps a history with each import's status
(**Queued**, **Processing**, **Complete** or **Failed**), who ran it, and its
files.