Importing a Structure

If you already have your archival hierarchy defined in a spreadsheet or document, you can import it into The Archiver instead of building it manually.

note

Importing a structure requires a paid plan.

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Supported import formats

The Archiver can import structures from:

• CSV — a simple spreadsheet with columns for each level of the hierarchy
• EAD3 XML — standard archival encoding (if you're migrating from another system)

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Importing from CSV

Prepare your CSV

Your CSV should have the following columns:

Column	Required	Example
fonds_name	Yes	Smith Family Fonds
subfonds_name	No	John Smith's Papers
series_name	Yes	Correspondence
subseries_name	No	Personal Letters
description	No	Letters between family members…
date_from	No	1920
date_to	No	1945

Each row represents one node in the hierarchy. Rows sharing the same fonds_name will be grouped under the same Fonds.

Import steps

1. Go to Fonds in the sidebar
2. Click Import Structure (top right)
3. Select CSV
4. Upload your CSV file
5. The Archiver previews the structure it will create
6. Review and click Import

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Importing from EAD3

If you're migrating from ArchivesSpace, AtoM, or another system that exports EAD3:

1. Export your EAD3 file from the other system
2. Go to Fonds → Import Structure → EAD3
3. Upload the .xml file
4. Review the preview and click Import

tip

EAD3 imports preserve your existing descriptions, dates, and reference codes. They do not automatically link your existing Accessions — you'll need to assign those manually after import.

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After importing

Once the structure is imported:

• All Fonds, Sub-fonds, Series, and Sub-series are created
• They appear immediately in your Fonds tree
• You can edit any item by clicking on it
• Assign your Accessions to the structure using the normal drag-and-drop method