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Import your Basecamp data into Copper!

We are delighted to announce that we now have a Basecamp import function, available via the “Import/Export” tab in Admin. This function imports an entire Basecamp xml export file, and will APPEND to your existing Copper data, so be mindful that if you perform the import twice you’ll double your data. This is available now to beta customers and will be rolled out to all customers in the next week.

I know what you’re thinking: “How does it work? And will my hair fall out if I try this?” The short(haired) answer is “let me explain, and no”.

Of course, as with all shoe-horning there are some essential differences in the Basecamp and Copper data structures, so here is how the import handles these discrepancies.

1. People: Your organization users are imported as Copper users, all other People are imported as Contacts in Copper. Only users can log into your Copper installation.
2. Projects: Are imported as is with the start/end dates set to Today. In Copper you can use the project timeline to quickly drag real start/finish dates for your projects and Tasks.
3. Tasks: Basecamp has four ‘types’ of tasks: To Dos, Posts, Milestones, and Task-Lists. Copper allows a hierarchical set up of tasks so the Import brings these four Basecamp item into each project as tasks and or subtasks which you can then drag into any position you desire.
4. Comments and Messages: These are shown under each task with time/date/user stamp. With one caveat, where a non-user has commented on a Task, this is shown as “Basecamp User”. See point 1 above.
5. Just on users, remember we only bring in your organizations users as copper user, the rest are in as contacts. However on that point, in the Basecamp export, 37 Signals have not provided a distinction between deleted and active users, so if you have 5 active users and 5 deleted users they will come in as 10 users. So, if you get an error that you are over your user limit when importing (e.g. Copper Studio is 25 users and you’ve got more than 25 current/deleted users in your basecamp data) let us know so that we can temporarily upgrade your account for the import.

That just about covers everything! As with any big changes, we suggest taking a backup of your data prior to importing your Basecamp data and also have fun!

We welcome our Basecamp brothers and sisters with open arms, if you’re looking for a $29/mth project management software alternative, Copper has our Standard plan ready to go.

Ben.