Pathway progress is imported through the participant import, not a separate file. Add the pathway columns to your participant spreadsheet: a row whose pathway_code matches a step code in your account and that has a pathway_authorization_number enrolls the participant in that step, links or creates the authorization, and records the rate and units. To put one participant on more than one pathway, repeat their row with the same participant details and different pathway values. Build your pathways first, with a code on every step, so the codes exist to match.
Participants are labelled Clients, Students, Residents or Explorers depending on your account type. The import button and the file work the same way for all of them.
Who can do this, and where
Web app only, from the participant list.
Your role needs the Create permission on the Participants module, or you are an account administrator.
Your Equip onboarding contact can run the import for you. Send them the finished file if you would rather not upload it yourself.
On an annual contract the import must fit inside your contracted seats.
Before you start
Every pathway step you want to enroll people in needs a code on the pathway's page (or in the pathway import file). The import matches on that code and nothing else.
Team members named as supporters must already exist in the account under the email you enter.
Each participant needs an identifier: an email, or a case_id on community rehabilitation (CRP) accounts. Other account types require an email on every row.
Download the template
Open the participant import template, click File, then Download, then Microsoft Excel (.xlsx). Delete the sample rows, delete any columns you will not use, and rename the file with your organization name. Use the column names below exactly; a column Equip does not recognize stops the upload.
Pathway columns
Column | Required for a pathway row | What Equip does with it |
pathway_code | Yes | The code of the step to enroll in. Its pathway is enrolled at the same time. A code that matches no step in your account is skipped without an error. |
pathway_authorization_number | Yes | The funder's authorization number. Equip reuses an existing authorization with this number for the same participant, otherwise creates one. Without it the pathway part of the row is skipped without an error. |
pathway_start_date | No | Start date of the step. Also becomes the pathway progress's Receive Date if that is empty. |
pathway_supporter_email | No | Email of the team member supporting the step. An unknown email leaves the supporter blank; the rest of the row still imports. |
pathway_counselor_name | No | Counselor recorded on the authorization. |
pathway_authorization_units | No | Units authorized for the step. Blank means 1. |
pathway_authorization_rate | No | Rate for the step. Blank means the step's own price. |
pathway_authorization_issue_date | No | Authorization issue date. |
pathway_authorization_begin_date | No | Authorization begin date. |
pathway_authorization_end_date | No | Authorization end date. |
Dates can be written as 2026-01-15, 01/15/2026, 01-15-2026, 15/01/2026, 2026/01/15 or 01/15/26. A date Equip cannot read is left blank.
The import does not set step end dates, the Meeting Date, custom date fields, a supporter without a pathway, or closed pathways. Enter those with Update Progress on the participant's Pathways tab afterwards.
One participant, several pathways
Repeat the participant's row once per pathway. Every column except the pathway columns must be identical on the repeated rows: the same name, email, case ID, groups and so on. Only the pathway_ values may differ. Equip counts the participant once and creates one pathway progress per row.
Steps
In the left sidebar open the participant list and click Import.
Drop your .xlsx file into the panel and click Validate Import.
Review the preview. Each participant shows their identifier and, under Pathways, the codes they will be enrolled in. Rows highlighted in red are participants who already exist in the account.
Choose the toggles: Update Existing Records (on by default) updates matched participants and adds their pathway rows; Send App Invite emails a mobile invitation (not offered on CRP accounts).
Click Import [Participants]. Equip runs the import in the background and notifies you when it finishes.
Open a few participants' Pathways tabs to confirm the enrollments, supporters and authorizations.
Limits and what the errors mean
"Missing required headers: name": every file needs a name column.
"File must contain either 'email' or 'case_id'/'case_ids' column": add one identifier column.
"Row 7: Must have an email address.": on non-CRP accounts every row needs an email.
"Invalid headers found: pathway_receive_date, authorization_number": those are not accepted column names. Use the names in the table above.
"Row 9: Field 'groups' differs from row 8. When adding multiple pathways for the same participant, only pathway fields should differ.": the repeated rows for one participant do not match. Copy the first row exactly and change only the pathway_ values.
"Row 5: Duplicate email 'x' also found in row 3 for a different participant.": two different people share an email. Fix the file.
"This import would exceed allocated seats. You have 3 seats left but the import contains 5 unique participants.": annual contracts stop at the contracted seat count. Contact the Equip team for more seats.
A pathway row whose code matches no step, or that has no authorization number, imports the participant but silently skips the pathway. Check the Pathways tab after importing.
Importing the same file again is safe: the same participant, pathway and case reuse the existing pathway progress, and the same authorization number is linked rather than duplicated. Rate and units are updated unless the step has already been paid.
FAQ
Is there a separate pathway progress import?
No. Pathway progress comes in with the participant import. Add the pathway columns to the participant spreadsheet and upload it from the participant list with Import.
Which columns are required for the pathway part to work?
pathway_code and pathway_authorization_number. Without either one the participant still imports but no pathway progress or authorization is created, and Equip does not warn you. Everything else is optional.
Where do I find the pathway codes?
Open Pathways in the left sidebar, open the pathway, and read each step's code. If a step has no code, add one there before importing, because the import only matches on codes.
Can I put one participant on two pathways?
Yes. Add a second row with exactly the same participant details and different pathway values. Equip imports the participant once and creates a pathway progress for each row.
What happens if the authorization number already exists?
Equip links the participant's existing authorization with that number instead of creating a new one, and fills in the counselor and dates only where they were blank. Rate and units on the step are updated unless the step is already marked paid.
Can the import set end dates or close pathways?
No. Only start dates, supporters and authorization details are imported. Use Update Progress on the participant's Pathways tab to enter end dates, and Close Progress on View Details to close a finished round.
I imported and the participants are there but the pathways are missing. Why?
The most common causes are a pathway_code that matches no step code in your account, or an empty pathway_authorization_number. Both skip the pathway without an error. Fix the file and import it again with Update Existing Records on; the participants are matched and only the pathway progress is added.
Related
Fill out the Pathway Import spreadsheet
Import participants from a spreadsheet
Can a participant run the same pathway more than once?
Create a pathway and its steps
Record billed and paid dates on an authorization