Importing Cast Lists

Import Cast List on the Cast tab brings cast contact details in from a file. It **merges** with your existing cast list: matching names are updated, new names are added, and nothing is deleted, so you can run it at any point in the show.

You can import from:

• CSV (.csv): comma-separated values exported from any spreadsheet app
• Excel (.xlsx, .xls): Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets exports
• PDF (.pdf): cast lists exported from scheduling software

The importer recognizes the following fields from your file. Only **Actor Name** is required. All others are optional. | Field | Description | Example | |---|---|---| | Actor Name * | The performer's full name (required) | Jane Smith | | Cast Number / ID | Their cast number | 4 | | Character Name | The role they play | Detective Morgan | | Phone | Mobile/cell number | (310) 555-0142 | | Email | Email address | jane@agency.com | | SAG Number | SAG-AFTRA union ID | 1234567 | | Age Group | Minor status for labor compliance | Adult, Minor | | Food Restrictions | Dietary needs for catering | Vegetarian, Nut allergy | | Notes | Any additional info | Available M-F only | | Day Rate | Daily rate for the performer | 1500 | | Rep Name | Agent or manager name | John Doe | | Rep Email | Agent/manager email | john@talent.com | | Rep Phone | Agent/manager phone | (310) 555-0199 | | Transportation | Pickup/travel arrangements | Studio pickup 6am | | Category | Cast category grouping | Series Regular, Guest Star |

Three steps:

• **Upload**: Select your CSV, Excel, or PDF file
• **Map Columns**: G-Casper Pro auto-detects your column headers and maps them to cast fields. You can adjust any mapping manually.
• **Match & Review**: Imported names are matched against your existing cast list. For each person, you decide whether to update the existing entry, create a new one, or skip.

The importer compares actor names and character names and allows for small spelling differences. Each match is labelled Exact, Strong or Likely.

Importing only adds and updates:

• **Update**: If a name matches an existing cast member, their info is updated with the imported data. Only non-empty fields from the file overwrite existing values.
• **Create**: If no match is found, a new cast member is added to your list.
• **Skip**: You can skip any row you don't want to import.

A file might look like this: | Actor Name | Character | Phone | Email | SAG # | Category | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Jane Smith | Det. Morgan | (310) 555-0142 | jane@agency.com | 1234567 | Series Regular | | Mike Johnson | Officer Park | (323) 555-0188 | mike@talent.com | 2345678 | Guest Star | | Sarah Lee | Dr. Chen | (818) 555-0201 | sarah@actors.net | | Co-Star | Column names don't need to match exactly. The importer recognizes common variations like "Performer", "Talent", "Name", "Actor", etc.