Would you like to add multiple recurring jobs at once in AntsRoute?
You can import a file in .csv, .xls, or .xlsx format.
This feature helps you save time and avoid manual data entry.
Before you start
Before importing your file, please check the following:
- ✅ Your file contains only one sheet
- ✅ All formulas have been removed
- ✅ The file contains a maximum of 500 rows
- ✅ The format is .csv, .xls, or .xlsx
- ✅ All required fields are included
💡 If you have more than 500 rows, split your data into multiple files.
How to fill in your file
The fields below must match the column headers in your file.
💡 Download our template file here.
Required fields
- Last name (customer or company name)
- Address (example: 71 Tooting High St, London SW17 0RN)
- Planned duration (duration in minutes corresponding to the time required to complete a job, excluding travel time, for example: 40)
- Recurrence rule (the recurrence rule that you can create using our generator, for example: “FREQ=DAILY;INTERVAL=1;UNTIL=20251106T220000Z”)
- Recurrence start (the start date of a recurrence in the format YYYY-MM-DD or DD/MM/YYYY, for example: 2025-11-06)
Without these fields, the import cannot be validated.
⚠️ The recurrence start date must not be in the past.
Special case: Pickup & Delivery
If you use pickup and delivery, you must also add:
- Type (Pickup / Delivery / Load / Unload)
The rows must follow this order:
- Load → Delivery (one Load row, then one Delivery row)
or - Pickup → Unload (one Pickup row, then one Unload row)
☝️ Important:
The Pickup & Delivery file must follow a specific logic:
It must contain consecutive rows in the order Pickup → Unload or Load → Delivery.
If the loading (or unloading) location is always the same, you can configure it directly in Settings > Default values.
In this case, you will no longer need to add a loading (or unloading) row in your import file.
Main optional fields
- Id: unique external identifier of the imported delivery (e.g., delivery number, batch number, or purchase order number, example: 20180101-1)
- Customer External Id (your ERP customer code, e.g., C01001001)
- First name (contact person)
- Phone / Mobile (international format: +44…)
- Postal code
- City
- Customer comments
- Time slot: corresponds to a time window defined in your site settings, format HH:MM-HH:MM (e.g., 08:00-10:00)
- Comments
- Order type (service types defined in your account settings)
- Comp_XXX: indicates whether a predefined skill is required (enter YES or NO)
- Cap_XXX: quantity to transport (whole number, e.g., 18) corresponding to a predefined capacity. This field is required if mandatory validation was enabled when creating the capacity.
☝️ Skills and capacities must be created beforehand in the settings.
Adding custom fields
Are you using custom fields in AntsRoute?
- First create the field in:
Settings > Custom fields - Then add a column with the exact same name in your file.
For a multiple-choice list field, use the format:
['option 1','option 2']
If an option contains an apostrophe, add a \ before it.
How to enable recurence import
Before importing your file, you must enable the recurrence import option in your AntsRoute account settings. To do this, follow the steps below:
- Go to the “Settings” module.
- In the side menu, open “Settings”, then click on “General.”
- Enable the “Enable recurrence import” option.
- Finally, click the “Save” button.
Generate recurrence rules
We provide a tool to automatically generate the code for your recurrences based on your settings (frequency, interval, end date, etc.). To do this, follow these steps:
- Click the “Plan” module.
- Click the “Import recurrences” tab.
- Click the blue “Generate the code” button.
- Enter the recurrence details.
- Copy/paste the generated code into your file.
- Repeat for each recurrence you want to import.
💁 Examples of recurrence rules:
- Weekly until 11/18/2025 — every Monday and Thursday, every week: "FREQ=WEEKLY;INTERVAL=1;UNTIL=20251118T230000Z;BYDAY=TH,MO"
- Monthly until 12/18/2025 — the 1st Monday of each month: "FREQ=MONTHLY;INTERVAL=1;UNTIL=20251218T230000Z;BYDAY=MO;BYSETPOS=1"
How to import your file
Step 1: Upload a file
- Click the “Plan” module.
- Click the “Import recurrences” tab.
- Click the “Upload a file” button.
- Select the file you want to import.
Step 2: Match the columns
AntsRoute automatically matches recognized columns.
If some fields are not matched:
- Drag the column from the right to the corresponding field on the left
- Click Validate
💡 You can define a duration for all jobs by clicking the ✏️ icon.
Step 3: Review the data
Before final validation:
- A summary table is displayed
- Errors appear in red
- You can edit fields directly
- Then click Reimport.
Conclusion
Importing recurring jobs into AntsRoute allows you to save time and streamline your operations.
To avoid errors:
- Check required fields
- Follow the requested formats
- Review your data before final validation
If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to contact our support team via the chat available in AntsRoute or by email. 😊