# How to import customers from an external source?

HBook does not directly offer a CSV file import function for adding customers to HBook. You will import your customers directly into the `hb_customers` table in the database. You will need to work from PhpMyAdmin, using the “Import” function, which allows you to import CSV files.

You will first need to edit your current CSV file, in Excel for example, in order to structure the data as required by HBook. Here are the names of the table columns:

- `email`: this must be unique. 1 email = 1 customer. Make sure you don't have any duplicates.
- `info`: this is where the customer information is stored, in a Json. The “keys” correspond to the default HBook field IDs, as found in **HBook > Details form** (or in the `hb_fields` table of the database)
- `payment_id`: leave this column blank. This is for the Stripe customer ID when the payment method save option is enabled in **HBook > Payment > Stripe Settings**.
- `nb_resa`: enter 0. This corresponds to the number of HBook reservations for this customer.

You may download a sample file, as an example: [wp_hb_customers.csv](./attachments/wp_hb_customers.csv)