---
title: "Import and export fields for Administrators - Payhawk Help Center"
slug: "importing-and-exporting-custom-expense-fields-in-bulk"
description: "Import and export fields and their values in bulk in Payhawk: download the template, fill in your fields, upload them at once, or export them to review."
updated: 2026-10-27T14:43:59Z
published: 2026-10-27T14:43:59Z
canonical: "payhawk.com/importing-and-exporting-custom-expense-fields-in-bulk"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://payhawk.com/help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Importing and exporting fields in bulk

If you have a mass of custom fields you need to import from your existing system directly to Payhawk or if you need to export all your fields from Payhawk, you can do it quickly with the automated options for bulk import and export.

## Bulk import of fields to Payhawk

If you have a huge number of expense filed values to import, you can add them at once by uploading an Excel file and importing them in bulk:

1. Go to the **Settings** > **Fields library**.
2. Select the desired field by clicking on it. For this example, use **Cost center**.
3. Click on the three dots menu and select **Import**.

![Cost center values in the Fields library with the three-dot menu open and the Import option.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/GA%3AFields%20library/fields_bulk_import_menu_20261022_ai.png)
4. On the screen that opens, click on **Generate template** link to download the template Excel file. Enter your expense fields in the required format and save the file locally:
  - To keep your existing fields and/or add new ones from the file, select the **Add and/or update existing** option.
  - To keep your existing fields and only add imported ones to them, select the **Add only** option.

![Options for importing data: update existing records or add new ones.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/GA%3AFields%20library/fields_bulk_import_2.png)
5. Go back to the Payhawk screen and click on the **Click to upload** link to upload your locally saved Excel file.

![Instructions for uploading a file with steps to follow for users.](https://cdn.payhawk.com/GA%3AFields%20library/fields_bulk_import_3.png)
6. Click on **Upload**.
7. On the next screen, confirm your choice and click on **Import**.
8. Click on **Done**.

## Bulk export of fields from Payhawk

To export your fields from Payhawk at once in an Excel format:

1. Log in to the [Payhawk Web Portal](https://portal.payhawk.com).
2. Go to **Settings** > **Fields library**.
3. Click on **Cost center**.
4. Click on the three dots menu and select **Import**.
5. On the screen that opens, click on the **Generate template** link to download the template Excel file. As a result, the Excel file with the exported fields will automatically be downloaded locally on your machine.

> [!WARNING]
> The field data for an expense is embedded in the export file with the values that are present at the time when the expense is selected for export. Changes made to the custom field afterward will only be reflected if the updated field is re-selected for export.

## Useful resources

- [Automatic population of field data](/help/automatic-population-of-expense-field-data)