Importing Investors via CSV

Bulk import investors into your asset when you're working with multiple LPs and don't want to add them one at a time.

When you have a spreadsheet of investors ready to commit or you're migrating from another system, CSV import saves hours of manual data entry while ensuring consistent formatting and no missed records.

What you'll need

• A CSV file with investor names (required); entity type, contributed capital, and class are strongly recommended
• A new asset being created via the Add Asset onboarding flow (CSV import is only available during onboarding)
• Optional: existing investor records if you're consolidating duplicates

Understanding the CSV format

WaterfallOne uses two different CSV templates depending on whether you're onboarding a new asset or an existing asset with prior distribution history. The correct template is provided inside the Upload CSV modal during setup.

New asset (4 columns)

Use this format when you're creating a brand-new asset with no prior distributions.

Investor Name,Class,Initial Capital,Contribution Date
John Smith,A,500000,2025-01-15
Smith Family Trust,A,250000,2025-01-15
Blackstone RE Fund III,B,1000000,2025-02-01

Existing asset with prior distributions (8 columns)

Use this format when you're bringing an existing asset into WaterfallOne that already has distribution history. This is the more common scenario, since most users are migrating from spreadsheets or another system and need to carry forward where each investor stands.

The existing asset template includes the same four columns as above, plus four snapshot fields that capture each investor's distribution history up to the point you're migrating.

Investor Name,Class,Initial Capital,Contribution Date,Total Distributions Received,ROC Paid to Date,Pref Paid to Date,Unpaid Pref to Date
John Smith,A,500000,2024-01-15,100000,50000,8000,2000
Smith Family Trust,A,250000,2024-01-15,50000,25000,4000,1000
Blackstone RE Fund III,B,1000000,2024-02-01,200000,100000,15000,5000

Why the snapshot fields matter: These four fields tell WaterfallOne exactly where each investor stands in the waterfall at the time of migration. Without them, the system would treat every investor as if they've never received a distribution, and your next distribution would calculate incorrectly (e.g., re-paying return of capital that was already returned).

Where to find these numbers: Pull them from your existing waterfall spreadsheet, prior fund admin reports, or your accounting system. If you're not sure of the exact breakdown between ROC and pref, use your best estimate. You can review and adjust individual investor records after import.

Notes:

• The snapshot fields are optional. If left blank, they default to 0, meaning the system assumes no prior distributions for that investor.
• During existing asset setup, you'll also enter the Last Distribution Date and confirm the accuracy of your snapshot data before the import finalizes.
• The GP (Managing Member) is handled separately in the setup flow. The CSV is for LP investors only.

Downloading the CSV template

Before you prepare your investor list, download WaterfallOne's CSV template to ensure your columns match exactly. The template includes headers and one example row.

How to download:

1. During the onboarding flow when creating a new asset, click Upload CSV to open the CSV modal.
2. Inside the modal, download the blank template.
3. Open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or your preferred spreadsheet tool.
4. Keep the header row exactly as provided.

Filling out your CSV

Best practices

Names: Use the legal name of the investor entity exactly as they will appear in bank wires and fund documents. Avoid abbreviations unless they're standard (e.g., "Acme LP" not "Acme").

Capital amounts: Enter as whole numbers (or decimals if you're tracking cents). No currency symbols or commas. Example: 5000000 for $5M, 150000.50 for $150,000.50.

Classes: Must be A, B, or C, matching the classes defined in your waterfall structure. Make sure the class exists in your waterfall before importing.

Dates: Use YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., 2024-01-15). If you leave contribution date blank, it defaults to your asset's economic start date.

Snapshot fields (existing assets): Double-check that Total Distributions Received equals ROC Paid to Date + Pref Paid to Date for each row. The system will warn you if the numbers don't add up, but getting this right upfront saves time.

Uploading your CSV

CSV import is available during the onboarding flow when you create a new asset using Add Asset. It is not available from an existing asset's investor section.

Once your CSV is complete and saved:

1. Start the Add Asset onboarding flow in WaterfallOne.
2. When you reach the investor step, click Upload CSV.
3. Select your CSV file from your computer.
4. Review the parsed data before confirming (see "Preview and duplicate detection" below).

Preview and duplicate detection

Before the system commits your investors, it runs a matching check against investors already in your asset. This prevents accidental duplicates.

How duplicate detection works

WaterfallOne compares new investors against existing ones by name (case-insensitive, ignoring common variations like "Inc.", "LLC", "LP", and extra spaces). If a match is found, the system flags it as a potential duplicate.

Example: If you're importing "Acme Capital Partners" and an investor named "ACME CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC" already exists in your asset, the system flags it as a potential duplicate.

Resolving duplicates

When a duplicate is detected, you can choose for each flagged record whether to link it to the existing investor or create a new one:

Link to existing investor

• Uses the investor already in your asset. The imported row is merged with the existing investor record.
• Useful if you're re-importing a list that already has some investors in the system.

Create as new investor

• Ignores the match and creates a new investor record.
• Use this if the matching investor is actually a different entity (e.g., two different funds both named "Acme").

Review each flagged match carefully. If unsure, create it as new. You can always merge investors manually later if needed.

Previewing before confirming

Before finalizing the import, the system shows you:

• Total investor count being added.
• List of all investors and their attributes (name, entity type, capital, class).
• Any flagged duplicates and your chosen resolution for each.
• Validation warnings (e.g., class doesn't exist, malformed capital amount).

What happens if validation fails:

• Errors (required fields missing, invalid capital format) prevent import. Fix them in your CSV and re-upload.
• Warnings (unknown class, missing entity type) don't block import but alert you to review.

Take a moment to scan the preview. It's your last chance to catch mistakes.

After import: Reviewing class assignments

Once investors are imported, they're assigned to classes based on your CSV. Double-check that each investor is in the correct class before finishing the onboarding flow — class assignments are set during the Asset Setup step and cannot be changed after the asset is created.

If you spot a class error after the asset is active, you'll need to void any affected distributions, recreate the asset with the correct class assignments, and re-run your distributions.

What's next

• Recording Capital Events: After importing, you might need to record additional contributions or reinvestments for specific investors.
• Understanding Waterfall Structure: Learn how investor classes feed into your ROC, pref, and promote tiers.
• Running Your First Distribution: Once investors are in place, it's time to calculate their distributions.