---
title: Channel Import
description: "Channel import is beneficial tool for admins who want to: Bulk-edit their existing channels Bulk-assign user roles or tags Significantly grow their..."
---

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May 8, 2026

# Channel Import

This article is written for: ✅ Zello Work  ❌ Zello Friends & Family.

Zello Work admins can simultaneously manage numerous network channels using Zello's **Channel Import** tool. This method allow multiple channels to be created or edited at once through the import of a .csv file in the management console. 

Channel import is beneficial tool for admins who want to: 

- Bulk-edit their existing channels
- Bulk-assign user roles or tags
- Significantly grow their network by creating multiple new channels at once
- Rapidly or change your network with ease

### How to Use

Channels can be imported in one of two ways: 

| **Method** | **When and How to Use** |
| --- | --- |
| Exporting your **existing** channels' data, editing that data if necessary, then importing it back into the management console. | You may opt for this method if you'd like to edit a large number of existing channels using their current configurations as a template. (For example, if you'd like to add user roles or tags to multiple channels.) |
| Editing a **fresh** .csv template | You may opt for this method if you're creating a large number of new channels. To edit a fresh template, go to Channels\>Import Channels\>Download a CSV template. Skip the **Exporting Channels** section below. |

Steps to import channels include: 

1[. Export channels (if applicable)](https://support.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26989479686925#h_01HZA532RKAYD5KXCFG54KK30D)  
2\.[ Edit the .csv template (and create user roles, if applicable to your network)](https://2567349.hs-sites.com/zw/channel-import?hsLang=en)  
3\.[ Import channels](https://2567349.hs-sites.com/zw/channel-import?hsLang=en)

### **Exporting Channels**

1\. Sign in to the management console at *yournetworkname*.zellowork.com and click the **Channels **tab. 

![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/27654865722509-3.png)

2\. Select** Export channels **from the top-right corner of your screen. This will download a .zip file that lists all of your current channels.

![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/27677247033613-3.png)

3\. From your device's downloads folder, find the .csv file titled *yourchannelname*\_channels\_export\_year\_month\_day\_time.csv.   
![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/27677306434957-3.png)

4\. If you'd like to edit the template before its import—i.e. if you'd like to edit the current configuration of channels or add additional channels to your network— follow the instructions in the *Editing the Template* section before proceeding to the* Importing Channels* section.

### **Editing the template**

The headers on the .csv file should be the same, regardless if you've exported your .csv or edited a blank template. Headers will include:

- name\*
- type\*
- tags
- default\_channel
- emergency\_channel
- delete\*\*
- roles

\*The only required columns are **name** and **type**. If name and type aren't included, the channel's creation will fail. However, if you're updating an *existing* channel and leave the **type** field blank, the channel type will remain the same as it was prior to import. 

\*\*If you enter a value of "1" in a channel's **delete** column, that channel will be deleted from your network. If you don't wish to delete a channel, leave this column blank.

**NOTE:** Columns must have the exact header names listed above, but they can be arranged in any order. If you are importing a channel with a set of tags, separate the tags using semi-colons. 

### **Creating User Roles **

Zello's import tool allows admins to easily [assign user roles](https://paidsupport.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26989819508749-Setting-up-User-Roles-to-manage-users-in-a-channel). To do so, add any of the following parameters to the **roles** column of your channel import .csv: 

| Speaks\_to | Defines the users who will receive messages from users in this role. The parameter can be defined as one of the following:  - **anyone:** users in this role will be able to send messages to all users in the channel  - **users\_without\_roles**: this role can send messages to users without an assigned role. - **selected\_roles:** this role can speak to another assigned role—for example, Dispatcher. If you want the users in this role to speak to multiple other roles, list all separated by a comma(s). User roles that are created at the same time can be assigned to talk to each other.  - **listen\_only: **this role cannot send messages. They can only listen to other messages.  |
| --- | --- |
| Priority | **High, normal, or low.** Higher priority users will be able to interrupt any voice message from a lower priority user.<https://paidsupport.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26813259407629-Talk-Priority>[Learn more here. ](https://paidsupport.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26813259407629-Talk-Priority) |
| Disconnects | **On or off.** Choose whether or not to allow users in this role to disconnect from the channel. [Learn more here. ](https://paidsupport.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26990426217997-How-to-allow-or-prevent-channel-disconnection-by-users) |
| Alerts | **On** or **off**. Choose whether or not to allow users in this role to send channel-wide alerts. [Learn more here.](https://paidsupport.zello.com/hc/en-us/articles/26989961014669-Sending-Channel-Alerts) |

The only field required field when assigning user roles is **speaks\_to**. All other parameters are optional. 

The correct formatting for user role creation using the channel import feature is as follows: 

- Separate distinct roles using a semicolon ;
- Define parameters using parentheses ( )
- Capture all parameters for a single role within curly brackets { }
- Separate parameters within each user role with commas ,

**Example: **Dispatchers{speaks\_to(anyone),priority(high),disconnects(on),alerts(on)};Drivers{speaks\_to(Dispatchers),priority(high),disconnects(off),alerts(off)}

### **Importing Channels **

1\. When you're happy with your channel configurations, click **Import channels.** 

![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/27654884499213-3.png)

2\. Scroll to the bottom of the import page and select Choose a file. Select the .csv file with your desired configurations and  
![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/27654865737741-3.png)  
3\. When the file's name appears in the blue button, click the green **Preview** button. A screen that details the number of records found, number of channels to be updated, and number of emergency channels to be updated will appear. the data looks correct, click **Import**.   
![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/27654884522125-3.png)

 

**Note:** If you reach this point and would like to edit the file, re-open the .csv, make and save your changes, then press **Choose another file** to re-upload it. 

4\. Once you click the **Import** button, all changes will automatically begin syncing to your network. Changes will take effect as soon as the import completes, but please note the process may take a while if you're configuring a large number of channels.

The status screen will notify you of progress, including when the updates are complete. 

![](https://support.zello.com/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/27654865756685-3.png)

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