Keep the original export
Save an unchanged Bookly CSV so every migration decision can be checked against the source.
Bookly migration guide
Move from Bookly to StudioDock without guessing at the data
A practical migration path for podcast and photo studios moving their booking history out of a WordPress plugin workflow: export the CSV, map rooms and timing, validate a sample, then cut over future bookings on purpose.
The guide is public. Importing is an authenticated admin workflow; it is not a customer-facing custom-domain route.
Before you export
Treat service labels and room names as a mapping decision
Bookly exports can mix appointment services with the actual room a client booked. In StudioDock, imported rows must resolve to an existing space. Build that space list first, then make each Bookly label point to the right destination instead of forcing uncertain names through.
Confirm the studio time zone
Review the timing assumptions in the export before you import historical or future appointments.
Separate non-booking work
Assess memberships, credits, automations, and WordPress customizations outside the booking-row import.
Exact Bookly preset fields
What the Bookly CSV preset can suggest
StudioDock recognizes a Bookly-named CSV and can suggest these common column mappings. Exports vary, so use the preview and adjust the mapping when your headers differ.
| Bookly CSV header | StudioDock field | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment ID, Booking ID, or ID | External booking ID | Useful for identifying the imported booking. |
| Customer Name, Client Name, or Name | Guest name | Imported with the booking. |
| Customer Email / Phone | Guest email / phone | Direct booking details can stay attached when present. |
| Date + Start Time + End Time | Date, start time, end time | Use this route when the export has separate fields. |
| Date + Start Time + Duration | Date, start time, duration | Use duration when an end-time column is not available. |
| Service Name, Room, or Space Name | StudioDock space | Must be mapped to an existing StudioDock space before import. |
| Total Price, Price, or Amount | Total price | Preserves the source booking amount when it is available. |
| Status / Appointment Status | Booking status | Review inconsistent source statuses before import. |
| Notes / Customer Notes | Notes | Keep useful operational context with the imported booking. |
| Created At / Created | Source created at | Optional source-history context. |
For timing, map either a combined source datetime column or a date plus start time. Add end time or duration so the booking can be normalized and reviewed.
The migration workflow
Six checks between Bookly and a clean StudioDock start
1. Prepare the source export
Export one clean CSV with client details, appointment timing, service or room name, status, and price. Keep a separate copy of the original export.
2. Set up the destination
Create StudioDock spaces first. Decide how Bookly services and room labels should map to real bookable spaces before uploading any history.
3. Choose Bookly in Import & Export
In the authenticated admin migration area, choose Bookly, upload the CSV, and apply the suggested mapping where its headers match your export.
4. Review the mapped preview
Confirm time zone, mapped spaces, start/end timing, status, price, and customer fields. The import cannot proceed while required fields or space mappings are unresolved.
5. Import a small sample first
Check the imported bookings in StudioDock before processing the full history. Use the result counts to investigate skipped duplicates or row-level errors.
6. Cut over future bookings deliberately
Choose a low-risk handoff: move future bookings first, run a phased switch, or preserve only the history that is useful operationally.
Plan and domain clarity
Keep public booking parity separate from admin migration
The public guide and its conversion paths are the same for owners evaluating Pro and Scale. The existing Import & Export area requires a signed-in tenant admin rather than a public booking URL. Scale tenants can continue using their verified custom domain for customer-facing booking after setup; the migration operator works from the authenticated StudioDock admin area.
What to validate before switching traffic
- Each active Bookly service or room resolves to the correct StudioDock space.
- A sample includes the expected timing, price, status, and customer contact details.
- Future Bookly links are replaced only after the StudioDock public flow has been checked.
- The old export remains available for reconciliation during the handoff.
Related migration resources
Choose the right next step
Frequently asked questions
Bookly migration questions
Does StudioDock offer a one-click Bookly migration?+
No. StudioDock provides a CSV import workflow with a Bookly preset and manual mapping review. A safe migration still requires the studio to confirm spaces, timing, statuses, and the records that should move.
Which Bookly fields are required?+
Every row needs a mapped StudioDock space plus either a date or source start datetime. In practice, prepare a date, start time, and either end time or duration so the booking timing can be reviewed clearly.
Can Bookly services become StudioDock spaces automatically?+
The Bookly preset can suggest Service Name, Room, or Space Name as the source field, but the studio must map each source label to an existing StudioDock space before import.
What should not be forced into the booking CSV?+
Do not treat every legacy concept as a booking row. Recreate or assess workflows such as memberships, credits, subscriptions, automations, and unusual WordPress customizations separately before the cutover.
Ready to replace the plugin stack?
Start with the workflow your studio actually needs.
Open a trial to set up your spaces, or send the team your Bookly migration question through the asynchronous demo form.