Migrating from SimplePractice to Practice Better

In this article:

• Before You Begin
• Data Ownership
• Step 1: Export Data from SimplePractice
• Step 2: Review Your Exported Data
• Step 3: Prepare Your Files for Practice Better
• Step 4: Import Data into Practice Better
• Step 5: Verify Your Data
• Need Help?

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

• An active SimplePractice account with Account Owner or Practice Manager permissions.
• An active Practice Better account (Professional plan or higher recommended for full import features).
• Data export permissions enabled in SimplePractice.
• Time set aside to complete the migration process without interruption.

💡 Tip: If you have a large practice with hundreds of clients or complex data needs, Practice Better offers white-glove migration assistance. Our team can guide you through the entire process, handle the technical details, and ensure your data transfers smoothly. Simply visit the Switch your EHR to Practice Better page to get started with expert support.

Data Ownership

Your client data is always yours. When migrating from SimplePractice to Practice Better:

• You retain full ownership of your client records, notes, and billing information.
• Practice Better never claims rights to your data — we simply provide a secure platform for storage and management.
• You are responsible for securely handling exported files during the migration process.
• Once imported, your data will be encrypted and protected according to industry-standard security protocols.

🔒 Reassurance: Your clients' privacy and your practice's data security are our top priorities throughout the migration journey.

Step 1: Export Data from SimplePractice

SimplePractice provides a comprehensive Data Export feature that allows you to download your client information in a secure, organized format.

1. Log in to your SimplePractice account.
2. Navigate to Settings > Data Export (or Analytics > Reports and select the Export option).
3. Click Export client data.
4. Select your export scope based on your practice structure:
   • A Primary Clinician: If you have multiple staff members, select this option to export data for each clinician separately. This keeps chart notes organized by author. You'll need to perform separate exports for each clinician.
   • All Clients: If you're a solo practitioner or want to export all client data at once, select this option.
5. Choose Complete data export to ensure you capture all available information.
6. Decide whether to password-protect your export file. SimplePractice will generate a unique password different from your account password. We recommend keeping this security feature enabled for maximum data protection.
7. Click Export to begin the process.

SimplePractice will take a few minutes to generate your export file. You'll receive an email notification when your download is ready. Return to the Data Export page and click the download link to save the file to your computer.

⚠️ Important: Your data export will be available as a ZIP file containing multiple folders and documents. Keep this file secure on your device until you're ready to prepare it for Practice Better.

Step 2: Review Your Exported Data

Once you've downloaded your SimplePractice export, take a moment to review what you received. Understanding your data structure now will make the import process smoother.

1. Extract the ZIP file to a secure location on your computer.
2. Open the extracted folder. You'll find several subfolders including:
   • Contacts: Contains client demographic information in CSV format.
   • Medical Records: Contains folders for each client with their chart notes and documentation.
   • Additional folders with billing reports, appointment history, and other practice data.
3. Review the Contacts CSV file to confirm client information appears complete and accurate.
4. Check for duplicate entries, especially emergency contacts that SimplePractice exports as part of the main client list. If you identify duplicates, you can clean these up now or manage client statuses after import.
5. Save your files securely before moving forward with preparation.

Step 3: Prepare Your Files for Practice Better

Practice Better's import system works best with clean, well-organized CSV files. Here's how to prepare your SimplePractice data for a successful import.

Preparing Client Demographic Data

1. Open the Contacts CSV file from your SimplePractice export using Excel, Google Sheets, or another spreadsheet application.
2. Confirm the file includes column headers such as First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, Date of Birth, and Address fields.
3. Review the data for any SimplePractice-specific fields that won't transfer to Practice Better, such as internal system IDs or platform-specific codes.
4. Remove emergency contacts from the main client list if you identified duplicates in Step 2, or be prepared to update their status in Practice Better after import.
5. Save the cleaned file as a CSV format if you made any changes.

Understanding What Can Be Imported

Practice Better can import the following information from SimplePractice:

• Client demographics: Name, email, phone, address, date of birth, gender, and contact information.
• Client documents: Chart notes, intake forms, and other documentation (requires separate file organization).
• Basic billing information: Depending on your export format.

Please note: SimplePractice appointment history cannot be directly imported into Practice Better's calendar. You'll need to recreate recurring appointments or upcoming sessions manually within Practice Better after your client data is imported.

Step 4: Import Data into Practice Better

If you're ready to transition to Practice Better, we offer expert assistance for a seamless migration process.

Follow this link to get started: Switch your EHR to Practice Better

Migration Overview:

• First, complete the form linked above to begin the migration process.
• Our friendly team of helpers will guide you through the process of obtaining and importing your data into Practice Better.
• Get up and running quickly, seeing clients with minimal disruption and downtime.

Step 5: Verify Your Data

After receiving confirmation that your import is complete, it's time to verify everything transferred correctly. This quality check ensures you can confidently begin working in Practice Better.

1. Go to the My Clients section in Practice Better.
2. Review several client profiles to confirm:
   • Client names, emails, and contact information appear correctly.
   • Demographic details like date of birth and address transferred accurately.
   • No duplicate profiles were created.
3. Check your import history by clicking the three dots near the top-right of your Client list and selecting Client Import History.
4. Test a simple workflow such as:
   • Opening a client record and reviewing their information.
   • Sending clients an invitation to activate their account. 
5. Import client documents if you have additional chart notes and files. You can upload documents to individual client records through their Documents tab.

✅ Next Steps: With your client data successfully migrated, take time to explore Practice Better's features, customize your account settings, and set up your services and programs. You're now ready to support your clients with all the tools Practice Better offers!

Need Help?

Migrating your practice is a significant step, and we're here to support you every step of the way. If you run into questions, encounter any challenges, or would prefer hands-on guidance:

• Use the in-app chat by clicking "Contact Support" at the bottom of your Practice Better dashboard, or the chat icon in the help center.
• Submit a support ticket through your account by asking our AI agent for detailed assistance from our team.
• Request white-glove migration assistance by filling out this form if you'd like our team to handle the technical details for you.

Moving to a new platform is a big step, but with your data successfully migrated, you'll be ready to take full advantage of Practice Better's features and support your clients with confidence. Welcome to Practice Better — we're excited to be part of your practice's journey!