You’ve outgrown SimplePractice. Maybe you’re tired of paying $50+ per month for features that feel more geared toward solo therapists than integrated medical practices. Maybe you need more robust billing capabilities, better insurance claim management, or physical therapy-specific documentation tools that SimplePractice doesn’t provide.

Whatever your reason, you need to export your client data before switching to a more specialized EMR. The good news: SimplePractice actually provides reasonable data export functionality compared to some competitors. The challenge: understanding how their export system separates demographics from clinical notes, and how to properly re-associate those files in your new system.

This guide walks you through the complete SimplePractice export process, from requesting your data to organizing it for successful import into your next EMR.

Understanding SimplePractice’s Export Structure

Before diving into the technical steps, you need to understand how SimplePractice organizes exported data. This will save you confusion later.

SimplePractice divides data into two main categories:

1. Contact/Demographics Data (CSV format):

  • Client names, birthdates, contact information
  • Emergency contacts
  • Insurance information
  • Registration dates
  • Client status (active, inactive)
  • Basic appointment history

2. Medical Records/Chart Notes (PDF format):

  • Progress notes, intake forms, treatment plans
  • Assessment documents
  • Consent forms
  • Clinical documentation
  • Signed and draft charts

These export separately, which means you’ll need to re-associate chart PDFs with the correct client records in your new EMR. We’ll cover how to do this efficiently.

Who Can Export Data from SimplePractice

Not everyone in your practice has permission to perform data exports:

Account Owners: Full export access for all clients and clinicians Practice Managers: Can export if they’ve been granted “data export permissions” in Settings Individual Clinicians: Cannot export directly - must request exports from Account Owner or Practice Manager

If you’re a clinician in a group practice, contact your Account Owner before proceeding. You’ll need administrative access to complete this process.

Phase 1: Prepare for Export

Step 1: Create an Export Tracking Document

Before requesting your export, document what you need:

Create a spreadsheet with these fields:

  • Export Date
  • Export Type (All clients, One client, Specific clinician)
  • Date Range (if applicable)
  • Number of Records Expected
  • File Name When Downloaded
  • Import Status (Pending, In Progress, Complete)

This tracking sheet ensures you don’t lose track of which exports you’ve completed, especially if you need to run multiple exports for different clinicians or time periods.

Step 2: Verify Your Current Data

Run a quick audit before exporting:

  • Navigate to Clients > Client List
  • Note the total number of active clients
  • Check for duplicate client entries (same person registered twice)
  • Identify any test clients or demo data you don’t want to export

Clean up obvious issues now before they export to your new system.

If you’re switching practice management systems, consider sending a brief client notification 2-3 weeks before transition:

“Our practice is upgrading to a new patient management system on [date] to better serve your healthcare needs. Your confidential records are being securely transferred, and you may notice minor changes to our patient portal and appointment scheduling. We’ll guide you through any new processes during your next visit.”

This sets expectations and reduces confusion when clients notice portal or communication changes.

Phase 2: Request Your Data Export

SimplePractice’s export process is straightforward, but it can take several hours to generate, so plan accordingly.

Step-by-Step Export Process

Step 1: Log In and Navigate to Data Export

  • Log into SimplePractice with an Account Owner or authorized Practice Manager account
  • Click on your profile icon or name (usually top right corner)
  • Go to Settings > Data Export
  • You’ll see the Data Export interface

Step 2: Choose Your Export Scope

SimplePractice gives you three options:

Option A: All Clients in the Practice

  • Exports every client record from all clinicians
  • Best for: Full practice migrations
  • Includes: All demographics and all chart notes across the entire practice

Option B: All Clients for One Clinician

  • Exports all clients assigned to a specific provider
  • Best for: When one provider is leaving the practice or moving to a different system
  • Includes: Only that clinician’s client demographics and chart notes

Option C: One Specific Client

  • Exports a single client’s complete record
  • Best for: Individual records requests or testing your export/import process
  • Includes: That client’s demographics and all associated chart notes

Important Decision Point: For most migrations, choose “All Clients in the Practice.” You can filter out data later, but you can’t easily add back data you didn’t export initially.

Step 3: Initiate the Export

  • Select your desired export option
  • Click “Request Export” or “Export Data”
  • SimplePractice displays a confirmation: “Your export has been requested. We’ll send you an email when it’s ready.”

Step 4: Wait for Processing

Export generation time varies based on data volume:

  • 50-200 clients: 5-30 minutes
  • 200-500 clients: 30 minutes - 2 hours
  • 500+ clients: 2-6 hours

SimplePractice processes exports in a queue, so timing can vary depending on server load. If you’re exporting during peak hours (weekday mornings), expect longer processing times.

Pro Tip: Request your export at the end of your workday so it’s ready by the next morning.

Phase 3: Download and Organize Your Export

Step 1: Retrieve Your Export File

When SimplePractice completes your export, you’ll receive an email:

Subject: “Your SimplePractice data export is ready” Content: “Your data export is now available for download. Please log into your SimplePractice account and navigate to Settings > Data Export to download your file.”

Important Security Note: SimplePractice doesn’t send the file via email (for HIPAA security). You must log back into your account to download it.

Step 2: Download the Export

  • Log into SimplePractice
  • Navigate to Settings > Data Export
  • You’ll see your export listed with a “Download” link
  • Click “Download” - the file downloads as a .zip archive
  • File name format: “SimplePractice_Export_[YourPracticeName]_[Date].zip”

Step 3: Extract the ZIP Archive

Your download is a compressed ZIP file. Extract it to a dedicated folder:

Create a folder structure like this:

SimplePractice_Migration/
  ├── Original_Export/
  │   └── SimplePractice_Export_[Date].zip
  ├── Extracted_Data/
  │   ├── Contacts/
  │   └── Medical_Records/
  └── Cleaned_Data/
      ├── Clients_Cleaned.csv
      └── Charts_Organized/

Extract your ZIP file into the “Extracted_Data” folder. You’ll see two main folders:

Contacts Folder: Contains one or more CSV files with client demographic information Medical Records Folder: Contains subfolders (often organized by client name) with PDF files of all chart notes and documentation

Phase 4: Understanding the Contacts/Demographics CSV

What’s Included

Open the CSV file in the “Contacts” folder. You’ll typically see these columns:

Basic Information:

  • Client First Name
  • Client Last Name
  • Client Email
  • Client Phone
  • Date of Birth
  • Gender
  • Client ID (SimplePractice’s internal identifier)

Address Information:

  • Street Address
  • City
  • State
  • ZIP Code

Emergency Contact:

  • Emergency Contact Name
  • Emergency Contact Relationship
  • Emergency Contact Phone

Insurance Information:

  • Primary Insurance Carrier
  • Primary Insurance ID
  • Primary Insurance Group Number
  • Secondary Insurance Carrier (if applicable)
  • Secondary Insurance ID

Practice Information:

  • Assigned Clinician
  • Client Status (Active, Inactive, Archived)
  • Registration Date
  • Last Appointment Date

Custom Fields:

  • Any custom fields you created in SimplePractice

CSV Formatting Quirks to Watch For

SimplePractice exports are generally cleaner than many competitors, but watch for these issues:

Issue 1: Date Format Variations SimplePractice may export dates as “MM/DD/YYYY” or “Month DD, YYYY”. Standardize these to a single format (YYYY-MM-DD is most universally compatible).

Fix in Excel:

  1. Select the date column
  2. Click Data > Text to Columns
  3. Choose “Delimited” > Next
  4. Uncheck all delimiters > Next
  5. Select “Date” and choose “MDY” format
  6. Finish
  7. Then format cells as “Custom” with format code: YYYY-MM-DD

Issue 2: Phone Number Formatting SimplePractice usually exports phone numbers with formatting: (555) 123-4567

Your new EMR might need unformatted 10-digit numbers: 5551234567

Fix in Excel: Use Find & Replace (Ctrl+H or Cmd+H):

  • Find: “(” Replace with: [blank]
  • Find: “) " Replace with: [blank]
  • Find: “-” Replace with: [blank]

Issue 3: Multi-Line Address Fields If clients entered addresses with line breaks, these can break CSV imports.

Fix: Use Excel formula =CLEAN(A2) to remove line breaks, then copy and paste values.

Issue 4: Commas in Name Fields Names like “Smith, Jr., John” can break CSV parsing.

Fix: Ensure your CSV uses proper text qualifiers (quote marks around fields containing commas). Most modern EMRs handle this automatically, but verify during test imports.

Phase 5: Understanding the Medical Records/Chart Notes

Folder Structure

The Medical Records folder contains subfolders, typically organized like this:

Medical_Records/
  ├── Smith_John_DOB_1975-03-15/
  │   ├── 2024-01-10_Progress_Note.pdf
  │   ├── 2024-01-15_Assessment.pdf
  │   └── 2024-02-01_Treatment_Plan.pdf
  ├── Johnson_Mary_DOB_1982-07-22/
  │   ├── 2023-12-05_Intake_Form.pdf
  │   └── 2024-01-08_Progress_Note.pdf
  └── [etc.]

Each client has a dedicated folder containing all their chart notes as separate PDF files.

What Chart Exports Include

SimplePractice exports your full chart history, including:

  • Signed charts (finalized documentation)
  • Draft charts (unfinished notes) - if you selected “include drafts”
  • Intake forms and assessments
  • Treatment plans
  • Progress notes
  • Custom form templates you created

Important: These are exported as PDFs, not discrete data. This means:

  • The documents are viewable and printable
  • They’re suitable for legal records retention
  • They’re NOT searchable or editable in most new EMRs
  • Clinical data within PDFs won’t populate discrete fields in your new system

File Naming Conventions

SimplePractice typically names files: [Date]_[DocumentType]_[ClientName].pdf

Example: 2024-03-15_Progress_Note_John_Smith.pdf

This naming structure makes it relatively easy to identify documents, but you may want to reorganize or rename files to match your new EMR’s import requirements.

Phase 6: Re-Associating Chart PDFs with Client Records

This is the critical step most practices struggle with. Your new EMR has client demographics (from the CSV), and you have chart PDFs (from the Medical Records folder). Now you need to link them together.

Strategy 1: Batch Upload by Client Folder

Most modern EMRs (including Proactive Chart) allow you to upload multiple PDFs to a client’s chart:

Process:

  1. Import your client demographics CSV first (so all clients exist in your new system)
  2. Open a client record in your new EMR
  3. Navigate to their Documents or Chart section
  4. Look for “Upload Files” or “Attach Documents”
  5. Select all PDFs from that client’s SimplePractice folder
  6. Upload as a batch
  7. Verify all files appear in the correct client chart
  8. Move to next client

Time Investment: Approximately 2-5 minutes per client, depending on document volume.

For 200 active clients: 6-17 hours of staff time.

Strategy 2: Automated Import via Naming Convention

Some EMRs offer automated document association based on file naming conventions.

Requirements:

  • Your files must follow a strict naming pattern
  • File names must include a unique client identifier (ID, last name + DOB, etc.)

Example: If SimplePractice exports Smith_John_DOB_1975-03-15/2024-01-10_Note.pdf, you might rename files to: 1234567_2024-01-10_Note.pdf (where 1234567 is the client’s ID in your new system)

Then use your new EMR’s bulk upload tool to automatically associate files based on the client ID prefix.

Pro Tip: Ask your new EMR vendor if they support automated document association. If they do, they’ll provide a file naming template to follow.

Strategy 3: Prioritize Active Clients, Archive the Rest

If you have thousands of clients but only 200-300 active ones, consider this hybrid approach:

For Active Clients (seen in last 12-18 months):

  • Upload all chart PDFs to new EMR for immediate access
  • Ensures continuity of care for current patients

For Inactive Clients (not seen in 2+ years):

  • Store SimplePractice export on HIPAA-compliant encrypted cloud storage (Google Workspace with BAA, Dropbox Business, or specialized medical records archiving services)
  • Document in your new EMR: “Historical charts archived from SimplePractice. Contact practice manager to retrieve.”
  • Retrieve and upload individual charts only when needed (e.g., patient returns after years)

This approach dramatically reduces migration workload while maintaining compliance and record accessibility.

Phase 7: Handle Appointment History

SimplePractice exports don’t always include comprehensive appointment history in the demographics CSV. If appointment data is critical for your new system:

Option 1: Request Separate Appointment Export

Before finalizing your SimplePractice cancellation:

  • Navigate to Calendar > Reports (or similar)
  • Look for “Appointment History” report
  • Export all past appointments to CSV
  • Include: Client Name, Date, Time, Service Type, Status (Completed, Cancelled, No-Show), Provider

Option 2: Export Future Appointments Manually

SimplePractice only exports past appointment records, so you’ll need to manually recreate any future scheduled appointments in your new EMR.

Process:

  1. Before canceling SimplePractice, print or export your calendar for the next 60-90 days
  2. Manually enter these appointments into your new EMR
  3. Send updated appointment reminders to clients through your new system

Timeline: Schedule this for week 1-2 of your new EMR go-live to ensure no appointments are lost.

Phase 8: Data Quality Validation

Before importing data to your new EMR, validate quality and completeness.

Validation Checklist

Demographics CSV:

  • Total client count matches SimplePractice (check Clients > Client List count)
  • All date fields display correctly (no #VALUE errors or 01/01/1900 defaults)
  • Phone numbers are 10 digits
  • Email addresses contain @ and domain
  • No duplicate client entries (same name + DOB)
  • All required fields populated (First Name, Last Name, DOB minimum)
  • Insurance information complete for clients with coverage

Medical Records/Charts:

  • Every active client has a corresponding folder
  • Folder naming is consistent
  • PDF files open correctly without corruption
  • File count matches expected note volume (spot check 10-15 clients)
  • Most recent notes are included (verify last appointment date matches)

Custom Fields:

  • Any SimplePractice custom fields you created are included in export
  • Data in custom fields is meaningful and worth preserving
  • You’ve documented what each custom field represents (for mapping to new system)

Phase 9: Test Import Before Full Migration

Never import all clients on your first attempt. Always test with a small sample.

Step 1: Create Test Import File

  • Copy rows 1-26 from your cleaned demographics CSV (header + 25 clients)
  • Select clients with varying data complexity:
    • At least 5 clients with insurance
    • At least 3 clients with emergency contacts
    • At least 2 clients with multiple phone numbers
    • At least 2 inactive clients
  • Save as: “SimplePractice_Test_Import_25_Clients.csv”

Step 2: Import to New EMR

  • Follow your new EMR’s import wizard
  • Map SimplePractice fields to new system fields
  • Import the test file

Step 3: Validate Test Records Check these items in your new EMR:

  • All 25 clients appear
  • Names are spelled correctly
  • Phone numbers formatted properly
  • Insurance information is complete and in correct fields
  • Emergency contacts appear
  • Client status (active/inactive) transferred correctly

Step 4: Test Document Upload

  • Select 2-3 clients from your test import
  • Upload their chart PDFs from the Medical Records folder
  • Verify PDFs appear in the correct client chart
  • Confirm PDFs are readable and correctly associated

Step 5: Fix Issues and Re-Test

  • Document any import errors
  • Correct issues in your source CSV
  • Delete test records from new EMR
  • Re-import corrected test file
  • Re-validate

Only proceed to full import once your test batch imports perfectly.

SimplePractice Export Limitations to Understand

While SimplePractice provides reasonable export functionality, be aware of these limitations:

No Specific Timeframe Exports: You can’t export “only clients from 2023-2024.” It’s all-or-nothing for the selected scope (all clients, one clinician, or one client).

Appointment History is Limited: Full appointment history (including cancelled, no-shows, rescheduled) may not be comprehensively included. Verify what appointment data exports before canceling.

Billing/Payment History: If you use SimplePractice for payment processing, export your complete payment history and outstanding balances separately. Most new EMRs can’t directly import SimplePractice billing data.

Templates Don’t Transfer: Your custom note templates, intake forms, and assessment templates from SimplePractice won’t export. You’ll need to recreate these in your new EMR.

No Automated Sync: Once you export, there’s no way to sync new data created after export. Plan your export timing carefully - ideally 1-2 days before go-live with your new system.

Maintaining SimplePractice Access During Transition

Before canceling your SimplePractice account:

Keep It Active for 60-90 Days Post-Migration: This grace period lets you:

  • Reference historical data you might have missed
  • Retrieve individual client charts as needed
  • Verify all critical information transferred correctly
  • Provide historical records if clients request them

Document Final Export Date: Create a note in your new EMR: “Data migrated from SimplePractice on [date]. Records prior to this date may require reference to archived SimplePractice exports.”

Export One Final Time Before Cancellation: 30 days before terminating SimplePractice, run one final export to capture:

  • Any new clients registered during transition
  • Appointments completed during transition period
  • Updates to existing client information

Why Practices Leave SimplePractice

As you complete your export, it’s worth understanding why healthcare practices migrate away from SimplePractice:

Limited Medical Specialization: SimplePractice was designed primarily for mental health practitioners and wellness providers. Physical therapy, chiropractic, and other medical specialties need specialized documentation, billing, and workflow tools SimplePractice doesn’t provide.

Basic Billing Capabilities: SimplePractice’s billing features are adequate for simple cash-pay practices but lack the sophisticated insurance claim management, ERA/EOB processing, and detailed aging reports that medical practices require.

Growth Limitations: As practices grow beyond solo practitioners, they need multi-location reporting, sophisticated scheduling rules, and enterprise-level features that SimplePractice doesn’t emphasize.

Telehealth Integration: While SimplePractice offers telehealth, some practices need more robust integrated video capabilities or platform-specific features (Medicare compliance, advanced recording, etc.).

Cost vs Value for Medical Practices: At $50-80/month per provider, SimplePractice is reasonably priced for solo therapists but doesn’t offer the medical-specific value that specialized EMRs provide at similar price points.

How Proactive Chart Simplifies Your SimplePractice Migration

At Proactive Chart, we’ve helped numerous practices transition from SimplePractice to our physical therapy and medical practice-focused platform. Here’s how we make it easier:

SimplePractice Field Mapping Templates: We’ve pre-mapped common SimplePractice fields to Proactive Chart, so your import is faster and more accurate.

Document Re-Association Support: We provide clear instructions and tools to help you efficiently upload SimplePractice chart PDFs to the correct client records in Proactive Chart.

Specialty-Specific Templates: Unlike SimplePractice’s generic templates, Proactive Chart includes PT-specific SOAP notes, evaluation forms, and treatment plans that comply with Medicare and insurance documentation requirements.

Advanced Billing Integration: Our billing features include full insurance claim management, electronic ERA/EOB processing, and detailed reporting that SimplePractice doesn’t offer.

Migration Timeline Flexibility: Whether you need to go live in 3 weeks or prefer a 10-week gradual transition, we work at your pace.

Post-Migration Support: We provide enhanced support for your first 60 days, including daily check-ins during week one and weekly touchpoints through month two.

Your SimplePractice Export Action Plan

Here’s your complete timeline:

Week 1: Preparation

  • Verify you have Account Owner or Practice Manager access
  • Create export tracking spreadsheet
  • Clean up duplicate or test clients in SimplePractice
  • Document your current client count

Week 2: Request and Download Export

  • Navigate to Settings > Data Export
  • Select “All Clients in the Practice”
  • Request export
  • Wait for email notification (may take several hours)
  • Download ZIP file
  • Extract to organized folder structure

Week 3: Data Preparation

  • Clean demographics CSV (dates, phone numbers, duplicates)
  • Validate medical records folder structure
  • Organize chart PDFs by priority (active vs inactive clients)
  • Create test import file (25 clients)

Week 4: Test Import

  • Import test CSV to new EMR
  • Validate test records
  • Upload test chart PDFs
  • Document any issues
  • Correct and re-test

Week 5+: Full Migration

  • Import full client demographics CSV
  • Begin systematic chart PDF uploads (prioritize active clients)
  • Recreate future appointments in new EMR
  • Maintain SimplePractice access for 60-90 days
  • Run final export before canceling SimplePractice

Ready to leave SimplePractice for a medical practice-focused EMR? Schedule a migration consultation with Proactive Chart. We’ll review your SimplePractice export, show you how your data maps to our system, and demonstrate the specialized PT and medical practice features you’re missing.

SimplePractice served you well as a solo practitioner or wellness provider. Now it’s time for a system built specifically for the clinical documentation, billing complexity, and growth trajectory of a professional medical practice. Let’s make that transition smooth, secure, and successful.