Use this guide to turn a song list, client request list, spreadsheet, or CSV file into a crate inside Crate Hackers.

If you already have a list from a client, another DJ program, a spreadsheet, or an old playlist, you do not need to rebuild it one song at a time. Import it, review it, match it, then export it.

This article covers Import from Text and Import from File. If you are importing a Spotify playlist link, use the dedicated Spotify Import guide instead.

Fast Fix

  1. Open Crate Hackers.
  2. Find Import from Text or Import from File.
  3. Use Import from Text for pasted song lists.
  4. Use Import from File for CSV files.
  5. Name your crate clearly.
  6. Check that artist and title are in the correct order.
  7. Use Flip Artist & Title if needed.
  8. Generate the crate.
  9. Match songs against your scanned music library.
  10. Add any missing tracks you need.
  11. Save the crate to My Crates.
  12. Click Export and choose your DJ software or M3U.

What This Tool Does

The import tools let you take song information from outside Crate Hackers and turn it into a working crate.

You can import:

  • Plain text song lists
  • Client request lists
  • Wedding must-play lists
  • Song lists copied from emails
  • Spreadsheet rows
  • CSV files
  • Lists from another DJ program
  • Old playlists you want to rebuild as crates

Crate Hackers then compares that list against your scanned music library and shows which tracks you already have.

Before You Import

For best results, scan your music library before importing.

  1. Open Crate Hackers.
  2. Go to Library.
  3. Open Music Sources.
  4. Add the folder where your music files live.
  5. Run the scan.
  6. Use Re-sync if you recently added new music.

If Crate Hackers has not scanned your music, it cannot match imported songs correctly. That is not a bug. That is the app not being psychic.

Import Option 1: Import from Text

Use Import from Text when you want to paste a song list directly into Crate Hackers.

Best format:

Artist - Title
Artist - Title
Artist - Title

Example:

ABBA - Dancing Queen
Usher - Yeah!
Dua Lipa - Houdini
Earth, Wind & Fire - September

Step 1: Copy Your Song List

Copy the song list from your source.

This could come from:

  • An email
  • A client form
  • A Google Sheet
  • An Excel spreadsheet
  • A notes app
  • A Word document
  • A plain text file
  • A list from another DJ

Keep the list as clean as possible. One song per line works best.

Step 2: Open Import from Text

Open Crate Hackers and find the text import tool.

  1. Open Crate Hackers.
  2. Look for Import from Text, Text Import, or a similar import option.
  3. Open the import tool.

If the app menu changes, look for the import tool inside the crate-building or import section.

Step 3: Name the Crate

Give the crate a clear name before importing.

Good crate names:

  • Smith Wedding Must Plays
  • Julie Cocktail Hour
  • 90s Theme Night
  • Corporate Dinner Background
  • Clean Pop Requests

Bad crate names:

  • New List
  • Final Final
  • Songs
  • Stuff

Name it like you will need to find it later while tired. Because yes, you will.

Step 4: Paste the List

Paste your song list into the import box.

  1. Click inside the text import field.
  2. Paste the song list.
  3. Review the lines before continuing.
  4. Remove headers, blank lines, notes, or extra text if needed.
  5. Click Next or continue through the import flow.

Avoid extra notes, emojis, random symbols, and unnecessary formatting. The cleaner the input, the cleaner the crate.

Step 5: Check Artist and Title

Crate Hackers will try to separate artist and title from your list.

Before generating the crate, check that everything is in the right place.

  • The artist should be in the artist field or column.
  • The title should be in the title field or column.
  • If artist and title are reversed, click Flip Artist & Title.
  • If the list looks messy, clean the text and try again.

This step matters. If the artist and title are backwards, matching gets stupid fast.

Step 6: Generate the Crate

Once the artist and title information looks right, generate the crate.

  1. Confirm the song list looks correct.
  2. Confirm artist and title are in the right order.
  3. Click Next, Import, or the button shown in the app.
  4. Let Crate Hackers create the crate.

Importing creates the first version of the crate. You should still review it before exporting.

Import Option 2: Import from File or CSV

Use Import from File when you have a CSV file or structured song list from another tool.

This is useful for:

  • CSV files from another DJ program
  • CSV files from a spreadsheet
  • Record pool lists
  • Exported playlist data
  • Structured client request lists
  • Old playlist archives

Step 1: Prepare the CSV

Before importing, make sure your CSV has clear song information.

Helpful columns include:

  • Artist
  • Title
  • Version
  • Remix
  • BPM
  • Key
  • Genre
  • Notes

Artist and title are the most important. Everything else is helpful, but the match starts with knowing what song you are talking about.

Step 2: Open Import from File

  1. Open Crate Hackers.
  2. Look for Import from File, CSV Import, or a similar import option.
  3. Open the import tool.
  4. Choose your CSV file.
  5. Follow the import steps inside the app.

If the app asks you to confirm columns, make sure artist and title are mapped correctly.

Step 3: Review the Imported File

After importing the file, review the crate before saving or exporting.

  • Check that the songs imported correctly.
  • Look for missing artist or title fields.
  • Remove duplicate rows if needed.
  • Remove songs that do not belong in the crate.
  • Confirm clean, explicit, remix, intro, short, or extended versions when listed.

CSV files can be useful. They can also be tiny chaos spreadsheets wearing a fake mustache. Review before trusting.

Match Songs to Your Library

After importing text or a CSV file, Crate Hackers will compare the songs against your scanned music library.

Tracks may appear as:

  • Matched: Crate Hackers found a likely version in your library.
  • Missing: Crate Hackers did not find the track in your scanned folders.
  • Needs review: A similar track may exist, but you should confirm the exact version.

Always check versions before using the crate live. Clean, explicit, intro, short edit, extended edit, remix, and live versions can all matter.

Add Missing Songs If Needed

If songs are missing, add them to your library before exporting.

Depending on your workflow, you may use:

  • Your existing music library
  • A record pool
  • A music store
  • A cloud folder
  • A supported streaming workflow

After adding new tracks, go to Library, open Music Sources, and use Re-sync so Crate Hackers can find the new files.

Save the Imported List to My Crates

Once the imported list looks right, save it to My Crates.

  1. Review the imported crate.
  2. Remove songs you do not need.
  3. Confirm the matched tracks.
  4. Save the crate to My Crates.
  5. Rename the crate if needed.

This gives you a working crate you can edit, match, and export.

Export the Crate

After the imported list has been saved as a crate, export it to your DJ software.

  1. Open the crate inside Crate Hackers.
  2. Click Export.
  3. Rename the crate if needed.
  4. Choose your DJ software export option if available.
  5. Use M3U if you need a universal playlist file.
  6. Open your DJ software and confirm the crate imported correctly.

You may also see export options like PDF, CSV, or Spotify backup. Those are useful for reference, sharing, or backup, but they are not the same as exporting a playable crate to your DJ software.

What Not to Import

Avoid importing messy text that does not contain clear song information.

Clean up or remove:

  • Long client notes
  • Dedication text
  • Timing instructions
  • Venue notes
  • Duplicate headers
  • Blank rows
  • Unrelated columns
  • Emoji-only notes
  • Comments that are not artist or title information

Crate Hackers needs song data. It does not need “this one reminds Aunt Linda of college.” Respectfully, Aunt Linda can sit this import out.

Common Use Cases

Wedding Request Lists

Copy a couple's request list from an email, form, spreadsheet, or CSV and turn it into a crate.

Client Must-Play Lists

Paste or upload the must-play list, match what you already own, and find what is missing.

Another DJ Program

If you have exported a CSV or song list from another tool, import it into Crate Hackers and rebuild it as a working crate.

Old Playlists

If you have old song lists saved in notes, documents, spreadsheets, or emails, import them and rebuild them as usable crates.

Theme Nights

Build crates like 90s Theme Night, Country Crossover, Clean Pop, or Club Warmup from a prepared list.

Quick FAQs

What File Formats Can I Import?

You can paste text lists using artist and title information. You can also import CSV files when using the file import tool.

What Format Works Best for Text Import?

One song per line works best, using Artist - Title.

Can I Import from Spotify Here?

Use the dedicated Spotify Import tool for Spotify playlist links. This article is for pasted text lists and CSV files.

What If Artist and Title Are Backwards?

Use Flip Artist & Title if the app shows the artist and title in the wrong order.

Does This Download Songs?

No. Importing text or CSV files creates a crate from song information. Crate Hackers then matches those songs against your scanned music library. You still need playable music files for DJ software exports.

What If a Song Is Not Found?

The song may show as missing. Add the song to your music library from a source you use, then re-sync your music folder in Crate Hackers.

Can I Edit an Imported Crate?

Yes. After importing, you can review the crate, remove songs, match tracks, add missing songs, save to My Crates, and export.

Will It Match MP3, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, or Other Files?

Crate Hackers matches against supported files found in your scanned music sources. Make sure your music folders have been added and scanned before importing.

Troubleshooting

The Import Looks Wrong

Check the formatting of your list. Make sure each song is on its own line and that artist and title are easy to identify.

Artist and Title Are Reversed

Use Flip Artist & Title before generating the crate.

Songs Are Missing After Import

Missing songs usually mean Crate Hackers did not find matching files in your scanned music folders.

  • Check that your music folder has been added to Crate Hackers.
  • Re-sync your music folder.
  • Confirm the song exists as a playable file on your computer or drive.
  • Check for alternate spellings, remixes, clean edits, explicit edits, or different versions.

The Wrong Version Matched

If the wrong version matched, manually review the track and choose the correct file if available.

This is especially important for clean edits, explicit edits, intro edits, short edits, extended edits, remixes, and live versions.

The CSV Has Too Many Columns

Remove unnecessary columns if the import looks messy. Artist and title are the most important fields. Keep the file simple when possible.

The CSV Will Not Import

Check that the file is saved as a CSV and that it contains clear artist and title information. If it still fails, try copying the artist and title rows into Import from Text instead.

The Exported Crate Has Missing Files

If your DJ software shows missing files, confirm that the original music folder or external drive is connected and available. If you added new files after importing, re-sync your music sources before exporting again.

Best Import Workflow

  1. Start with a clean song list or CSV.
  2. Make sure artist and title are clear.
  3. Open Crate Hackers.
  4. Use Import from Text or Import from File.
  5. Name the crate clearly.
  6. Paste the list or upload the CSV.
  7. Check artist and title order.
  8. Use Flip Artist & Title if needed.
  9. Generate the crate.
  10. Review the results.
  11. Match songs against your scanned library.
  12. Add missing songs if needed.
  13. Re-sync your music sources.
  14. Save to My Crates.
  15. Click Export.
  16. Choose your DJ software or M3U.
  17. Open your DJ software and test the crate.

That is the clean path. Import the list, clean it up, match the files, then export something you can actually use.

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