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CSV to iCalendar

CSV to ICS / iCalendar Converter

Turn event, class, and shift spreadsheets into importable .ics files for Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar—map columns in your browser and download without uploading the sheet.

  • Map SUMMARY, DTSTART, DTEND, TZID, LOCATION, RRULE, and more
  • Timezone-aware starts when you map an IANA TZID column
  • All-day dates emit VALUE=DATE (not midnight timed events)
  • Invalid or end-before-start rows are rejected with clear errors

ConversionTab writes ICS text locally—your schedule stays on your device until you download or send the file.

Paste or pick a CSV from disk; ConversionTab does not upload the spreadsheet to convert it.

Conversion focus

Paste or upload CSV, convert, and save iCalendar without server-side queues.

Calendar rows: paste or upload your CSV, adjust input options if needed, then set ICS mapping. Convert is below the mapping table.

Other statements:

Bounded imports versus live feeds

Pick ICS for finite drops: orientation weeks, migration bursts, or partner read-only agendas. Prefer vendor feeds or CalDAV when calendars must stay continuously synced.

ICS drops that replace mass invites

Send a trainer’s class grid as importable events. Move a facilities room CSV into personal calendars for a pilot office. Package a conference track list for VIPs who will not open another spreadsheet.

RFC 5545 gotchas in plain sight

Floating times without TZID, all-day rows misread as midnight spans, DESCRIPTION cells with raw commas that break folding rules, and UID churn that duplicates every refresh.

Calendars versus spreadsheet rows

Calendar clients speak VEVENT, not vlookup. A CSV row is a convenient authoring surface; ICS is the portable envelope that Apple, Google, and Outlook all understand—provided DTSTART, time zones, and UID columns are honest.

Turn this on when the first line is headers, not a data row—so column labels map correctly to output fields.

Applies to data rows only (the header row does not count when “First row is column names” is on). Skip drops that many rows from the top of the data; Limit keeps at most that many rows after skipping.

Field Separator

Pick the delimiter your file uses between columns (comma is common; exports from Europe often use semicolon).

Use NULL for empty field: prevents SQL errors when inserting missing values into nullable columns.

NOTE - you can change the column names below by overwriting the Field Name value.

Key: the first column is checked automatically. Confirm it matches your table’s primary key before generating UPDATE or DELETE (composite keys: check every key column).

# Field Name Data Type Max Size Key Include Trim Use NULL for Empty Field
Paste CSV above to load columns.

Map each ICS property to a CSV column. Include is checked automatically when a column is mapped; uncheck to skip that field in the file, or set Mapping to — none — to clear it. Use Check all / Uncheck all under the mapping table for every row at once.

# ICS Field Mapping Include
Paste CSV above to load mapping options.
Include column:
Other statements:

Run this after you are happy with column mapping—output opens further down the page.

Event template and import tips

Use Load Sample above for a ready CSV with timed (timezone), all-day, and UTC-offset rows. Or download the CSV event template.

  • Accepted dates: YYYY-MM-DD (all-day), YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm with a mapped TZID (IANA name such as America/New_York), or explicit offsets / Z UTC.
  • All-day: date-only start/end become DTSTART;VALUE=DATE with an exclusive end date (same-day events get end = next day).
  • Timezones: map a TZID column so wall times export as DTSTART;TZID=… with a matching VTIMEZONE (DST-safe for weekly RRULEs). Explicit offsets/Z stay UTC. Floating times (no TZID, no offset) stay floating.
  • Import: Google Calendar → Settings → Import; Outlook → File → Open & Export → Import/Export; Apple Calendar → File → Import. Always keep your CSV as the audit trail.

What each ICS event carries

Summary / title SUMMARY

Short line that lists as the event title in Apple Calendar, Outlook, and Google Calendar.

Start and end DTSTART / DTEND

Timed or all-day bounds; match column formats to what you mapped so imports do not drop rows.

Description DESCRIPTION

Agenda, dial-in, or links—watch line breaks and commas for RFC 5545 escaping.

Location LOCATION

Room, address, or hybrid URL; keep it one line when possible for cleaner VEVENT text.

Timezone TZID

Ties DTSTART/DTEND to a zone-aware interpretation; floating times confuse multi-region teams.

UID / identity UID

Provide your own UID for stable updates. Without one we derive a content-based UID—it changes when mapped fields change, so re-imports may duplicate.

Recurrence RRULE

Raw iCalendar rule text such as FREQ=WEEKLY;COUNT=3—semicolons stay unescaped in the file.

Mental model

How rows become calendar events

  • Each qualifying CSV row becomes one VEVENT inside the calendar file.
  • Your mapping decides which columns feed SUMMARY, DTSTART, DTEND, LOCATION, and DESCRIPTION.
  • Missing or unparseable DTSTART / DTEND values are the usual reason calendar apps reject an import.
  • Timezone (TZID / floating local) changes how attendees see the same instant—verify before bulk sends.

Each valid row becomes one VEVENT with DTSTART/DTEND (timed UTC, floating, or all-day DATE), SUMMARY, and optional DESCRIPTION, LOCATION, and RRULE. Supply a UID column for stable identity across exports; without one we derive a content-based UID that changes if the mapped fields change—calendars may create duplicates on re-import when UIDs change.

Use this output next

ICS → JSON

Use in pipelines when schedulers consume JSON feeds.

ICS → CSV

Edit imported events back in a spreadsheet.

Excel → ICS

Same calendar export when your source workbook is Excel.

ICS → Excel

Review timelines in Excel after calendar export.

Timeline: from spreadsheet row to calendar block

Load event rows

Paste or upload CSV; set delimiter and header row so each session is one row.

Map calendar fields

Point SUMMARY, DTSTART, DTEND, and optional DESCRIPTION, LOCATION, UID, TZID at the right columns.

Generate ICS

Convert to RFC 5545 text; skim VEVENT blocks in the output before download.

Import into calendar app

Open in Google Calendar, Outlook, or Apple Calendar—keep CSV as your audit trail.

Choose ICS or another format

When ICS is the right output

  • Bulk meeting or shift imports into personal calendars
  • Published event schedules and class or session calendars
  • Reminder packs where email alone gets buried
  • One-off calendar migration or conference bundles
  • Handoff files for reviewers who only use calendar apps

When ICS is not ideal

  • Use CSV / XLSX when humans still need to edit cells in a grid.
  • Use JSON when the next hop is an API or automation, not a calendar UI.
  • Use PDF for printable schedules without import semantics.
  • Skip ICS when events need complex RRULE / recurrence your CSV columns do not represent—fix the model first.
  • Prefer CalDAV or vendor feeds for always-on subscription sync instead of static files.

Skip ICS for live CalDAV feeds or vendor-managed attendee sync, and skip browser assembly when regulated PII should never be combined in one tab.

Continue with other formats

CSV → YAML

Use when Git, Helm, or CI expects indentation-first config.

CSV → XML

Use when partners or XSD validators require angle-bracket payloads.

CSV → PDF

Use when recipients need a signed or printable snapshot.

CSV → JSON

Use when APIs, fixtures, or mobile clients need structured objects.

CSV → VCF

Export to contacts apps when rows represent people, not events.

Explore more conversions

Back to CSV from other formats

XML → CSV

Columnize validated feeds so finance can pivot without an XML IDE.

YAML → CSV

Materialize config lists into a grid ops can annotate before merge.

XLSX → CSV

Strip workbook binaries when loaders only accept UTF-8 CSV.

Other CSV exports for the next system

CSV → HTML

Ship escaped table markup when publishing or CMS embeds are next.

CSV → XLSX

Package typed workbooks when humans—not parsers—must sign off.

CSV → SQL

Generate INSERT or batch SQL when the database is the sink.

Cross-format tools worth bookmarking

YAML → JSON

YAML config blocks compiled into runtime JSON.

JSON → SQL

JSON payloads promoted into INSERT-ready relational text.

Reviewed CSV → iCalendar notes

Accordions follow import order: overview → VEVENT mapping → required fields → typical import failures → FAQs. Open only what you need.

The CSV to iCalendar Converter helps you transform CSV into iCalendar effortlessly, designed for calendar events.

Perfect for event sharing, this tool ensures secure, fast, and precise results for cross-platform scheduling.

You can either paste your CSV data directly into the input field or upload a file. Select iCalendar as the desired output format, and the converted file will be ready in moments.

Your converted iCalendar file is ready to download. Simply save it to your device.

  • Step 1: Paste CSV text or upload a file (Load Sample includes timed, all-day, and RRULE examples).
  • Step 2: Map columns to SUMMARY, DTSTART, DTEND, and optional TZID, LOCATION, RRULE, and UID.
  • Step 3: For recurrence, map an RRULE column with raw text such as FREQ=WEEKLY;COUNT=3—it is not filled in automatically. Use TZID with local wall times so weekly meetings stay at the same local hour across daylight saving.
  • Step 4: Click Convert, review the ICS text, then copy or download.
  • Step 5: Import into Google Calendar, Outlook, or Apple Calendar. Keep the CSV as your source of truth.

CSV is parsed as structured input for this page. Use complete rows, valid syntax, and consistent field names so the converter can preserve the important data when creating iCalendar.

iCalendar is generated from the parsed CSV data. Review DTSTART/DTEND, TZID, and RRULE before importing into a calendar app.

Help

CSV to ICS FAQs

One question per row — expand only what you need.

The CSV to ICS conversion feature on ConversionTab enables users to transform CSV data into ICS (iCalendar) format, commonly used for event scheduling and calendaring. Users have two input options: 'Text' and 'File.'

ConversionTab offers users two convenient ways to input their CSV data:

  • Text Tab: Users can manually enter CSV data as a valid string in this tab.
  • File Tab: Users can upload their CSV file through the 'Drop/Browse File' feature, simplifying the process for working with existing data.

Additionally, users can specify custom settings such as the delimiter and the number of lines to skip, ensuring accurate data parsing.

Upon entering CSV data, users are directed to the 'Output Options' section, where they map CSV columns to ICS fields. Proper mapping is essential for generating an ICS file with the correct event details.

Mapping event details involves specific considerations to ensure accurate conversions:

  • Title: Assign the CSV column containing event titles to the appropriate ICS field.
  • Date and Time: Map columns representing event start and end dates and times to corresponding ICS fields.
  • Description: Assign CSV columns containing event descriptions to the ICS description field.
  • Location: Map the CSV location data to the ICS location field for precise event venue information.

These mappings guarantee that event information is correctly transferred to the ICS format.

The 'Include' column is integral to the conversion process, allowing users to specify which event details should be included or excluded in the resulting ICS file. By checking or unchecking checkboxes, users have control over the content of the generated ICS file based on their preferences.

Recurrence is not automatic. Map an RRULE column with raw iCalendar text such as FREQ=WEEKLY;COUNT=3. For local weekly times that cross daylight saving, also map TZID so DTSTART keeps wall time with VTIMEZONE instead of a fixed UTC instant.

Once mapping and settings are finalized, users can initiate the conversion process by clicking the 'Convert' button. The resulting ICS data is displayed in a textarea, providing users with two options:

  • Copy: Users can copy the generated ICS data for immediate use.
  • Download: Users can download the ICS file, with the option to specify a custom file name if desired.

This flexibility ensures seamless access to converted data in the preferred format.

To facilitate user understanding and reset functionality, ConversionTab offers:

  • Example CSV: Users can access a sample CSV by clicking the 'Example' button, populating the text area with sample data for easier comprehension of the conversion process.
  • Reset Functionality: The 'Clear' button allows users to clear input and output data, providing a clean slate for new conversions or adjustments.

Built for real-world calendar imports

VEVENT-ready output with DTSTART, DTEND, and SUMMARY wired from your mapping.

Field mapping control so each column lands on the right iCalendar property.

Timezone-aware review—catch floating vs zoned times before bulk import.

Calendar app compatibility with standard RFC 5545 text you can air-gap check.

Bulk event generation from hundreds of rows in one pass.

Browser-side processing—no server upload of confidential rosters.