Announcing GravityImport 2.8.0: A smarter and more accessible way to map, validate, and import Gravity Forms data

We couldn’t be more excited to release GravityImport 2.8.0! This is a major usability-focused release that rethinks one of the most critical parts of the import process: field mapping. Alongside a redesigned interface, this update introduces comprehensive pre-import data validation, and several accessibility improvements.

Here’s what’s new.

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A completely redesigned field mapping experience

The headline feature in GravityImport 2.8.0 is a full redesign of the field mapping interface.

Instead of the previous spreadsheet layout, field mapping now uses a transposed layout that’s easier to scan, understand, and work with, especially when dealing with CSVs that contain dozens of columns. Instead of columns being vertical, each field gets its own horizontal row with a preview of values across multiple records.

GravityImport field mapping interface showing the "Map Fields" step in the import wizard. A progress bar at the top displays five steps: Select Source, Select Form, Map Fields (currently active), Configure, and Import. Below, a table displays CSV columns (First Name, Last Name, Email, Company, Job Title, Department) mapped to corresponding Gravity Forms field types via dropdown menus. Sample data from the first five rows is previewed, showing names like Emma Johnson and James Williams with their associated company and job information. An "Auto-map" button appears above the mapping table.

Correct field mapping is the crux of ensuring a seamless import process. This new layout makes relationships between CSV columns and form fields clearer, reduces visual clutter for wide or complex datasets, and scales better for users working with large amounts of data.

The result? Less guesswork and fewer accidental mis-mappings before you ever click “Import”!

Catch data issues before they become import problems

GravityImport 2.8.0 introduces pre-import validation warnings that flag potential issues before any data is written to your site. Validation now checks up to 50 rows of your CSV (up from 10), giving you a much more reliable snapshot of data quality.

In the data preview, problematic values are now highlighted at the cell level, so you can immediately see exactly what needs fixing.

GravityImport field mapping table highlighting validation errors with yellow/orange background colors. Several fields show warning icons: the Email field displays "not a valid email" and "william.jones@" as invalid entries; the Date of Birth field shows "November 3rd" marked as "Date Not Recognized"; the Registration Date field shows "yesterday" flagged as "Date Not Recognized"; the Rating field contains "five" (text instead of a number); and the Quantity field shows "two items" as an invalid numeric value. Valid dates display their converted format (e.g., "1990-07-22 → July 22, 1990").

There is also a detailed summary below the data preview showing what errors were detected, along with sample failing values.

GravityImport validation error summary dialog showing "6 Validation Errors Found" with a red warning banner. Errors are grouped by type: "Invalid Date Format" (2 errors) listing Date of Birth with "November 3rd" and Registration Date with "yesterday"; "Invalid Email Format" (1 error) showing the Email column with "not a valid email" affecting 6 of 49 rows; and "Invalid Number Value" (2 errors) partially visible. Each error group shows the affected column, sample failing value, and number of affected preview rows. A "Show Only Columns With Errors" toggle button appears in the top right.

You’ll see warnings for things like:

Invalid email addresses
Non-numeric values in numeric fields
Unrecognized or inconsistent date and time formats

By surfacing issues earlier (and more precisely!), GravityImport 2.8.0 helps you fix problems upstream instead of cleaning up entries after the fact. This avoids failed or partially broken imports resulting from small data inconsistencies.

Improved control over how data gets imported

Several new tools make it easier and quicker to control how data actually makes it into Gravity Forms.

Column selection checkboxes

You can now quickly select or deselect individual columns during mapping, with a header checkbox to select or deselect everything at once.

This makes it easier to exclude certain columns from the import, and is especially useful when working with large CSVs that contain many more columns than you need.

GravityImport field mapping interface with a red highlighted border around the checkbox column on the left side. The checkboxes allow users to select or deselect individual CSV columns for import. Shown fields include First Name, Last Name, Email (unchecked, with grayed-out row), Date of Birth, and Registration Date. Date fields display a gear icon for additional configuration options. Warning icons appear next to Date of Birth and Registration Date indicating validation issues.

Auto-map reset button

An Auto-map button lets you reset field mappings back to GravityImport’s auto-detected values. A confirmation dialog prevents accidental resets.

Close-up of the GravityImport interface highlighting the "Auto-map" button with a red arrow pointing to it. The button features a refresh icon and is positioned above the field mapping table. The heading reads "Create a form named My New Form" with instructions to check columns to import and click column names to customize labels.

Inline column name editing

CSV column headers can now be renamed directly within the import interface by simply clicking on the column name. This makes it easier to:

Clean up unclear column names
Match columns to form fields more accurately
Avoid needing to edit the CSV file itself

GravityImport interface showing inline editing of a column heading. The second row displays a text input field with "Current Position" being typed, replacing the original "Job Title" column name. Checkmark and X buttons appear to the right of the input field to confirm or cancel the edit. Other visible columns include Company and Department, both mapped to "Single Line Text" field types.

Smarter field matching and better date handling

Imports should adapt to your data—not the other way around. That’s why we’ve made several under-the-hood improvements in GravityImport 2.8.0 that reduce manual work.

Smarter field matching: GravityImport now does a better job at auto-detecting data formats from your CSV and matching them to the correct field types in Gravity Forms. This means fewer manual adjustments when mapping CSV columns to form fields.
Improved date and time detection: Date and time values are now auto-detected from CSV data, instead of requiring manual selection. Additionally, datetime values with milliseconds (for example, 2024-12-01 00:43:21.000) are now parsed correctly.
More precise Entry Notes mapping: Gravity Forms Entry Notes now require exact column name matches, preventing accidental mapping of unrelated data.

Major usability and accessibility improvements

This release also puts a strong focus on accessibility and keyboard usability. Improvements include:

Full keyboard navigation using Tab, Enter, and Escape
Better screen reader support across the import interface
Improved support for right-to-left (RTL) languages

A better import experience, end to end

GravityImport 2.8.0 sees a reimagined field mapping interface that makes imports safer, clearer, and more predictable from start to finish. With improved field validation and error handling, you can catch issues earlier and import data with greater confidence.

So what are you waiting for? Update GravityImport today!

by

Casey Burridge

Casey is a full-stack marketer who employs a systems approach to connect strategy, execution, and long-term growth. With a background spanning technical consulting, adtech, and open-source ecosystems like WordPress, Casey brings a deep understanding of the platforms that power the modern web. Casey holds a Master of Science in Information Systems Management from Salford Business School, where his thesis explored the role of systems thinking in strategic marketing decisions.

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Announcing GravityImport 2.8.0: A smarter and more accessible way to map, validate, and import Gravity Forms data

Watch the video

A completely redesigned field mapping experience

Catch data issues before they become import problems