Koha Library Tool

Excel / CSV to MARC Converter

Convert spreadsheet records into MARCEdit .mrk, binary MARC .mrc ISO 2709, and optional MARCXML for Koha and other MARC21 library systems.

.MRK .MRC MARCXML

1. Upload Excel or CSV

First row must contain column headers. Supported files: .xlsx, .xls, .csv.

Select file

Worksheet

Multi value separator

Default leader

Default 003

Auto add missing 005 date/time field Run Koha item checks for 942 and 952 fields

No file loaded yet.

2. Koha validation settings

Optional but recommended. Add your actual Koha codes to warn users before import. Codes are case sensitive.

Allowed library / branch codes Allowed item type codes Allowed shelving location codes

Important: Use Koha codes, not descriptions. For example, use BK instead of Book if BK is your Koha item type code.

3. Column mapping

Map each spreadsheet column to a MARC21 or Koha field. Use Skip for columns you do not want to export.

Upload a file to build the mapping form.

4. .MRK preview

Preview shows the first generated records in MARCEdit mnemonic format.

No MARC output yet.

5. Validation report

Records: 0

Warnings: 0

Errors: 0

Generate MARC to see validation results.

Supported MARC / Koha fields

001003005008020$a022$a041$a082$a090$a100$a110$a111$a130$a245$a245$b245$c246$a250$a260$a$b$c264$a$b$c300$a336$a337$a338$a490$a500$a502$a504$a505$a520$a600$a610$a650$a651$a700$a710$a711$a830$a942$2942$c942$n952$a952$b952$c952$d952$e952$g952$i952$o952$p952$t952$v952$x952$y952$z

Koha Excel / CSV to MARC Converter User Guide

Use this guide to prepare spreadsheet records, map columns to MARC21 and Koha fields, generate .mrk, .mrc, and MARCXML files, and import the final MARC file into Koha safely.

1. What this tool does

The Koha Excel / CSV to MARC Converter changes spreadsheet data into library catalog records. It is designed for librarians, catalogers, library assistants, and data migration teams who need to convert book, thesis, report, or other bibliographic records into MARC21 format for Koha.

The tool works in your browser. You upload an Excel or CSV file, select the worksheet, map each column to a MARC field, check the validation report, preview the records in .mrk format, and download the final files.

.MRK Human readable MarcEdit mnemonic format. Best for preview, review, correction, and sharing with cataloging staff.

.MRC Binary MARC ISO 2709 format. This is the main file to use when importing MARC records into Koha.

MARCXML XML version of MARC records. Useful when your workflow or Koha setup accepts MARCXML.

Important: Do not treat .mrk as the final Koha import file. The .mrk file is mainly for reading and editing. For Koha staging and import, use the .mrc file unless your library specifically wants MARCXML.

2. Before you upload your spreadsheet

A clean spreadsheet gives better MARC records. Each row should represent one bibliographic record. The first row must contain clear column headers such as Title, Author, ISBN, Publisher, Year, Barcode, Home Library, Holding Library, Item Type, and Call Number.

Recommended spreadsheet rules

Use one record per row.
Use the first row for column names only.
Do not merge cells.
Do not place notes, headings, or totals inside the data rows.
Use Koha codes, not long descriptions, for branch codes and item type codes.
Use the date format YYYY-MM-DD for Date Acquired.
Keep barcode values unique.
Use the multi value separator when one cell contains more than one subject, author, or note.

Best starting columns

Spreadsheet column	Recommended mapping	Purpose
Control Number	001	Unique control number for the record.
ISBN	020$a	International Standard Book Number.
Title	245$a	Main title of the item.
Subtitle	245$b	Subtitle or remainder of title.
Author	100$a	Main personal author.
Publisher	264$b or 260$b	Publisher name.
Publication Year	264$c or 260$c	Publication date or year.
Pages	300$a	Physical description, such as 250 pages.
Subject	650$a	Topical subject heading.
Home Library	952$a	Koha home branch code for the item.
Holding Library	952$b	Koha current or holding branch code.
Barcode	952$p	Item barcode used for circulation.
Item Type	942$c and 952$y	Koha item type at record and item level.
Call Number	952$o	Full item call number.
Date Acquired	952$d	Date the item was acquired.

Tip: The tool includes a sample template button. Download it first if you want a clean starting structure for your cataloging spreadsheet.

3. Understanding the main Koha fields

Koha uses regular MARC21 fields for bibliographic description and local 9XX fields for Koha specific data. The most important Koha fields in this tool are 942 and 952.

942 fields

The 942 field stores Koha record level information. The most important subfield is 942$c, which stores the record level item type. Your value should match an item type code already created in Koha, such as BK, REF, DVD, or your own library code.

952 fields

The 952 field stores Koha item information. If you are importing physical items into Koha, this field is very important. Common item fields include:

Field	Meaning	Recommended use
952$a	Home library	Use the Koha branch code.
952$b	Current or holding library	Usually same as home library unless the item is held elsewhere.
952$c	Shelving location	Use your Koha location code if locations are configured.
952$d	Date acquired	Use YYYY-MM-DD.
952$i	Inventory number	Use for accession or inventory tracking if your Koha setup uses it.
952$o	Full call number	Use for classification plus cutter or local call number.
952$p	Barcode	Use a unique barcode for circulation.
952$y	Item type	Use the Koha item type code.

Common mistake: Do not map accession number to 952$o if your library treats accession number as an inventory number. Use 952$o for the full call number and 952$i for inventory number.

4. Step by step instructions

Step 1: Upload Excel or CSV

Click Select file and choose your spreadsheet. The tool supports .xlsx, .xls, and .csv files. After upload, it reads the first row as column headers and creates the mapping form.

Step 2: Choose the worksheet

If your Excel workbook has more than one sheet, choose the correct worksheet from the Worksheet dropdown. Make sure the selected sheet contains the catalog records you want to convert.

Step 3: Set the multi value separator

The default separator is the vertical bar character |. Use it when one spreadsheet cell contains multiple values. For example, one Subject cell can contain:

Library science|Cataloging|Information organization

When mapped to 650$a, the tool can create repeated subject fields from that cell.

Step 4: Check the default leader

The default leader is 00000nam a2200000 a 4500. It is suitable as a basic starting point for many book records. Advanced catalogers may adjust the leader according to record type and bibliographic level.

Step 5: Add default 003 if needed

The 003 field identifies the organization responsible for the control number in 001. If your library has an assigned control number identifier or local code, enter it in the Default 003 field. Leave it blank if you do not use 003.

Step 6: Keep auto 005 enabled

The 005 field stores the date and time of the latest transaction. Keeping Auto add missing 005 date/time field enabled helps create a more complete MARC record when your spreadsheet does not already include 005.

Step 7: Add Koha validation settings

Enter your real Koha codes in the validation settings. This helps catch wrong branch codes, wrong item type codes, and wrong shelving location codes before you import the file.

Allowed library / branch codes: MAIN,REF,CHILDREN
Allowed item type codes: BK,REF,DVD,THESIS
Allowed shelving location codes: GEN,STACK,REFERENCE

Use actual Koha codes, not public names. For example, if Koha item type code is BK and the description is Book, enter BK.

Step 8: Map spreadsheet columns

Use the dropdown beside each column header to choose the correct MARC field. Choose Skip for any column that should not appear in the output.

You can click Auto map columns to let the tool guess mappings from common header names. Always review the result before generating files.

Step 9: Generate MARC

Click Generate MARC. The tool creates a preview in .mrk format and displays a validation report. Review warnings carefully. Warnings do not always mean the record is unusable, but they show items that should be checked before import.

Step 10: Download the files

After generation, download the file type you need:

Download .MRK for review, editing, or sharing with MarcEdit users.
Download .MRC for the main Koha import workflow.
Download MARCXML if your workflow requires XML.
Download report to keep a record of validation warnings.

5. Example mapping

The following example shows how a simple spreadsheet row becomes a MARC record preview.

Example spreadsheet row

Title	Author	ISBN	Publisher	Year	Barcode	Item Type
Introduction to Library Science	Ali Khan	9780000000001	Sample Publisher	2026	B0001	BK

Example .mrk preview

=LDR  00000nam a2200000 a 4500
=001  1
=020  \\$a9780000000001
=100  1\$aAli Khan
=245  10$aIntroduction to Library Science
=264  \\$bSample Publisher$c2026
=942  \\$cBK
=952  \\$aMAIN$bMAIN$pB0001$yBK

The preview is designed to help you read the record easily. The .mrc download creates the machine readable MARC file used for import.

6. Validation report explained

The validation report helps identify problems before import. It checks common issues that affect Koha item imports and MARC record quality.

Warning or error	What it means	How to fix it
Leader must be exactly 24 characters	The MARC leader is not the correct length.	Use the default leader or enter a valid 24 character leader.
008 is missing	The fixed length data field is not present.	Add an 008 column if your cataloging policy requires it.
942$c is missing	Koha record level item type is missing.	Map an item type column to 942$c.
952$a is missing	Home library is missing for item import.	Map your home branch column to 952$a.
952$b is missing	Holding library is missing for item import.	Map your holding branch column to 952$b.
952$p is missing	Barcode is missing.	Map barcode to 952$p if the item will circulate.
952$y is missing	Item type is missing at item level.	Map item type to 952$y.
Code not in allowed list	The value does not match your validation list.	Correct the spreadsheet value or update the allowed codes list.
Duplicate barcode	The same barcode appears in more than one row.	Make every barcode unique before importing.
Date should be YYYY-MM-DD	Date Acquired is not in the expected format.	Use a date like 2026-04-24.

7. Importing the .mrc file into Koha

After downloading the .mrc file, import it through Koha’s MARC staging workflow. Menu names may vary slightly by Koha version and staff interface customization.

Log in to the Koha staff interface.
Go to More, then Cataloging, then Import, then Stage records for import.
Select the .mrc file downloaded from the converter.
Choose the correct record type, matching rule, and item processing options according to your library policy.
Stage the records.
Review the staged records and check for errors or unexpected matches.
Use the manage staged records screen to complete the import into the catalog.
Check a few imported records in the catalog and confirm that bibliographic fields and item fields imported correctly.

Best practice: Test with 5 to 10 records before importing a large file. After confirming that item type, barcode, branch, call number, and subjects are correct, repeat the process with the full batch.

8. Recommended testing checklist

Open the .mrk preview and confirm the title appears in 245$a.
Confirm author names are mapped to 100$a or 700$a as needed.
Confirm subjects are mapped to 650$a.
Confirm 942$c contains a valid Koha item type code.
Confirm 952$a and 952$b contain valid Koha branch codes.
Confirm 952$p barcodes are unique.
Confirm 952$y contains a valid Koha item type code.
Confirm 952$o is the full call number.
Confirm date acquired uses YYYY-MM-DD.
Import a small test batch into Koha before importing the full file.

9. Troubleshooting

The tool does not read my file

Check that your file is saved as .xlsx, .xls, or .csv. If the file came from another system, open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice, then save a fresh copy.

My worksheet is blank

Make sure you selected the correct worksheet. Also check that your first row contains headers and that records start below the header row.

Auto map selected the wrong field

Auto map is only a helper. Review every dropdown and manually correct any wrong mapping before generating the output.

Subjects are not repeating correctly

Check the multi value separator. If the separator is |, write multiple subjects as Cataloging|Metadata|Libraries inside one cell.

Koha does not accept my item type

Use the item type code from Koha administration, not the public description. For example, use BK if that is the configured code for books.

My records imported but items did not appear

Check 952 fields. At minimum, review 952$a, 952$b, 952$p, and 952$y. Also check your Koha staging options to confirm item fields were imported.

The .mrk file will not import into Koha

Use .mrc for Koha import. The .mrk file is for preview and MarcEdit style editing. It is not the same as binary MARC.

10. Frequently asked questions

Can I use CSV instead of Excel?

Yes. The tool supports CSV as well as Excel files. CSV is useful when exporting records from older systems or databases.

Which file should I import into Koha?

Use the .mrc file for the normal MARC import workflow. Use MARCXML only if your Koha workflow specifically requires XML.

Why does the tool create .mrk?

The .mrk format is easier to read. It helps you review records before import and makes cataloging errors easier to spot.

Can I import records without item fields?

Yes, bibliographic records can exist without items. However, if you want holdings and circulation items to appear in Koha, you should include 952 item fields.

Should I use 260 or 264?

Many modern MARC21 workflows prefer 264 for production, publication, distribution, manufacture, and copyright information. Some older records still use 260. Follow your local cataloging policy.

Can I use local fields?

This version focuses on common MARC21 and Koha fields. If your library uses additional local fields, the tool can be extended to include them.

Does the tool change data inside Koha?

No. The tool only creates downloadable files in your browser. Koha is changed only after you upload and import the generated file through the Koha staff interface.

Is my spreadsheet uploaded to a server?

The tool is designed to run in the browser. Your file is processed locally by the page script, not by a custom server connected to this guide.

Reference notes

For official cataloging and import behavior, always follow your own Koha version, local cataloging policy, and system administrator guidance. Useful references include the Koha Community manual, the Library of Congress MARC21 record structure documentation, and MarcEdit documentation for .mrk workflows.