---
title: Importing Horizon Templates
description: >-
  Import Horizon templates into SwiftReporter from horizon.json and your company
  export — categories and Description/Limitation questions, not the comment library.
canonical: 'https://www.swiftreporter.com/docs/importing-horizon-templates'
pathname: /docs/importing-horizon-templates
category: templates
date: '2026-09-05T00:00:00.000Z'
helpDocsSource: templates/importing-horizon-templates.md
---

# Importing Horizon Templates

On the web app, SwiftReporter can import a Horizon inspection template from two JSON files: the base library (`horizon.json`) and your company export. The import creates a SwiftReporter template with categories and Description/Limitation questions. Recommendation phrase chips are not imported as comments.

**Import Horizon Template** is web-only. It is not available on the mobile app. It is hidden when you are creating a marine survey template.

## What gets imported

- Horizon categories as SwiftReporter categories
- Description and Limitation items as category questions (short options become dropdowns or checkboxes)
- Company extras that belong on those questions
- An empty **Observations** subcategory on each imported category
- Optional or commercial categories last, with readable titles (for example, `com air conditioning` becomes **Commercial Air Conditioning**)

## What is not imported

- Recommendation phrases and the comment library
- Booking, invoices, emails, logos, and contracts
- Research Center paragraphs, illustrations, Action List items, leftover autocomplete job phrases, and one-off inspection findings

## Prerequisites

- A signed-in SwiftReporter account on the **web** app
- Both Horizon JSON files: `horizon.json` (base library) and the company export
- Each file 40MB or smaller
- A residential (home inspection) workflow — Horizon import is hidden for Marine Survey

Either file alone is rejected. **Import Template** stays disabled until you enter a **Template Name** and select both files.

## Steps

1. Open **Templates** on the web app.
2. Open **Create New Template**.
3. Select **Import Horizon Template**.
4. Enter a **Template Name**.
5. Use the file picker labeled **Horizon JSON files (horizon.json + company export)** and select both JSON files.
6. Click **Import Template**.

A create-template link can open **Import Horizon Template** directly from this same create-template flow.

## During import

The screen shows upload progress, then:

Large libraries can take several minutes. Keep this page open.

**Close** and **Cancel** are blocked while import is running. Do not leave or refresh the page until import finishes.

## What happens next

When import succeeds, the new template is available in your library. Review category names, optional commercial sections at the end, and Description/Limitation questions. Add comments later in the Comments library if you need reusable defect wording.

If a file is missing, too large, or not JSON, import does not start and you are asked to select both a Horizon base library (`horizon.json`) and a company export.

## Related

- [Importing Spectora Templates](/docs/importing-spectora-templates)
- [Importing HomeGauge Templates](/docs/importing-homegauge-templates)
- [Template Management Overview](/docs/template-overview)
- [Understanding Templates](/docs/understanding-templates)
- [Creating and Editing Templates](/docs/editing-templates)
- [Template Settings and Configuration](/docs/template-settings)