Data Import & Export

1Overview #

Starting on the software, or taking over a list from somewhere else, means hundreds of records to key in. This screen reads them from a spreadsheet instead.

Every row is checked before anything is saved, and saved through the same rules as the master screen - a lead gets its number and first follow-up, a ledger its account code, a product its prices - so an imported record is exactly what a keyed one would be.

Rows that match a record already there are shown as such; you decide - for the whole batch, or row by row - whether to skip them or update the record with the sheet's values.

The rows land in a grid you can work in before importing: change any cell, remove any row, filter, sort, group and search - then Check again and import what is left.

Load records to export brings the records already there into the same grid: change cells, remove rows, filter, sort and group them there - for the file only; the records themselves are never changed - then Export grid writes what the grid holds in the same format. Import that file back, choosing Update, to correct many records at once.

2Who it is for #

• Load your customer and supplier ledgers with their opening balances, addresses, GSTINs and PANs.
• Load the product master with groups, units, tax classes, HSN codes and every price.
• Load enquiries from an exhibition list or another CRM as leads, each with an owner and a first follow-up.
• Refresh prices or addresses for records you already have (Update).

3What it is not for #

• Voucher lines. Those come in on the voucher itself - Import from Excel in the voucher's action list, with its own format.
• Creating masters on the fly. Groups, units, tax classes, sources and the like must already exist - a misspelt group is reported, not created.
• Old .xls files. Save them as .xlsx (or .csv) in Excel first.

4Step by step #

1. Pick what to import - Leads, Products, Ledger Accounts or Fixed Assets. - The screen shows what the import needs; you need the Import/Export Data right and the master's own Create right.
2. Press Download format (.xlsx) (or .csv). - The .xlsx has a Data sheet with the headings and sample rows, and an Instructions sheet saying what every column takes.
3. Fill the Data sheet: delete the sample rows and type or paste yours. - Keep row 1 as the headings and Data as the first sheet. Column order does not matter; extra columns are ignored.
4. Under The file, choose your file. - Every row is checked at once: New, Already there, or Error - with each problem named.
5. Work in the grid if needed: click a cell to change it, press the cross to remove a row (or Remove rows with errors), filter with the funnel on a heading, sort by clicking it, group by dragging it to the band above. - The footer counts the rows shown.
6. Press Check again after changes. - Every row is checked once more - New, Already there or Error. Import does this by itself too.
7. For rows already there, choose Skip them or Update them; change the Action of any single row that should differ.
8. Press Import (F5) and confirm with OK (F5). - The outcome of every row is listed: added, updated, skipped, or failed with its reason.
9. To export instead: press Load records to export. - The records you may see fill the grid - Export mode. Nothing you do in it is saved to the records.
10. Shape the file in the grid: change cells, remove rows with the cross, filter, sort, group. - The file takes the rows the grid holds after its filters; removed rows are left out.
11. Press Export grid (.xlsx) (F5) or Export grid (.csv). - The file downloads in the import format. Clear the grid, or choosing a file to import, leaves Export mode.

5The fields #

• What each import matches on - How a row is recognised as a record already there.
• Leads - The same phone (last ten digits of Mobile, Phone or Alternate Phone) or the same e-mail - a switched-off lead matches too. A converted lead is read-only - Skip it.
• Products - The same Product Name - a switched-off product matches too. Names are unique among products.
• Ledger Accounts - The same Ledger Name - a switched-off ledger matches too. Names are unique among ledgers.
• Fixed Assets - The same Asset Name - an inactive or written-off asset matches too. Asset names are unique over the whole register, not per asset item. The asset item, category, branch, division, department and employee are matched by name and must exist; the depreciation columns need the Alter right on Fixed Assets Master.
• Update
• What Update changes - Only the cells FILLED in the row - a blank cell never clears a value already there. A ledger's account code is never renumbered; a lead's product is added when it does not have it.

6Rules and integrity #

• Nothing is saved until you confirm - Choosing the file only checks it. The import itself runs after OK (F5).
• The grid is what is imported - Your edits and removals count - the file itself is not read again. The server still checks every row once more before saving.
• Export is the same format - Same columns, same Instructions sheet: an exported file can be imported back as it is. Export needs the Import/Export Data right and the master's View right; leads are the ones you may see.
• Inactive records are exported too - Switched-off leads, products and ledger accounts are in the file with Inactive = Yes. Imported back, the row finds the same record (inactive or not) - it is never added a second time - and Update switches it on or off as the Inactive column says; a blank Inactive leaves it as it is. A new row with Inactive = Yes is added switched off.
• Export edits touch the file only - In Export mode the grid is a working copy in your browser: changed cells and removed rows go into the file, never into the records. To change the records, import the file back and choose Update.
• The master's own rules apply - Required fields, unique names, numbering, the first follow-up, opening values, GST checks - the same as keying the record on its screen.
• A failed row does not stop the others - Each row is saved on its own; the list says what happened to every one.
• Names, not codes - Group, unit, tax class, HSN, brand, lead source, owner, state - write them as the master shows them (capitals do not matter).
• One record per row - A row that repeats an earlier row of the same file (same name, or same phone) is reported, not imported twice.
• Limits - 20 MB and 10,000 rows per file. Split a bigger list into several files.

7Shortcut keys #

• F5 - Import (checks again if rows changed, then asks OK (F5) / Cancel (Esc)); in Export mode, Export grid (.xlsx).
• Esc - Close the confirmation; in the Import dialog, close the dialog.

8If something does not work #

9For an administrator #

• Rights - Execute on Import/Export Data (Tools) to import at all; Create on the master to add, Modify to update.
• Try it small - Import five rows first and look at them on the master screen before loading the whole list.