3. Import Customers

Pay attention to each Wizard's page when you import customers to CRE Loaded. Import is a rather complicated procedure and it may be destructive if performed incorrectly. Create Database backup before importing customers especially if you do it first time.

First of all prepare a .csv file for Import. Make sure it contains all the necessary fields and that all the data you are going to import are listed in the table.
Select "Import" in the Customers Import/Export Wizard and click "Next >" button to continue.

Enter the .csv file with customers you need to import to CRE Loaded or use browse button to select one.

Source file preview shows a part of .csv file selected to import.

If you carefully check the very first line of the example, you'll notice that some words enclosed in quotes (") and are separated by comma (,) symbol. There are no options to set, but you should pay some attention to fields delimiter and quote character options, if some are used. You will have to setup these settings on next page. Usually it is enough to see first line, no need to investigate entire file.

Select fields delimiter and quote character page contains some important settings. If you specify wrong values, CRE Loaded customers import may not work.

First option is delimiter character. Most popular delimiters are comma (,), semicolon (;) and tab character ( ), however other symbols can be used as well.
Note: CSV file contains data in row-column format and delimiter character is used to separate one column from another. If you specify incorrect delimiter, file will not be parsed properly and categories will not be imported.
Quote string values delimiter will be used to separate strings in .csv file. This delimiter can be disabled if none is used. On previous sample page we have noticed that comma symbol was used as delimiter and values were quoted with " symbol.

The next page allows you to Link columns from .csv file to appropriate database fields.
1. The left pane "Database Fields" shows the list of fields in your database that can receive import data.
2. The topmost option on this page is First row in .csv file contains field names, but not values. Obviously, it should be unchecked if first row of .csv file contains data, otherwise check this option.
3. Next option is Identify customers by. Import will search for customers using selected identifying method. The customer will be modified if found, if not the new customer will be added.
4. Source .csv file can contain multiple records with identical Name values. All these categories will be considered as one - currently imported categories will overwrite previously imported with the same key field values. Note that sometimes one of key fields may be blank. Obviously, blank fields contain the same value for all records. It is required to assign .csv columns to key fields.

Database Fields contains the following columns:

Name - contains database field name. Some values in this column contain actual field name, whereas other are "translated". Anyway these names are clear enough to figure out how to use them.
# - the number of the column in .csv file corresponding to this field - the link between database field and .csv column.
Set Null - indicates that this field should not contain any data and should be set to Null. You can either specify column name or check this option, but not both of the actions at the same time.
Set Default - this option is used to set some default value to a field, similar to Set Null, but in this case some value can be assigned to a field.
Default - enter the value assigned to a field.

To assign .csv column to database field you should select a field at the left pane and then click a column at the right pane.
[Auto Fill...] button - try to set correspondence automatically for all fields. Auto Fill option will work only if .csv column name is the same as database field name ("translated").
[Clear] button - clear all "csv col" values at the left panel.
Click "Next" if you're done.

Parameters on the Base Formats and Separators page are used to convert text values from .csv file to numerical and date values. You can just set default formats with an appropriate button.

Customers were not imported to your database yet. On Import Preview page you can see how .csv file was processed using import settings, which you specified at the previous steps. Check whether all columns that you want to be imported are filled with data. If some of them are blank, it means that either you haven't assigned .csv column or it is empty in source (.csv) file. Columns that were not assigned will not be imported, whereas empty values will overwrite existing.

If red blinking arrow appears, it is aimed at drawing your attention and means that some errors were made and you need and fix them.

Attention! CRE Loaded Customers Import process will start, when you press "Import" Button! If all settings are made correctly then continue the procedure, otherwise press "Back" Button and check settings once again!
1. Import options page settings may affect Import results. Please read and check your selection carefully.

In the last window of Import Customers Wizard will be shown if any errors occurred during import process.

Most frequent import errors are date, time and number conversion issues, caused by improper format settings (specified at previous page) or improperly assigned column (i.e. if you assign column containing category ID to parent_category database field).
Date/time conversion errors might be ignored, whereas other errors like this one (Could not find image:image_name.gif) have to be fixed.

Now import of customers to CRE Loaded is finished.

By eMagicOne Inc.