Importing Data into InterAction

InterAction can import data from any Comma Separated Value (CSV) file. This lets you import from any other application that can export data as a CSV file.

To import contacts into InterAction, you must specify mapping instructions. Mapping instructions identify the InterAction field into which each column of information in the import file should be imported.

If the program from which you want to import cannot export data as a CSV file, you may be able to export it in some other format and then use a program like Microsoft® Excel® to convert the file to CSV format.

InterAction lets you import contacts into a single folder for people and a single folder for companies. To import contacts, you must have Add Contact access rights to the folders.

The Advanced Import and Application Collaboration features offer more robust importing functionality including the ability to update existing InterAction contacts on import. For more information, see Updating InterAction Contacts through Advanced Import or How Application Collaboration Works.

The following are the basic steps for performing an import:

1. Prepare the CSV file. This usually requires exporting data from the other application and reformatting the data to meet InterAction’s format requirements. See Import File Specifications and Requirements for more information.
2. Map the fields from the CSV file to InterAction fields by creating mapping instructions. See Creating and Editing Import Mapping Instructions for more information.
3. Create and prepare the folder to receive the data as needed. Depending on the data, this may include creating additional fields and classifications. See Performing the Import for more information.
4. Perform a validation-only import to test the import file and the mapping instructions. This performs all import processing except adding the contacts to the folder. Any errors that would occur during the actual import are written to the import status file. This lets you check your import file without taking the time to do a full import. See Performing the Import for more information.
5. Perform the actual import into the desired folder as described in Performing the Import. When done, do the following:
   • Check the import status file for any problems or rejected contacts. See Status File for more information.
   • After you have imported the contacts you can begin using InterAction Windows Client to profile the contacts and clean up the contact data.
   • Promote the contacts into the Firm Contacts - People or Firm Contacts - Companies folders.
   • Run association cleanup to make sure people are associated with companies as separate contacts.

Import File Specifications and Requirements

The import data file must be an ASCII CSV (Comma Separated Value) file. The file must adhere to the following rules and notes:

• Fields must be separated by commas.
• A field that contains a literal comma must be in double quotation marks.
• The file can include a header row (column titles). It is not required, but including headers makes mapping the fields much easier. InterAction does not import the actual header row.

• Each row record (or contact) must have the same number of fields. The number of valid fields is determined by the first row. During an import, processing continues if InterAction encounters a row that is too long or too short, but the incorrect row is rejected and written to the import status file.

  Add an X in the last column of each row of your import file to prevent the import from rejecting the row.

• The file can include carriage return characters within fields. For example, you may have an address to import that contains multiple lines in one field with carriage returns at the end of each line. A carriage return and line feed pair (CRLF), however, is the CSV indication for an end of a line.
• Any line that consists of only a Carriage Return Line Feed (CRLF) is treated as a blank line and is not processed.
• Any line that has a semicolon in the first character position is treated as a comment and is not imported.
• The imported data is validated against the system’s minimum required fields [set in Data Minder] for new contacts. Contacts missing data in the required fields will not be added to the system successfully.