Import

Import clients from Excel or CSV file

Preparing MiniCRM

Only admins can import data. Firstly, create the database in Excel that you want to import and create the required statuses and fields in MiniCRM. If it is necessary, change the already existing field values.

Creating statuses

You can customize statuses within the selected module by clicking on the Wrench icon next to Pipeline.

For more information, see: Customizing Statuses (processes)

Field settings

If a field has a value (it depends on its type), you have to set it according to the import. For example, by using Dropdown list or Checkbox fields, you have to enter the values that can be found in the table into MiniCRM as well.

For more information, see: Customizing Fields

Recording data

During import the names written in the Excel table’s columns are imported as fields into MiniCRM, and the values written in cells are imported as field values. Namely, every row is equal to a client’s card and every column is equal to a field in MiniCRM.

You have to create the new fields and values before the import, because MiniCRM only joins data. Values should be written correctly in the Excel table and in MiniCRM as well, since if they differ from each other, the system is unable to recognize and join data.

If there is a difference in:

  • the name of the Owner, the system is unable to recognize which owner should be set
  • the name of the Status, the card will be imported into that status that you gave as default
  • the Field value, the system will leave out/doesn’t check the value

Keep in mind that cells should only contain values, so don’t enter links to other cells, formulas etc.!

To download a sales module sample, click here: MiniCRM Sales Module Import Sample

To download a normal module sample, click here: MiniCRM Normal Module Sample

Structure of Excel tables

Name

To name the cards, create a (Module item name): Name field. For example, in the Sales module it will be the following: Opportunity: Name. If you don’t name it, the system automatically creates one based on the name of the Company and the default Contact Person. Example: Example Ltd. (John Smith).

Owner

It is possible to add an owner separately to every card, that will be added, by creating a (Module item name): Owner field.

For example, in the Sales module it will be the following: Opportunity: Owner. If you enter an active user into the Owner column of the table, that user will be set as the owner of the card. If you don’t enter an owner, the system will select one randomly from those active users who have access to the given module and checked the “Default Sales resp. for new clients” option on their Profiles.

Statuses

To load cards into different statuses, create a (Module item name): Status column in the table and type the name of the required status into the row belonging to the client.

For example, in the Sales module it will be Opportunity: Status.

Company data [1.1.]

  • Company: Business name (e.g. Example Ltd.)
  • Company: Email (e.g. info@example.com) - You can add more addresses to a contact (cell) by separating them with commas or semicolons. Keep in mind that you should only use commas OR semicolons in one cell. However, if you have used only commas in one cell, you can use only semicolons in another one.
  • Company: Email type (e.g. work)
  • Company: Phone (e.g. 087 017 001 615) - You can add more numbers to a contact (cell) by separating them with commas or semicolons. Keep in mind that you should only use commas OR semicolons in one cell. However, if you have used only commas in one cell, you can use only semicolons in another one.
  • Company: Phone type (e.g. work
  • Company: Description (e.g. medium-sized company with 12 employees…)
  • Company: Website (e.g. www.example.com)
  • Company: Industry (e.g. Consulting)
  • Company: Region

Address data [1.2.]

  • Address1: Type (e.g. Headquarters)
  • Address1: Country (e.g. United States)
  • Address1: Postal code (e.g. 32826)
  • Address1: City (e.g. Orlando)
  • Address1: Address (e.g. 70 Phillips Street)

Addresses are added to the company (not to the contact person) or, in case of a private individual, to the person.

The values of these columns’ cells will be added to the following fields of the card:

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Import more address data [1.3.]

If you load several addresses simultaneously, you have to connect them in the Excel table by using numbers.

The rows belonging together should appear like this:

  • Headquarters:

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  • Billing address:

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The rows of columns connected by the same numbers will appear like this [1.3.]:

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If you click on the arrow next to the Address type field, you can set the type of addresses. After selecting the required type, enter the selected value into the Address1: Type column of the Excel table.

Contact Persons’ Data [1.4.]

  • Person1: First Name (e.g. John)
  • Person1: Last Name (e.g. Smith)
  • Person1: Email (e.g. johnsmith@example.com) - You can add more addresses to a contact (cell) by separating them with commas or semicolons. Keep in mind that you should only use commas OR semicolons in one cell. However, if you have used only commas in one cell, you can use only semicolons in another one.
  • Person1: Email type (e.g. work)
  • Person1: Phone (e.g. 087 017 001 615) - You can add more numbers to a contact (cell) by separating them with commas or semicolons. Keep in mind that you should only use commas OR semicolons in one cell. However, if you have used only commas in one cell, you can use only semicolons in another one.
  • Person1: Phone type (e.g. work)
  • Person1: Position (e.g. Sales) The values of these columns’ cells will be added to the following fields of the card:

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Import more Contact persons’ data [1.5.]

You can import more contact persons to a card. You can connect their data by using numbers.

Example:

  • Default Contact Person:

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  • Second Contact Person:

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After importing, the data of contact persons will appear like this:

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In the system the Position field is a dropdown list that contains various values. After selecting the required value, you can enter it into the Person1: Position column of the Excel table.

Field types

The following field types exist:

The name of the Excel table’s columns has to be equal to fields, and the cells should be filled out based on the values of the dropdown list.

It is not enough to create only the field in the system, you also have to set the values.

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Checkbox [2.2.]

The name of the Excel table’s columns has to be equal to fields.

More values can be checked simultaneously. The values in cells should be separated by commas. Their sequence can be reversed, and you can type spaces after commas.

It is not enough to create only the field in the system, you also have to set the values. It is not allowed to write only numbers in this field type so type some words as well into the table.

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Text box [2.3.]

Any values can be written in this field type, so it is enough to create the field in the system, you don’t have to give it a value.

The name of the Excel table’s columns has to be equal to fields and you can type the content into the cells.

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Date and Time [2.4.]

You should type the date in the following format: DD-MM-YYYY-HH:MM / 08-10-2014 10:00.

You have to create Date and Time fields before the import, but they only get values during the import.

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Number field [2.5.]

The name of the Excel table’s columns has to be equal to fields and you should type the numbers into the cells.

You also have to create the fields in the system before the import.

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For more information, see: Customizing Fields

Supported formats

You can only import .XLS, .XLSX, .ODS or .CSV files. The file has to contain min. 3 columns.

Creating XLS and XLSX

In Microsoft Excel click on File > Save.

Creating ODS

In OpenOffice click on File > Save.

Creating CSV

In Microsoft Excel and OpenOffice click on File > Save as. In Google Docs select the File > Download as > CSV option.

MiniCRM accepts .CSV files using the following code pages:

  • Unicode
  • UTF-8
  • ISO-8859-2
  • ISO-8859-1
  • Windows
  • MS-DOS

If you are using Windows operating system and Microsoft Excel, select the Comma-separated values (CSV) option.

If you are using Apple OS X operating system and Microsoft Excel, select the Specialty Formats / Windows Comma Separated option instead of Common Formats / Comma Separated Values.

If you are using Linux operating system and OpenOffice Calc or LibreOffice Calc select the Text CSV (.csv) option.

If the .CSV file is created, you can start the import.

Follow-up sequences

Follow-up sequences can be connected to Statuses and to saved Filters as well. Before starting the import, check whether the clients that will be imported are affected by active follow-up sequences or not, and that they can receive the messages or not.

If it is necessary, modify the follow-up sequences before the import.

For more information, see: Automated follow-up (Email, SMS, Task)

Avoiding Spam

Email addresses can be imported into the system as active and inactive.

Email addresses of newsletter subscribers will be imported as active into the system.

Email addresses of those clients who have unsubscribed will be imported into the system as inactive.

The email addresses of those clients who haven’t subscribed yet will be also imported as inactive.

If your database contains active and inactive email addresses as well, create an Unsubscribed column. If the cell contains a value (e.g. “Yes”), all addresses of the client will be imported as Not Subscribed into the system.

For more information, see: Structure of Excel Tables

To activate Not Subscribed addresses, you need to send an email manually containing an activation link by using MiniCRM.

If a client clicks on the link, their email address becomes activate and will receive emails sent automatically by MiniCRM. (It is possible to send emails manually to Not subscribed addresses.)

To send an activation link, you need a written or verbal permission from the client. You cannot send them an email asking for their permission because that is also spam.

For more information, see: Spam: Zero tolerance

Steps of import

To import the client database, click on the [New…] > [Import] option [3.1.] within the selected module.

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The steps are the following:

  1. Select Source
  2. Import Settings
  3. Match Fields
  4. Test
  5. Spam declaration
  6. Finish Import

Select Source

Upload files

You can upload .XLS, .XLSX, .ODS or .CSV files by clicking on Upload file [4.1.] link.

The file has to contain min. 3 columns, and a worksheet name with text. If the file contains more than one worksheet, only the first one will be imported.

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Copy/Paste

If you click on the Copy directly from Excel spreadsheet link [4.2.], a text box appears [4.3.] to which you can copy data directly from a spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice, Google Spreadsheet).

Choose this option if you want to import a small amount of data into the system. If you want to import a large amount of data, choose the Upload file option.

Don’t insert texts containing tabs because that can cause errors during import.

If you have finished, click on [Next »] [4.4.].

Import Settings

Status [5.1.]

You can set a Status for clients. If you want to import clients into different statuses, create a Status column in the Excel table.

For more information, see: Structure of Excel tables

If you have created a Status column in the table, clients will be imported into the status given in the table, not into the status set in this field.

Activate emails [5.2.]

If you check the Activate emails option, the addresses will be imported as active into the system. If you didn’t get an explicit permission previously from the recipients, don’t check this field.

Identified action [5.3]

You can set how new data will be handled after the identification of clients’ email address if the company or person already exists in the system.

There are 3 options:

  • Add new Card each time
  • Update available Card
  • Error message when Card exists.

If you have finished, click on [Next »] [5.4.].

Importálás lépései

Match Fields

You can join the name of Excel columns and the field names in MiniCRM [6.1.].

In case of a Dropdown list and a Checkbox it is not enough to create fields in the system, you also have to set the values.

For more information, see: Preparing MiniCRM

If you have already set the values during preparation, you can continue the import by clicking on [Next »] [6.2.].

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Test

To explore problems, MiniCRM runs a test [7.1.]. After that, you should correct the errors and restart the import. If everything is all right, click on [Next »] [7.2.].

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The most common error messages are the following:

“Invalid choosable value…”

Reasons: Spelling mistake or missing value. These rows won’t be processed during import.

“Company name or Contact1 name not found in this line…”

It is obligatory to give Company or Person1 name. If there are Company: columns in the Excel table, and any columns’ cells contain a value, the system examines the Company: Business name column. If none of the cells contain a value or there is no such column in the table, the system examines the Person1 name. If none of them exists, these rows won’t be processed during import.

Invalid email format

Rows containing invalid email formats won’t be processed during import.

Email already exists

When importing email addresses that already exist in the system, a new card will be added to the already existing contact. If an email address that can be found in the Excel table equals to an address that exists in the system, the original contacts will be updated. Phone numbers and email addresses are exceptions because they are not updated. New phone numbers and addresses will be imported as default and the existing ones remain the same.

Spam Declaration

You have to declare that the owners of email addresses gave you their contacts and permitted you to send them mass emails, and that they really gave you the permission and not to a third party.

For more information, see: Spam: Zero Tolerance

If you accept the terms and take responsibility for your sendouts, check this field [8.1.].

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Import

To import data, click on the [Import] button [8.2.]. By clicking on the Imported clients [9.1.] link, you can see the new cards listed within the selected module.

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Deleting Import

On the Import page, you can see imports for one week [10.1.] and you can undo them by clicking on the Delete link [10.2.]. Only those cards are deleted that weren’t modified after the import.

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“(Company) data shown in pictures were only created for testing.”