AdvoLogix Help

Importing Custom Objects

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First, prepare the documentation for Import.  See Also: Creating Export Files for Import Wizards 

Navigate to Setup

Click Your Name

Click on My Profile

Navigate to Import Custom Objects

Under Administration Setup >> Choose Data Management >> Select Import Custom Objects

Start the Wizard

Start the wizard

Review the steps provided on the welcome page, then click Start the Import Wizard.

Step 1. Choose Record

Step 1. Choose Record

Choose the custom object

  1. The first step of the wizard lists the custom objects that have been defined for your organization.
  2. Identify the custom object you are importing by selecting the corresponding radio button.
  3. Click Next.

Step 2: Prevent Duplicates

Step 2: Prevent Duplicates

Prevent duplicate records

  1. The import wizard can compare the records in your import file with existing records in AdvoLogix in order to prevent duplicate records from being created as a result of your import. Indicate whether you would like to prevent duplicate records from being created. You must select Yes in order to update existing records.
  2. If you choose Yes, then additional choices will appear:
  • Choose the field that you are using to match existing records in AdvoLogix with records in your import file. The External ID option is disabled if no external ID fields have been created for your records.
  • Choose what you want to happen if matches are found only import new records, only update existing records, or update existing records and import new ones. Note

If you have chosen to match by Salesforce ID, you can only update existing records; you cannot import new ones.

Click Next

To prevent duplicate custom object records from being created as a result of your import, include a column in your import file that has either record names, Salesforce IDs, or external IDs. These are the fields that can be used to match rows in your import file with existing records in Salesforce. In the wizard, you can specify the field you are using for record matching and what action to take when a matching existing record is found.

Matching by Name

When you select this option, the import wizard will detect existing records in AdvoLogix that have the same name. Note that this type of matching is not case-sensitive - for example, names that begin with a capital letter will be matched with the same name that begins with a lowercase letter. If necessary, scan and standardize your custom object names before performing the import to prevent unintended matches.

Matching by Salesforce ID

A Salesforce ID is a system-generated, case-sensitive string of 15 or 18 letters and numbers that uniquely identifies each Salesforce record. When you select this option, the import wizard will detect existing records in Salesforce that have the same Salesforce ID. Note that Salesforce IDs are case-sensitive and must match exactly. Salesforce IDs can be obtained by running reports that include the ID field of the record.

Matching by External ID

An external ID is a custom field that has the “External ID” attribute, meaning that it contains unique record identifiers from a system outside of AdvoLogix. When you select this option, the import wizard will detect existing records in Salesforce that have the same external ID. Note that this operation is not case-sensitive - for example, “ABC” will be matched with “abc”. However, there is an exception: if the custom field has the separate “Unique” attribute and the case-sensitive option for that attribute is selected, uppercase and lowercase letters will not be considered identical. For more information, see Custom Field Attributes.

If necessary, scan and standardize your external ID values before performing the import to prevent unintended matches.

When matching by external ID, if the import wizard finds duplicate records, only the first three duplicate records are reported to you in the confirmation email.

Ignoring or Updating Matching Records

When the import wizard detects existing records in Salesforce that match according to the field you have chosen, you can choose one of the following actions:

  • Do not update existing records and only insert new records - If there are records in your file that are new and do not match any existing records, then insert them into AdvoLogix. Also, ignore any records in your file that match an existing record, and do nothing to the existing record.
  • Update existing records and do not insert any new records - If there are records in your file that match an existing record, then update the existing record. Also, ignore any records in your file that do not match an existing record, and do not insert them as new records.
  • Update existing records and insert new records - If there are records in your file that are new and do not match any existing records, then insert them into AdvoLogix. Also, if there are records in your file that match an existing record, then update the existing record.

 

Step 3. Specify Relationships

Step 3. Specify Relationships

Specify owner, master-detail, and lookup relationships

  1. Custom objects can be owned by users, or they can have a master-detail relationship with other records. For example, a custom object can have a custom field that creates a master-detail relationship with accounts. In that case, your import file must include the names or IDs of all associated accounts.
  • If your custom objects are owned by users, then choose the field in your import file to use for matching record owners.

When you choose “Name,” the following formats are valid:

  • First name followed by last name
  • Last name followed by first name
  • Alias
  • Username

For more information, see User Fields.

If your records have a master-detail relationship with another kind of record, then choose the field in your import file to use for matching master records.

2. Records can have custom fields that create lookup relationships with other records. If you have included lookup fields in your import file, then check the corresponding boxes.

~ Note: Any related records must already exist in AdvoLogix before proceeding.

  ~ Related records will not be updated during your import even if your import file contains different values for fields on those related records.

3. Click Next.  

Set lookup record matching

  1. If you checked one or more lookup fields in the previous step, select the field (name or ID) you are using to uniquely identify those related records.
  2. Click Next.

Select record type

  1. If the records you are importing have record types, then choose the record type that you want to assign to the records in your import file.
  2. If you are inserting new records and updating existing records at the same time, then choose whether to override the record types of existing records.
  3. Click Next.

Step 4. File Upload

Step 4. File Upload

Upload your import file

  1. Click Browse... to provide the location of your import file.
  2. Choose the character encoding of your import file. In most cases, you can accept the default value.
  3. Make additional settings depending on the setup of your organization, such as whether workflow rules will be triggered and the language of the records in the import file.
  4. Click Next.

Step 5. Field Mapping

Step 5. Field Mapping

Map fields

  1. Map the fields in your import file to the appropriate AdvoLogix fields by matching the fields on the left, which includes all the columns in your import file, with the appropriate field on the right. If the column labels in your import file exactly match field labels in AdvoLogix, the wizard automatically maps those fields for you. However, if two or more of your file's column labels are identical matches with a field in AdvoLogix, you must map the fields manually.
  2. Click Next. The import wizard warns you if you have not mapped all of the fields in your import file. Unmapped field values are not imported.

Some fields cannot be updated using import, for example, the Created Date and Last Modified Date. So even though you may be using an exported report as your import file, some of the fields in your file cannot be mapped.

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