D365 CRM Data Import Pointers

Introduction:

Data Import is an integral part of any Migration or new enviornment. CRM allows us to use Data Management>> Data Import wizard to easily import data from Excel files.

Text data is easily imported but for data that is Lookup or Multi Select Option Set, users might face issues.

This blog will guide as to how we import Data of different types.

Lookup:

This type of record actually relates to other entity. We need to first assure that the related record is already in system.

Example- If we are importing Account with Primary Contact lookup, we need to be sure that the Contact File is already imported and data is present in CRM.

Excel file should have same name that we have for existing record, so that it maps to the correct record.

In case where we have deadlock in lookup, like Account has Contact and Contact has Account Lookup, we have to import one file without lookup and then update same with lookup. To be clear we need to upload Account without primary contact, then import Contact with Account and then update Account file with Contact.

Multiselect Option Set :

To import records with multi-select option set field, we would need to pass the option set labels with semicolon “;” as the separator.

We need to take care that none of the labels are misspelled.

Date:

To upload dates, please check the data format in settings and take care that your Excel data is in same format.

Other points:

While importing data, Duplicate detection rules might cause records to fail, we need to unpublish, rules that do not satisfy our requirements.

Also, It is advised to upload clean data and what better than using highlight duplicate and remove duplicate functionality of Excel.

This is all in case of new records, in case you want to update records, download the static worksheet of records from Advance find, make changes and upload the exact same updated file, the data import wizard in this case will not ask for mapping, if it does recheck your steps performed.