Sugar Community Edition User Guide Version 5.0

Importing Data

You can import data from Excel files, CRM systems, and Contact Managers into Sugar. When you import data, you will need to map fields that you are importing with fields that exist in the Sugar database. For example, to map the first and last names of contacts that you import into sugar, these fields must exist in the Sugar database. If not, you will need to create these custom fields in Sugar before you import the data.

You can import the following:

•	Accounts: Salesforce.com, ACT!2005, custom comma delimited files, and custom tab delimited files.

•	Contacts: Salesforce.com, Microsoft Outlook, ACT!2005, custom comma delimited files, and custom tab delimited files.

•	Leads: Salesforce.com, comma delimited files, custom delimited files, and custom tab delimited files.

•	Opportunities: Salesforce.com, comma delimited files, tab delimited files, and custom delimited files.

•	Targets: Custom comma delimited files, tab delimited files, and custom tab delimited files.

•	Notes: Salesforce.com, comma delimited files, tab delimited files, and custom tab delimited files.

To import data from your previous CRM application or Contact Manager, you must first export the data from that application in a Comma Separated Values (.csv) file format to your local file system. You can then use the import function within a specific module to import the CSV file data into Sugar.

Accounts and Contacts

If you import a contact record that refers to an unknown account, then a new contact record is automatically created for an account of that name. Note that when account records are created automatically in this fashion, they are empty. That is, they have associated contacts but no address or telephone information. Therefore, you will need to manually add those details later. To avoid this task, it is recommended that you import the account data first to create complete records with address and telephone information (and other information depending on your previous CRM system) and then import contact data.

If you are importing account data from another CRM system, then, typically, that system understands the distinction between a contact and an account – that one account can have multiple contacts – and has separate data for each. However, you can only import contact data from a simpler Contact Manager application– such as Microsoft Outlook.

Leads and Opportunities.

Typically, only full CRM system, such as Salesforce.com track leads and opportunities.

Targets

Targets, used in marketing campaigns, are stand-alone records that are not attached to contacts or leads. However, you can include contact, lead, and user records in a target list.

Notes.

You can import notes related to a specific call, meeting, or task for distribution to participants.

To export contacts from your current contact manager

The process below describes exporting contact information through Outlook 2003. Other systems tend to work in similar ways.

1.	Under the File menu, select Import and Export.

The Import and Export Wizard dialog box displays on the page.

2.	Select Export to a file and click Next.

3.	Select the option to create a file of the type Comma Separated Values (Windows), and click Next.

4.	Select an Outlook folder from which to export – typically your contacts folder - and click Next.

5.	Enter the filename and directory location for the exported file to be created, and click Next.

6.	To confirm your intention to export this file, click Finish.

Outlook 2003 creates a CSV file. To ensure that the data has been exported successfully, you can view the file using Microsoft Excel or a text editor.

Now you can import the contact data as described in “To import data” on page 177.

During import, ensure that you correctly map the names of the incoming fields with the names of the corresponding Sugar fields. If you are importing from Outlook, a particularly important field mapping is the incoming Company field to the Account Name field within Sugar. This is required to ensure that contacts are associated with the correct accounts.

To import data

1.	In the Shortcuts menu of the module’s home page, click Import.

The first step in the import process displays on the screen.

2.	Select one of the following as the data source:

Salesforce.com. Select this option if the data file is located in the Salesforce.com database.

Microsoft Outlook. This option is available only for Sugar modules that are mapped to a corresponding module in Outlook. Select this option if the data file is located in Microsoft Outlook.

Act!2005. This option is available only for Sugar modules that are mapped to a corresponding module in ACT. Select this option if the data file is located in the Act! 2005 database.

Comma Delimited File. Select this option if the data file is in .csv format.

Tab Delimited File. Select this option if the data file is in a tab delimited format.

Custom Delimited File. Select this option if the data file is in TSV format.

3.	Click Next to proceed to the next step in the import process.

You must now upload the file that you saved on your local file system.

4.	In the Select file field, enter the path to the file location; or click Browse to navigate to the file location on your machine.

5.	If the file has a header row, check the Has Header box.

Typically, a header row contains column titles such as Name and Address.

6.	Click Next to proceed to the final step in the import process.

You must now map the fields from the export file to the fields in the Sugar database to successfully import the data.

7.	From the Database Field drop-down list, select the appropriate field in the note, such as Full Name and map it to the row in the imported source file. If you want to ignore a field, select Do not map this field.

8.	To save the mapping as a custom mapping that you can use repeatedly, select the Save as Custom Mapping checkbox.

9.	To check indexes for duplicate values for fields such as Deleted, and Assigned users, move the desired indexes from the Index(es) Not Used column to the Index(es) Used column using the left arrow button.

To remove an index that you do not want to check, use the right arrow to move it back to the Index(es) Not Used column. Use the up and down arrows to sort the order in which the indexes are checked for duplicates.

10.	Click Import Now to import the data.

The Import Results page lists the imported data and lists how many fields were successfully imported and how many were skipped.

11.	To import additional data, click Import More.

12.	To end the task, click Finished.

13.	If you do not want to save the imported data, click Undo Last Import; You can click Try Again to restart the import process.

To import account data

If you are importing account data from a CRM system, proceed to step 4. If you exported contact data, and need to massage it to act as account data to be imported, perform steps 1-4 below:

1.	Copy your exported contacts.csv file and save it as Accounts.csv.

2.	Edit the Accounts.csv file using Excel. First, sort the file on the column which contains the company name.

As you scroll through your data, sorted by company name, you may see successive records which have the same company name if there is more than one contact from that account (in Sugar terminology). To avoid multiple copies of the same account within Sugar, you need to delete the duplicate contacts. And to make sure that the most complete information is attached to the account record, retain only the contact whose address and telephone information best represents the account as a whole.

Also look out for company names which are similar but not identical due to inconsistencies in the way the company name was entered – you should delete all duplicate records except the one with the company name spelt exactly how you want to see it in Sugar.

3.	Save the Excel file as a .csv file type.

4.	In the Shortcuts menu of the Accounts module, click Import and follow the process described in “To import data” on page 177.

Now that account data has been imported, you can export contacts from your current Contact Manager and then import it into Sugar.