Author Topic: How do I import contacts? (Read 1351 times)

mango · November 15, 2012, 10:43:18 pm

Hey guys,

How can I import contacts to CiviCRM?
I have a document with all the contacts recorded (using Webform). When I clicked "Import Contacts" in CiviCRM Navigation Menu, I uploaded my file. However, in the second stage, it asked me to match the fields.
I was unable to match the fields because there are more than 15 fields in my recorded document. Can I only import 1 field at a time?

What is the best way to import them?

mango · November 15, 2012, 11:26:13 pm

Quote from: mango on November 15, 2012, 10:43:18 pm

Hey guys,

How can I import contacts to CiviCRM?
I have a document with all the contacts recorded (using Webform). When I clicked "Import Contacts" in CiviCRM Navigation Menu, I uploaded my file. However, in the second stage, it asked me to match the fields.
I was unable to match the fields because there are more than 15 fields in my recorded document. Can I only import 1 field at a time?

What is the best way to import them?

In addition, I have a total of 73 contacts. But when I try to import it, it says that none of the important fields are matching...? (First Name, Last Name and Email)

petednz · November 16, 2012, 10:52:24 am

Hi Mango - have you read this chapter in the manual?

http://book.civicrm.org/user/common-workflows/importing-data

No you don't have to import 1 field at a time

Yes you do need to have the name/email address or the Contact ID to match against.

Also, in theory, if you are collecting contacts data via Drupal Webform that data can be going directly in to CiviCRM.

Perhaps if you explain more about your webform, csv etc we can help you sort this, if the Manual doesn't answer all your questions

bradb · November 16, 2012, 12:17:38 pm

I find importing a list of contacts like that much easier via a csv and phpmyadmin import vs. the civi tool. Your csv has to match the schema of the table your trying to import into and this can be kinda a pain with a huge csv but 73 contacts is pretty managable.

Go to phpmyadmin and have a look at the contact table, then just set up your csv so that all the columns in the table match the contact table. This can also get a lil tricky if you are trying to important things like addresses, phone numbers and websites as they are in different tables and require matching foreign keys. I do think this approach overall is better though and getting in the database like that and looking through all the tables gives a really good understanding of how civi has organized its data.

mango · November 16, 2012, 08:32:23 pm

Quote from: petednz on November 16, 2012, 10:52:24 am

Hi Mango - have you read this chapter in the manual?

http://book.civicrm.org/user/common-workflows/importing-data

No you don't have to import 1 field at a time

Yes you do need to have the name/email address or the Contact ID to match against.

Also, in theory, if you are collecting contacts data via Drupal Webform that data can be going directly in to CiviCRM.

Perhaps if you explain more about your webform, csv etc we can help you sort this, if the Manual doesn't answer all your questions

Thanks for the manual. One of the bullet points in the manual stated that there needs to be separate columns for 'First Name' and 'Last Name'! I have a singular column called 'Your Name'. Once I separate them to different columns, I am going to have to change my webform.

Will see if separating the name works.

mango · November 16, 2012, 09:18:02 pm

Hmmm...... Some contacts have been imported. The others (85%) have not been imported, mainly because my webform is just terrible.

petednz · November 17, 2012, 01:10:30 am

Yes civi has separate fields for first/last.

it is often a good idea to fill in a test contact with the types of fields you are intending importing - and then exporting those so you get an idea of what the data structure is like,

if you are using Drupal Webform then you can connect that directly in to civicrm so you won't have to do this in the future

HTH

mango · November 17, 2012, 11:04:18 pm

Thank you guys. Seriously... This community is very helpful.

CiviCRM Community Forums (archive)

News:

Author Topic: How do I import contacts? (Read 1351 times)

mango

How do I import contacts?

mango

Re: How do I import contacts?

petednz

Re: How do I import contacts?

bradb

Re: How do I import contacts?

mango

Re: How do I import contacts?

mango

Re: How do I import contacts?

petednz

Re: How do I import contacts?

mango

Re: How do I import contacts?