Preliminary steps for a successful import

Before importing a file from excel, use these preliminary steps to make sure your file is set up properly and you have all the relevant permissions.

You can easily import data into Fireberry using Excel or CSV files. Use the sections below to set up your excel file, enable the necessary permissions, and follow the next steps to backup your data throughout every step of the import process.

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Basic file setup

The first step when importing data to Fireberry is creating an Excel or CSV file which holds all your data. Each import will import into one object in your system. For example, you can import new or updated account records into your system. If you’d like to also import contact records, you’ll need to use a separate file and import them separately. For this reason, each imported excel file can only have one sheet, and the sheet can only have one type of records. If you try to import a record with more than one sheet, the import will fail.

Every column in your sheet will represent a field in the system, while each row will represent a single record. For example, you may have the First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, Account Type, and Status columns, and five rows which represent five different accounts. Make sure that all your rows are consecutive; If there are five or more blank rows, the import will stop.

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Tip: If you’d like to import new data into a field which doesn’t exist in your system, first create the new field with the relevant field type. You can learn how to create new fields here.

Data types in your file

The data of each column in your table must match the field type and settings of the system field you’re importing to.

Please note: Spaces and punctuation in the wrong places may result in fields not properly importing. For example, spaces before or after number fields or extra spaces in the middle of a picklist value may result in the value not being imported into the system, and the field remaining blank.

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Below you’ll find a table with specifications for the different field types, and the character limits for each field type. If a value does not match the field type or character limit, the cell will not be imported and the field will remain in its default state in the system. You can learn more about each system field type here.

Field Type	Specifications
Text	Free text which does not exceed 200 characters. If your field contains a character limit, which you can learn about here, then the inputted text cannot exceed the set character limit.
Text Area	Free text which does not exceed 4,000 characters.
Number	Number characters which do not exceed 200 characters, and do not have any spaces before or after the number. The number must also meet the precision settings of the field, so that the number is either a whole number or has the set amount of numbers after the decimal point.
Email	Email fields will need to be imported in the email@example.com format. Be sure to avoid misplaced spaces or special characters.
Phone Number	Number characters which do not exceed 200 characters. Remove any dashes or spaces from phone numbers before importing them.
Date / Date & Time	Must be in UTC date format, which is YYYY-MM-DD for Date fields and YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM for Date & Time fields.
URL	Must be in the standard URL format of www.example.com.
Picklist	The value in your table must exactly match the option as it appears in the system. For example, if the options of a Lead Source picklist in your system are “Instagram” and “Facebook”, importing “Website” from an excel file into this picklist field will not work. Instead, the row with the “Website” value will still import into the system, but the Lead Source value for this record will be blank or, if you're updating a record, stay as its previous value.
Lookup	Just like picklist fields, the values entered into a lookup field must exactly match the name of the lookup field in the system. This name is the primary field of the object you’re relating to, which you can learn about here. If the value does not match an existing name, the field will be left as its previous value, or blank if it’s a new record.
Summary / Formula	You cannot import into these fields, as they calculate their own values and do not receive data. These fields will not appear in the software fields list, which you can learn about here.

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Tip: Be sure that the values in your lookup or picklist fields exactly match the values in your system. The easiest way to do this is by copying the values from the system and pasting them directly into your file.

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Fields set to Read Only

You will not be able to input data into fields which are set as Read Only on the field level, such as the built in Created On and Created By fields. If you try to import data into these fields, they will simply keep their previous value, whether the value was blank or an actual value. You can input data into fields which are set as Read Only on the page level. To learn about the different read only settings, click here.

Text formatting

To make sure all your cells are properly formatted, set your entire table to text format.

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Excel

First select all the cells in your excel sheet by clicking the box on the top left or using CTRL+A/⌘+A. Then, while your whole table is selected, open the Home tab from the top bar menu and find the dropdown list in the Number section. Click on the dropdown and select the Text option. Now all your cells are formatted as text, and are ready to be imported.

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Google Sheets

If you’re using Google Sheets, follow the directions above but instead of using the Home tab click Format, then scroll over the Number option to open the dropdown list and click Plain text. A check will appear next to the Plain text label to let you know your data has been formatted as plain text.

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Remove filters

If your table has filters applied, it could interfere with the import process. To prevent this, make sure to disable all filters before importing your file.

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Excel

Start by selecting all the cells in your table by clicking on the cell in the top right or using CTRL+A/⌘+A. Next, open the Data tab from the top bar menu and find the Sort & Filter section. Click on the Clear option, which is represented by a filter with a red X, and then click the Filter icon as well. This will clear any filters which are being applied to your data, and remove the filter option. The clear option may be whited out if you don’t currently have any filters applied to your data.

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Google Sheets

If you’re using Google Sheets, follow the process above but after selecting the Data heading click the Remove filter option. This option will only appear if you have filters applied to your data, otherwise the option will say Create a filter and you don’t currently have any filters applied. You can also check that there are no filter views on your sheet; simply select all, open the Data heading, scroll over the Filter views option, and click Delete all filter views. This option will be whited out if you don’t have any filter views on your sheet.

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Import permissions

To start importing data into the system, you’ll need the permissions listed below. To learn how to grant each permission, check out our managing role permissions article.

The Settings action permission, so you can access the import tool.
The Import From a File action permission, so you can use the import tool.
Read permission for the object you're importing to, as well as the Create permission if you’re importing new records or the Edit permission if you’re updating existing ones. The object here is the one you’ll select in the data type step explained here.‍
Read permission in the Users object, in order to set users besides yourself in the default Owner field, which you can learn about here. The sharing settings set here will control which users you can access.

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Next steps

Once you’ve set up your Excel or CSV file and ensured you have the relevant permissions according to the steps above, you can begin the import process.

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Trial run for new records

If you’re importing new records into the system, start by importing a file with five records first. This way, you can make sure the file imports smoothly and all the fields import correctly. As long as the import process was successful, revert your imported records using the process explained here and then import your full data file. You cannot revert imports which used the update function.

Tip: Switch any active automations of the object you’re importing into to Inactive, or make sure the activate special features box, explained here, is left unchecked to avoid activating special features while testing your import.

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Backups for record updates

As the revert option does not exist when updating existing records, it’s recommended that you backup any records you plan on updating before starting your import process. For example, If you’re updating leads in your system, first export a view with the leads you’re updating. You can learn how to export data here. In this way, if your import does not go as planned, you can simply use your exported backup file. Additionally, be sure the ID field, which you can learn about here, is a field where each value only appears once per record. Any row in your file which does not have a value in the selected ID field will not import any data into the system.

For detailed instructions on how to import data into the system, click here.

Important note: Importing a large amount of data may slow down your system. We recommend timing your import during idle work hours, or after the work day.

Failed import

Your import could have failed for multiple reasons. If it has, first ensure you’ve uploaded the correct file and that it is in .csv, .xls, or .xlsx format. Next, make sure you’ve set up your excel file according to the instructions above, and that there is only one sheet in the file. If your import still doesn’t work, try saving your file in CSV format, or in XLS format if it was in CSV format. If this still doesn’t work, try copying all your data from your file and pasting it into a new file. If your file has only been partially imported, make sure your rows are consecutive and there are not blank rows. If the system encounters five or more blank rows, the import will stop. Additionally, sometimes outside plugins can cause issues when importing files. Try deactivating any plugins on your browser and then importing your file.

Please note: The maximum number of records you can import from a single file is set by your license. To learn about the different license options, click here.