TLC - Importing data to adjust Bad Payer field to Yes/No

 

 

 First step is to save the excel file that you have as a CSV file.  Go to File at the top left of the excel window, then click “Save as”.  When the save as window opens change the Save as Type to “CSV UTF-8 (comma delimited)” file type, you can also use “CSV (comma delimited)” as a file type. (Fig: 1.0) **if using Office 365 onwards, you may have to click the “Browse” button to get the save as window to appear.**

 

Fig: 1.0- 

 

Once the file has been saved you need to navigate to the contacts entity in the LIVE environment of Dynamics 365 and click the small drop-down arrow to the right of the “Import from Excel” button on the top menu bar and then select the “import from CSV” button from the drop down menu. (Fig: 1.1).

 

Fig: 1.1-

 

 

From there a quick form will open on the right-hand side of the screen, which you will need to find the CSV copy of the file that you saved and then click next. (Fig: 1.2).

 

Fig: 1.2-

 

After clicking next button then there will be some import settings that will appear.   For this step change the “Alternate Key” field to “L#”.  This is just defining the field in Dynamics that will be matched on the import data.   You can leave all other settings as default.  Then click “Review Mapping” in the bottom left. (Fig: 1.3).

 

Fig: 1.3-

 

The final step is to review the mapping of the columns on your data file to the fields in the Dynamics 365 table for the Contacts entity.   As the file provided in this example only had to fields, L number and Bad Payer, we only need to map these two fields.  Bear in mind that the more fields that you can map the more accurate your import will be.   On the Mapping quick form, the Primary fields in the top table represent the Dynamics 365 table fields.  The bottom table is the source data, or import data.  

 

In this instance, Map the “L#” field in the primary data as the “L number” column in the excel import. (Fig: 1.4).

 

Fig: 1.4

 

 

 

Finally you need to change the option set mapping for the “Bad Payer” source data field and set it to force “Yes” for the fields.   You can do this by clicking the small icon that looks like a form just next to the “Bad Payer” drop down options and then setting the Option value to “Yes”. When this is done click “OK” and then “Finish Import” at the bottom left of the quick form. (Fig: 1.5)

 

Fig: 1.5

 

You can track progress on the next window by clicking the “Track Progress” button. (Fig: 1.6)

 

Fig: 1.6