17.06.2020

Guide to Importing Contacts into CRM

How to Import Contacts into CRM for In-house and Outsourcing Oki-Toki Contact Centers: Database Upload

Guide to Importing Contacts into CRM

Creating a New Contact Import into CRM

We navigate to the section “Project Resources”, subsection “Bulk Operations“. We click Create and select Import contacts into CRM.

Creating a new import of contacts into CRM

Filling in the Settings

  • Title – usually left untouched, but you can specify the orientation or loyalty of the uploaded contacts, for instance.
  • Description – additional information about the created contact import into CRM. Useful when looking for a specific import in the future.
  • Import Type:
    • Addition – this option is usually used. The system will create all contacts uploaded in this import that will meet the required parameters. For example, they will pass a duplicate check, contain a phone number and comply with validation rules)
    • Update – the aim of the import is to update fields of existing contacts. (For this operation, the CRM should not have duplicates)
    • Addition + Update – new contacts will be added and existing contacts will be updated (this is a hybrid of the first two import types)

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  • Number validation rules – for example [11] – means only 12-digit phone numbers will pass check and be added.
  • Number transformation rules – for example, by specifying the formula “[11]/-7+8”, all 11-digit numbers prefix (first digit) “7” will be replaced with “8” (in the numbers where the first digit is indeed “7” ). Formulas have no hard limits and can be adjusted to the client’s needs. For example, if you’re adding a 10-digit number (without a prefix), you can add all number prefixes with the formula “[10]/+7”.
  • Auto dialer – specify if needed, an auto dialer that should call the uploaded contacts.
  • Auto dialer start time – this is the time when the calls for this import are scheduled to start.
  • Scripts – the business process that you associate with these contacts in the CRM.
  • Queue – choose the queue to which the contacts will be linked. Users not intended for this queue will not see these contacts.
  • /ul>
     

    Setting of contact fields

    Now we choose from the list the contact fields with CRM in the same order they are indicated in the table of the uploaded base. Import contacts into CRM

    Data Import

    So, once all fields have been chosen, all you have left is to copy the contents of the table with the contact base and just paste it into the text window under the contact fields. Then, save the import, thereby initiating the data loading process into the CRM. Done!

    Import contacts into CRM

    Adding new fields

    If the standard fields are not enough, then go to the CRM menu, into the section Contact Fields, select “Create” and add a new field. After saving, just return to the import creation and the new field will appear in the list.Import contacts into CRM

    Duplicates

    Checking for duplicates in the CRM no longer requires unique field combinations – now it’s enough to define the contact field that will be considered unique, go to the settings and activate the check.

    Importing contacts into CRM: duplicate checking
    When importing contacts into CRM, you will be shown in the hint which field is currently being used for duplicate checking (by default, duplicate checking is disabled). No need to specify unique fields for each import anymore. After activation, the check will work constantly, and those contacts that do not pass the check will be reflected in the import results.

    Importing contacts into CRM

    Import Results

    And if we’ve done everything right, the operation has been successfully carried out and the contacts load successfully. However, if there were duplicate numbers for some contacts, or in the case of duplicate checking, or if there are already contacts without a phone number – all of this can lead to the detection of some contacts in your CRM.

    Import results of contacts into CRM

    What to do if the import results table has failures with contacts? Simply click on the failed status (highlighted by a hyperlink) and extract the list of failed contacts. To learn more, press the “Action” – “Result” button to the right of the table. In the first column, you can see one of these explanations for the upload failure:

    • not_unique => not unique: such a number is in the autodial or there is already a contact with such a number (if duplicate check is active)
    • wrong_format => wrong format: a status may appear, for instance, if a textual value that cannot be a subscriber’s number is indicated in the phone number field
    • no_phones_column => field without phones: the phone number column lacks a number
    • no_fields => no fields: imported without specifying fields (or specifying insufficient fields)

    For handling a large customer base, dialering can be used, learn more here.Thank you for your attention!

    Sergey Astapenkov

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