How to import contacts from CSV file?

CSV Preparation

1. Prepare the separate CSV (comma separated) files for each of the different types of Contacts – one for Clients, one for Resources, and one for Globals - and import each of them separately. 
2. Download the examples “example_import_resource_contacts”, “example_import_global_contacts” and “example_import_client_contacts” from this article.
3. Each row in the CSV will be created as a Contact in farmerswife. Therefore, create a separate row for each Contact belonging to the same Company
4. Add the first row with the Label names to easily map them to the farmerswife fields. This first row will not be imported as a Contact. 
5. Review the information in each of the CSV files before the import, and save each CSV file locally. 
6. If using Excel, save as “Windows Comma Separated”. 
7. If you have trouble importing your file correctly (e.g. special characters not displayed properly), please try opening it using 'Numbers' on a Mac, instead of Excel. Then save the file through: Files > Export > CSV > Text Encoding: Unicode farmerswife Server Setup Manual Contacts Setup 38 (UTF-8). 

When preparing the CSV file for Resources that have Object Classes, Rates, and/or Activities, follow the steps below: 

• Create as many columns as Object Classes the Resource is to be added to and add one Object Class per column (Object Class 1, Object Class 2, and so on).
• Create as many columns as Activities the Resource has (Activity 1, Activity 2, and so on), and add one Activity per row and per column for that Resource: in the first row fill in Activity 1 and leave the rest of the Activity columns empty; in the second row repeat all values on all columns for this Resource, leave Activity 1 cell empty, and fill in Activity 2. 
• When importing a Resource list with Rates, make sure no special characters are added to the price cells e.g. do not add “-“ at the end, otherwise farmerswife will generate an error message that the list cannot be imported. 
• Use a dot as a decimal separator, e.g. 300.50 – entering 300,50 will also generate an error message. 

Note: Activities will only get added to the Resource, and never to the Object Class they belong to, even though the column Inherit Price from Object Class is set to 1 (=Yes). See the Object Importer for other options or check with Support if in doubt. 

See the example below that shows two Resources: Anna and David have three Activities, so two extra rows have been added for each with all same values per column, except on Activity columns as explained above. 

And David belongs to two Object Classes, whose values have been added to the corresponding columns as well. Also, note the examples under the price column.

Import 

The import needs to be done at the farmerswife Server level.

All Users need to log out and you need to go into the Server Setup > Contacts.

1. Run a Full Backup before starting.
2. Click on the Import Contacts button, locate the CSV file and open it.
3. Select Separator Character.
4. The Import Contacts window opens for mapping the columns from the CSV file with the available fields in farmerswife.
5. At the bottom left corner of the Import Contact window, select whether to import these as Contact Type: Client or Resource. If none is selected, the Contacts will be created as Global.
6. The option “Clear All Clients When Importing” at the bottom right corner will delete all existing Clients in the database upon import. This option will change to “Clear All Resources When Importing” if the option “Make All Type Resource” is selected. 
   
   IMPORTANT: If none is selected on the bottom left corner, the option will say: “Clear All When Importing” which will delete all existing Contacts in the database regardless of their contact type!!
7. With the option “Save” you can save the field mapping as a template in a folder on your computer, and later load it again with the option Load.
8. Once all fields have been mapped, hit OK and the Test Import window will display the mapping. If everything looks ok, press OK to import. Otherwise press Cancel to start the import process again.

The screenshots below display a Client imported by using the CSV file from the example:

Duplicates

Previously the server-side contact importer would import all contacts on the import file, generating duplicates of existing contacts.

From 7.1, any contacts being imported who's email address matches an existing contact in the database will be highlighted, and skipped on the import.

Available fields to be imported 

This is the list of available fields to be mapped. Note that some fields are only available for Client Type or for Resource Type, which is marked in each case. 

• ignore - Select this option to ignore mapping a field from the CSV file. 
• activity_buy - (Resource Type) Refers to the Activity Buy Rate. 
• activity_daybased - (Resource Type) It refers to the selector in the Edit Activity window. In the CSV file, enter a 1 (= Yes) if the activity default rate should be a Day Rate. For a default Hour Rate enter a 0 (= No). 
• activity_default - (Resource Type) It allows you to select which Activity is set as default for a resource. Enter 1 (=Yes) if the activity should be the default one and enter 0 (=No) if the activity should not be the default one. 
• activity_name - (Resource Type) Refers to the Activity name that you can fill in within the Advanced button in the Resource window. Write the name of the Activity as you want it to be shown in farmerswife. If there are Resources that can perform different activities create as many columns as activities. (Read point 7 of CSV Preparation further up within this document for an in-depth explanation). 
• activity_ref - (Resource Type) Refers to the Activity reference that you fill in within the Advanced button in the Resource Window. 
• activity_sell - (Resource Type) Refers to the Activity Buy Rate. 
• address - Refers to the Address field. If the address is to be entered in separate lines, all lines need to be entered in separate cells in the CSV file. cat Category. 
• cc_division_id - Enter the exact name of the Division as written in Server Setup > General tab > Divisions. farmerswife Server Setup Manual Contacts Setup 41
• cc_inv_cn_email_template - (Client Type) Credit Note Email template – write the exact name of the TXT file that is used for auto send out PDF Credit Note email.
• cc_inv_email - Type the email address of the person who should receive the auto-send Invoice/Credit Note email. 
• cc_inv_email_template - Invoice Email template – write the exact name of the TXT file that is used for auto send out PDF invoice email. 
• cc_inv_send_to_mode - It refers to the field in the Client Details tab within the Contact window which allows selecting whether invoices and credit notes from farmerswife should be sent either to the Invoice email Only (enter invoice_email_only in the CSV file for assigning this value), or to both Invoice and Contact emails (enter invoice_and_contact_email in the CSV file for assigning this value), or to Contact email Only (enter contact_email_only in the CSV file for assigning this value).
• cc_max_credit - (Customer Type) Refers to the Credit Limit field within the Client window. In the CSV file enter the amount as configured in the Financial Tab of the Server Setup (check decimal separator and thousand separators). For further information see the Financial Setup chapter. 
• cc_payment_days - (Customer Type) Refers to the Payment Terms within the Client window. In the CSV file enter the exact same value as the options created under Due Date in the Financial tab of the Server Setup, for example, 10 Days Net. 
• cc_vat - (Customer Type) Refers to the Tax field within the Client window, where the percentage amount is entered. In the CSV file enter the amount, without the % sign. 
• cc_vat_name - (Customer Type) Is Tax Name. In the CSV file enter the name for the tax, e.g. VAT. cc_vat_number (Customer Type) Refers to the Vat Code field within the Client window. In the CSV file enter the code for the tax, if any. 
• client_number - (Customer Type) Refers to the Number field within the Client window, where a number for the client is entered. 
• company - Company Name con_client_id Is the Unique Contact ID field next to Category email Email address fax Fax number first First Name of the Contact. 
• last - Last Name of the Contact. 
• normal_time_dur - (Resource Type) Resource working hours that can be filled in the Client Details tab within the Contact window. The working time must be entered with format xx.xx for example 09.00. 
• normal_time_in - (Resource Type) Resource normal working time-in that can be filled in the Client Details tab within the Contact window. The working time-in must be entered with format xx.xx, e.g. 09.00. 
• normal_time_out - (Resource Type) Resource normal working time-out that can be filled in the Client Details tab within the Contact window. The working time-out must be entered with format xx.xx, e.g. 18.00. 
• note - Note field farmerswife Server Setup Manual Contacts Setup 42 
• objclass - (Resource Type) Refers to the Object Classes a Resource is a member of. Read point 7 of CSV Preparation further up within this document for an in-depth explanation. 
• other - Other field res_day_buy (Resource Type) Day Buy Rate. 
• res_day_sell - (Resource Type) Day Sell Rate. 
• res-day based - (Resource Type) Refers to the Day checkbox in the Resource Details tab within the Contact window. In the CSV file, enter a 1 (= Yes) if the default rate should be Day based, or 0 (= No) if the default rate should be Hour based. 
• res_email - (Resource Type) Refers to the Auto-email Daily Schedule option for Resources. Do not use as this option requires a more detailed configuration. Read the Email and Notifications manual. 
• res_hour_buy - (Resource Type) Hour Buy Rate. 
• res_hour_sell - (Resource Type) Hour Sell Rate. 
• res_icon - (Resource Type) Refers to the Icon that can be selected for each Resource. In the CSV file, add a column for the Icons and as a value add the name of the icon for each Resource, e.g. “smile” (which is a standard Icon in the system) or the name of a custom icon you have previously added to the custom_icons folder in the Server folder structure. To know the name of the different icons open a User profile and click on the icon to see the icon library with names. 
• res_inherit_objclass - (Resource Type) Refers to the Inherit Rate From Object Class checkbox option in the Resource window. In the CSV file, add 0 for No and 1 for Yes. 
• res_nickname - (Resource Type) Refers to the Nick Name field in the Resource window. 
• tel_direct - Refers to the Phone Direct field for the Contact. 
• tel_home - Refers to the Phone Home field for the Contact. tel_mobile Refers to the Phone Mobile field for the Contact. 
• tel_work - Refers to the Phone Work field for the Contact. title Refers to the Title for the Contact. 
• custom … - Contact Custom Field. Must match the label name of the Contact Custom Field as created in Server Setup > Contacts tab. 
• Custom_template - It allows choosing one of the Object Custom Field Templates in the Contact window. Write the exact name of the Object Custom Field Template that has been previously set up in the farmerswife client application > in Object Manager. 
• Webuser_access - It refers to the option within the Contact window that allows you to select whether a Client or Resource has Web access to farmerswife. In the CSV file, enter a 1 (= Yes) if the Client or Resource should have web access, or a 0 (= No) to not allow access. Use with caution as a Resource will eat up from a Web User from your license, and also you will need to set up a Web Permission Profile - check with your farmerwife Project Manager. Bear in mind that the automatic email informing about their log-in details will not be sent to the Client or Resource. For this e-mail to be sent, you will need to go into the contact window un-tick and tick again the option Web Access. 
• www - Refers to the WWW field in the Contact window. farmerswife Server Setup Manual Contacts Setup 43 
• Xml_profile - Refers to the Web Permission Profile assigned to the Client or Resource. You have to write the name exactly the same as it is created in farmerswife.