The Import Tool allows you to easily add data to your eDirectory. With a simple CSV file, you can import listings or events, including accounts, categories, and location data.
Please, follow the step by step below:
1. To get started, please, log in to your Site Manager account
2. Go to the “Content” section
3. And then, select “Import”
4. Within the Import Tool, you’ll be able to choose the kind of content you’d like to import (Listings or Events). For this example, we’ll be using the Listing Import Tool
5. On Listing Import Tool, download the “Template File”
6. Using the Template File, arrange your data. The Template is a CSV file that will guide you on the existing fields that can be imported and the format the data must have in order to work properly in our system. Notice that you don't have to follow this same structure, you can import a file of your own with fewer columns if that is what you need
7. Drag or Choose the File you’d like to import. If you have the Source Code, you can also add files to import by FTP on “Browse FTP Upload Folder”
8. Check or uncheck the "The first line is the header" box. If checked, this will tell the system that your file has the first line as the header and will use that to map the columns
9. Click on “Next”
10. In the Content Mapping step, you will associate the columns you have with the existing fields on eDirectory. If the titles in the header of each column already match the ones we have in our template, the system will automatically map the columns
There are a few things you need to keep in mind during this process:
The importing tool only imports the standard eDirectory fields. If you created custom fields for your listing templates, they won't be imported;
Listing Title is a mandatory field (Start and End dates as well if you are importing Events);
The location structure configured in your site must be respected, so if you are importing a state, the country must be imported as well;
If you have a default location (the United States for example), you won't be able to import a record with a different country;
You can only import a location if the Location Name is mapped. The location won't be imported if you only map the Location Abbreviation;
The Renewal Date field must follow the same date structure you have set up on your website: https://demodirectory.com/sitemgr/configuration/geography/ (so if you have mm-dd-yyyy your date must be 12/31/2018) and also must be set in the future;
Listing Level must follow the same level structure you set up at “Manage Levels & Pricing”;
If a listing has no account, no account information is necessary;
The system can only read 10.000 records per import file;
Listing DB ID column will be used in case you want to update already existing listings in the system, in that case, the field needs to be filled with the database id for that item in your eDirectory. (In case you want the update, you will need to mark a checkbox at the end of the process to overwrite existing items). This process is for those who exported Listing Data and now is re-importing the updated data.
Now, let’s go back to the Import Process:
11. After you finalize the Content Mapping step, click on “Next”
12. You will now be able to set up some preferences for your import. Please, make the configurations according to your preferences. Definitions of each preference below:
Default level for items without level specified: If there isn’t a listing level specified to some listings on your file, this option will allow you to choose which level they will be put on.
Default Template for Listings without Template specified: This will allow you to choose which template the listings without template in your file should have if there’s any.
Set all imported items as active: Import all the items in your files as active to your eDirectory. It will make the listings available at the front-end of the site.
Import all new categories as featured: Import every category mentioned in your file as featured.
Overwrite matching items: If there’s any existing item on your eDirectory that matches one being imported, this option will allow the import tool to overwrite them.
Update URL Slug for matching items: If there’s any existing item on your eDirectory that matches one being imported, this option will allow the import to update their URL Slug.
Import all items to the same user account: This option will allow you to import all items to a single account. For that, you’ll need to check this option and select the account.
13. To finish the manual part of the Import Process, please, hit “Next”. Your file will be in the import queue, which can be viewed in the import log. The Import time will depend on the size of your file, if it takes over 6 hours, please, contact the eDirectory Support Team (support@edirectory.com)
