We understand how frustrating it can be to deal with duplicate contacts or broken artwork images when all you want to do is get back to work. Organizing your data might seem time-consuming, but it doesn't have to be difficult! By the end of this guide, you'll be ready to import contacts successfully.
Just a quick note: Our importer can read most information, but there are some columns in CSV files from other platforms that aren't necessary. For example, you can go ahead and delete columns like Note:Log_Modified_By or Work_Title_Fixed_Length.
Pre-requisite Checklist
Before sending us your data to import, make sure the following items are checked off:
Your file is formatted as a CSV.
Your column headers are correctly labeled, and rows are properly formatted according to our template.
If your sheet contains more than 2,000 rows, split it into separate sheets.
Inventory and Contact Listings: As a general rule, each inventory item or contact should be listed in its own row.
Image URLs: Ensure that image URLs are direct links, meaning the link should lead directly to the image itself, with no additional content or navigation. Anyone should be able to open the link. To verify this, you can test by opening the link in an incognito browser window.
Contact Template
We've divided the template into sections to explain the highlighted columns.
In the image above, column A provides a guide on how each column should be formatted. The header formatting is crucial. Unless you're adding a custom field for your organization, please note that headers rarely have spaces between words and may include special characters like an underscore (_). For example, firstname_lastname.
Column A provides an explanation of how each column should be formatted. How the headers are formatted is quite important. Unless you are adding a custom field that you'd like to add to your organization, please take note that it is rare to have a space between more than two words, and they might include a special character, Eg. firstname_lastname. Also, remember to keep the headers in lowercase.
Now that you're familiar with the format, let's dive into the rest of the columns!
Columns roles and tags require similar formatting. If you want to add multiple roles or tags for a contact, simply add a comma (,) between each one. This tells the importer that the contact should be saved with multiple roles or tags.
For columns email and secondary email, if your contacts have more than one email address, enter them in separate columns. We've noticed that some exports from other platforms separate emails with commas. If imported this way, it will create separate contacts in our platform. To avoid this, double-check that multiple emails are placed in separate columns. If you're ever unsure, feel free to reach out to us at support@arternal.com—we're happy to help!
If your organization has multiple users, you might want to assign a specific contact to a colleague. Use the assigned_to_user column for this. By entering your colleague's email address associated with ARTERNAL, the contact will be assigned accordingly. Don't worry—if you don't know the exact email address during the import, you can always assign the contact later on the platform.
The assigned_to_list column is useful when you want to assign a contact to a specific list. The more you use ARTERNAL, the more helpful this column will become.
If you have an image to associate with a contact, paste the link in the imgurl column. Here's how it will look in ARTERNAL:
Summary
You've made it to the end! You now have all the tools needed for a smooth transition to ARTERNAL.
Remember, you don't have to fill out every column listed in the templates. Adjust the headers to fit your data. If there's a column you'd like us to add to your platform, just include it in the header and data—it will appear as a custom field for your organization.
And don't forget, we're here to help! If you have any questions or want us to review your file, reach out to support@arternal.com. We're happy to assist!