Use the Data Import Wizard

Accessibility

This step requires some additional instructions for screen reader users. To access a detailed screen reader version of this step, click the link below:

Open Trailhead screen reader instructions.

Introduction

Having the knowledge to deal with data efficiently is part of what makes an admin awesome. Your team relies on you to add and update records as they collect data on new accounts, leads, opportunities, and more. And the faster you can get it done, the faster they can make their sales.

When you’re talking about more than a few records, entering or updating one by one just doesn’t cut it. That process is slow and allows room for error (because even the awesomest of admins makes a typo here and there). In this project, you use tools that allow you to upload and update many records at a time, getting the job done quickly and with less effort than doing it manually. If you haven’t used these tools before, it’s like climbing off your moped and taking a spin in a sports car.

Follow Along with Trail Together

Want to follow along with an instructor as you work through this step? Take a look at this video, part of the Trail Together series on Trailhead Live. You can find a link to the full session in the Resources section. 

Prepare a File for Import

So slip on your driving gloves and let’s get started. Your first task is loading a list of leads your sales team has compiled. In this step, download the team’s file, save it to your desktop as a CSV file, then import it to your org.

A great way to ensure you have clean, accurate data in Salesforce is to check data before importing it. Make sure it meets system and custom data validation requirements. Also, remove any duplicate records, blanks, and empty spaces. Rename column heads to match the field names in Salesforce if needed. Apply consistent standards for data formats (for example, USA vs. US vs. United States). And it never hurts to run a spell check.

Start by clicking here to download the leads file. This file needs a little attention before you import it. Here’s what to look for and fix to ensure you are uploading clean, consistent data.

1. Replace any instances of SF with San Francisco.
   
2. Replace any instances of Calif or Cali with CA.
   
3. Replace any inconsistent Rating values with equivalent picklist values already present in Salesforce (Cold, Warm, Hot).
   Note: Some computers will translate commas into semi-colons. This will cause issues when importing this data into your database. Ensure commas are used throughout the spreadsheet.
   

Now that you’ve gotten the file in better shape, save your work.

1. Save the file to your Desktop by clicking File and choosing Save As.
   
2. Name the file Lead Import.
   
3. In the Save as type picklist, choose to save as a CSV file.
   
4. Click Save, then close the file.
   

Launch the Data Import Wizard

Your file is saved and ready to go—it’s time to make importing data a little more magical with the help of the Data Import Wizard. Just one of the fast cars in your admin garage, the Data Import Wizard provides a unified interface through which you can import data for accounts and contacts, leads, solutions, and custom objects.

All you have to do is start it up, then get to work importing the leads.

1. Click the setup gear and select Setup.
   
2. Enter Data Import Wizard in the Quick Find box, then select Data Import Wizard.
   
3. Click Launch Wizard, then choose the data to import.
   
4. In the Standard Objects tab, under What kind of data are you importing? click Leads.
   
5. Under What do you want to do? click Add new records and select the options:

   Field	Value
   Match Lead by	Email
   Assign New Leads to this Source	Web

6. Under Where is your data located? click CSV.
   
7. If you’re using the Chrome browser, click Choose File. If you are using Firefox or Internet Explorer, click Browse.
   
8. Select the Lead Import.csv file from the Desktop and click Open. (Note: If you can’t see the file, make sure All Files is selected from the dropdown above the Open button in the file window.)
   
9. Click Next.
   

Now you can edit the field mapping. First map the Address Line 1 column to the Street field.

1. In the Edit column, click Map next to Address Line 1.
   
2. From the field list, select Street.
   
3. Click Map. (Note: If you don’t see the Map button, zoom out in your browser.)
   

Next map the Owner column to the Lead Owner field.

1. In the Edit column, click Map next to Owner.
   
2. From the field list, select Lead Owner.
   
3. Click Map.
   

Once all fields are mapped, you can start the import.

1. Click Next.
   
2. Click Start Import.
   
3. Click OK. You’ll see the details of the bulk data load job and get an email indicating your import is complete.
   

Now that you’ve imported data into your org, move onto the next step where you switch gears and go in reverse—this time exporting data from your org.

Note: If experiencing verification issues, make sure the Salesforce user which is used to import the data has English language and English (United States) location selected.

Resources

• Trailhead Live: Trail Together - Import and Export with Data Management Tools