Contact Import Tool - Columns and Required Fields
The Contact Import tool allows you to create a list of all the contacts you'd like to store in cieTrade.net, and upload them into the Contacts module all at once. We recommend completing the counterparty import first before moving onto this template, because the system requires the counterparty details and locations assigned to the contacts match up with what's in the system for import. Below is an explanation of each column's purpose, and which are required vs. optional for upload.
For more information on how to download the template from your database and how to use the import tool, visit our help file here.
Required Fields
The below columns have to be filled in to have a successful import. If they are not, the system will produce an error and you will not be able to proceed until the information is provided.
First and Last Name - This should contain the first and last name of the individual. These details get uploaded to the below fields on the contact profile.
Company Name - This column should contain the counterparty short name where the contact works. Once assigned to a company, the contact will appear on the Contacts list on the counterparty profile, and will appear as an option on the email list for this counterparty.
Optional Fields
There are a number of optional fields included on the template to help support different workflows in cieTrade, and record data in the system for our client's unique requirements. If you don't need to leverage these columns, then they can simply be left blank for import.
Location - If this contact works at a particular Location associated with the counterparty, it can be defined in this column. However, locations do not have to be assigned if a contact works at or is responsible for multiple locations.
Role - A contact Role allows you to define contacts, typically with an attribute, and filter by it on the inquiry. Common examples are: Accounting, Billing, Freight, Sales Rep, etc. You can assign multiple roles as needed by separating the role names with a comma on the import template. Once uploaded, any roles assigned will be listed within the Roles field below. This allows you to filter the Contact Manager by role, as well as pull in email addresses automatically onto emails via a pre-set email template.
Roles can be set up by navigating to Settings > Common Information > Contact Roles. For more information about leveraging roles on email templates, visit our help file here.
NOTE: The Primary contact should contain the information of your main contact for that company, and will be assigned the role of Primary. Additionally, any Roles included on the import tool MUST match the roles already set up in cieTrade. Any that do not match exactly will produce an error on the import.
Email - Here you will enter the email address associated with the contact. Doing so will allow users to email documents and attachments from cieTrade to this individual, and gets uploaded onto the contact profile within the Email field.
Work and Mobile Phone - This column is for entering any phone numbers associated with the contact, if you would like to track this information in the system.
Notes - Users can leverage this field to upload any internal notes for a contact into the Notes field on the contact profile. This is not meant to be pulled onto documents: they are simply for internal use.
Active - DO NOT ENTER ANYTHING IN THIS FIELD. It must be left blank for a successful import, otherwise you will produce an error message. The system will fill in this data to denote that the contact is active. Once uploaded, the contact will be marked Active on their associated profile.
Add To Email List - The import tool allows users to assign contacts in bulk to existing email lists in cieTrade. Group email lists allow you to group contacts together so that they can be easily filtered for on the Contact Manager & emailed. For more information on email lists please visit our help file here. When an email list is selected, the applicable list will be checked off in the below field on the contact profile.
NOTE: The email list name entered on the import tool MUST match the list names in cieTrade. If not, the import will produce an error when attempting to upload into the system.
CT_ID - The system will generate a unique cieTrade ID number for each contact that you upload onto your database. Essentially this number functions as a tracking number within cieTrade that the system uses to differentiate between the data. DO NOT ENTER ANYTHING IN THIS FIELD. It must be left blank for a successful import, otherwise you will produce an error message.