When you are troubleshooting while using the Import Data Wizard to import data to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, you can use the information in this article to learn more about data prepration, error messages, valid values, and working with special characters. Basic troubleshooting information is included in the Troubleshooting section of help, including what to do for common error messages.
Click a problem to see the solution.
Preparing your source data
If my data contains columns that map to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online drop-down lists, what do I need to do before importing the file?
Review the values in your source records:
- If the values exactly match valid values in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, you can use automatic mapping. If the values are different, use one of the following procedures:
- Create a data map that maps each unique value in the source file to a valid Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online value.
- Do a find-and-replace in your source file and then replace each value that isn't valid in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, with one that is. This avoids the need to do list-value mapping in the data map.
- Customize the drop-down list attribute in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online by adding each unique value in your source file. This task requires privileges typically associated with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online System Customizer or System Administrator security role.
- Make sure the values used in your source file use consistent capitalization. For example, do not include values for the Rating attribute in leads as Warm and warm. If the source-file values differ just by case, importing records with either variant might fail.
Can I export data, edit the exported data, and then reimport it?
Can I import formatted data?
No. Your source files can contain only Unicode text. However, the files cannot contain the ASCII control sequences (first 19 ASCII characters) such as:
- Null
- Line feed
- Carriage return
The most common cause of special characters is a source system that stores multiple lines of data in one attribute, and uses a line-feed or carriage-return character in the middle of the attribute. For example, your source system might store the entire address, including the street address and city in one line, using a line feed between the street address, and city, so that it appears correctly in the source application. When this data is exported to Microsoft Office Excel or to a comma-separated values (.csv) file, the line feed is included.
Control characters typically look like small rectangles when viewed in Notepad or Microsoft Office Word, and as a question mark in a box when viewed in Excel. They are hard to remove in Excel and Word, as you cannot search for them. To thoroughly check your files, you will need to use a tool such as a hex editor to search for, and remove, control codes in the output. Hex editors are available for free download from many Web sites. In the hex-editor output, look in the hexadecimal output for 0A (line feed), 0D (carriage return), and 00 (null), and remove them.
For a complete list of control codes, see ASCII Control Codes.
Import process
My import is stuck with a status of Waiting or Waiting for Resources.
If your import job has not changed status in a reasonable time period, contact support:
- For Microsoft Dynamics CRM OnlineProfessional subscriptions, to open a service technical support request go to the Microsoft Support Web site: https://mbs.microsoft.com/support/createincident.aspx. You should receive a response within 24 hours between the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday. Please review your subscription agreement for further details.
For Microsoft Dynamics CRM OnlineProfessional-Plus subscriptions, you can also contact our Technical Support team at 1-877-CRM-CHOICE, and then press option 3.
During import, if a lookup fails to resolve, a record may be created with partial data, even though the error message said the record failed to import.
For records that reference another record, such as a contact with a Parent Customer, when the record is imported, there are two steps. First the record is created, and then the reference data in the record is updated. Only when both steps succeed is the record marked to show up in the Success area. If the first step succeeds, but the second step fails, the record will show up as failing to import, even though it exists in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online
Data maps
Can I import data that includes references to records that already exist in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online when I use a data map?
No. You must use automatic mapping if your source data includes references to records that already exist in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. If you try to use a data map, you will get the error "The source data is not in the required format."
When you create a data map, lookup attributes are included in the list of target Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online attributes that can be mapped. These attributes are marked with the Lookup 
icon. Do not map a column heading to a target attribute with this icon.
Instead, see the first question in the Preparing your source data section at the beginning of this article, "How do I import data that includes references to records that already exist in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online such as contacts with a Parent Customer?" for a description of how to do this task using automatic mapping.
Why can't I export my data map?
Related Links
Articles about importing records
Importing data that contains non-ASCII characters
