Getting Started

Getting started with importing

For this article to be truly useful to you, first make sure that using the Import Data Wizard is the best bet for you. If you just want to import one or two types of records -— accounts, contacts, leads, or any other record type -— the Import Data Wizard is a good option. If you're unsure, first read 3 ways to import data.

Note

The Import Data Wizard does not include a built-in way to update existing records. However, a tool has been released on Codeplex that does this: Use the CRM Data Import Tool to update existing records.

Now you're ready to begin the record import process. Follow these steps:

First, prepare the file that holds the data you want to import. You can import only one record type at a time. The steps for preparation are in Work with Imports -— see the section "Prepare a file for import." It also includes samples of actual comma-separated value files, which you can use as models for your own import files.
The easiest way to import records is to use the "automatic mapping" option. In order for you to use automatic mapping, the column headings of the file you are importing must exactly match the display names of the fields in the record. For example if you're importing contact records, you will notice that contacts include a field called First Name. So, in your contacts import file, make sure the column header is also First Name.

If you want to do a one-time import of contacts from Outlook, we have an article that describes the process, Import your Outlook contacts into Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
When the import file is ready, import the records. To do this, follow the steps in Work with Imports -— see the section "Import records from a file." During import, you might run into problems or errors, such as:
- You get the error message "The source data is not in the required format." This error occurs when the number of columns in the data row differ from the number of columns in the column headings of the source file. For example, if you have two column headings in a contacts file but try to import three columns of data, the third column does not have a column heading and will not import. Verify that commas are in place for column headings and that data items exist for each record.
- You get the error message "Waiting" or "Waiting for Resources" during import. Because importing is processed as a background job, it requires the Microsoft CRM Asynchronous Processing Service on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM server and might have to wait for it.
For more information about these and other issues you might encounter during import, see Import troubleshooting.