Importer — Workflows: step-by-step

These end-to-end workflows walk through a complete import from start to finish. Use them as a checklist.

Workflow A — Start and configure an import

1. Click the plus (+) button at the top-right of SwiftFox. The Create panel opens from the right.
2. Scroll to the bottom and select Import Data. If you cannot see it, ask your system administrator to give your user group the Import people and organisations permission (Settings → User groups → List Management).
3. In Step 1 — Import data, choose what you are importing: Both people and organisations or Organisations only.
4. Recommended: open the guide link to read the Guidelines (file limits, header rules, phone and date formats, importable custom field types) and use Download to get the sample CSV.
5. Upload your file with Click here to upload an Excel file, or just drag and drop into this box. CSV and Excel files are both accepted. Check the file name and size on the row that appears.
6. Click Next.

Workflow B — Set matching, options and field mappings

1. In Step 2 — Match columns, under Let's get started:
   • What spreadsheet do you wish to import? — confirm the sheet.
   • How should we match your import to existing SwiftFox records? — this is pre-set to Full name and contact detail, so change it if you want a different strategy.
2. Make sure the fields your chosen strategy relies on are present in your file and mapped in the table below.
3. Expand Additional import options if you need them: Is the first row in your spreadsheet a header? (ticked by default), Skip rows, Skip end rows, Limit import rows.
4. Under Map your data to the right place in SwiftFox, either apply a saved profile from Select a saved profile of your mapped data, or type a name into Profile name under Create a new profile of your mapped data to save this mapping for next time. Saved profiles are shared with everyone in your account.
5. Check the mapping table. SwiftFox has already mapped the columns whose headings it recognised — confirm those, fill in any blanks, and correct anything matched to the wrong field. The Mapped tick appears automatically once a field is set. Columns left without a field are not imported; choose Do Not Import if you want to record the decision.
6. If a field you need is genuinely not in the dropdown, contact your Account Manager or Support.
7. Click Next, then Confirm on This process may take some time to complete, do you wish to continue?

Workflow C — Review, resolve matches and errors, and import

1. In the review table, check each row's Import status (New or Selected) and Profile match (No matches, 1 Match, or a count such as 3 Matches).
2. For any row showing a count of two or more, click the Profile match count to open the Profile Match panel and choose Create as new Contact, one of the listed profiles, or Skip row, then click Select. If you do not choose, a new record is created by default.
3. Tick Show previous values to see the existing value struck through above the incoming value on any record you are updating. This also adds a Change type filter listing every field that will change, with counts.
4. Find rows flagged with an error icon and fix them. Common causes: an email missing the @, a select value that does not exist in your account, leading or trailing spaces, a date not in DD/MM/YYYY, or a non-numeric value in a number field. Cells are read-only, so correct your file and re-upload, or untick the row to leave it out.
5. Use the filters to move around: Contact type (All contacts / Matches / New contacts / Skip) and Record status (All statuses / Valid / Empty / Error), each with live counts.
6. If you just created a custom field or added a new select option and it is not showing or is flagged as a mismatch, log out and back in to expedite syncing, then recheck.
7. Use the tickboxes in the left-hand column to select exactly the rows you want. Confirm the count on the button, for example Import 3.
8. Click Import. SwiftFox takes you to the Import Overview page.
9. Read the counts: Total rows, New contacts, Total profile matches, Contacts updated, Errors, plus the Import details, Status details and Contact types cards.
10. Click Download Report. The report is generated in the background and arrives as a notification with a download link that expires after 480 minutes.
11. A Post is added to the Feed on your profile under the Import topic, summarising the import with a link back to the overview.

Workflow D — Set up a reusable recurring import

1. Run through Workflows A and B once, checking every column mapping carefully.
2. Type a profile name into Profile name under Create a new profile of your mapped data before you continue. Name it so a colleague would recognise it — profiles are shared across your account.
3. Next time, upload the new file with the same layout, select the saved profile in Step 2, confirm the mapping table still matches, then continue to review and import.
4. Keep your source export format consistent, including the header row, so the saved profile keeps working.

Workflow E — Correct and re-run a partly failed import

1. On the Import Overview, check the Errors count and the Status details card.
2. Click Download Report and open it from the notification before the link expires.
3. Correct the failed rows in your source file, and cut it down to just those rows.
4. Start a new import, apply your saved mapping profile in Step 2, and use the same matching strategy so the corrected rows update the right records rather than creating duplicates.
5. Check the Contact types card on the new Import Overview to confirm the rows updated rather than creating new records.