How does the import process work on ETZ?

Data can be imported to Etz in order to populate areas of our system such as Client, Suppliers, Candidates and Assignments, to name a few. You can also import as part of your normal timesheet approval process. For example, you can import confirmed timesheet data from a client spread sheet. 

Data can be imported using xls, xlsx, xlb, csv, json and xml files.

Before data can be imported, fields must be mapped to correspond with column headers in your data source, which is done via the Import Column Mappings screen within the Date Ex menu.  For example, the default for a candidate’s first name is ‘First Name’, but you might prefer ‘Name’ or ‘Forename’ on your import file.

Please note it is important that you do this exercise before downloading any templates from the Import File area as the system will customise the templates for you based on the Column Mappings you have set.

The example above shows the Client Import Column Mapping. On the left are the field names on the Client Entry screen within Etz. The Agency Data Mapping fields alongside relate to the data source, for example an Excel spread sheet, and the column headers within that sheet. If you are importing from a CRM through one of our direct integrations, this value would be pulled directly from the 3rd party via field mappings.

Once you are happy with the field mappings, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Save button. It is important that you do this for all of the import types you intend to use. 

Next, download the customised import templates from the Import Field screen under Data Ex. Links to the templates are shown here on the right:

Data sheets are also presented in this area, so if we were setting up a new Etz site we would start with importing a Client file containing all of your current client data. To upload an import file, click Browse to locate the file then click Upload to present it.

We have a pre-defined import 'window' which acts as a gatekeeper for validating data when it is presented to Etz and this is visible on the Import Status screen. When you click this option from the Data Ex menu, you will be taken to a new screen detailing the status of the data that has been presented to Etz.

In the example, above we can see a green tick on the 2nd Item on the list - this shows a Candidate List file import and the Process Status column states it has been Processed Complete with no errors reported. The 3rd entry has a red warning sign, which signifies that the import has failed - this means the system could not proceed with importing that file due to errors contained within the data. In the Comments column we can see the reason points to the column mappings not being set correctly. 

If amber flags are shown, the file itself is OK but some data held within it is not quite right. In this case, the correct data would have imported completely, but the failed data would not. Click View to see the associated errors. The Timesheet List example above is showing the following errors:

From here we can see the reason the system could not import - it contains timesheet data that relates to a client that does not exist on the system. This highlights that any of the main entities (clients, suppliers, candidates, etc.) that relate to assignments and timesheets must be presented in the system before those assignments or timesheets can be imported/amended.  

Whilst viewing errors, you can click Edit on a row of data that is not quite right and change the value. For example, if importing Candidates and some rows contained invalid email addresses the system would flag these amber and they could be corrected then marked for re-import.