Activity Import

It is possible to upload activities into the system.  To do so, follow the instructions carefully.  Activities can only be updated or deleted manually and individually. 

Preparing the File

Activities are uploaded using an excel file template with three tabs labeled Activities, Labels and Associated Records. Below are details on the information you will need to include in each tab.

Activities tab

The first tab contains seven columns: key, owner_id, subject, body, category, timestamp and duration.  

The format for each column is as follows: 

key: A unique number that will be used to connect an activity to its label and any associated records. We recommend using a sequential number, such as the 1,2,3 shown in the image above. 

owner_id: A seven- or eight- digit number that corresponds to a user in the system. This can be gleaned from the user profile (under Browse and Users) or from the User section of the Studio.

subject: A text field containing the activity's subject.

body: A text field containing the activity's note information.

category: the word 'activity'.

timestamp: date the activity did or will occur.  Any dates today or prior will import as "Completed" activities and thus will only appear in the associated record's activities and a user's history menu.  Any activities for tomorrow onward will appear as Scheduled, on the associated record's activities and scheduled section as well as the user's In Progress and Agenda menus. 

duration: the number of minutes, only necessary for completed activities.

Labels Tab

The second tab called 'Labels' contains two columns: key and label. 

The format for each column is as follows:

key: The unique number corresponding the activity information on the first tab with the type of activity.

label: A text field containing either 'meeting' , 'call' , or 'email' that designates the type of activity.

Associated Records Tab

The third tab called 'Associated Records' contains three columns: the key, the record id and the record type. 

The format for each column is as follows:

key: The number corresponding the activity information on the first tab. If an activity is linked to more than one record, you can have the same key more than once on this tab.  For example, if an activity is linked to both an account and a contact, you would have the key listed twice, one line with the account record id and account api name and a second with a contact record id and contact api name. 

record_id: The system id for the record to which you are connecting the activity. 

record_type: The API-NAME for the record type you are attaching.  This is imperative that it matches exactly to the record api name in the system.  If it doesn't match exactly, it can cause errors when accessing the activity later. 

Importing the File

Once the file is prepared, you will import it by going to Studio > Data Imports > Create Import.  Then choose the Activities as a record template and leave the toggle set to Insert.  Note: at this time you CANNOT update activities via an import. 

Resume the import and map the fields.  Most should auto-map, though you will likely need to choose the Key as your ID key.  To do so, click on the ID key column in the first row. 

Under the MAPPING section, choose the labels tab.  Set the dropdown to "Import Labels from this sheet" and choose the dropdown indicating the KEY field as the unique key. 

Finally, under the MAPPING section, choose the Associated Records tab. Set the dropdown to "Import Records from this sheet" and choose the key as your ID KEY.  On this sheet, you may need to link the record_id to the ID field and the record_type to the Record Type field. Do so by clicking the magnifying glass to the right of the field select column. 

Once all has been mapped, click the Review Import button near the top right of the screen.  

The system will show you a summary of the impending import, choose to Run Import. 

Finally, you will see the import processing and it will show as completed once fully uploaded.  If there are errors, please click review and download a correction file.  Do NOT re-import the same file if there are errors, as this will result in duplicates of any records that successfully imported the first time. 

What's the best key to use when importing a file?

This will depend on the type of import you are using.  If this is an Insert in which you are adding new records to a record type, a KEY will not be required.  You will need a name and owner_id for each row, but nothing will be marked as a KEY.

If this is an Update import, in which you are updating information on already existing records, you will need the lanetix.id.  We suggest you export this information from a table insight along with any fields that you are importing.  This will give you both the id you'll need to map and give you a historical snapshot of what the data looked like before your import.

>> Please do NOT user the owner_id as your key.  This will result in any record with that owner_id being updated to the information you have in the file, overwriting all previous data. <<