Importing Data into Dynamics 365 Sales with Package Imports

Dynamics 365 provides several ways to bring data into CRM without manually creating records one at a time. In this final part of our import series, we’ll focus on ZIP package imports and how they can help you import multiple files while establishing relationships between the records in a single import. In Part 1, we explored Excel templates and Excel Online. In Part 2, we covered CSV files and alternate keys. Now we’ll use the Data Import Wizard to package multiple files together.

When to Use Package Imports

Importing is useful when you have a large amount of information to add to CRM. You might have collected a list of Leads at a trade show, for example, or you may be migrating data from another system. A package import becomes particularly useful when:

• You have multiple files to import at the same time.
• You want to import multiple files containing the same type of record.
• You need to import different record types and establish relationships between them.
• You want to create related records without waiting for one import to finish before starting another.

Import Permissions and Testing

Whether you can import data depends on the security privileges assigned to your Dynamics 365 user. For example, the out-of-the-box Sales Manager security role includes import privileges. System Administrators and users with the System Customizer security role can also perform imports. Before working with production data, we recommend practicing imports in a sandbox environment. A sandbox lets you test your files, mappings, and relationships without affecting your production records.

Understanding Relationships Between Accounts and Contacts

Accounts and Contacts provide a useful example of why package imports can be valuable. A Contact can be associated with an Account through the Company Name lookup field. An Account can also identify one Contact as its Primary Contact. That means there are relationships going in both directions. If you import these records separately, you may need to:

1. Import your Accounts.
2. Import Contacts and associate them with the Accounts.
3. Update the Accounts again to populate their Primary Contact.

A ZIP package allows you to include your Account and Contact import files together so those relationships can be established as part of a single import process.

Using the Data Import Wizard

The standard in-app import experience supports file types such as Excel, CSV, and XML. Package imports require the Data Import Wizard. At the time of this Fast Class, the wizard can be accessed through Dynamics 365 Advanced Settings:

1. Open your Dynamics 365 CRM app.
2. Select the gear icon.
3. Open Advanced Settings.
4. Navigate to Data Management.
5. Select Imports.
6. Choose Import Data to launch the wizard.

Microsoft has been moving functionality from Advanced Settings into the Power Platform admin experience, so the location of these settings can change as Dynamics 365 evolves.

Understanding Available File Types

The Data Import Wizard supports several file types.

Excel

Excel files should use templates created from CRM. These templates are useful because the target table and fields are already defined and mapped.

CSV

CSV files don't require a CRM template. Dynamics 365 attempts to match columns in your file to CRM columns based on their names. If those names don't match, you need to map them manually.

XML

XML is a data format used by CRM, SQL, and many other Microsoft products, although it is less commonly used for everyday imports than Excel or CSV.

TXT

Text files work similarly to CSV files and use delimiters to identify separate pieces of data.

ZIP

ZIP files act as packages containing multiple import files. Those files can then be processed together as one import package.

Prepare Your Import Files

A package can contain multiple files for the same type of record. For example, several employees returning from a trade show could each have a separate Lead file. Instead of processing each person's file individually, you could package those files together. Package imports can also contain different types of related CRM records. For example, you can package:

• An Account import file
• A Contact import file

This allows the import process to create the Accounts and Contacts while also establishing the relationships between them.

Prepare Account and Contact Data

In this example, the Account file contains information such as:

• Account Name
• Phone Number
• Address
• City
• State
• ZIP Code
• Primary Contact

The Contact file contains information such as:

• First Name
• Last Name
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Job Title
• Account Name

The values used to establish relationships need to match. For example, the Account Name included with a Contact needs to match the corresponding Account Name in the Account import file. Likewise, if you want to populate the Primary Contact lookup on an Account, the Contact's full name needs to match the Contact being created from the Contact import file.

Create the ZIP Package

Once your individual files are prepared, save them in the appropriate format. For this example, the Account and Contact files are saved as CSV files. Then select the files and create a compressed ZIP package containing both. The ZIP file becomes the file you upload through the Data Import Wizard.

Upload the Package

When you upload the ZIP file, the wizard identifies the individual files contained in the package. Review the list carefully to make sure all the files you intended to import are present. You can also review the delimiter settings. If your CSV files were created using the standard CSV format from Excel, the default delimiter settings should correspond to that format.

Use Data Maps for Recurring Imports

The Data Import Wizard also gives you the option to select a data map. Data maps are helpful when you regularly perform the same type of import. Instead of manually mapping the same source columns to the same Dynamics 365 fields every time, you can reuse an existing mapping. For a one-time import, however, you can map the information during the import process.

Create Relationships During the Import

One of the biggest advantages of a package import is the ability to connect records across files. When Dynamics 365 processes the Account and Contact files together, it can use the matching values in those files to establish their relationships. Instead of performing the Account import, waiting for it to finish, importing Contacts, and then running another update to identify Primary Contacts, you can handle those related records as part of one package. This can substantially simplify an import when multiple related record types are involved.

Review the Import Results

After submitting the package, use the import log to track the status of the import. Review the results to confirm that:

• The intended Accounts were created.
• The intended Contacts were created.
• Contacts were associated with their appropriate Accounts.
• Primary Contact relationships were established correctly.
• No unexpected errors occurred.

Testing the process in a sandbox first gives you an opportunity to identify and correct problems before using the same package with production data.

Undo an Import When Necessary

Dynamics 365 also gives you the ability to delete records created through an import job. This can be useful when you're testing an import or discover that an import contains incorrect information. With a package containing multiple files, removing the imported data can involve multiple bulk delete jobs. Relationships between records can also affect what happens during deletion. For example, deleting imported Accounts may also delete associated Contacts depending on how the Account-Contact relationship is configured. Always understand your relationship behavior before deleting large groups of imported records.

Simplify Imports with ZIP Packages

Package imports provide a useful option when a Dynamics 365 import involves more than a single file. Instead of processing related records through several separate imports, you can package files in ZIP format and submit them together using the Data Import Wizard. This allows you to import unrelated records in bulk or establish relationships between records such as Accounts and Contacts during the same import process. Combined with Excel templates, CSV imports, Excel Online, and alternate keys, package imports give you another flexible way to create and maintain Dynamics 365 CRM data at scale.