# Data Import Tools

**Data Import Tool**                                                                                    Data Import tool is the easy way to upload and edit bulk data.                                                                                                                  Home > Settings > Report and Masters > Data > Import data                                                                                                          or                                                                                                                   Type 'New Data Import' in search bar                                                     &#x20;

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![Data Import Navigation](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhmHbwWidmittNCdQy6%2F-MhmR7chNfjRNi4AhyRc%2FData%20Import%20Navigation%201.png?alt=media\&token=00783a4a-4046-4316-891c-8d038b6f34e6)

**1.How to insert new records in ActiveBooks?**                                   Follow the below given step by step process to import data. For example we will see, how to import 'item list' to the system. &#x20;

1.Click 'Stocks'                                                                                            2.Select 'Item'                                                                                          3.Click on 'Menu'                                                                                            4.Select 'Import'                                                                                                  5.Select Import Type as Insert New Records                                             6.Click on 'Download Template'                                                                         While inserting new records, the template should be blank. If you have a few items in your system, you can select Export Type as "5 Records" to see the format in which you have to enter the data in the template                                                          7.Select the File Type of the export template (CSV or Excel)                    8.Click on **Export**

![](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhmgpPtUzDzA6ZUw_i0%2F-Mhmiq_fYwgf2AqLt1re%2FItem%20Import%202.png?alt=media\&token=2c225e2b-e0d8-4448-bf1b-2137fc0bc9ec)

![                      Select 'File Type' & 'Required Fields'                               ](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhmgpPtUzDzA6ZUw_i0%2F-MhmjkdfzOVhssUXKMVw%2FItem%20Import%20Template.png?alt=media\&token=7e43b2d6-ca0e-4cf8-864c-1b8e6e7eac90)

**1.1 Enter the Data in the Template**                                                        Your downloaded template will look like this:                                                                                            &#x20;

![Item Template ](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhqKUeqNeaoOdWwucfw%2F-MhqLiPv0z45WQE1N4W0%2FEnter%20Item%20data.png?alt=media\&token=8fd65fd1-a390-4c8d-a6a4-cd8c4cfe6cdd)

When you import this template, each row will make a Customer record in the system.                                                               &#x20;

**1.2 Import the Template**                                                                             Follow the step by step process given below:                                        &#x20;

1. After updating your template file, go back to the Data Import form and attach the file by clicking on the **Attach** button.
2. Select the template file and click on **Upload**.
3. After the upload is successful, click on **Start Import**.&#x20;
4. Click **Reload**     &#x20;

**Do you know?**                                                                                                  System will show warnings, if there any errors in your template.                                                                                                        Errors will be categorized as rows and columns with their numbers.                                                                                                       Therefore ActiveBooks makes it easy to track and resolve the issues.                                                                                                     You must resolve all the warnings before you can import the data.                                                                                                      &#x20;

![An Example of  Import Error](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhqKUeqNeaoOdWwucfw%2F-MhqZfiX2GzaBckkgzMt%2FImport%20error.png?alt=media\&token=5644d9e5-b02c-4251-a366-4a150603617d)

**2. How to update existing records in ActiveBooks?**                         Let's say you want to update Customer data in bulk in your system. The first step is to download the template with the data.

**Follow the below steps:**                                                                         &#x20;

**2.1 Download the Template**                                                                   &#x20;

1. Go to Customer List, click on Menu > Import. Click on **New**.
2. Select Import Type as Update Existing Records
3. Click on **Save**.
4. Now, click on **Download Template**.
5. While updating existing records, you must export the records from the system with the ID field and the fields that you want to update. You can choose All Records or Filtered Records depending on your case.
6. Select the fields that you want to update for the Customer records.
7. Click on **Export**.                                                                                      &#x20;

**2.2 Update Data in the Template**                                                                                 &#x20;

![You can change the values in the template and save it as excel or CSV file](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhqKUeqNeaoOdWwucfw%2F-MhqbWRrzYFr7MzTFAfB%2FUpdate%20existing%20records.png?alt=media\&token=6310e977-cb7c-4342-98f6-e0bb2b0b00b2)

**Important Reminder:** While exporting records for updating them, ensure that the ID column is exported and is untouched. The values in the ID column are used to identify the records in the system.                              &#x20;

**2.3 Start Importing the Updated Template**                                                             &#x20;

**3. How to import child records?                                                                                              -** In ActiveBooks data is stored as in tables like a spreadsheet with columns and rows.                                                                                                        - Each form likes Sales Order has multiple fields like Customer, Company, etc.                                                                                                                    - In Data Import, the set of fields in the Sales Order are treated as the main table and the rows inside the child table (item table) are treated as the child table for data import.                                                                                 - For example, an Item can have multiple prices, a Sales Invoice has multiple Items, Taxes, and so on.

![Item Child Table in a Purchase Order   ](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhqKUeqNeaoOdWwucfw%2F-MhqghIoUZTDQRKjYEve%2FItem%20Child%20table.png?alt=media\&token=b62ccf52-d4cf-4bac-8f27-ce7e2fd85c5c)

**4. What are the Import options You have in ActiveBooks?**                                   &#x20;

**4.1 Import from Google Sheets**                                                                                      You can also import data from Google Sheets.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            &#x20;

![ Make sure the Google Sheet is public before importing](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhqKUeqNeaoOdWwucfw%2F-MhqiX0pBO5cKFaPv_CO%2FGoogle%20Sheet%20Public.png?alt=media\&token=c53767ea-3d94-40b2-a99a-ce477da19eeb)

![ Import your template in Google Sheets and enter the data](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhqKUeqNeaoOdWwucfw%2F-Mhqj7_U9dVc_E3Ki-7d%2FPurchase%20Order%20import%20to%20G%20sheet.png?alt=media\&token=28d6d9d3-0f51-486d-85fd-06eab7360601)

**4.2 Submit After Import**                                                                                                 In ActiveBooks document types are mainly of two types:                                      **1. Transactions** - Records like Sales Orders, Purchase Invoices are submittable documents and can be submitted.                                                                                                            **2. Masters** - Records like Customer and Task which can only be saved not submitted.                                                                                                         **Note:**  When you select a submittable document type for Import, you can tick **Submit After Import.** It will be automatically submitted after import.

![Submit After Import](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhqKUeqNeaoOdWwucfw%2F-MhqqxWAfvOkdXeqkQ8J%2FSubmit%20after%20import.png?alt=media\&token=e8e2a22a-1547-4228-a88e-6f0d2f3c8ef2)

**4.3 Don't Send Emails                                                                                                  -** Let's say you have created a notification in your system and whenever a Lead is created an email is sent.                                                           - if you are bulk importing Leads then a lot of emails will be sent, which may not be desired.                                                                                            - You can disable this option to avoid sending emails.

![Don't Send Emails](https://429967333-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MgEi4gT9xOnYSAL1Pei%2F-MhqKUeqNeaoOdWwucfw%2F-Mhqs2s7DncUM1YxgS5k%2FDon't%20Send%20Emails.png?alt=media\&token=aa0ee334-5333-4768-865a-e568d8225631)



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