Import Contacts or Companies

If you have been granted the permission, you can import contacts or companies directly into the Contacts module from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (.xls or .xlsx format).

To see this import functionality on your Project Contacts screen, this feature must be enabled at your site. Consult your account administrator for details.

Import File Preparation

It is recommended you name each of the column headers in your import file to the same field name for the company or contact in e-Builder. By doing this, the fields will map automatically and save you time on Step 2 of the Import Wizard.

If you have contact information you wish to import that does not have a company or contact field you can create that field as a custom field. Custom field values can also be included on the import file.

For check box type fields, use the following values in the Import Excel file:

  • Check box On = 1, Yes, or Y
  • Check box Off = 0, No or N
  • No change = blank

If your import file has both company and contact information, choose the radio button where each row is a contact. When the import occurs, if the company already exists it on the list it will only import it once. During the Import process, you will need to specify whether you wish to do a new import of contacts/ companies or an update import that updates any existing duplicate records.

There are two types of import processes:

  • New Import: To perform a new import of contacts/ companies, leave the Update Duplicates check box unchecked.
    • Company: The import process checks the company numbers from the import file against the existing records in e-Builder. If the number does not exist, then a new company record will be created. Otherwise it will be returned as a duplicate and fail to be included in the import.
    • Contact: The import process checks the company number, contact first and last name to determine whether the contact already exists.
  • Update Import: To perform an update import, select the Update Duplicates check box.
    • Company: For records where the company number matches, the import process updates the existing record in e-Builder based on field differences, additions and/ or deletions in the import file. If the company number is not found, the process will also verify the company name for matches.

      The company number cannot be updated through the import.

    • Contact: For records where the company number, first name and last name match the import process updates the existing record in e-Builder based on field differences, additions and/ or deletions in the import file. The contact’s company number, first name and last name cannot be updated through the import.

      The contact’s company number, first name and last name cannot be updated through the import.

To import contacts or companies

  1. Open Contacts.
  2. Click Import Contacts. The Import Contacts - Select Import File page is displayed with a 3-step wizard.
  3. Complete Step 1 of the Import Wizard - select an import file:
    1. In the How is your import file organized? field, select the appropriate radio button to specify whether the import file is a Company or Contact import file.

      If you choose the Contact option, you will have to perform field mapping selections for both companies and contacts in the next step.

    2. Select the Update duplicates check box to import and update any duplicate or existing records in e-Builder with company name matches.
    3. In the Choose Your Import File section, click Choose File to locate your contact import file.
    4. Navigate to the folder where the file is located on your local computer or network. Select the file and click Open. The import file is now attached.
    5. Click Next. The Import Contacts - Field Mappings page is displayed.
  4. Complete Step 2 of the Import Wizard - specify the field mappings:
    1. For each standard and custom field in e-Builder, click the drop-down arrow and select the column name from the import file to map them to the import file fields.
    2. Once all fields are mapped correctly, click Next. The Import Contacts - Review page is displayed along with a preview of one of the imported records.
  5. Complete Step 3 of the Import Wizard - review the import file:
    1. Validate that the field mapping performed in Step 2 of the Import Wizard is correct.

      If there are any problems with your import file that caused certain rows not to import, you will see a count of the rows with issues on the Exceptions tab. Click the Exceptions tab to see the issue and the reason why that row was not imported. It is recommended that you cancel the import if your import file has exceptions to correct the exceptions. Once you cancel the import, correct the rows on the import files that had the errors and re-import the file.

    2. Click Import. The Import Contacts - Review page is displayed with a import confirmation message.
  6. Click Finish to complete the import.