If an Import Data+ import fails, skips data, or imports only some of your fields, the cause is usually the spreadsheet, the field mapping, or your Duplicate Detection settings. Work through the checks below.
Why did only some of my fields import?
Crelate imports only the columns that have an Import Into field. Some fields map automatically based on your column titles, and any column left blank is skipped, even if it has a heading.
On the mapping screen, check the Import Into column for every Source Column you need.
If Import Into is blank, hover over the blank space, select Select Field, and choose the Crelate field.
Check the record type next to Import [sheet name] Into. Choose the type that matches your data, such as Contact, Company, Leads, Notes, or Opportunity.
Remove any empty columns at the start of your sheet. They throw off the mapping.
Review the Preview tab on the Import Preview screen before you select Ready to Import.
If a column imported when you did not want it to, set its Import Into to None next time.
💡 Pro Tip: If only names imported, go back to the mapping screen and look for blank Import Into cells. A mapped column shows a Crelate field name, and an unmapped column shows nothing.
Why is a field empty on some of my records?
Check which of these applies:
The cell was blank in your spreadsheet. If the column is mapped, Crelate imports nothing into that field for a new record, and the Preview shows the blank. Fill in the cell, and import again.
The column is not mapped. Crelate leaves the column out for every record, and it does not appear in the Preview. Go back to the mapping screen, and choose an Import Into field for it.
If you already imported the records, you have two options. If you used Insert Only and nothing else has changed on those records, undo the import, correct your spreadsheet, and import again. Or, export the records with Include Id with each record, fill in the missing values, and import the file using Insert And Update with Id as the Update Identifier. Blank cells do not overwrite existing values, so only the cells you filled in change.
💡 Pro Tip: Scan your mapped columns for empty cells before you select Ready to Import. A column that is entirely missing from the Preview is not mapped.
Why did a blank cell not clear the existing value on my record?
This is expected with Insert And Update. Once a row matches an existing record, a blank cell leaves the existing value unchanged. Crelate replaces a field only when your spreadsheet has a value for it, so an import cannot remove a value.
To clear a field, use a bulk action on the records to remove the data in that field, or edit each record directly.
Why are some of my rows, sheets, or columns missing?
The import has limits. It imports up to 50,000 records per import, only the first 10 sheets, files up to 10MB, and the first 100 columns of each sheet. If your file is larger or wider, split it into more than one file, or move the columns you need to the left.
Also check that you did not choose Skip This for a sheet. Skip This leaves that sheet out of the import.
Why did my import stop partway through?
Any full blank row is treated as the end of the spreadsheet, and everything below it is not imported. Use a single header row on row 1, with your data starting on row 2 and no blank rows in between.
How do I clean up my spreadsheet before importing?
Save the file as .xls, .xlsx, or .csv. Crelate cannot upload other file types.
Clear coloring and borders. In Excel, select all cells and choose Clear Formats.
Check for errors. In Excel, go to Formulas > Error Checking, and correct any cells with errors. Run the check one more time before you save the file again.
Remove empty columns at the start of the sheet.
Why can I not select Ready to Import?
You must check every box in the Validation Checklist on the right of the Import Preview screen before Ready to Import works. This includes Total Processed, Field Mapping, and Error Handling: Skip rows with errors. If your mapping is wrong, select Go back to mapping.
What do Invalid and Error Summary mean?
The Import Preview screen has three tabs: Preview, Invalid, and Error Summary. Invalid lists every row Crelate will skip, both errors and duplicates, with the row number, sheet, and reason. The first 100 are shown. For a duplicate, the Duplicate Record column links to the existing Contact it matched. A red exclamation mark appears whenever the Invalid tab has any rows, even if they are all duplicates. Error Summary groups the errors together.
If the number of errors is high, select Cancel, correct your sheet, and try again. If the problem is only a mapping error, select Back to fix it.
Why does a row say “Import will result in a duplicate record”?
Crelate found an existing record that matches the row, and importing it would create a second copy. The Duplicate Record column links to the existing Contact. Crelate skips the row and counts it as a duplicate, not an error.
With Insert Only: the row matches an existing Contact on your Duplicate Detection fields. Remove the row, or use Insert And Update to update that Contact instead.
With Insert And Update: the most common cause is a blank value in your Update Identifier column. For example, if your Update Identifier is Email Addresses and the row has no email address, Crelate cannot match it to the existing Contact. Add the value in your spreadsheet, or use Id, and import again.
Why do some rows say “Too many matches by identifier found”?
This error appears with Insert And Update. It means more than one record in Crelate matches your Duplicate Detection fields or the Update Identifier you chose, so Crelate cannot tell which record to change. It counts as an error, and Crelate skips the row.
To fix it, use Id as your Update Identifier. Each Id matches exactly one record. You can also merge the duplicate records in Crelate first, and then import again.
Why did my import run even though it showed errors?
Crelate tells you about errors and duplicates before the import, but neither stops it. For both Insert Only and Insert And Update, the import runs as long as there are fewer than 100 errors. Duplicates are not counted as errors, so a file with many duplicates can still import. Crelate skips the rows with errors and duplicates, and imports the rest.
After the import, select Click here to view the list of records that did not import to see the rows skipped because of errors. Correct them in your spreadsheet, and import them again.
Why were some rows skipped?
Crelate skips two kinds of rows, and both show on the Invalid tab before the import:
Errors: rows Crelate could not import, such as a row with too many matches by identifier. You can review them after the import, and import them again once you correct them.
Duplicates: rows that would create a duplicate record. They are not counted as errors, and a list of them is not available after the import.
The results screen shows how many duplicates were skipped under Detected Duplicates.
How does Duplicate Detection affect my import?
Duplicate Detection settings decide how Crelate recognizes a duplicate. An admin can see the fields in Settings > Data Quality > Duplicate Detection, and the Import Confirmation screen shows the fields used for an Insert Only import, such as Email Addresses and Name.
Insert Only: every row is treated as a new record. A row that matches an existing Contact on your Duplicate Detection fields is skipped.
Insert And Update: the Update Identifier decides which existing record each row updates, so you can add new Contacts and update existing ones in the same import. If you use Id, each row matches directly to the correct record, which prevents duplicate errors.
💡 Pro Tip: Using Insert Only and new Contacts are not importing, with no errors? Compare your rows against your Duplicate Detection fields. For example, if Contacts are matched on Email Addresses and Name, a row with the same email and name as an existing Contact is skipped.
💡 Pro Tip: Importing a list that mixes new and existing Contacts? Use Insert And Update with an Update Identifier. Crelate updates the Contacts it already has and adds the rest in one import.
Why does my import look stuck?
Large imports can take a while. Close the import window and let it finish in the background, and a blue Importing box at the bottom right of your screen changes to Import is done! when it finishes. You can also open Your Profile & Preferences, select My Imports, and check the status column.
Why can I not select an Update Identifier?
The Update Identifier is available only when you select Insert And Update under Import Options, and only for Contacts and Companies. With Insert Only, and for Opportunities, Leads, and Notes, the field is not available.
Why can I not undo my import?
There are two common reasons:
The import used Insert And Update. You can undo only an Insert Only import.
It has been more than 7 days. Imports can be undone for 7 days after they complete.
If you used Insert And Update on records that an Insert Only import created, you can still undo the original Insert Only import within 7 days. Crelate deletes all of the records that the import created, and warns you first.
What should I share if the import still does not work?
If you have worked through these checks and the import still fails, ask for a person to review it, and share:
The error message or a screenshot of the mapping screen, or of the Invalid tab if you have errors
The name of the import, and the date and time you ran it
Your spreadsheet, or the first few rows of it
Key takeaway
Most import problems come from the spreadsheet, the mapping, or Duplicate Detection. Crelate imports up to 50,000 records per import, only columns that have an Import Into field, only the first 10 sheets, 10MB, and 100 columns per sheet, and it stops at a blank row. You must check every box in the Validation Checklist to continue. Crelate skips rows with errors and duplicates, and the import still runs when there are fewer than 100 errors. Duplicates are not counted as errors. With Insert And Update, fill in your identifier column for every row, or use Id. A blank cell in a mapped column imports nothing into that field for a new record, and a column you do not map is left out for every record. A blank cell leaves the existing value unchanged, so an import cannot clear a field. You can undo only an Insert Only import for 7 days. If the import still fails, share the error message, the mapping screen, and the import name with a person.