Comparing the Best Ways for Salesforce Data Import

If you ask any Salesforce admin about the project they dislike the most, you’ll likely get a similar response: migrating data. It’s not that the tools are inadequate, they’re actually quite good, but more so that the risks are high and there’s little room for mistakes. When the data is imported correctly, the CRM functions as it should. On the other hand, a poorly executed import can lead to months of headaches involving cleanups, faulty reports, and your sales team complaining about inaccurate records. This is because a clean import sets the tone for the entire system, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. In contrast, a messy import can have far-reaching consequences. 

This guide we’ve put together is going to walk you through the entire process of importing data into Salesforce. And, because things don’t always go smoothly, we’ll also cover what to do when something goes wrong. Now, let’s get started. 

What is Salesforce Data Import, and Why Does It Matter?

So, when we talk about bringing data into Salesforce, it’s basically talking about moving a bunch of records from one place to another. This could be from an old spreadsheet, an old CRM system, or a database, and you’re loading them all into Salesforce at the same time. This differs from someone manually typing in each record one by one, or from systems that are constantly talking to each other in real-time. Instead, we’re talking about a one-time thing, or something you do every now and then, when you get your file read, match it up with the right fields and then push it all into Salesforce.  

What Types of Data Can You Import Into Salesforce?

Most organizations can get by with the standard objects like Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Opportunities, Cases, Tasks, and Campaigns. But if you’ve built something custom, like a unique object that’s specific to your company, you an usually import those too. The thing to remember is this: files and attachments that are tied to records can be a bit tricky. It really depends on the import tool you’re using and some are better at handling them than others. 

Here’s something to keep in mind from the start: the Data Import Wizard and the Data Loader don’t work with the same types of objects. So, if you can’t find the object you need in the Wizard’s dropdown, you’ll have to use the Loader instead. It’s always a good idea to check this before you begin your file, just to make sure you’re using the right tool. 

Why Is Accurate Data Import Important for CRM Success?

Here’s a scenario that happens way too often. A company moves thousands of accounts from their old CRM to a new one. The import seems to work fine, the numbers look right, and everyone thinks it’s all taken care of. But then, a month goes by and someone finally notices that a good chunk of those contact records are not linked to the right accounts. And this is because the lookup[ mapping was wrong. By this time, those records have already been affected by assignment rules, email campaigns, and sync processes, making the whole mess a lot harder to clean up. If someone had caught the mistake on the first day, it would have been much easier to fix. Now it’s five times harder. 

Poorly done imports don’t just lead to more work, they also cause problems for everything that relies on accurate information. This can include reports that contain incorrect data, or automated processes that affect the wrong records. Or fields that should be filled with data but are instead empty. As time passes after the import, it becomes even more difficult to fix these issues, and the process of doing so becomes more complicated. The longer you wait, the more tangled the mess becomes, making it harder to get back on track.

How Does Imported Data Impact Reporting and Automation?

When it comes to automations in Salesforce, they all rely on values to work properly. But what happens when those values aren’t what the automation is expecting? The logic either doesn’t kick in or triggers in the wrong way. Let’s say you import a lead with a Status value that isn’t in your org’s picklist. The record will still load, but the field will be blank. And if you have assignment rules that are triggered by the Lead Status, they won’t fire. Before you know it, the lead is stuck in limbo and no one even notices for a whole week. That’s a problem that can easily slip under the radar, but it’s crucial to get those field values right to ensure your automations are working like they should. 

When you bring in new data, the key to success is to make sure it’s correct and complete.

How Do You Prepare Your Salesforce Data Before Importing?

The actual tools used for importing data are not usually the cause of problems. It’s the data itself that tends to be the issue. If you talk to admins who have done a lot of imports, they will tell you that preparing the data beforehand takes a lot longer than the import process itself, and that’s a good thing. Spending a little extra time on something like data cleanup before you import can save you from having to deal with days of problems afterwards. This prep work is essential to ensure a smooth import process. 

What Data Cleansing Steps In Salesforce Should You Perform First?

Start with duplicates. For Leads and Contacts, email address is usually the best de-dupe key. For Accounts, company name combined with domain or website tends to work better than name alone. Get this done in your source file before anything touches Salesforce. Even if you have Duplicate Rules configured in the org, you don’t want to rely on them as your primary defense. 

It’s a good thing to also keep in mind that, when importing data, date formats can cause more problems than you think. This is because Salesforce reads dates based on the settings on your org. So, if you have a file with the dates in a format like MM/DD/YYYY and your org is set up for DD/MM/YYYY, all your date fields will be mixed up. 

It’s also important to check the values in your picklist against what’s actually in your org, not use what you think is there. If you have State/Country Picklists turned on, your abbreviations need to match exactly. Another thing to watch out for is required fields. Go through each object you’re loading and make sure you have all the required fields filled in. If any row is missing one of these fields, it will fail to import.

How Should You Map Your Source Fields to Salesforce Fields?

When you’re using an import tool, there’s always a step where you have to match up the columns in your CSV file with the right fields in Salesforce. Some tools try to make this easier by automatically suggesting matches based on the names of the column headers. But this can actually cause problems if the tool gets it wrong. For example, if you have a column named “Company Name,” the tool might map it to the wrong field just because two fields have similar labels. That’s why using Salesforce API field headers is a good idea. This way, even if someone changes a field level. The API name stays the same. You can find these AP names in Setup, under the details for each object. It might take a few more minutes to set up, but it saves you from a lot of mapping problems later on.  

What Are Common Field Mapping Examples for Salesforce Data Import?

It’s worth nothing that lookup fields are a special case. For example, the AccountID field on a Contact object doesn’t accept the account’s name as a text value. Instead, it requires The Salesforce record ID, which is a unique 18-character alphanumeric string. So, for example, if you try to enter “Acme Corp” in that field, it will fail. Some tools, like Dataloader.io, are able to handle this automatically by resolving parent records from text values. However, when using the Data Loader or the Import Wizard, you need to manually pre-populate those IDs yourself. This can be a bit of a hassle, but it’s an important step to ensure that your data is accurate and consistent. It’s also important to keep in mind that lookup fields are designed to establish relationships between different objects in Salesforce, so they need to be populated with the correct record IDs in order to work properly.

By taking the time to pre-populate these IDs, you can ensure that your Salesforce data is properly linked and easily accessible.

What Considerations Are There For Record IDs, Duplicates, and Matching Rules?

To update anything in Salesforce, you need to tell the tool which record it’s supposed to update. Think of it like trying to find a specific house on a street, you need the address. In this case, the address is either the Salesforce record ID or a special External ID field that you’ve set up. If you don’t have one of those, the tool won’t know which record to update, so it won’t be able to complete it.

It’s also important to check how your system handles duplicate records. Sometimes, it will stop a duplicate from being added and give you a clear error message. Other times, it will let the record through but log a warning. But the worst-case scenario is when it quietly ignores the record without telling you. This can lead to a situation where your import seems to have completed successfully, but actually, some records were never loaded. So, before you plan a big import, make sure you understand how your system’s duplicate rules work. If you haven’t already, take a look at how your org’s duplicate rules behave. It could save you a lot of trouble in the long run. 

When you’re moving from a different system that doesn’t use Salesforce IDs, External ID fields are a great solution. To use them, you’ll need to create a custom field and mark it as both an External ID and Unique. Then, you can fill this field with the identifier from your original system when you’re loading the data. That way, when you need to update something or import related records later on, you can use this External ID instead of one that Salesforce generated. It’s a handy way to keep everything connected and working smoothly.

What File Formats Are Supported for Salesforce Data Import?

The answer is simple: use comma-separated values (CSV). If you have data in Excel, just export it as a CSV file first. Some third-party ETL platforms might accept Excel files directly, but for anything in Salesforce, CSV is the way to go. 

Two CSV details that seem minor until they cause an import to fail entirely are encoding and line breaks. UTF-8 encoding is required if any field values contain special characters like accented letters, non-latin scripts, or currency symbols. And if any cells in your spreadsheet have line breaks inside them, which Excel allows, those will break the CSV structure when you export. Check those before you run anything.

How Should You Structure a CSV file for Import?

When setting up your data, remember that the first row is for column headers, and each row after that represents a single record. For fields that need to look up other records, you should either use a Salesforce record ID or an External ID, depending on the tool you’re working with. Boolean fields are a bit special in the Data Loader, as they expect a simple “true” or “false,” which might be different from what other tools are used to. Also, if you have multi-select picklist fields, you’ll need to separate the different values with semicolons.

Clean up the file before uploading. This means delete any empty rows at the bottom, remove any formatting artifacts that carried over from Excel, and spot-check at least the first 10 rows manually. It only takes a few minutes and you’ll be much more likely to catch some would-be failures before they happen. 

How Do I Perform Salesforce Data Import?

No matter which tool you use, the process follows the same steps:

• Step 1: Export and clean your source data
• Step 2: Review the field schema of your target object in Salesforce
• Step 3: Pick your import tool
• Step 4: Map your source columns to Salesforce fields
• Step 5: Run a test with a small batch or in a sandbox
• Step 6: Check the results log and spot-check records in Salesforce
• Step 7: Run the full production load
• Step 8: Do a post-import audit 

The tool choice affects steps three through six. The preparation and validation look the same whether or not you’re using the Wizard. 

Which Tools and Methods Can You Use to Import Salesforce Data?

When Should You Use the Data Import Wizard vs. Data Loader?

If you need to load a small number of transactions, usually under 50,000, the Import Wizard is a good choice. It’s especially helpful for common objects where you want to avoid duplicates and don’t want to install any extra software. The Import Wizard is also great for beginners, because it guides you through the process and helps you avoid mistakes when mapping your data. 

So, what happens when the Wizard can’t handle a task? That’s where the Data Loader comes in. It’s like a backup plan for when you have a huge amount of data. Or maybe you’re dealing with objects that the Wizard just can’t support. The Data Loader is also really useful when you need to automate a job and schedule it, rather than doing it manually every time. It’s a more powerful and flexible tool than the Wizard, but it does require a bit more setup and technical knowledge.

What Third-Party ETL Tools Are Commonly Used With Salesforce?

When imports become complex enough to require data transformation before loading, or when you’re dealing with multiple systems feeding into Salesforce, a native tool might not be enough. A few ETL and integration platforms come up in enterprise Salesforce contexts:

• Mulesoft: Salesforce’s own integration layer, good for large organizations
• Informatica Cloud: Deep Salesforce connector support and transformation capabilities.
• Talend: Available in both open-source and commercial tiers
• Boomi: Frequently used in larger enterprises alongside Salesforce

These become key when the import is part of something bigger, whether that’s an ongoing pipeline or a migration with several source systems at the same time

How Do APIs and Integrations Differ From Manual Import Tools?

Manual tools are pretty straightforward, so they work with files and everything happens in sync. You get your data read, run the tool, and then wait for the results to come in. These tools are really meant for handling large batches of data, like when you’re moving a lot of information over just one time, or when you need to load new data on a regular basis like every week.

When it comes to integrating with Salesforce, API-based connections work in a unique way. They send data into the system using code, and this can happen in real-time or in small batches that are almost real-time. If you need to handle a large amount of data and don’t need it right away, the Bulk API is the way to go, as it’s actually what the Data Loader tool uses behind the scenes. On the other hand, if you’re dealing with smaller amounts of data and want to sync things up as soon as they happen, like when a transaction occurs, the REST API is a better fit.

If you’re trying to decide between batch imports and APO integrations, it really boils down to how fresh the data needs to be. If you need Salesforce to show changes right away, then you’re looking at an API integration. But if it’s okay to update overnight, batch imports are usually the way to go. 

What Are The Step-By-Step Import Processes for Common Salesforce Objects?

How Do You Import Leads and Contacts Without Losing Relationships?

The distinction between Leads and Contacts trips people up more than it should. Leads are standalone and don’t need an Account. Contacts are not; every Contact needs to point to an Account. When importing Leads, it’s a good idea to remove duplicates based on email addresses. This helps keep your records organized and prevents confusion. From the start, include the lead source and status. These details are key because they help with assignment rules and reporting as soon as the records are created. Imagine loading 10,000 leads and then realizing you have to update the status on all of them because it was set to the wrong value by default. By including this information from the beginning, you can make sure your leads are set up correctly.

When you’re bringing in Contacts, you need to make sure the Account they belong to already exists in Salesforce. So, if you’re moving contacts and their parent accounts at the same time, do the Accounts first. After that, grab the IDs from the results log and add them to the account ID column in your contact file. Then. you can bring in the Contacts. If you don’t follow this order, you’ll likely run into the most common relationship mistake user name when importing to a new CRM. 

How Do You Import Accounts and Opportunities While Preserving Hierarchy? 

Account hierarchies )parent and child Accounts) require loading in the right order. Top-level parent Accounts first. Once they’re in Salesforce, use their new IDs to populate the ParentID field on child Accounts, then load the children.

Opportunities are pretty straightforward as long as the parent Account already exists. The AccountID field on the Opportunity needs a valid Account record ID, so load Accounts first, capture the IDs, then load Opportunities. 

How Do You Import Custom Objects and Related Records?

Custom Objects work exactly like Standard Objects for import purposes. Know the API name, map required fields, and handle lookups the same way you would for any other object. For master-detail relationships, the parent record ID is required. The child cannot exist without it, and there’s no workaround available.

How Do You Secure and Govern the Imported Salesforce Data?

What Security Settings Should You Check Before and After Import? 

When you’re running an import, it’s important that the user account doing the importing has the correct permissions. Specifically, it needs to be able to create and edit the target object, as well as every single field that’s being written to. If this is overlooked, you might find that field-level security restrictions have skipped over half of your columns without even throwing an error to warn you. When you’re importing data into your system, don’t forget to include the right Record Type ID if your organization uses record types. This is a crucial step to ensure everything runs smoothly. 

After you’ve loaded the data, double-check that the imported records are visible to the right people. Sometimes, private sharing models can hide the new records from users that need to see them. It’s always better to verify that everything is working as it should to avoid any potential problems down the line.

How Do You Ensure Compliance With Data Privacy Regulations When Importing?

If you’re dealing with files that have personal info like names, email addresses, or phone numbers, you need a legitimate legal basis for processing it. There are rules and regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA that you have to follow, and they’re all a bit different. If you import personal data into Salesforce, you have to follow the rules that apply to your org. 

One practical rule that gets overlooked frequently: Don’t load real PII into sandboxes for testing, mask it first. GRAX has a feature that anonymizes data as part of its sandbox setup process. This means you can still test with data that looks and feels real, without actually putting your customers’ sensitive data at risk. By doing it this way, you can have a realistic testing environment without compromising security. 

What Governance Processes Help Maintain Long-term Data Integrity?

When you import new data, it’s a good idea to document every import: what object, who ran it, what the source was, and how many records succeeded and failed. Having this documentation is what makes a problem solvable six months later when someone is trying to figure out why a certain batch of records is formatted differently from everything else. External ID fields create a traceable connection between Salesforce records and their source system counterparts, which is crucial for ongoing governance. Data stewardship, duplicate rules, and validation rules all need to be in place before imports happen at scale, not applied retroactively. 

How Do You Test Imports and Roll Back If Something Goes Wrong?

What Is the Best Way to Perform a Sandbox Test Import?

Always run in a sandbox first. The question is which sandbox is useful for testing. A Developer sandbox with no data tells you almost nothing about how your import will behave against real production records, relationships, and automations. A Partial Copy or Full Copy sandbox is significantly more valuable because it reflects the actual data environment your import will encounter. If your sandbox is empty, seeding it with realistic anonymized production data before testing makes the test meaningful. GRAX’s sandbox seeding capabilities handle this. You can populated a sandbox with masked production data and get a test environment that actually mirrors the real world.

How Can You Validate Imported Data Before Going Live?

Take a close look at the results log. Each row that didn’t work out has its own error message, and these messages are really specific. They tell you exactly which field is causing the problem. It’s not use a generic “something went wrong” message. Don’t be tempted to skip this step just because the summary numbers seem okay at first. 

Next, take a closer look at what you’ve imported into Salesforce. Build a report that shows you the records that were created recently, then compare that to what you actually loaded. It’s a good idea to manually check a few records, especially the ones with lookup fields. For example, if you imported 5,000 Contacts and 200 of them are missing the AccountID, a quick report can help you catch that mistake in just a few minutes. It’s much better to find and fix problems like this before you go live, rather than trying to deal with them after the fact. 

What Rollback Options Exist If an Import Corrupts Data?

There’s no undo button. What’s available depends on what you retained. 

If you kept the results log, you have the Salesforce IDs of every record created. You can feed those back into the Data Loader to delete or revert the records. Deleted records stay in the Recycle Bin for 15 days and can be restored in bulk. 

In more serious cases, the best way to get things back to normal is to restore everything from a backup to a specific point in time. But this can only be done if you had a backup system in place before you started importing data. Luckily, there are tools like GRAX that can continuously back up your Salesforce data and restore it to any point in time. If something goes wrong during an import, you can easily recover by choosing a restore point instead of having to manually fix each record. Getting back on track this way is much simpler and less stressful. 

Microsoft’s XL-Connector 365 For Salesforce Data Import

XL-Connector 365 is a Microsoft Excel add-in that connects directly to Salesforce and lets you query, insert, update, and delete records without having to leave the spreadsheet. For admins who are already doing prep in Excel before a load, it removes one step from the process so you can work with the data and push it to Salesforce from the same place. It’s not designed for high-volume migrations or multi-object loads. But for regular admin tasks, it’s surprisingly practical. 

Google’s Data Connector for Salesforce Data import

The Google Data Connector for Salesforce is the Sheets version. It’s a browser extension that lets you move data back and forth between Sheets and Salesforce. With this tool you can easily pull in data from Salesforce using SOQL or query builder, and even bring a whole Salesforce report right into a Sheet. Plus. you can push updates back to Salesforce or delete records as needed. One thing to keep in mind, this tool is pretty basic. It’s not meant for heavy-duty work, but rather it’s designed for teams that are already using Google Workspace and just need to do some simple tasks with Salesforce data without having to switch to a different tool. 

What Are the Data Import Limits in Salesforce (Record Limits, File Size, API Limits)?

Daily API limits vary depending on which version of Salesforce you’re using and the license count. Running a large import alongside other active integrations requires a good understanding of how much of your daily capacity those other processes are using before adding something like a multi-million-record load on top of it. 

What Is the Difference Between the Salesforce Import Wizard, Data Loader, and Dataloader.io? 

	Data Import Wizard	Data Loader	DataLoader.io
Record Limit	50,000	5,000,000	10,000 (free)
Installation Required	No	Yes	No
Command Line/Automation	No	Yes (Windows only)	Yes (paid)
Objects Supported	Limited	All	All
Duplicate Prevention	Built-In	Manual	Manual
Scheduling	No	Yes	Yes
Lookup By Text	No	No	Yes
Cost	Free	Free	Free/Paid

Dataloader.io for Salesforce Data Import

Dataloader.io started as a MuleSoft product and was then acquired by Salesforce. It’s entirely browser-based with no software to download or maintain, which makes it more accessible than the Data Loader for teams that need cloud-based tools or work across multiple machines. The free tier covers 10,000 records per operation, which is enough for regular admin use cases. Paid tiers raise that limit and add task scheduling, which transforms the tool into something you can build recurring workflows around. The feature that sets is apart from Salesforce’s native tools is automatic parent lookup resolution. Instead of requiring you to pre-populate Salesforce IDs in your CSV, it can match those parent records using text values. 

How Do You Handle Data Relationships and Lookups?

What Is the Difference Between Lookup and Master-Detail Relationships When Importing?

Lookup relationships are not required by default. This means a child record can still be created even if the lookup field is empty, unless there’s a specific validation rule in place that says it can’t be. If you don’t fill in the lookup field, you’ll probably get a warning message, but the record will still be saved. 

When you’re working with master-detail relationships, you have to remember that the child record is completely dependent on the parent record. Essentially, the child record can’t exist on its own without a valid parent record ID. It’s a strict rule, no exceptions.

So, if you’re bringing in new records that have this kind of relationship with another object, you need to make sure the parent records are already set up in Salesforce. Also, every single row in your import file for the child record has to include the parent ID. 

How Can You Maintain Parent-Child Relationships During Bulk Import?

Always load parents first. Export your results log after the parent load, map those new Salesforce IDs back to your child records and then run the child import. It’s an extra step that feels tedious, but it’s the only way to get relationships right. 

When dealing with larger migrations, it can be really tough to match result log IDs to source records by hand. In these cases, using External ID fields is a much simpler way to do things. To make it work, you need to create a custom field on the main object, mark it as an External ID and make sure it’s unique. Then, fill in this field when you’re loading the parent data. After that you can use this External ID in your child import file to connect everything together. The good news is that most tools can handle lookups based on External IDs instead of using the native Salesforce IDs, which makes the process a lot easier.

What Strategies Can You Use When Source Systems Lack Salesforce IDs?

When migrating from a legacy system, there are no Salesforce IDs to work with. Two patterns address this issue.

First, when you’re setting up your system, the first thing to consider is the External ID field. This is where you take the unique identifier from your original system and bring it into Salesforce as a custom field. Then, you use this identifier as a key to match everything going forward. 

Next is upsert operations. Rather than a pure insert or pure update, an upsert marches on an External ID field and either creates or updates based on what it finds. This is really useful for situations where you’re syncing data and some records might already be in the system, while others are new. 

Data Loader for Advanced Salesforce Data Import

The Data Loader is a powerful tool that runs on your computer and handles bulk operations across any Salesforce object, up to five million records per load. It’s the native tool of choice for anything the Import Wizard can’t handle. 

Data Loader can operate in two different modes: UI mode and command line mode. The UI mode is interactive, meaning you can configure the job, map fields, and run it all manually. On the other hand, command line mode, allows you to define all the settings in configuration files, so the program can run automatically on schedule. This is really useful for setting up nightly reports, because it means you don’t need to manually start the job every time. 

It’s the more powerful of the two native tools, but it requires more effort. You have to install software, manually map IDs for related records, and if you want to schedule it to run automatically you need to know how to use the command line. 

Salesforce Import Wizard: Built-In Tool for Salesforce Data Import

To access it: Setup > Quick Find > “Data Import Wizard.” You can also get to it directly from a Campaign record if you’re loading campaign members. 

The workflow:

1. Select your object type
2. Choose your operation
3. Set duplicate matching preferences
4. Upload your CSV
5. Map columns to Salesforce fields
6. Review and start the import
7. Monitor progress and download the results log

It’s deliberately simple. For admins who run imports occasionally and don’t want to worry about using a more complex tool, its ease of use is valuable. For anything above 50,000 records or outside the Wizard’s supported object list, the Data Loader takes over.

How Do You Automate Salesforce Data Import Processes?

What Tools Allow Scheduled or Automated Salesforce Imports?

You can use the Data Loader command line with Windows Task Scheduler for free. To do this, you set up the job using configuration files and create a schedule in Task Scheduler. Then, the import will run automatically. This option works well for importing data every night or week.

Dataloader.io’s paid tiers include native scheduling through the web interface, which is a more accessible option. For enterprise-level automation, tools like MuleSoft, Informatica, and Talend have scheduling as a main feature.

How Can You Set Up Recurring Data Syncs With Salesforce?

For most recurring import scenarios, a scheduled batch job that only loads the changes made since the last run is usually enough. This works by setting up an export form from your source system, then using a scheduled import to bring that data into Salesforce, keeping everything up to date on a regular schedule.

When speed is crucial and changes need to show in Salesforce quickly, you’re looking at API-driven integration instead. Salesforce’s REST API is great for handling smaller, real-time events, but when you need to sync large amounts of data the Bulk API is a better choice.

What Are the Best Practices for Large-Scale or Ongoing Salesforce Imports?

How Do You Plan Imports for Millions of Records?

Break the file into batches before you start. Somewhere between 200,000 and 500,000 records per batch is a workable size. If something goes wrong with batch 7 of 20, you know exactly what to re-run. A single 4-million-record file where 40,000 rows fail somewhere in the middle is genuinely painful to recover from. 

What Scheduling and Throttling Considerations Apply to Bulk Imports?

The Bulk API is better suited for larger jobs than the REST API. It handles things in batches, rather than one by one, which is easier on your daily API limit. When you’re dealing with millions of records, the difference between using the Bulk API and REST API is huge. The Bulk API processes records asynchronously, which means it can handle a lot of work without using up all your API calls at once. 

How Should You Monitor Performance and API usage During Import?

To keep track of your data load jobs, go to the Bulk Data Load Jobs page in Setup. This is where you can see the status and progress of your jobs. Once a job is done, make sure to download the full results log right away. Don’t just stop at the summary, you need to see the whole log to get a clear picture. For example if a job shows 490,000 successes and 10,000 failures, it might look like everything went well. In reality, it’s important to know what those 10,000 failures are. Are they critical records or just minor ones? This makes a big difference in what happens next. Set up failure notifications in your import tool so problems surface immediately. 

FAQs

Can you import Excel/CSV fields into Salesforce?

Yes! You may import data from Excel into Salesforce by exporting the Excel spreadsheet as a CSV file (comma-separated values). The process is straightforward if the following procedures are followed:

1. Prepare your CSV file for import or edit by following these prompts:
   • A comma must be used to separate field values within a row
   • When creating a record, you must include all needed fields
   • Any fields not described in the CSV file are ignored when changing a record
2. Navigate to your Salesforce instance’s object tab and select ‘Import’ to initiate the import.
3. Select the type of object you wish to import or update.
4. Select whether to import new records, update current records, or perform both operations simultaneously.
5. Select the CSV file that you wish to import or change.
6. Map the data in your CSV file to the fields associated with the object type in your Salesforce instance. This step is typically performed automatically if your field headers match your Salesforce instance’s field names.
7. You are redirected to a comprehensive page where you can view the import status, the number of records that were imported correctly, and the number of records that were not. You will also get an email after the data import has finished.

Where is the Data Import Wizard in Salesforce?

The Data Import Wizard tool is easily accessible via the Setup menu or by clicking “Import Leads and Contacts” from any Campaign.

How do I import Leads into Salesforce?

If you have a database of leads, you’re probably looking for a more efficient approach to importing them into Salesforce than manually entering them.

First, verify that you have the required access or contact your Salesforce administrator for assistance in importing leads. Next, navigate to the bottom of the Leads home page and click the Import Leads link beneath the Tools heading.

The Lead Import Wizard page will appear, guiding you through the procedure in four easy steps while providing helpful hints.

How do you automate data imports in Salesforce?

It is possible to automate the import process using API calls.
Application Programming Interface (API) calls denote certain activities that your client apps can invoke at runtime to accomplish tasks, such as:

• Conduct a data query on your organization’s data
• Data can be added, updated, and deleted
• Acquire metadata for your data
• Execute utilities to complete administrative duties

Beforehand, make sure you’ve specified key data sources, field mappings, and other parameters within Data Loader’s configuration files.