Importing Data Guide

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Georgia Allen
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1 Importing Data Guide This guide should be used as reference when importing data directly into the database. This assumes experience of Microsoft Access or SQL Server depending on database engine used. Contents Prepare Import Data... 1 Import into Access Database Guidelines... 2 To import data: To Append new records: Import into SQL Database Guidelines... 2 To import data: To copy and paste Date... 3 Importing User Details (sitehelpdesk/sitehelpdesk-it)... 3 Importing Customer Details (sitewebdesk)... 4 Key contacts columns are described below... 5 Importing Hardware Details (sitehelpdesk-it)... 6 Further Assistance Prepare Import Data The simplest format to import into the database is from a CSV (Comma Separated) Text File or Excel Spreadsheet although many other formats are available. Before attempting any import it is advisable to backup your database. Data should be cleaned and any leading or trailing spaces removed. Also any single or double quotes, commas, & and? marks should be removed as this causes issues within the application (you can use Find/Replace functionality). Eg. If importing Hardware remove the double quote from text like: You could edit to say 17 inch monitor 17" monitor as in St Clement s remove the apostrophe & change to and? remove or change to qmark, commas either remove or enclose the whole text in quotes e.g "southampton, hants"

2 Import into Access Database Guidelines With a Microsoft Access database the simplest method is to import the complete source file into the database and then create a query to append the new records. To import data: - Open \sitehelpdesk\database\shddb.mdb in Microsoft Access 2000 Click on File, Get External Data, Import Select Filetype and name of file Click on Finish to import data (or click on Next and configure as required) This will create a new table To Append new records: - Click on Insert, Query Select Design View Select new table and close pop-up table window Click on Query, Append Query Select table (see Database Table Definition for more info) Then select each column from Imported table and select the destination in Append To Click on Query, Run to execute Import into SQL Database Guidelines With a SQL Server database the simplest method is to use the Import Data wizard to import the data directly into the destination table. To import data: - Select Import and Export Data from the SQL Program Group (or by right clicking on the Database name and then Tasks, Export or Import. Select Source Data Source (Excel, Text) and locate File Select Destination sitehelpdesk database and Authentication credentials Select Copy table option Select Sheet if Excel Spreadsheet Use the Preview button to display data to be imported Click on Destination table and select the relevant table Click on Transform You can then modify the source and destination mappings Ensure that Append rows to destination is checked Remove check for Enable Identity Insert Click OK and Next to continue Select Run Immediately, Next then Finish to complete import Either use the import routines as in 2000, or if you only have SQL Express then the easiest way is to create a spreadsheet with the same number of columns as the database. Leaving blank any that are irrelevant. Note: You can create a sample spreadsheet by go to the database in SQL Server, right click, select Tasks, Export and follow the Wizard, export to a destination of Excel spreadsheet and make sure that First row Includes column heading is ticked. Take not of the Excel version you select and use that same version for saving the completed spreadsheet and when importing later. Then complete the spreadsheet with your data. Tip: If you login to the helpdesk and run /tools/cleardb.asp to clear out any demo data from the system and manually enter one of your own records as an example to see what goes into each column.

3 To copy and paste Date Having completed a spreadsheet from the exported example: Highlight the data in the spreadsheet that you want to import (ie not the example record as that is already there) and select copy Go to the database, open the table and Return all rows. Put the cursor on the next row in the database table. Select paste. If you do not have the option to copy and paste then use the Import data wizard from the previous section. Importing User Details (sitehelpdesk/sitehelpdesk-it) Note: The simplest way to create staff records is to use the helpdesk feature to import from active Directory which will populated all related tables and obtain the user domain and ID for windows Authentication. Refer to the Administration guide. To manually import: Before importing user details it is required that the Department and Site information be populated. You can do this from within the application (under Administration menu option) or by importing/entering into the following Table columns. Dept_Code Dept_Name Dept_Costcode Dept_Charge DEPARTMENT Auto Identity Department Name Department Cost Code (optional) Department Hourly Charge (optional) Location_Code Location_Name Location_Address Location_Phone Location_Autoass LOCATION Auto Identity Site Name Site Address (optional) Site Phone Number (optional) Auto assign Operator can be a valid Operator id (Optional) Once Department and Site data exists the User data can be imported using the columns as described below. User_Code User_Name User_Location User_Deptname User_Phone User_ User_JobDesc User_Active User_NTAcc User_EAlert User_CHPriv PEOPLE Auto Identity leave this blank, SQL will create the unique reference during import. User Name Users Default Site (needs to exist in Locations) Users Default Department (needs to exist in Departments) Users Phone Number (optional) Users Address (optional) Users Job Description (optional) Set to T to enable User Users Window Account (domain\account) (optional) Set to T to enable User to receive alerts Set to F or T for the user to be a Change Management Approver (sitehelpdesk-it only)

4 Importing Customer Details (sitewebdesk) The main customer detail records can be imported directly into the sitehelpdesk database. It is advisable to add the contact and product information through the application after records have been imported but a method to import contacts is described below. Key customer columns described below. PEOPLE User_Code Auto Identity leave this blank, SQL will create the unique reference during import. User_Name Customer Name (should be unique for branches add (location) to the name. User_SWDAddr1 Address Line 1 User_SWDAddr2 Address Line 2 User_SWDAddr3 Address Line 3 User_SWDTown Town / City User_SWDCounty County / State User_SWDPostcode Postcode / Zip User_SWDCountry Country User_Phone Telephone Number User_Active Set to T (true) to display Comments automatically when logging calls or F to hide them. User_SWDFax Fax Number USER_SWDCOMMENTS Notes against Customer User_SWDStatus Customer Status (needs to be exist in cust_status value list) User_SWDAccNo Account Number User_SWDCoType Customer Type (optional but if used then needs to be exist in cust_type value list) User_SWDCOLINK User_code of head office (used to relate to branch to a head office) As user_code is auto created during import this cannot be populated now. However, you could import all head offices first. Then obtain the user_code from the database and populate this column for related branches and then import the branches. Otherwise you must manually relate branches to a head office in the helpdesk customer administration page User_SWDCharge Customer Hourly Charge, set to 0.00 if not used. User_SWDCATGROUP SLA Profile (must exist in CAT_PROFILE value list ) User_SWDSUPCON Nominated support person or Team (optional value must exist as Operator or Team id.) User_SWDACCMAN Nominated Sales person or Team name (optional value must exist as Operator or Team id) User_NOCONTACT User_Depthead Set to F ( T means all contacts are excluded from lists) Set to T (this is the Active flag in SWD to include that customer in selection lists)

5 Key contacts columns are described below Con_Code Con_Name Con_ Con_mobile Con_SWDUSERCODE CON_ACTIVE CON-Nocontact Con_Address CONTACTS Auto Identity leave this blank, SQL will create the unique reference during import. Contacts full name and title address should be unique as may be used a sid to log in. i.e. Don t create the same contact under multiple companies. You only need one contact against a head office for them to be selectable on calls form branches. Mobile phone number This is the User_Code from PEOPLE table record of that customer. This will not be known so leave blank and you can populate froma SQL statement later. Set to T Set to F (or T if they are not to be included in lists) Enter the full name of Customer that contact is in so that a relationship can be built using SQL commands Once the customers and contacts have been import the following sql command may be run to relate the contacts to the customers. Go the SQL server New Query and select your helpdesk database. Then use this statement and run. Update contacts set CON_SWDUSERCODE = User_code from people where convert(varchar(255),contacts.con_address) = convert(varchar(255),people.user_name) Check in the helpdesk that the contacts are now visible against their respective customers.

6 Importing Hardware Details (sitehelpdesk-it) The simplest way to import hardware records is using the Hardware Import Wizard, which will also create all related tables of data like Type and Location for you. Refer to this FAQ guide: Hardware records can be imported directly into the sitehelpdesk database. You will need to ensure that all Value List properties (Administration, Value Lists) are populated before importing the hardware records. Key hardware columns described below. HARDWARE HW_Site Site of Hardware (needs to exist in Location) HW_Location Details of Location HW_Hostname Asset Number * HW_Hosttype Host type (needs to be exist in host_type value list) HW_Username Department or Username (needs to exist in Department/People) HW_Make Machine type (needs to be exist in host_make value list) HW_Model Machine Model HW_SerialNo Serial Number * HW_AssetNo Host Name * HW_Pono Purchase Order Number HW_Buydate Purchase Date HW_Cost Purchase Cost HW_WarPeriod Warranty Period HW_MaintCo Maintenance Company (needs to exist in External Contacts) HW_OS Operating System (needs to be exist in host_os value list) HW_Proc Processor Speed HW_Mem Memory HW_Comments Additional comments HW_Spare1 Spare field HW_Spare2 Spare field * Key hardware columns are user definable and can be configured in Administration, Configuration under the Hardware Logging option section. The use of these columns can be altered. Default settings are shown above. Note that the key field you use to identify hardware should be unique, e.g asset number, host name or serial number. Further Assistance Please contact support@sitehelpdesk.com should you require further assistance with importing data.

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