There are many reasons for importing large quantities of
contact records in a single batch: transferring data from a legacy system to
your new PortalProdigy system, loading newly purchased data as in the form of
purchased prospecting lists, etc. The batch import utility makes importing new
contact records and updating existing records a fairly simple, quick and easy
procedure.
The common format for importable records is called a CSV
file. CSV stands for “Comma Separated Values”. In computer professional speak,
the comma used to separate values is called the delimiter. Characters other that commas are often used as
delimiters. For example, tabs are
generally the default delimiter for Microsoft Excel spread sheets saved to a
text file. Since PortalProdigy’s import utility only recognizes commas as
delimiters, one must export or save a Microsoft Excel file as a CSV format file
before it can be imported into Portal Prodigy.
The content of a CSV file might look like the following:
FirstName,LastName,Street,City,State,Zip,Phone
Stephen,Reuning,510 Horizon Center,Robbinsville,NJ,08691,609-584-4474
John,Jones,2 Smith Street,Perth
Amboy, NJ,07728
In such a case, the top row is called the header row and it
is used to designate the field name of the data between delimiters.
The order of the field names is important because it is used
to map the fields in the CSV file to the fields of the PortalProdigy Contacts
Database in what is called a CSV file to
Contact Database Map. For our example above, the fields shall be numbered and
mapped as follows:
FirstName = 1 
LastName = 2 
Street = 3 
City = 4 
State = 5 
Zip = 6 
Phone = 7 
The Import Contacts
Data Management Page –
Select the Utilities Access Icon 
located in the Site Management menu column of
the Main Administration menu (Ctrl-Alt-m) to view the Utilities Menu page.
Clicking on the Utilities Menu Import Contacts Edit 
button accesses the Contact Profiles page.
Contact Profiles are records used to store the CSV file to
Contact Database Maps created for use with specific data sources.
One can review or edit a CSV file to Contact Database Map by
clicking on its label or add a new one by clicking on the 
button.
Profile Name Entry
Field – Enter a descriptive name here. It will be displayed in Contact Profiles
page selection list.
Select a CSV file to
be imported Browser – Used to browse the user’s work station in order to locate
the CSV file to be imported.
Select Data
Subscription File Field - For each field included in the CSV file, enter
the number corresponding to the order of the field in the CSV file. A zero is
used to indicate that the field is not in your CSV file.
Values Included
Section
If the import file contains a header row, then check the Ignore first row which contains column headings
checkbox 
.
Check all fields that should have their existing value
replaced by the imported value if a record already exists for a contact in the
import list.
Empty fields in existing contacts records will always be
updated with the import value. All fields will be imported for new contact
records.
Automated Login Name
Creation - For new contact records the program will automatically assign
the contact’s email address as the Login Name. If there is no email address for
the imported record, the Login Name will be set to the contact’s First Name
plus Last Name without a space between them. If the First Name plus Last Name
Login Name already exists, a number will be added to make the Login Name
unique. For new contact records the password will automatically be set to the
First name plus the Last Name.
The import always preserves the Login Name and Password for
contact records that already exist. If the imported record does not contain a
contact’s name, the Company Name will be used instead.
Importing Media Types
The Press Release Feature provides for delivery of press
releases to its internal database of media contacts. In order to send a press release
PORTALPRODIGY needs target recipients. Those recipients are identified in the
Contact Database by a checked Media
Contact Type box. The media contacts may be further classified into PR Media
Types such as Magazine, Newsletter, Newspaper, etc.
Media types is a customizable list that
can be modified by at the PR Media Types Management page which can be reached
by clicking on the Features Edit Icon 
located in the Site Management menu column of
the Main Administration Menu and then clicking the PressRelease
link and then clicking the PR Media Types link 
of the Press Release Manager Features Management
page.
The Media Types section of the Import Contacts Data
Management page is used to designate contacts that are bulk imported as Media
Types and load their PR Media Type classification..
Replace Contact Media
Types Checkbox - Check the 
box when you want existing Media Contacts to
be have their old Media Type assignments replaced by imported values. When left unchecked, new media type
assignments are added in addition to the existing ones.
Column # Field - For each Media Type field (column) in the imported
CSV file, enter the column number in the Column # text box of the corresponding
Media Type listed on the on the Import Contacts Data Management page along with
the value that is used to indicate that the Media Contact belongs to that Media
Type (such as “X” or “Yes”).
Value Field - For
each Media Type value used in the Media Types field (column) in the imported
CSV file, enter the column number in the Column # text box (note that all the
Media Types will share the same column number) along with the value that is
used to indicate the Media Type (such as “Periodical”, “Radio”, etc.).
