Importing Contacts

Importing contacts allows you to import contacts into Arbor Finance from an external CSV file.

When you import your contacts you will need a short code for the first column. The short code is designed to be a quick way to enter your contact and can be up to 8 numbers and letters. This field is mandatory, e.g. Arbor Education could have a short code of Arbor.

Importing Contact records

1. From the Records menu choose Contacts.
2. Click the Import button on the right hand side.
   
   
   
   
3. To select your file to import click Choose file and navigate to the file and click Open.
4. The Header line defines which line in your CSV file the headers are on.
5. If you are uploading the file for a second or third time and have a mapping stored then select it from the menu.
6. Click Start import to continue.
   
   
   
   
7. Map the headers in your CSV document to the analysis fields and type the mapping name for future use of this mapping.
   Note:- only map the fields you want to import, you do not have to do them all!
8. Click Save to continue.
   
   
   
   
9. The Validation summary will detail if any lines have errors in. The summary report will detail the errors (blue link on page to access this).
10. If you need to change anything click Cancel or click Complete import to proceed.
11. For those lines that are valid they will be imported and you will see the message below.
    
    

File format for importing

The CSV file should be structured as follows:

1. First row is headers.
2. Column 1 is the Contact Short Account Code (mandatory).
3. Column 2 is the Contact Full Name (mandatory).
4. Column 3 is the Sort Key.
5. Column 4-6 is the Account Code type (Income Source/Supplier/Customer) (mandatory). Enter True or False to determine.
6. Column 7 is the Contact e.g. Fred Bloggs.
7. Columns 8-12 are the Contact Address fields, note columns 11 and 12 will be combined onto one line separated by a comma.
8. Column 13 is the Contact Postcode.
9. Columns 14-15 are the Contact phone numbers.
10. Column 16 is the Contact Fax number.
11. Column 17 is the Contact VAT registration number (check the format for this).
12. Column 18 is for S16 (rarely used).
13. Column 19 is for you to type a Reference.
14. Column 20 is for an Email address, note this is mandatory if using BACs and very useful when emailing documents.
15. Columns 21-24 detail the preferred payment method, type 'Y' for Cheque (printed cheque), BACs, Direct Debit or Centrally Invoiced under the appropriate column(s). If you choose BACS then the BACs fields become mandatory. If BACS is not selected, leave these columns blank.
16. Column 25 is the Remittance email address.
17. Column 26 is the Remittance method (Email, Print or None).
18. Column 27 is to add An Alternative Payee this must exist in Arbor Finance and the Short code  for the alternative payee is required.
19. Column 28-29 are free text fields for Company type and Notes.
20. Columns 30-33 are for the BACs details the following items are mandatory if using BACS.
21. BACs Bank Name.
22. BACs Sort Code.
23. BACs Account code.
24. BACs Reference (non mandatory).
25. Columns 34-35 are for fields typically found in SIMs and will be added to relevant fields in the contact.
26. Column 36 is for the Supplier Terms and is added as days, weeks or months, eg 2 D for 2 days, 3 M for 3 months.
27. Column 37 is for a Creditor Reference.

Please check the structure before importing.