What is it?
In order to populate your ITONICS platform with existing data, you should use the dynamic upload interface that can be used for any entity.
How does it work?
Do this by following these steps:
- Go to the Settings Wheel > Export/Import Data > Excel Import and select the entity for which you want to import content.
- Download the entity-specific import template by clicking on the “Generate Import Template” button on the right-hand side. You can also use already exported data from the excel export.
The generated import template consists of the following columns:
- ID: The ID column expects a positive integer value.
- Generated ID: The generated ID / Key column. This column is merely used as a reference column, concatenating the Key defined for the respective entity type in the entity configuration with the actual system. Note that this ID is not used as a unique identifier during the import.
- Link: The link column expects a correct URL as a value. This column is just relevant during the export and therefore can be left empty.
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Created By: The Created By column requires an existing username to set the creator information for the respective Element. If the username does not exist or the cell is not filled, the user which is logged in will be saved as the creator.
Please note: If you add a username to any column in the import file that pertains to user fields (e.g., Created By" or any user search field that is not declared as "hybrid user"), the import will skip the entire row and the element will not be imported as the user needs to exist in the system. - Created At: The Created At column requires a valid date format (yyyy-mm-dd) and sets the create date accordingly. If the column is empty, the current date will be used.
- Edited At: The Edited At column requires a valid date format (yyyy-mm-dd) and sets the edit date accordingly. If the column is empty, the current date will be used.
- Publication Status: The Publication Status requires a string value. You can choose between different values i.e. Draft, Review, Published.
Please note: Without checking the Import as Draft checkbox all elements will be imported as Published.
- Archived: The Archived columns require a string value. You can choose between the options “Yes” (= is archived) and “No” (= is not archived). Please note it is case-sensitive.
- All single-line input fields require a string without any formatting or html tags included. You can apply different validators to the single-line input field, which changes the expected string value:
- The email validator requires a valid email address (name@domain.top-level-domain.)
- The URL validator requires a valid URL ([https://www.]domain.top-level-domain/path).
- The number validator requires a valid float number (1024.12 for English language and 1024,12 for German language). Please note that leading zeros are being stripped during import.
- If you use any content which is forbidden then it will not be imported, the field will be empty. However, if the field is required, then it will show a validation message while importing.
- All simple text fields require a string without any formatting or html tags included.
- All rich text fields (e.g. "Definition & Scope") require a string that can include formatting or html tags (e.g. <p>...</p>). Please see the detailed possibilities of the Rich Text Fields here.
- The Image column can be populated in two ways:
- Add an external URL link to an image that is available online (Right-click on the image > Copy Image Link).
- Add a local image file that should be available in the image directory. You can upload a zip file containing your image files via Settings > Export / Import Data > Zip / Image Imports to populate the image directory. The zip file is automatically unzipped. If you have an image "green-supply-chain.png", it should be populated in that directory, whereas in the Excel file, you will just write "green-supply-chain.png".
- All dropdown fields (e.g. "Maturity Level") requires the exact value of the respective field options. Please note that this string is case-sensitive and will only map correctly if there is a 100% match with the configured field options. If your input does not match any of the configured values of that dropdown field, the system will ignore the field during import.
- All user search fields (e.g. "Internal Experts") require the actual usernames of the respective to-be-linked users.
- All date picker fields require a valid date format (yyyy-mm-dd).
Note: all multiple values like Tags, multi-select dropdown fields, multi-select user search fields, or links from the reference section need to be separated using the semicolon (";") as the delimiter.
Note: for References, there are two columns, References and Reference titles. In the References column the URL of the Reference file (the system URL if re-importing a previously exported References content) shall be provided, for multiple Referenced to be separated using a simicolon (";") as a delimiter, while the titles of the References to be displayed in the system should be provided, for multiple References again separated by a semicolon (";") as a delimiter. Make sure that the position of the corresponding titles in the Reference titles column does match the position of the URLs in the References column. Note that is non-mandatory to provide a title for a Reference URL. Also, note that importing a blank References column, so providing no values, existing Reference data will not be overwritten for the particular element.
3. Prepare the Excel file and save.
4. Upload it to the platform by clicking the Choose file button.
You can also select an option to:
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- Select unique identifier: Choose the unique identifier. This selection will determine on which field the tool should do the match-making if you update Elements via the import.
- You can use this option if you want to change the name of an already existing element. Therefor you have to select the ID as unique identifier. If you select the Element title instead of the ID it will create a new element with the name of the element you are going to import.
- Import as Draft: Only new Elements will be imported as drafts, while existing Elements will not be affected by this option.
Please note: By checking the Import as Draft checkbox, all new elements will be imported as draft even if the Publication Status in the template was set to published.
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- Skip/Ignore existing Elements: This will prevent overwriting existing fields and Elements.
- Skip workflow phase: The first workflow phase will be allocated to the imported Elements. If the box remains unchecked each Element will be allocated to the defined workflow phase.
After finishing all the above-mentioned steps, Upload the Excel file to the platform by clicking the Import button.
Besides, when importing elements for a child entity type, the option to notify users about child submissions to a parent will be available. If checked, the system will notify users assigned in any user search- or user group search fields on the respective parent entity type, for which the option to notify users about child element submissions is enabled, about child elements newly imported via the Excel import to a particular parent element. If unchecked, imported child elements will not trigger a notification to responsible users on the respective parent elements.
If the import was successful, a success message will be displayed.
If the import identifies errors, warnings, or missing values, the import will be canceled by showing the identified issues. Note that if an invalid value is provided for a field for a particular element / row in the import template, the system will automatically skip the update/import of the respective element/row only, and provide a validation message indicating the invalid value location.
Please note that the system clears certain characters (like spaces before a hyphen), e.g., "automotive - electric cars". This becomes "automotive-electric cars" during the upload. This could lead to problems when indicating relations. As such, do not use space before a hyphen when you add text to a column in your spreadsheet.
Please note: Any information on the Visibility tab (if used on the element)cannot be exported or added via Import Feature. However, if you want to import elements that are initially only visible to the application owners, you need to import them as a Draft. The upload of ratings for elements with the Draft status is not possible directly but must be performed separately via the Rating Import function later.
The Confidential tab information (if used on the entity) can be exported or used for import only by the users authorized for this tab.
Importing empty fields
If fields of the import template are left empty, this has the following effects on the respective element:
1. Fields that will be empty after importing:
- all text fields
- date picker fields
- radio buttons
- location search fields
- tags
2. Fields that won't be touched after importing empty fields:
- dropdown fields
- user search fields
- reference fields
- related elements
- ratings
- comments
- rating comments
Importing Rating Values
There are two ways to import rating values.
- Using the "Rating Import" function to import ratings and associated data such as "Rated by" or Rated at" or the "Context" in which the rating was made, from other users.
- Using the "General Import Template" to import the rating values for the "Creator" of the respective element. If the creator of the element has already performed any ratings on the respective element the original ratings will be set to "Inactive" but will still be visible (including comments, if added) in the "Rating Values" overview on the Rating Analysis tab.
How to import comments
Communication is crucial for effective innovation management. Use the dynamic comment import to populate your ITONICS platform with existing communication, e.g., from a previous system.
To import your comments, follow these steps:
1. Go to the Settings Wheel > Export/Import Data > Comment Import > Entity to open the comment import page for an entity.
2. Download the import template by clicking on the Generate Comment Import Template button on the right-hand side. (1)
The generated import template consists of the following columns:
- ID: The ID column expects a positive integer value. ITONICS is looking into solutions for choosing the ID as a unique identifier as well during import. For now, the ID column is just relevant during the export and therefore can be left empty.
- Title: The Title column expects a string value of an existing element. This field is mandatory.
- Commented By: The Commented By column expects an existing username to set the submitter information for the comment. This field is mandatory.
- Created At: The Created At column expects a valid date format (yyyy-mm-dd) and sets the create date accordingly. This field is mandatory.
- Body: The Body column expects a string value. This field is mandatory.
3. Upload it to the platform by clicking the Choose file button. (2)
4. Import the Excel file to the platform by clicking the Import button. (3)
More specific content import options are described in the following articles: