General Functions > Import / Export > Import

Import supports two different types of jobs - straight import and merge import.

When the MIE imports records, it must determine if it already has a matching record in the database in order to decide whether to update the existing record or to insert a new record.

Straight import jobs use the MIE's pre-defined rules for determining if a record already exists. Straight import jobs can insert new records (if the target table has been configured to allow inserts).

Merge import jobs use up to three merge fields defined in the job itself in order to determine if a record already exists. Merge import jobs cannot insert new records - they can only update existing records. In the event a match cannot be made using the defined merge fields for a given record in the CSV file, nothing is imported for that record.

Merge import jobs offer additional flexibility in attempting to match existing records. Merge import is generally used to augment existing MIE data with data from a disparate source, where no reliable common key exists between the two systems.

Merge import jobs offer the ability to strip extraneous characters from each of the merge fields prior to attempting to match, as well as allowing character substitution prior to attempting to match. With disparate data sets that do not have a reliable common key, such flexibility in matching can significantly improve the "hit" rate.

Merge import jobs offer the ability to perform mass updates, whereby multiple existing records can be updated with the same value.

When performing a merge import into a schema that contains several related tables, the merge applies only to the top table.

Both import types will properly import into child tables and automatically establish the relationships between the child records and the parent record.

Import versus Merge

Import versus Merge