Summary
When importing data via spreadsheet, you can configure which spreadsheet columns are mapped to which fields in Planhat
Planhat automatically maps columns to fields, but you can review and edit this before proceeding with the import
If columns can't be mapped to fields - or you don't want to include them in the import - they are set to "Don't import"
If you need to create a new custom field to map to, you can do that directly from within the import form, without needing to exit the process
Who is this article for?
Planhat users who are importing data via spreadsheet
Series
Importing data via Excel spreadsheet - map source columns to model fields ⬅️ You are here
Article contents
Introduction
This is a technical deep-dive article
Read on if you'd like to learn more about matching columns to fields when importing data via Excel spreadsheets.
If you'd just like an introduction to importing data via Excel file, please refer to our main article for an overview of the key points.
As part of the process when importing a spreadsheet, you'll see configurable mapping between spreadsheet columns and Planhat fields.
In this article, we take a more detailed look at the bottom mapping section: "Map Source Columns to [Model] fields", as shown in the example screenshot below. This is where you define how columns in your uploaded Excel spreadsheet should map to fields in Planhat. For example, it could be that the data in the "Email" column of the spreadsheet should sync into the "Email" field in Planhat (on the selected model).
You don't have to map every single spreadsheet column and Planhat field manually, because Planhat automatically maps everything it can. You can simply review these automatic mappings, and make any desired changes.
🚀 Tip
If you don't see the fields listed that you expected, make sure that the correct data model (e.g. End Users or Assets etc.) has been selected. You can check and change this via the dropdown menu in the top-right of the modal (form).
Changing the mapping
Planhat will automatically map between the spreadsheet columns and Planhat fields where possible.
If you would like to change any of the pre-loaded mappings, simply click on the name of a field to open up a dropdown menu, where you have three options:
Select from one of the other fields in the list
Set this to "Don't import" if you would like this column to not be included in the import
Create a new custom field that you can then select
We go through this later in this article, here
Warning triangles
If Planhat isn't able to automatically map a spreadsheet column to a field, then you'll see a symbol of an exclamation mark (!) inside a triangle, which if you mouse over will give you a tooltip explanation, as shown below. In short, Planhat hasn't been able to automatically identify a suitable field mapping.
These columns are automatically set to "Don't import" (as shown in the screenshot above), indicating that (if left like this) that specific column data won't be included in the import.
You may choose to simply leave these as-is, and exclude these columns from the import.
Or, you can use the dropdown menu to manually select your choice of field to map to - or create a field (described next) if a suitable field doesn't exist yet.
Creating a custom field to map to
You can even create a new custom field directly from here - so if you go to import a spreadsheet and find that, for a particular column, a suitable field doesn't exist to map to, you can create the field and then select it here, without having to come out of the import process.
Begin by clicking on the cell (likely set to "Don't import") to open up the dropdown menu, and then click "+ New custom field" at the bottom, pictured below.
This opens up the usual "Add new custom field" modal (form) for you to complete for your new field - you don't need to go to the "Data Model" Global Tool to create a field like you normally would. (For further guidance about creating fields, you can refer to our separate article here.)
When you click "Save" in the bottom right to save your field, that modal will close and you will return to the main import form, where you can continue confirming your column-to-field mappings, and click "Import" at the bottom when you are ready to import the spreadsheet.