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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Data Management - Import, Export, Duplicate & Delete

Import
  • CRM Import Files formats: XML Spreadsheet 2003 (.xml), Comma-separated values (.csv), Rext (.txt), Compressed files (.zip)
  • Include a column for each required field on the entity into which you are importing the data.
  • One import file for each type of entity. 
  • Import multiple files into a single .zip file.
  • Maximum 8 megabytes (MB) size for each import file. 
  • Import Data Wizard basic process: Prepare the import files, Import the file and map the records & View the results and correct failures.
  • Dynamics CRM allows you to create templates for your import that you can download from the system.  In the Settings area -> click Data Management - > click Templates for Data Import. OR On the application ribbon -> click the Import Data button -> select Download Template for Import.
  • An import template outputs an XML file with all of the columns for the entity you selected:
    • All possible data fields for the entity are included.
    • All of the column headers are named and labeled correctly. 
    • Required data field names are bold in the top row.
    • Each cell provides additional information about the data that should go in the field, such as its  data type, maximum and minimum values, or maximum length.
    • For option sets, the template displays a list of the possible values for the field. 
    • If you try to enter a value that is not included in the option set or not in the format, you receive an error message
  • On the application ribbon -> click the Import Data button OR click the File tab -> select Import  OR Data from the Tools menu -> The Import Data Wizard opens.

Mapping Field - Option to ignore the field, create a new field, Not Mapped or map it. Cannot create the following data types during the import process: Lookup, Floating point number, Currency, Multiple lines of text.

Option Set (formerly picklist) - If Option set values that don’t exist in Dynamics CRM, it assumes  to automatically add new option set values.

Lookup - Must specify the correct lookup reference for that field, otherwise it throws error. For example, State entity contains Short Name & Long Name (default), if i pass Short Name, not mentioned in mapping Short Name in import, application will check the value in Long Name. The error is  "The lookup reference could not be resolved."
  • "Not to import duplicates" - it will not import the duplicate record and will create a log of unimported records. 
  • Data Map Name (Optional) - Save the data maps and reusing again in future.

After you submit the import, the process runs in the background until all of the records are imported or logged as errors. In the Workplace area -> click My Work - > click Imports -> To view the status of all imports.

Click Delete
  • Delete Import Source File
  • All Records Imported to this Entity During this import
  • All Imported Records from the .zip file

Export to Excel  - Static worksheet with records from this page  - Add/Update multiple records, but make different updates to different records,  you can select the option at the bottom of the dialog box to enable
re-importing - Data enrichment only for Static worksheet. The data enrichment only updates the  records that changed in the Excel file. For example, you updated 2 records of 10 records,  Dynamics  CRM only update the two records that you modified and ignore the other 88 rows.

The data enrichment feature also ignores updates made to records that are updated since the original  static worksheet was exported. For example, assume you exported accounts, another user modifies some  accounts what you exported, When you re-import the modified account records in Excel, CRM will
ignored the updated account records in Excel were also updated by another user in Dynamics CRM.

Duplicate Detection
In the Settings area -> click System - > click Data Management

Duplication Detection Settings


Duplicate Detection Rules - Define and publish a duplicate detection rule, Dynamics CRM creates a matchcode for every record created or updated in the previous five minutes. This matchcode process runs continually in the background every five minutes, even for inactive records. Dynamics CRM uses matchcodes behind  the scenes to look for duplicate records based on your duplicate detection settings.
Maximum matchcode length of 450 characters. Cannot configure OR conditions in a duplicate detection rule, but can you set up multiple rules  for a single entity.

When you enter a duplicate record, Duplicate Detected pop up window display.

Duplicate Detection Jobs (Similar to Advanced Find) - to perform a duplicate detection job at a
scheduled interval to look for potential duplicates.

After set the duplicate detection job, you can open the job record and click View Duplicates in the
navigation pane to resolve any duplicates found during the job.

Bulk Record Deletion - Through views, can only delete one page of records at a time. Can't delete all records & time-consuming process.  An automated process to delete records from database at a scheduled interval. Two ways: Click Delete button in the ribbon  -> selecting Bulk Delete OR Through  Data Management section