Importing Members

You may already have information about your Group members in another format, for example a spreadsheet or a mailing database. If that format allows you to export this information to a CSV file, then you can import this information into Directra, creating member records quickly and easily. Here's what to do.

1. From your exisitng data file, create a CSV file, following these guidelines:

   The first line of your file defines the data that you will enter on subsequent lines. Possible entries, separated by commas, are:

   • ID
   • First Name
   • Last Name
   • Tags
   • <optional descriptor> Email
   • <optional descriptor> Phone
   • Fax
   • Address

   Each of the subsequent lines in the file contains the data for an Group member. List the data, separated by commas, in the same order as the data names given in the first line.

   Notes

   It's common not to have all the data available for all members. In that case just enter a comma. E.g. 10001,Janet,Smith,js@isp.com,,,555-555-5555.

   ID is optional but recommended if you plan to use your csv file as a master list and perform imports periodically. Simply give each member a unique number. Don't reuse numbers but as you add members give each a new, unique number.

   Tags should be a single list, separated by commas and enclosed in quotes. For example, 10002,Jane,Doe,"Support,Sales,Exec", 530-555-0100

   Street addresses should be in map style format, with no commas. For example,
   10002,Jane,Doe,jane.doe@example.com, 555-555-4314, 5 Main St. Los Angeles CA 90055

   If you have multiple phone numbers and emails, add additional fields (descriptors, as shown above) to the first and subsequent lines. Make sure that the first line field uses the word Phone or Email respectively. For example,
   ID,First Name,Last Name,Tags,Email,Home Phone,Work Phone,Address
   followed by
   10003,John,Doe,"Customer,Contractor", john.doe@example.com, 555-555-1234,555-555-1212,10 Market St. San Francisco CA 94000

2. Click the Members tab, then click the Import/Export button, selecting Import Members CSV, to open the Import Members CSV page.
3. Browse and find the CSV file.
4. Create or reuse an account name. The Import Account field allows you to better synchronize changes with a csv contact list maintained outside of Directra. (As above, you will also want to assign a unique identifier to each contact in that file.) For example, suppose you have the master contact list in a csv file (or perhaps an excel spreadsheet) named csv_contacts.csv. When you import that file into Directra, you will want to create or use an account specific to that file - so you might give it the account name csv_contacts. Whenever you import that contact list, you will want to choose that account. By doing so, Directra will properly match contacts in the csv contact list.
5. Click Import. Directra will display an intermediate screen showing members who can be imported. Select any or all of the members to import. Use the Replace existing members with imported contacts checkbox when you have a master csv contact list that you maintain outside of Directra. The master csv list should have an ID column, so Directra can match existing contacts. You should also use the same account name when you import. When the Replace existing members with imported contacts box is checked, the contact information in the csv file replaces the Directra contact info. In addition, all members that aren't in the imported csv list are deleted (except for the member who is doing the actual import). Directra will create new member pages using the information specified. Click Import to complete the process.
6. Browse the Members view and Tags view to make sure all data was imported correctly.