Importing contacts to an event's guest list
In the "Guests" menu, you can bulk upload the invitation list with your contacts.
Preparation for the import
Only CSV files are supported for importing contacts into Invitario. Tips for creating import files
can be found here.
To convert a file to CSV format, choose "Save As" in your open file, select one of the CSV formats, and save the file on your computer.
Importing the guest list
To start the import process, click on > Guests in the event menu, click the "Add Guest" icon
and select the "Guest Import" option.
Step 1: "Upload"
Drag the import file onto the gray bar "+ Import file (CSV format)" or click on this bar to select the file.
After successful upload, you will automatically proceed to the next step.
Step 2: "Format"
In the preview, the first five rows of your import file are displayed. You can check here whether the columns and special characters are recognized correctly. Then click the "Next" button.
Troubleshooting:
- If the values of the import data are not correctly displayed in columns, change the settings in the "Field Separator" or "Text Separator" fields.
- If special characters (ä, ö, ü, ß, …) are not displayed correctly, change the values in the "Character Set" field until the preview shows correct values.
Click the "Next" button only if the preview is displayed correctly, otherwise the import will not be carried out.
Step 3: "Fields"
Now you can assign the columns of your import file to the fields in the database. You assign the columns of your CSV file to the Invitario database fields, defining in which field the values of a column are entered:
- In the left column "Columns in the CSV file," you see the values of row 1 (= column headers) from your CSV file.
- The Invitario database fields are displayed in the right column, with a preset selection.
- Select "Do not import field" for those columns in your import file that you do not want to import.
- Then click the "Next" button.
Each row is created as a separate contact, so if your CSV has 100 rows, 99 contacts/guests will be created (the first row is always interpreted as a header row, and the values are not imported).
If you use the import template to create the import file or a guest export file, the assignment of the data fields is done automatically and only needs to be checked.
Step 4: "Settings"
You can make the following import settings:
"4.1. Check for duplicates in the import file"
If desired, the import file can be checked for duplicates based on the selected column in your CSV file, which will then not be imported. Select the column under "Unique field in the import file" to identify duplicates.
With the default setting "Do not search for duplicates," the search for duplicates is not performed.
"4.2. Check for existing contacts"
Based on the selected field "Unique field in the contact database," Invitario can identify which contacts from the import file are already in your account's contact database.
With the default setting "Do not select a field," the search for existing contacts is not performed.
"4.3. Updating existing contacts"
The functions of this import step are only available if you selected a field in the previous step "4.2. Check for existing contacts".
How should existing contacts be handled?
Define whether field values for existing contacts should be updated with the values from the import file. Updates are made to those fields where there is a discrepancy with the import file. All other fields retain their previous values.
Include empty values in the import file for existing contacts:
Define whether already entered values for existing contacts should be deleted if the corresponding data field in the import file is empty.
Delete contacts not found in the import file:
Contacts already present in Invitario that are not in the import file will be deleted by the import.
Delete existing guests with a value in this field:
Contacts present in the guest list that have a value in the selected field will be removed.
"4.4. Adding new contacts"
How should new contacts be handled?
New or not yet existing contacts can either be added as new contacts or ignored during the import.
Step 5: "Preview"
The expected result, based on your settings, will be displayed before starting the import process.
- Guests to be added: Number of new guests to be added to the event guest list.
- New contacts: Number of new contacts to be added to your account.
- Contacts to be updated: Number of existing contacts in your account where at least one field will be updated.
- Contacts to be deleted: Number of contacts to be removed from the event guest list.
Start the import by clicking the “Start Import” button.
Depending on the size of your file, the import may take several minutes. You will receive a confirmation email once the import is complete.
Non-imported contacts will be attached to the notification email after the import in a CSV list.
The information about the cause of the rejected import will be listed for each contact,
e.g., syntax error in an email address. You can correct the errors directly in this list and start a new import process with the corrected contacts.
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