OfficeTools by CARET Excel Contact Import

Before you begin:

In order to utilize the Excel Contact Import tool, you must have the Contact Manager user right within OfficeTools by CARET.

Preparing your data:

Most programs that manage contact information have the ability to export info into an Excel file. This data will likely require “cleaning” before import, due to the fact that not all data is in the correct format for importing. To get your data into the proper format, use our Excel Template at the bottom of this article (the importer can accept files in the following formats: .xls, .xlsx, .csv, .txt, and .xml).
Each column in the template spreadsheet represents a field in OfficeTools by CARET. To guarantee a successful import parse your data according to the column distinctions. Splitting up address, for example, so that city, state, and zip are in their separate respective columns (like the template suggests) will give you ideal results, as opposed to putting them in the same column separated by commas, which will not. Some columns in the template begin with the letters “SP”, this stands for spouse, but you can also put dependent information here.
If the contact you’re importing is an individual and you leave the Company Name field blank, by default the importer will set their File As name to Last Name, First Name. Middle initials should follow first names in the First Name column (ex. Anthony B.).

Importing:

To access the Excel Import Tool, login to Practice Management and go to Contacts drop-down>Import/Export Contacts>Import from spreadsheet.

You can use the “open file” ellipses or simply Drag & Drop the excel file into the Excel Sync Tool to begin.

1. Once you have the Excel file loaded into the tool, verify that the OfficeTools fields (the top row) correspond to the correct fields in the Excel file (the bottom row—if you used the template this will be done for you).
2. Verify that the Total Rows match the original Excel file total rows.
3. Select the Contact Type for the contacts you’re importing. You can only import one contact type at a time, so if you wish to import multiple types you will have to split them into separate Excel files and import them subsequently.
4. You may also import the contacts under custom Contact Groups (Tax client, Bookkeeping Client, etc.)
5. When you are ready to import click the “Process” button THIS DOES NOT IMPORT IMMEDIATELY, you will be given an additional screen to verify the import format is correct.
NOTE: The import tool has the ability to import Alternate Contacts if the company names match, but the First, Last name fields do not. In the example below, Mike Brown would be imported under ABC Company as an Alternate Contact, leaving John Smith as the Main Contact for the company.

After processing the Excel file the following window will appear showing you how your data will import.

Nothing will be brought into OfficeTools by CARET until you click the “Start Importing” button. There’s an option in the bottom left-hand corner of this window that says “Update if already exists in Office Tools.” If checked the tool will, as you’d expect, update contacts with matching company names, overwriting them with the information in the Excel file. If this option is not checked and a contact already exists in OfficeTools by CARET with the same company name, the tool will skip that entry on the Excel file and do nothing. Once you are satisfied with the contact information and format click “Start Importing”. THIS WILL IMPORT ALL DATA.