Updating records with an import
Match spreadsheet rows to records you already have, change only the fields you mean to, and keep an update run from creating duplicates.
An update run changes records you already have in Syncek from a spreadsheet, such as new phone numbers for your contacts or a revised list of account owners. Syncek finds the record each row belongs to by a field you choose, and changes the columns you map. The import mode, that match field and Skip empty values are set in the last step, Preview import.
1. Choose the import mode
- Add as new records creates a record for every row and compares nothing. Run the same file twice in this mode and every record exists twice.
- Update existing only changes the records that match a row. A row that matches nothing is skipped, and nothing new is created.
- Add new & update existing updates the matches and creates a record for every other row.
2. Choose what to match by
Match by is the field Syncek compares to find the record a row belongs to. It has to be a mapped column of type Text, Email, Phone or Link. The list also offers Number fields, but a Number field finds no match today, so every row counts as unmatched. Pick a field whose value belongs to one record only, such as an email address, a customer code or a website.
Matching is case-sensitive, except for email addresses. ACME-01 and acme-01
are two different codes. Ana@example.com and ana@example.com are the same
address.
3. Map only the columns you mean to change
Skip empty values is on by default. With it on, a blank cell in a text, number, date or select column leaves the stored value alone.
Email, phone, link, address and name fields are made of parts. When a column is mapped to one part, such as the city of an Address, the update replaces the whole field: the parts you did not map are cleared, and a blank cell blanks the part it maps, with Skip empty values on or off. Map every part of such a field in the same run, and before an update run, unmap every column you do not intend to change.
4. Read the preview before you start
The preview marks every row with an icon before anything is written, and the counts above the table read will be created, will be updated, will be skipped and with errors. Click one of the counts to see only those rows.
An ambiguous match is a value held by more than one existing record. That row is counted under with errors and is not imported. Match by a field that is unique, or merge the duplicates first.
Rows are skipped only in Update existing only: when the match field is empty, or when no record holds that value.
Repeated rows in the same file
The preview compares each row with the records already in Syncek, never with the other rows of the file. A value that is new to Syncek and appears twice can become two records under Add new & update existing. Remove repeated rows before you import.
If a run changed more than it should have, undo it within 72 hours.