You can get a new application off to a running start by importing a file to create an application or by pasting data to create an application. If work on your application is already well-underway, you can still import data from outside of QuickBase at any time. To import data into an existing application, you can either:
Copy and paste just the cells you need. (Read more about formatting your Microsoft Excel data for best results.)
Import a file into QuickBase. You can import Microsoft Excel 2007 or later (.xlsx), tab-delimited (.tsv) or comma-delimited (.csv) files. (Read more about importing data from Excel to update an existing application.)
If you are importing data from a relational database, read the "Importing from a relational database" section below.
When importing data into an existing application in QuickBase, QuickBase either adds the new records to an existing table (a normal import), or replaces existing QuickBase records with those that you import (an update import). QuickBase decides which type of import you want based on whether or not you import data into the destination table's key field.
If you have chosen to import data into a key field, QuickBase checks to see if there's a match between any value you're importing into a key field and any value that already exists in the key field in your table. If it finds a match, QuickBase updates the matching record with the new data you're importing. If it doesn't find a match, QuickBase creates a new record.
For example, imagine you have an application that manages language classes your business offers. In the Course table, you've changed the key field from the Record ID to the Course ID (which you know will always be unique). Two records in your app might look like this:
Now, let's say you copy and paste the following data into the Import
from Clipboard feature:
Course ID, Course name, Description
201109, Advanced French, "This course describes how to build complex sentences, etc."
201111, Italian for
Beginners, "This course covers basic Italian vocabulary, conversation,
etc."
Because you are importing into your key field (Course ID), QuickBase checks to see if there's a match between any value you're trying to import into your key field and an existing value. In this case, it finds a match in Course ID 201109.
Therefore, QuickBase takes the following actions:
updates Course ID 201109 with a new Course name (Advanced French) and the new description
adds Course ID 201111 to the table
Read more about formatting data for import by pasting, and importing blank values.
To copy and paste data from another program:
In your source document, highlight the text that you want to copy, and choose Copy from the Edit menu.
You can copy tables in a word-processing document, or specific rows or columns from a spreadsheet program.
Open the QuickBase application into which you want to paste the data.
In the menu bar on any application page, select Customize > Import/Export.
Select Import into a table from the Clipboard.
If your application has multiple tables, select the table into which you want to import data.
In the Paste Data section, paste the data that you want to import.
Click Import Data. QuickBase analyzes your data, and then displays the results.
Check the Import Data page to ensure that the field labels for each field (column) are correct and that the data is properly aligned. To do so:
Ensure that the Field Labels - Row 1 row contains field names from your destination table.
Examine the data displayed beneath each field name and make sure you want to import those values into the field that appears at the top of the column.
If you want to import a column's values into a different field, click the dropdown and select the correct field.
If a field type isn't correct, select the appropriate type from the drop-down list at the top of the column.
Tip:If you're importing values that are also people who'll use your QuickBase application, import those values into a User field. (Read more about user fields.) When you're importing into User fields, you can import text or—if you've got them—email addresses. When you import text into a User field, QuickBase creates placeholders that you can later convert to user values. If you import email addresses, QuickBase can immediately match a value with the QuickBase user who's registered with that email address. So, if you can, try importing email addresses instead of user names. You'll save time later.
If you don't want to import any of the values that appear under particular field, select the Do Not Import radio button at the top of the column.
If you want to import the values but there's no appropriate field to receive them, create a new one. To do so click the Create New Field radio button at the top of the column. Then select a field type and enter a name for the field in the Field Label box.
Click Import.
If the import creates new fields, QuickBase displays a warning message asking you to confirm the action. If this wasn't your intention click Cancel and edit your import (refer back to Step 8). Otherwise, click OK.
QuickBase tells you how many records you created or updated.
Note: If the program created placeholders to populate a User field, the number of placeholders created is shown. A Replace Placeholders link is provided in the explanatory text. You can click it to convert placeholder values to real users, but don't feel pressured. You can do this at any time.
To access the application, click Go to the Application Dashboard Page.
If your data is in Microsoft Excel 2007 or later, you can import the .xlsx file. Otherwise, open the file in the original program that created it, and export the file as a tab-delimited (.tsv) or comma-delimited (.csv) file. (If there's no Export command, try Save As and specify either file type.)
Tip: If you have rows that contain explanatory text, remove them before you save the file as a tab-delimited (.tsv) or comma-delimited (.csv) file. Import only column headings and records into QuickBase. Doing so helps the program analyze the structure of your data.
If you are importing data from a Microsoft Excel file, read more about importing data from Excel into existing applications. If you're importing from Microsoft Project, the process is slightly different. Read about importing Project data into QuickBase.
Open the QuickBase application into which you want to import data.
In the menu bar on any application page, select Customize > Import/Export.
Click Import into a table from a File.
If your application has multiple tables, select the table into which you want to import data.
In the Choose file section, click Browse, select the Excel (.xlsx), comma-delimited (.csv), or the tab-delimited (.tsv) file that you want to import, and then click Open.
Click Import from File.
The Import Data page displays, showing you how QuickBase will structure the import.
Note: QuickBase may display a warning prompt to let you know that you're about to perform an "Update import" (see Tip above). If you don't want to do so, remove the key field from your import. To remove it, locate the field and click the Do Not Import radio button at the top of the column.
Check the Import Data page to ensure that the field labels for each field (column) are correct and that the data is properly aligned. To do so:
Ensure that the Field Labels - Row 1 row contains field names from your destination table.
Examine the data displayed beneath each field name and make sure you want to import those values into the field that appears at the top of the column.
If you want to import a column's values into a different field, open the dropdown and select the correct field.
If a field type isn't correct, select the appropriate type from the drop-down list at the top of the column.
Tip: If you're importing values that are also people who'll use your QuickBase application, import those values into a User field. (Read more about user fields.) When you're importing into User fields, you can import text or—if you've got them—email addresses. When you import text into a User field, QuickBase creates placeholders that you can later convert to user values. If you import email addresses, QuickBase can immediately match a value with the QuickBase user who's registered with that email address. So, if you can, try importing email addresses instead of user names. You'll save time later.
If you don't want to import any of the values that appear under particular field, select the Do Not Import radio button at the top of the column.
If you want to import the values but there's no appropriate field to receive them, create a new one. To do so click the Create New Field radio button at the top of the column. Then select a field type and enter a name for the field in the Field Label box.
Click Create.
If the import creates new fields, QuickBase displays a warning message asking you to confirm the action. If this wasn't your intention, click Cancel and edit your import settings (refer back to Step 8). Otherwise, click OK.
QuickBase tells you how many records you created or updated.
If the program created placeholders to populate a user field, a message displays here. It includes a Replace Placeholders link you can click to convert placeholder values to real users. But don't feel pressured. You can do this at any time.
To access the application, click Go to the Application Dashboard Page.
Before you import data from a relational database into a QuickBase application, decide whether you want the application to preserve relationships based on the primary and foreign key fields in the relational database.
To import data without preexisting key fields:
Export the data from the relational database to Microsoft Excel (2007 or later) files, comma-delimited (.csv) files, or tab-delimited (.tsv) files.
Either:
Create a new QuickBase application by importing those files.
Import the files into an existing application
To import data with preexisting key fields:
Export the data from your the relational database to Microsoft Excel (2007 or later) files, comma-delimited (.csv) files, or tab-delimited (.tsv) files.
Create a new QuickBase application from scratch with a table and field structure that matches the relational database structure.
In QuickBase, change the key field of each table so that it corresponds to the key field in the relational database.
Import the file for each table into QuickBase.
The relationships are now set according to the key fields in the imported data. There are some exceptions:
QuickBase does not support compound keys.
QuickBase supports auto-numbering key fields only with the built-in field called "Record ID#". You cannot import information into the default "Record ID#" key field, or into any of the other four QuickBase built-in fields. If you have an existing auto-numbering key field and want to preserve relationships when you import your data into QuickBase:
Create a numeric field in QuickBase and designate it as the key field.
Import your data to the table, mapping the auto-numbering key field to the QuickBase numeric key field.
If you are not planning to use the relational database anymore, change the key field back to the built-in "Record ID" field so that you can continue to have an auto-numbering key field in QuickBase.
QuickBase takes care of managing all the relationships; changing the key field does not disrupt any relationships between records across tables.