The first step – Choose CSV file

First step will be the selection of the CI Type of the data contained in a CSV file as well as the selection of the file itself (path and filename):

Import data

The first step Choose CSV file contains following fields:

1.  CI Type: Mandatory field. Choose CI type from dropdown list (the type that the CSV file contains data of).

2.  Language: Choose import language. Language name represent language of the properties values in CSV file.

3.  CSV Delimiter: Mandatory field. Type symbol for separating columns in CSV file. NOTE: Character "|" is reserved as a delimiter for multi select fields (e.g. Group)

4.  CSV Decimal Point: Mandatory field. Type symbol for decimal point used in CSV file.

5.  CSV Date format: Mandatory field. Choose date format used in CSV file from dropdown list. Date format can also be edited. See format rules below.

6.  CSV Time format: Mandatory field. Choose time format used in CSV file from dropdown list. Time format can also be edited. See format rules below.

7.  CSV Date and Time format: Mandatory field. Choose date and time format used in CSV file from dropdown list. Date and time format can also be edited. See format rules below.

8.  CSV File: Mandatory field. Choose desired file for import.  Only CSV format is allowed, and must be saved with UTF-8 encoding.

This step also contains info button (9) which opens popup with more information about CI Import.  In popup there is a link to open user manual for this function.

Date and Time format specification rules

1.  d - Day of the month as a number from 1 through 31.

2.  dd - Day of the month as a number from 01 through 31.

3.  ddd - Represents the abbreviated name of the day (Mon, Tues, Wed etc).

4.  dddd - Represents the full name of the day (Monday, Tuesday etc).

5.  h - 12-hour clock hour (e.g. 4).

6.  hh - 12-hour clock, with a leading 0 (e.g. 06).

7.  H - 24-hour clock hour (e.g. 15).

8.  HH - 24-hour clock hour, with a leading 0 (e.g. 22).

9.  m – Minutes.

10. mm - Minutes with a leading zero.

11. M - Month number(eg.3).

12. MM - Month number with leading zero(eg.04).

13. MMM - Abbreviated Month Name (e.g. Dec).

14. MMMM - Full month name (e.g. December).

15. s – Seconds.

16. ss - Seconds with leading zero.

17. t - Abbreviated AM / PM (e.g. A or P).

18. tt - AM / PM (e.g. AM or PM).

19. y - Year, no leading zero (e.g. 2015 would be 15).

20. yy - Year, leading zero (e.g. 2015 would be 015).

21. yyyy - Year, (e.g. 2015).

 

The second step - Mapping

When you click Next system will perform data structure and integrity check that control if the file uses a correct CSV format. This means it will be checked to determine if the data in the CSV file are in a table format. After the data verification procedure you will be redirected to a second step of the import wizard, the tab Mapping.

After the data verification procedure you will be redirected to a second tab Mapping. Here you perform custom mapping linking CSV-objects to CI properties. The form will hold the list of all available CI properties specific for the selected CI type you selected in step 1. Select appropriate CSV column for each property that you want to import. Required properties, marked with * by the property name, must be mapped.

For ease of reference, for required properties, Missing Reference Handling is initially displayed with the Default action predefined for ease of reference. Mapped value has higher priority than Missing Reference Handling value.

Note that some composed or complex property types cannot be imported because they cannot be represented in table format in CSV file, e g Image, Rating and Like/Dislike.

Manual mapping of CSV file

This form contains four columns:

1.  Property:  Contains list of all CI properties for the selected CI type. The list of CI properties and data types is shown in Default properties for all CI types.

2.  CSV Fields:  Used to select appropriate column for the property from CSV file.

3.  Data Example: Preview of property values.

4.  Missing Reference Handling: Used only for referenced properties. You can choose some of given action for handling reference property value.

Possible actions are available if a reference is missing during the import:

•  Error (7): Error notification will show if property value does not exist in database.

•  Add (5): If the value of property does not exist in the NSP database, a new object will be inserted in database and import will use that new inserted value.

•  Empty (6): The value of property do not pass validation and integration check, system will ignore this value and set property value to empty.

•  Default (8): Shows a dropdown field with list of all values existing in database for chosen property where you choose which value of property want to use.

List of all referenced properties, common for each ci types and the allowed action for each:

•  State: Error, Default

•  Organization: Error, Add, Empty, Default

•  Department, Impact, Used by, Managed by, Location, Product, Vendor: Error, Empty, Default

In the case of importing user type properties, for example used by, the primary value for identification is email or windows user name. If there are several accounts in the database with the same value, that field will be assigned the value from the first one from the list.

Mapping step also offers possibility of saving custom mapping for selected CI type, set default mapping and Load preferred mapping from list of saved mappings.

In case you want to use same manual mapping of CSV file for next import process just click Save Mapping (10) button and in opening form enter name of mapping. You also have possibility Set mapping as default. Saved mapping refers only for the CI Type chosen in import step 1.

If you already have saved mapping, you may just load it clicking on Load Mapping (9) button. In opening form you can chose which saved mapping want to load, delete mapping or set mapping as default.

There is also possibility of Reset Mapping (11) fields.

Mapping identity field (12): If mapping within properties refers to field "import value", then the mapping logic will look at the selected property from the list. This means, for example, if you map refNo to the import value and select No in the reference dropdown, the system will try to find an existing Ci with that value. In case you do not map the "import value" field, the standard logic based on external reference is applied.

When mapping is done, click Next.

 

The third step - Preview

After the mapping is determined, preliminary import into the temporary staging table will be performed. That table will be shown in Preview tab of the import wizard where you can visually check an example of the data that will be imported. Click Back to re-map the import data, or Import to perform actual import of the previewed data into the database.

Preview shows an example how the CIs will be imported after mapping

Button Import will transfer data into the CMDB database.

 

Updating existing CIs

External Reference is used to determine whether insert or update will be performed. If the field is not defined, or is defined but not in the NSP system, then new CI will be inserted. If the External Reference exists in the NSP, then the data which are mapped will be updated with new data.

External Reference <-> CI ID

The External Reference is the Identifier of the CI and is used like this during the import:

•  If the CI in CMDB has same External Reference in CSV file the data of the CI will be updated with import data.

•  If the External Reference does not have a counterpart in CMDB a new CI will be created

•  Warning: If External Reference is missing all together, no updates of the existing CI are possible. New and possible duplicate CIs may be created.

 

Updating CI properties is performed by following the same procedure like when importing new CI’s. In second step, during manual mapping, it is necessary to select External Reference, and other properties that need to be updated.

In the case External reference of CI already exists, the wizard will only update the remaining selected properties of CI with that same external reference.

Example:

Configuration Item with CI ID 001 is existing in database and have some properties. After collecting new property value, you want to update its properties using Import functionality.  Precondition for this is that your CSV file contains column with CI ID values, and contains CI with ID 001. During import, in second step, you should mapping external reference with CI ID column In CSV file, and all other desired properties you want to update. After finishing import your CI 001 will be updated with new property values.

If the property value already exists in the database and during mapping, you insert Missing Reference Handling value, that value will not be updated, since the existing or mapped value has higher priority than Missing Reference Handling value.