QUESTIONS THAT APPLY TO THIS TOPIC

• How do I import a text file into Gorilla?
• How do I get a purchased mailing list into Gorilla?
• How do I use a third-party client list in Gorilla?

ANSWER

• The file to be imported must be in a text format.
• Although the file may be constructed in a number of ways, the recommended data format is CSV (comma-separated values)
• The data in the file must match the Gorilla database fields as closely as possible for the best results. For example, names in the list must be broken out into First Name, Middle Name and Last Name rather than it being in a single field.
• For the best results, we recommend using the Gorilla Import Form. This is an Excel spreadsheet that contains all the fields that are able to be imported into Gorilla as well as aides in accurately importing the data. You can download this form from the bottom of this article.

Import Procedure

1. Before starting anything do a database backup.
2. Start Gorilla as normal.
3. Choose “Import/Export” from the main menu and select “Import and Export”. The Import/Export window will open. Choose the tab labeled “Import” then click “OK”. This will open the “Text Import Wizard – Welcome” window.
   
4. Click on the button labeled with the three-dots (at the end of the “File Name” box) and locate the text file you wish to import. A preview of this file will appear in the “Preview” portion of the window.
5. Decide on the duplicate checking options you’d like to use. For help with this, please see the knowledgebase article “How to use Duplicate Checking when Importing a Text File”.
6. Click on the button labeled “Next”. This will open the “Text Import Wizard – Delimited Text File” window.
   
7. Make sure that “Comma” is selected as the delimiter, and “Double Quote” is the selected text qualifier.
8. It’s standard for the first row of your text file to contain the names describing the contents of the column; checking the option “First Row Contains Field Names” will prevent that row from being imported. If the first row of your file contains actual values to be imported, uncheck this option.
9. Click the button labeled “Next”. This will bring up the “Text Import Wizard – Field Matching” window.
   
10. Here you’ll map – or “match” – columns in your text file with fields in the Gorilla database. To do this, find the database field that most closely matches the column in your text file, click in the box next to the database field, then use the drop-down menu in the box to locate the name of the column you wish to match. Note: If you are using our data import template, click on the Mapping Options button and choose Auto-fill Mappings, then click Yes. This will automatically map any fields from your text file that match the fields in Gorilla. You can then continue through to map any additional fields. 
    Example: In the text file are the columns labeled “First Name 1”, “Middle Name 1”, and  “Last Name 1”:
    
    In the upper part of the window, where the database fields are listed, you will find the fields that match the columns as closely as possible: “First Name 1”, “Middle Name 1”, and “Last Name 1”:
    
    Clicking the box next to “First Name 1” causes a down-arrow for a drop-down menu to appear. Clicking on this arrow shows all the names of the columns in the text file:
    
    Scroll through the list until you see the value “<<First Name 1>>”. Highlight that and the menu will close, leaving your selection “<<First Name 1>>” in the box next to the field “First Name 1”.
11. Repeat this process for as many of the columns in your text file, and as many fields in the database as you can. Please note that it is normal for some columns to not have matching fields; likewise, not all fields may be populated. Note also that some fields are required for the import process to occur. These fields are:
    1. The Advisor 1 field – This is the primary system owner for the entire list.
    2. The List field
    3. The Comm. Status field – If this field is not in your spreadsheet, choose Normal.
    4. The Comm. Channel field – If this field is not in your spreadsheet, choose Letter.
    5. Address 1 field
    
    If the above information is missing from the text file, records will be rejected (that is, not imported).
12. When you’ve done all the field matching possible, click on the button labeled “Next”. This will bring up the “Text Import Wizard – Finish” window.
13. When you’re ready, click on the button labeled “Finish”. This will start the text import process. A bar will appear at the bottom of the window (next to the label “Progress”) to indicate that records are being imported. When the import process is finished, a report will be generated containing a list of any possible duplicates found during the import process (based on your selections under “Duplicate Checking”), as well as a list of any rejected records (because of invalid or missing information). It is recommended that you print out this report for future reference (simply click the button labeled “Print”).

At this point, the records have been imported into the Gorilla database and can be accessed the same as any other Contact Group.

Notes:

• It is advisable to create a unique keyword to be assigned to the list being imported. This allows you to quickly and easily locate the Contact Groups of this list for messaging or editing purposes