Importing Assets with User Field (4257808)

Importing Assets with User Field

Importing a CSV into Assets with the field type "USER" as one of the Fields being imported into, can cause false duplications and erroneous errors of mismatched data.

This is caused by the USER data being imported in the CSV being in a DISPLAY NAME format. (e.g. John Smith). 

When Importing data into assets with a USER field, you must select a USER KEY. 
The USER KEY will only accept three types of data: 

1. USER NAME (This is the LOGON name; eg. Jsmith) 
2. EMAIL ID ( This is the Email address of the User; e.g. Jsmith@company.com)
3. USER ID (This is the K1000's User ID for the user, you can find this number at the end of the URL when visiting a detail page of the User in Settings | User |Select User;  e.g. http://kbox/adminui/user.php?ID=12) 


Commonly when you Export Data from Assets to Manipulate it and then Re-import it, if the User Field is in that data it will be exported as the DISPLAY NAME. You will be unable to re-import the CSV until that data has been changed to one of the accepted data types listed above.  

Use the following workaround to do a Mass Find and Replace using Excel on the USER data in the CSV to a compatible format for it to be imported:


1. Open the CSV file to import into Assets.

2. Export the Users from the K1000 into an Excel format (Settings | Users | Choose Action| Export | Export to Excel)

3. Copy the Entire Column "NAME" and "LOGON" to the CSV you want to import. (Leave a few blank Columns in between the Data that is changing and the Data that is pasted in)

4. Use this article - http://www.extendoffice.com/documents/excel/1873-excel-find-and-replace-multiple-values-at-once.html

*NOTE*   

• When the Excel Script is run, it will ask for the "ORIGINAL RANGE" this range will be the data you want to change in the original data set in the CSV. 
• When it asks for the "REPLACE RANGE" this will be both the "NAME" and "LOGON" Columns you pasted into the CSV. 
• After the script has run and it has replaced the DISPLAY NAMES in the CSV with the LOGON (USER NAME) Names, you can remove the NAME and LOGON columns from the CSV. 
• Save the CSV and Import it, when Selecting the USER KEY, use the USER NAME.