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The data source files that are used for import and data migration can be formatted as comma-separated values (CSV) files or XML Spreadsheet 2003 files. The first row in the source file contains column headings. If you do not include the headings in the CSV-formatted file, use the importfile.isfirstrowheader property to specify that the first row represents actual data. In this case, default column headings are created with the names Col1, Col2, and for as many column headings as columns exist. You can easily create CSV-formatted files using Microsoft Excel.

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The data maps are used to map source data contained in the comma-separated values (CSV) source files to Microsoft Dynamics CRM entity attribute types. This process is performed by mapping a column in the source file to an appropriate Microsoft Dynamics CRM entity attribute. The data in the unmapped columns is not imported during the data import operation.

The following table lists the mappings in the data map.

Mapping Type	Description
Column	Maps a column in an import or data migration source file to a Microsoft Dynamics CRM entity attribute. Use the column mapping entity to implement column mapping.
List Value	Maps a list value in an import or data migration source file to a list value in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Use the picklist mapping (value list mapping) entity to implement list value mapping.
Lookup	Maps a lookup value in an import or data migration source file to a Microsoft Dynamics CRM entity attribute of lookup type. Use the lookup mapping entity to implement lookup mapping.

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The configuration information that is required for running data import is contained in the import (data import) and import file entities. The import entity contains status and ownership information for an import job. To run the import, the import entity must be created. Then, import file entities should be assigned to this import. These files are shown on the import page in MS CRM. If custom mapping is used, then column mapping entities must be assigned to each import file for every column. After all entities have been created, you can run the import.

Data import runs directly on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM server. To run data import, set up asynchronous jobs to run in the background that execute in the following order:

1. Parse (import.Parse) source data that is contained in the import file.
2. Transform (import.Transform) parsed data by using the data map.
3. Import (import.ImportRecords) transformed data into Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

You must let each job complete successfully before you can submit a new message request for the next asynchronous job.

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This section lists and describes known issues for the data import feature.

• Next elements in the import file entity are not mandatory due to the schema. If you skip these elements in the request, an error response is returned.

  <xs:element name="targetentityname" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"> 
  <xs:element name="importid" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"> 
  <xs:element name="name" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1">

• Updating data using CSV files with Web services in MS CRM is not possible because there is a condition operator in the Web service that generates exceptions when CSV with the update option is being executed.
• Elements without mandatory attributes can be processed successfully. For example, "importmapid" (Column Mapping entity) has a required attribute "name", that can be skipped.
• Scheduling the Bulk import process when a Bulk delete process is scheduled to run, or running, can cause the Bulk import process to fail.

  If the bulk import process fails, navigate to System, Administration, and then System Jobs in the MS CRM GUI. From the available import jobs that are listed, select the job that failed and open the dialog. The reason for the failure is provided in the Details area. A common error message that is displayed is: This system job was canceled because a referenced record was deleted.