Importing CIs from CSV files

If your CI data is stored elsewhere, you can use comma-separated values (CSV) files to import the CIs and CI relationships into FootPrints where your users can access them and link to them. You can populate the Assignment type field values with users or teams. If you want to import multiple values for the Assignment type field, the values must be separated by a semi-colon (;), for example, User1;User2;Team3.

In FootPrints, you have two options to import Boolean fields:

• Yes—the check box is selected.
• No—the check box is cleared.

However, to import Boolean fields using a CSV file, you must specify the values in the following format:

• TRUE for Yes value of the field.
• FALSE for No value of the field.

For more information about importing CI relationships, see Importing CI relationships from CSV files.

To import CIs from CSV files

1. Click the Administration tab.
2. In the System Management section, click Import.
   The Task Scheduler page appears, showing a list of scheduled tasks and their status. 
3. Click New Task and select Import Task > Configuration Items.
   The Import CI page appears, showing the Source Type pane.
4. In the Source Type field, select Text (CSV).
5. In the left pane, click Source Configuration.
   The Source Configuration pane appears.
6. In the Source Configuration pane, complete the following fields:
   
   1. In the File Location field, select the location.
      Options are Local Directory, Network Server, and Web.
   2. In the Data Encoding field, select the encoding method.
      Options are Server default and UTF-8.
   3. Based on the option that you selected in the File location field, identify the source file:
      • If you selected Local Directory, in the Upload Source File field, click Browse to select the location of the source file and then click Open. A progress message appears, followed by a confirmation message. Click OK.
      • If you selected Network Server, in the URL for Source File field, enter the URL and click Search Network to verify it. If there is no drive mapped to a location on another server, enter the UNC path as \\<Server Name>\<Location on Server of csv file>\<File name>.
      • If you selected Web in the URL for Source File field, enter the URL and click Search Web to verify it.
7. In the left pane, click Data Destination.
   The Data Destination pane appears.
8. In the Data Destination pane, complete the following fields:
   
   1. In the Import into CMDB field, select the CMDB where you want to import the CIs.
   2. (Optional) To search existing contacts for matches and link the imported CIs to them:
      1. Select Link imported CIs to matching entries in Address Book.
      2. In the Address Book field, select from the address books associated with the selected CMDB.
      3. In the Contact Type field, select the appropriate contact item.
9. In the left pane, click Map Fields.
   The Map Fields pane appears.
10. In the Map Fields pane, complete the following fields:
    
    1. (Optional) If the data file has a header row, select My data file has a header row.
    2. Based on the option that you selected, perform one of the following:
       • If you did not select to link the imported CIs to an address book, proceed to step c.

       • If you selected to link the imported CIs to an address book, the Link to Address Book section appears. Complete the fields:

         1. In the Map data source file field, select the source field that you want to map.

         2. In the To field in Address Book field, select the target field in the Address Book.

            Important

            If the Address Book does not have a matching contact record, the CI record is imported, however it is marked as rejected with the error "The contact search value does not exist".

    3. In the Map CI Type Rules section, perform the following actions:
       
       1. In the Default CI Type field, select select the CI type from the options defined defined for the selected CMDB and click Add.
       2. If you want to customize the import process, perform steps iii through vi. If you want to use the default import process, continue with step 10e.
          With the default process, all CIs are assigned the default CI type.
       3. In the If Column field, select a condition.
       4. In the Contains Text field, type the text to match.
       5. In the Set CI Type as field, select the CI type that will be assigned to the imported records.
       6. Click Update.
       7. Repeat steps i through vi to add as many rules as you need.
    4. In the Map Attributes section:
       
       1. Click Add.
       2. Select values for Attribute and Source Field. You must map at least one attribute.
          The available values are based on the selections already made on this page. The Attribute Type field is read-only.
       3. In the Status for all CIs section, in the Status field, select the initial status for the uploaded CIs.
       4. (Optional) To update existing CIs, select Update the Status for Existing CIs.
       5. In the Unique Key section, select the fields in the Available fields column and move them to the Selected fields column.
11. In the left pane, click Outcome Notification.
    The Outcome Notification pane appears.
12. Complete the following fields:
    
    1. (Optional) In the Users field, enter an agent's user name to send a notification to the agent's primary email address.
    2. (Optional) In the Email Addresses field, enter the email addresses of anyone who should be notified when this task runs.
       Separate multiple user names and email addresses with semicolons. A notification is sent about the import outcome and includes result, task name, date, and so on. The notification also includes the number of records that were rejected, created, updated, and unchanged.
13. In the left pane, click Schedule Task.
    The Schedule Task pane appears.

14. Complete the fields:

    1. In the Task Name field, enter a specific name for this task.

    2. (Optional) In the Notes field, enter any useful information about this task.

    3. (Optional) Select whether to run this task immediately or at a specific time, and whether and when to run it again.

       If you do not select any settings, the task will only run manually. For more information, see Scheduling tasks.
15. Click Schedule Task.
    Your selections are validated by the system. If no errors are found, the Task Schedule page appears. Local files that won't change between scheduling and running are validated immediately. Web and network server files are validated at run-time. Next Run Time is the next or first time a task will be run.

Next step

To import the relationships for these CIs, follow the instructions provided in Importing CI relationships from CSV files.

Related topics

Viewing task logs

Importing CIs from SQL databases

Importing CIs from BMC Client Management

Importing CI relationships from BMC Client Management

Importing CI relationships from SQL databases

Working with mappings