The Import module enables you to upload customer data from external sources directly into Acteol. Whether you are uploading new customers data, enriching existing profiles with third-party data, or adding contacts from an event, the Import module handles the ingestion, field mapping, and deduplication automatically.
What you can do
Upload customer lists from external sources in CSV or Excel format.
Map columns in your file to the correct fields in Acteol.
Create new customer records or update existing ones from the same import.
Configure duplicate detection rules to prevent the same customer being added twice.
Review import validation results before confirming the upload.
View a full history of all past imports, including status and record counts.
How the import process works
The import process follows a consistent series of steps each time you upload a file:
Upload your file: Select your CSV or Excel file and upload it to the Import module.
Map your fields: Match each column in your file to the corresponding field in Acteol (for example, mapping 'Email Address' in your file to the Email field in the SCV).
Configure duplicate handling: Choose how the system should handle records that match existing customers (update the existing record, skip the duplicate, or create a new record).
Confirm and run: Confirm the import. The system processes the file and updates the Single Customer View (SCV) accordingly.
â ď¸ Important: Always review the validation summary carefully before confirming an import. Records with errors will be skipped, and the issue will need to be corrected in your file before re-uploading.
Field mapping
Field mapping tells Acteol how to interpret the data in your file. During the mapping step, you match each column header from your file to a recognised Acteol field. Common fields include:
First name and last name.
Email address.
Mobile number.
Date of birth.
Opt-in status and communication preferences.
Custom attributes specific to your Acteol configuration.
đ¤ Tip: Save your field mapping configuration after your first import. If you import data from the same source regularly, you can reuse the saved mapping instead of re-mapping from scratch each time.
Duplicate handling
The Import module uses a matching rule to identify whether an incoming record already exists in the SCV. The most common match key is email address. When a duplicate is detected, you can choose to:
Update the existing record with the new data from your file.
Skip the duplicate and leave the existing record unchanged.
Create a new record alongside the existing one (not recommended unless you have a specific reason to do so).
Import history
Every import you run is logged in the import history view. For each import you can see:
The file name and upload date.
Total records in the file, records successfully imported, records updated, and records skipped or errored.
The status of the import (processing, completed, or failed).
A downloadable error report listing any records that could not be imported and the reason why.
Key things to know
The Import module is a standard Acteol Enterprise module, included in all packages.
Supported file formats are CSV and Excel (.xlsx).
Imported data feeds directly into the Single Customer View and is available for segmentation and campaign targeting once the import is complete.
Opt-in and communication preference fields should be included in your import file wherever possible to ensure you remain compliant with your marketing permissions.