Introducing Imports - Instantly Import CSV/Excel Files to Your Database

We’re going to identify all the different ways to import data into Dropbase. Out of the many ways to import your data, you can always feel assured that safety will never be compromised.

Importing data by yourself

Quick Import

The first way to import data is the simplest, such that you can essentially speed through the entire import process to have your raw data populated in the database table within seconds. This can be done through drag and drop (DND) after creating a table as seen below.

Notice how Step #3 involves ‘Selecting an Option’. There are two initial import options: Keep Table Columns and Use File Columns.

• Keep Table Columns = allows for more customization - where you can manually build your table column by column , which will then require you to map your file data to the table columns. This process takes more time prior to importing, but allows for direct control
• Use File Columns = the time saver - instead of manually building a database table column by column, you can quickly use this option where your file columns are used to overwrite table columns to automatically map your data without much configuration, prior to importing data

A reminder that this scenario does not take advantage of any data cleaning steps. This is only the fastest method to importing your raw data to a database. If you do have some cleaning steps you want to apply, continue onto the next section. All the above steps apply as well, you just have to add the cleaning steps you’d like.

Clean, Validate & Load to Database

Cleaning your raw data prior to loading it to your database is optimal. You can create quick validation checks specific to your use case, or use any pre-built checks to ensure your data is properly validated. Once set, your data will not load to the database unless all validation errors are corrected. See below for the process:

Once you’ve imported your data the first time to create a table, importing newer data of the same schema is almost exactly the same. This allows you to speed past the initial process, and automate your imports to match the speed of your data. Whether you need to update your database daily, weekly, or monthly, Dropbase makes it possible in the shortest amount of time by giving you various auto-import options as seen below:

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Importing data from external sources

Now let’s focus on how to automatically collect your data whether they’re coming from business partners, customers, or other team members. We covered this topic in depth in a previous article, but read on for a condensed version of it.

Dropmail

Dropmail feels like magic. It eliminates traditional the email workflow of receiving data in an email attachment, downloading it, cleaning, and then uploading it to your database every single time. Here’s how.

Dropmail creates a unique email id that your external data sender (like a supplier) sends the data to, instead of you. When your supplier sends the data as an email attachment to the Dropmail address, the data gets automatically added to a previously created data pipeline.

We talked about Dropmail in detail here and also here if you’d like to learn more. If you’d rather try out Dropmail right now, sign up for a free trial here.

Imports, in conclusion

Those are all the way (for now) to get your data into Dropbase. The great about all these import methods is that you can automate the entire ingestion and cleaning process with the help of these pipelines. If you’d like to check out these import features and all of the others in Dropbase, sign up for a trial here.

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