CSV import: New customer information

You can import new customer information by uploading a CSV file.

You can now import information into this area of Sage Intacct with the new import service.

Learn more about the available imports.

Subscription

Accounts Receivable, Projects, Order Entry
Regional availability

All regions
User type

Business, Employee, Approval
Permissions

Customers: List, Add, Edit

Add and Edit permissions are required only for importing customer records

Download a template

Subscription

Company

Regional availability

All regions

User type

Business
Permissions

Company Setup Checklist: Run

Download a new blank template from the Company Setup Checklist whenever you import information into Sage Intacct. Using a downloaded template is important because:

  • Templates in the Company Setup Checklist are automatically customized based on your company configuration, including any dimensions and custom fields you created.
  • Templates can be updated by Intacct at any time, especially when a new version of Intacct is released. When templates are updated, an older template might not work upon import.
Some import pages include a link that lets you download a blank template directly (instead of getting the template from the Company Setup Checklist).

To download a template from the Company Setup Checklist:

  1. Go to Company > Setup > Configuration > Import data.

    The Company Setup Checklist opens. You’ll find a list of areas that you can import information into Intacct.

  2. Decide on a type of information to upload, and select the Template link associated with that information.

If you do not see the template that you want on the Company Setup Checklist, go to Download a CSV import template.

Some templates are not kept on the Company Setup Checklist.

Prepare a CSV file for import

When you download a template, the correct headers are in the template already. All you have to do is fill in the columns with your data, save it as a CSV file, and upload the file.

The header titles in the template you download correlate to fields in Intacct. Incorrect header titles will cause an upload error.

For more information about the CSV upload process, including best practices, common errors, and how to upload your CSV file, see Prepare your file for CSV import.

Best practices

The following best practices will help you prepare your CSV file for upload.

Download a template from the Company setup checklist or an object list page.

  • Use the latest template, especially following a product release.
  • Use the correct template for the area in which you want to upload information. Different templates organize different types of information. Use a template specifically for the information that you need to upload.
  • Don’t change the titles in the header row. The header titles correlate to fields in Intacct. Incorrect header titles will cause an upload error. When you download a template from the Company setup checklist, the correct headers are in the template.
  • Read the header descriptions in the template. The header description is the cell under the header row that explains what type of information is accepted for each column. If you enter information in the wrong format, or with an incorrect accepted value, it will cause an error in your upload. The header descriptions in the template show you how the information should look. For example, the header in the GL Journal Entries template for JOURNAL shows that allows up to four characters, is required, and has no default values. The header in the Reporting Periods template shows that the STATUS only allows the values 1 or 2, which correlates to True and False, and is not a required field.
  • Enter required information. Some data is required, while other data is not. Read the description field to determine which information is required. Required information is necessary for your upload to succeed.

Save the file as a comma-separated value, or CSV, file. If saving from Excel, you could choose the comma-delimited file type.

The file will have the file extension .csv after you save it. Leave the file open until your import is successful. Excel can sometimes reformat the file if you close it before the import is successful.

Avoid common import errors

Intacct recommends following these guidelines to avoid import errors.

In Microsoft Excel:

  1. Select all cells.
  2. Right-click the cells and select Format Cells.
  3. On the Number tab, select Text and then select OK.
  4. Save the file.

The short date format is formatted like this: 3/15/2021

In Microsoft Excel:

  1. Select a column of dates.
  2. Right-click the column and select Format Cells.
  3. On the Number tab, select Date and select the short date format.
  4. Save the file.

While spaces within memo fields are allowed, make sure there are no leading or trailing spaces in any field (not just memos). Leading and trainling spaces may cause import errors. For all other fields, remove unnecessary spaces at the start or end of the data.

In Microsoft Excel:

  1. Select a range of cells.
  2. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, select Find & Select and select Replace.
  3. In the Find what box, press the space bar once. Leave the Replace with box blank.
  4. Select Replace All. A prompt opens telling you how many spaces have been removed.
  5. Save the file.

Commas are used to separate fields in CSV files.

To prevent data from shifting into the wrong columns, avoid using commas in numeric and text fields.

If you must include a comma in a text field, always surround the field with double quotes, for example "Smith, John".

Headers in your CSV file must match the template exactly, including spelling, capitalization, and spacing. Even small changes (such as adding a space or changing a letter’s case) will cause the import to fail. Always use the official template provided by Sage Intacct.

ID fields must contain exact references to customers or suppliers.

ID fields must match exactly, including capitalization. For example, ven100 and VEN100 do not match.

Enter the ID exactly as it appears in Intacct or you run the risk of matching transactions to the wrong supplier or customer, or having the upload fail.

If you reference a supplier, customer, term, budget, etc., in a CSV file, whatever you’re referencing must already exist in Intacct.

For example, if you’re uploading transactions for a particular supplier, if the supplier does not already exist as a supplier in Intacct before your upload, your upload will fail.

This does not apply when creating new customers or suppliers using the import process.

For more information about to correctly number line items, see CSV import: Line number examples.

For fields with predefined valid entries (such as True/False), use initial capitalization. For example True, not TRUE or true. IDs require exact case matches, while predefined entries require initial capitalization.

If your import template contains a country field, for example for an address, make sure that this field has an entry.

If your company has enabled ISO country codes, you must specify the country code in the country field for each record. If you are unsure whether ISO codes are enabled, check with your administrator or test a sample import to confirm the required format.

Import a CSV file

Now that you've entered your data and looked through it for any of the common issues imports can have, you’re ready to import your file to Intacct.

To import your CSV file:

  1. Go to Company > Setup > Configuration > Import data.

  2. Find the information type that you want to import, and select the corresponding Import link.

  3. In the Import Company Information dialog, set the following and select Import:

    Import file option descriptions
    Option Description

    Browse

    Use the Browse button to locate and select the CSV file you want to import.

    Date format

    When you select a date format here, Sage Intacct attempts to import your file using the selected date format. If Intacct can’t import your file with the selected date format, it attempts to discover the date format used in your file and import the data using that date format.

    File encoding

    Leave this option set to "auto-detect" unless you're unable to import your file. Depending on your operating system, you may need to select a different type of file encoding.

    Process offline

    Some imports can take considerable time, depending on their size and how much processing the system must do on the uploaded data. If you're not sure how much time your upload will take, select Process offline. When the system completes the process, it sends an email to the address you provide in the Email results to this address field. The system also sends you any errors that may have occurred in the process. If you prefer to wait until the upload process is complete, don’t select the Process offline checkbox.

    Transactions and other records that are processed offline show a source of System in the audit trail, instead of CSV import.

    Email results to this address

    Email address to which import results and errors should be sent. You can enter multiple email addresses, separated by a semicolon (;) or comma (,).

    Sage Intacct highly recommends entering an email address.

After an import, Sage Intacct informs you if the import was successful and how many records were imported.

In a completely successful import, the confirmation page lets you verify all the records in your original file were, in fact, successfully imported without having to verify them manually.

Import offline

Some imports can take considerable time, depending on their size and how much processing Intacct must do to the data. When in doubt, select Process offline on the import utility page.

When the offline process is complete, Intacct sends an email to the address you entered in the Import Company Information dialog (where you imported your file).

Intacct recommends that you select Process offline when importing CSV files, and provide your email address. If your import fails, you’ll always be notified, and the failed records are sent to your email.

Handle errors

If you experience import errors, review the importing tips and common errors.

Import errors occur when you try to import information that doesn’t match the requirements of the template. Each template has a set of required information you must enter to import the file successfully, and formats to follow for certain kinds of information. Read the descriptions in the template to determine the most accurate way to enter your data.

If individual transactions are in error, the rows in the transaction that are in error are saved in a CSV file for you along with an error code for each row. Check your email for information about specific errors. See Find and fix CSV import errors for more information.

For more information about the CSV upload process, read Prepare your file for CSV import.

Field descriptions

The field definitions in your template explain what type of information is required for each field, and how to enter valid information. It's always a good idea to read the field definitions before making entries.

You can reorder the columns of your CSV file for ease of use. However, the column header must contain the field name exactly as it appears in the original template.

If you downloaded a template from the Company Setup Checklist or an object list page, your template contains the headers and dimensions that are specific to your company. The headers in a standard template might not contain field definitions specific to your company.

To import dimension values, enter information in the appropriate dimension column of the import spreadsheet. Otherwise, no information appears for that dimension.

If you relabeled any dimensions (see Terminology for more information), your dimension name does not appear in the CSV template, but the original Intacct dimension name does.

About the customer CSV file fields

The maximum number of customer records you can import in one CSV file is 25000 records.

  • When importing customer records, child records must be imported after parent records. Child records that incorrectly reference a parent record can cause your import to fail. For example, if the parent record does not exist, or if the parent record references a child record as if it were a parent, your import can fail.
  • The maximum customer records you can import in one file is 25000 records.
  • If you include an ACCT_LABEL, Sage Intacct creates an account label on the fly when you import your file. This means you can't re-use the same ACCT_LABEL for another customer.
  • If you include an ACCT_LABEL, you must also include:
    • a GL_ACCTNO that conforms to a primary/sub account specification in Company > Setup: Company Info.
    • the GL_ACCTNOmust point to valid account.
  • DELIVERYOPTIONS can be set to online, only if the company subscribes to online delivery.
  • Customer lists have optional sets of Contact Fields for the billto and/or shipto contact. The fields are identical to the required set of primary contact fields, except they have B- and S- prefixes. If either the billto and/or shipto contact fields are not included, the primary contact information is used instead.
The Don't Include On Company's Contact List and GL Group fields found in the Customer Information page are not represented in the template.

Billto and Shipto contact fields

You can include sets of fields for a billto and/or shipto contact. The template contains fields for this information, but it is not required.

The Billto contact fields have a B_ prefix and the Shipto contact fields have an S_ prefix.

If the Billto and/or Shipto contact fields are not included, the primary contact information is used for the customer. This means that the COMPANY_NAME field, when used for the Billto contact, would be B_COMPANY_NAME, and the shipping contact would be S_COMPANY_NAME.

Field Name: DONOTIMPORT

#

Any row that starts with # is ignored during import.
Field Name: CUSTOMER_ID

UI Field Name:

Customer ID

Type:

Character

Length:

20

Default Value:

None, unless customer sequence auto-numbering is enabled.

Valid Values:

Alphanumeric and underscore.

Dependencies:

None

Required:

Yes, if customer sequence auto-numbering is not enabled.

Editable:

No

Note:

If customer sequence auto-numbering is enabled (Company > Admin > Subscriptions, then Accounts Receivable > Configure), the Customer ID is used, if you do not supply one here.
Field Name: CUST_NAME

UI Field Name:

Customer Name

Type:

Character

Length:

100

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Should not be empty.

Dependencies:

None

Required:

Yes

Editable:

Yes

Field Name: PARENT_ID

UI Field Name:

Parent Customer Name

Type:

Character

Length:

20

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Alphanumeric and underscore

Dependencies:

Refers to a valid customer

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes

Field Name: CUSTTYPE_NAME

UI Field Name:

Customer Type ID

Type:

Character

Length:

80

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes

Field Name: TAXABLE

UI Field Name:

Taxable

Type:

Character

Length:

N/A

Default Value:

False

Valid Values:

True or False

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: TAX_ID

UI Field Name:

VAT Reg No

Type:

Character

Length:

20

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: TERM_NAME

UI Field Name:

Term

Type:

Character

Length:

40

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: CREDIT_LIMIT

UI Field Name:

Credit Limit

Type:

Number

Length:

38, 2

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any valid amount

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: ACCT_LABEL

UI Field Name:

Account Label

Type:

Character

Length:

80

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any, however, the account label must be unique for each customer

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes

Field Name: GL_ACCTNO

UI Field Name:

GL Account

Type:

Character

Length:

24

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Must conform to primary/sub accounts.

Dependencies:

If ACCT_LABEL is specified, a GL_ACCTNO must be included, which also must refer to a valid account number.

Required:

No

Editable:

No
Field Name: RESALE_NUMBER

UI Field Name:

Resale Number
Type:

Character

Length:

20

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: SHIP_TO_METHOD

UI Field Name:

Shipping Method

Type:

Character

Length:

40

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: TERRITORY_ID

UI Field Name:

Territory ID

Type:

Character

Length:

20

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Alphanumeric and underscore

Dependencies:

Refers to a valid territory

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: CUST_REP_ID

UI Field Name:

Customer Rep

Type:

Character

Length:

20

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Alphanumeric and underscore

Dependencies:

Refers to a valid employee

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: DELIVERYOPTIONS

UI Field Name:

Delivery Options

Type:

Character

Length:

15

Default Value:

P

Valid Values:

P = print; E = email; PE = print and email

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: ONHOLD

UI Field Name:

On Hold

Type:

Character

Length:

5

Default Value:

False

Valid Values:

True or False

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: COMMENTS

UI Field Name:

Comments

Type:

Character

Length:

200

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: CURRENCY

UI Field Name:

Default Currency

Type:

Character

Length:

3

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any ISO three-letter ISO-4127 currency code

Dependencies:

You must previously define the transaction currency via Company > All > Setup > Multi-currency > Transaction currencies.

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: HIDEDISPLAYCONTACT

UI Field Name:

Don't include in Company contact list.

Type:

Character

Length:

1

Default Value:

False

Valid Values:

True or False

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: ACTIVE

UI Field Name:

Status

Type:

Character

Length:

1

Default Value:

T

Valid Values:

T (True), F (False)

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes

Notes:

T = visible in lists; F = not visible in lists, but remains available for later use.
Field Name: CONTACT_NAME

UI Field Name:

Varies, depending on the type of import. For example, when importing Customers, there are several names that could be displayed: Contact, Billto Contact, or Shipto Contact.

This field is required, and its value is typically the same as the value for the CUST_NAME field.

Type:

Character

Length:

200

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Must be unique

Dependencies:

None

Required:

Yes

Editable:

No

Notes:

If the contact name already exists, you must create the customer manually in Intacct or enter a new contact name in this file.
Field Name: COMPANY_NAME

UI Field Name:

Company Name

Type:

Character

Length:

100

Default Value:

Supplier Name

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: MRMS

UI Field Name:

Prefix

Type:

Character

Length:

15

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Mr., Ms., or Mrs.

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: FIRST_NAME

UI Field Name:

First Name

Type:

Character

Length:

40

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: MI

UI Field Name:

Middle Name

Type:

Character

Length:

40

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: LAST_NAME

UI Field Name:

Last Name

Type:

Character

Length:

40

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: PRINT_AS

UI Field Name:

Print As

Type:

Character

Length:

200

Default Value:

Supplier Name

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

Yes

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: TAXABLE

UI Field Name:

Taxable

Type:

Character

Length:

N/A

Default Value:

False

Valid Values:

True or False

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: PHONE1

UI Field Name:

Primary Phone Number

Type:

Character

Length:

30

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: PHONE2

UI Field Name:

Secondary Phone Number

Type:

Character

Length:

30

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: CELLPHONE

UI Field Name:

Mobile phone

Type:

Character

Length:

30

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: PAGER

UI Field Name:

Pager Number

Type:

Character

Length:

30

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: FAX

UI Field Name:

Fax Number

Type:

Character

Length:

30

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: EMAIL1

UI Field Name:

Primary Email Address

Type:

Character

Length:

40

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Valid e-mail format

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: EMAIL2

UI Field Name:

Secondary Email Address

Type:

Character

Length:

40

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Valid e-mail format

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: URL1

UI Field Name:

Primary URL

Type:

Character

Length:

256

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: URL2

UI Field Name:

Secondary URL

Type:

Character

Length:

256

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: ADDRESS1

UI Field Name:

Address Line 1

Type:

Character

Length:

80

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: ADDRESS2

UI Field Name:

Address Line 2

Type:

Character

Length:

80

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: CITY

UI Field Name:

City

Type:

Character

Length:

80

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: STATE

UI Field Name:

State or territory

Type:

Character

Length:

40

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: ZIP

UI Field Name:

Postal code

Type:

Character

Length:

30

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: COUNTRY

UI Field Name:

Country

Type:

Character

Length:

60

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Any

Dependencies:

None

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: ARACCOUNT

UI Field Name:

AR account

Type:

Character

Length:

24

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Must conform to primary/sub account.

Dependencies:

Refers to a valid account number and balancing as receivable account.

Required:

No

Editable:

Yes
Field Name: ADV_BILL_BY

UI Field Name:

AP supplier invoice in advance: # of days/months before contract start date

Type:

Number

Length:

3

Required:

No
Notes: Only applicable if subscribed to Contracts.
Field Name: ADV_BILL_BY_TYPE

UI Field Name:

AP supplier invoice in advance: # of days/months before contract start date

Type:

Character

Valid Values:

days, months

Required:

No
Notes:Only applicable if subscribed to Contracts.
Field Name: EMAILTEMPLATE_LINE_NO

UI Field Name:

No UI name. This is the row number that corresponds to the Email template in the Email template options table.

Type:

Number

Length:

4

Default Value:

None

Valid Values:

Positive integer

Dependencies:

In order to update email template settings for a customer, you must provide data in both the EMAILTEMPLATE_LINE_NO and EMAIL_TEMPLATE columns for each customer.

Required:

No, except when an EMAIL_TEMPLATE value is included.
Field Name: EMAIL_TEMPLATE

UI Field Name:

Email template

Type:

Character

Length:

40

Valid Values:

The name of an existing email template. For example, Default AR invoice template.

Dependencies:

In order to update email template settings for a customer, you must provide data in both the EMAILTEMPLATE_LINE_NO and EMAIL_TEMPLATE columns for each customer.

Required:

No
Notes:You can only assign one template type of AR invoice and one template type of AR statement to each customer.