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Preparing to Import Your User Data

This article provides OPS-COM administrators with the requirements and best practices for importing existing user data into the system. Proper data preparation is essential for a successful migration and ensures all user profiles, vehicles, and permits are correctly associated within OperationsCommander.

Data Preparation Strategy

Before initiating an import, ensure your data is clean and your strategy is clearly defined.

Clean Data

Export your data from your legacy system and perform a thorough cleanup:

  • Remove duplicate entries.

  • Correct typographical errors.

  • Standardize formatting (e.g., date formats, capitalization, and phone numbers).

Data Strategy

Define your User Management strategy before starting the import process:

  • Unique ID: Select a Unique ID (e.g., email address, username, or student/staff number). This ID is mandatory for stacking data and associating future records (like vehicles or permits) to the correct user. Ensure this ID is never duplicated.

  • SSO: If your organization utilizes Single Sign-On (SSO), determine your required login source.

  • Mandatory Fields: Identify which user profile details are required.

  • System Configuration: Ensure the following areas are configured in OperationsCommander before importing:

    • User Types

    • Lots

    • Vehicle types, colors, and makes

    • Login sources

    • User profile settings for mandatory fields

Data Mapping

To ensure successful imports, your CSV file headers must match the system's expected attributes.

  1. Review the Request Object Attributes section in the API documentation to identify the Possible Names and Limits for every field you intend to import.

  2. Ensure your CSV column headers align exactly with these attribute names.

  3. Build your CSV file, ensuring that all Required fields, such as unique_id, adhere to the specified character limits.

  4. Follow the steps in the Using the Database Importer (Beta) guide to begin the upload process.

Unique ID String 50-character alphanumeric including dashes. unique_id (Required) An unique identification number of the user.

Building on Your Data

Once your initial user import is complete, you can begin adding related data.

  • Use the Unique ID established during the user import to associate subsequent records (such as Vehicles or Permits) to the correct user profile in future CSV uploads.

Post-Import Actions

After the import process concludes, perform the following steps to ensure data integrity:

  • Verification: Perform a spot-check of various user profiles and vehicle records to confirm that all information migrated accurately.

  • Error Log Review: Monitor your email for the post-import error log. This document is critical for identifying and troubleshooting any records that failed to import.

Data imports can be complex and may incur additional costs. Please contact your Account Executive or email support@ops-com.com to confirm whether a data import is included in your system purchase or to learn more about the Data Importer (BETA) tool.

Best Practices and Considerations

  • Data Integrity: Prioritize the accuracy of your Unique ID, as this is the foundation for all future data associations in the system.

  • Consultation: Reach out to the support team if you are unsure about mapping specific fields or encounter unexpected errors during your initial import tests.

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