Narrative 13: Import - Data mapping

Narrative 13: Import - Data mapping

Behind the scenes of a successful ticketing system: BTS Series

Narrative 13: Importing your data


When importing data into an application, it is crucial to prevent data loss or duplication. These types of errors can hinder the development of a clean and well-organized database, which is essential for effective data management and security.

Zoho Desk provides robust functionality for importing your data. The system intelligently automates the mapping of modules and fields to reduce the risk of data loss and maintain data integrity. Users have the advantage of verifying the field mappings in advance, thus adding an extra layer of security to the import process.

This capability is essential not only for clarity but also in mitigating the challenges associated with user adoption. For instance, clients can be accurately mapped to the "Contact name" field, while company names align with the "Account name" field to maintain an organized database, which helps ensure user trust in the system. 

Related knowledge base article: Importing data into Zoho Desk

Quote

Prerequisites

  1. Users can upload a .csv file or a .zip file containing multiple .csv files. 
  2. The .zip file must be named, for example, Contacts.zip, Accounts.zip, etc.

What are Identifier Fields?  

Identifier fields are fields used to find and match existing records when importing data into the product. They also help link related records, like connecting a contact’s name with their email address.

Each module supports different unique identifier fields for identification, as described in the table below:.  

Modules

Unique Identifier Fields

Accounts
​

Account ID

Account External ID

Account Name

Contacts

Contact ID

Contact External ID

Last Name

First Name

Email

Phone Number

Mobile

Tickets

Ticket ID

Ticket External ID

Ticket Number

Products

Product ID

Product External ID

Product Name

Tasks

TaskId

Task External ID

Calls

Call ID

Call External ID

Events

Event ID

Event External ID

Article Translation

Translation: External ID

Translation ID

Custom Modules

​

Record External ID

Custom Module Name

Quote

Points to remember: 

  1.  These fields help find matching records. 
  2.  If multiple records match the value, the first matching record will be selected automatically. 
  3. This can lead to unexpected matches or data being updated in the wrong record if you're not careful. 

Background:

  • Some users expressed a preference for matching Contacts by Last Name instead of Email, highlighting the importance of flexibility in their workflow. 
  • Other users approached matching through the use of a custom field, emphasizing the need for tailored solutions to fit their unique requirements. 
  • We also heard from many users who requested that the functionality be enhanced by updating existing records with the relevant entity's Zoho Desk ID to streamline their processes and improve data accuracy.

Working with the Identifier Field

When importing data into Zoho Desk, the Identifier Field is important because it helps identify existing records and avoid duplicate entries. 

Commonly used identifier fields

  • Find By is used to identify an existing record during the import process.
  • Map By is utilized to link a child record to a parent record, for instance, by linking a Contact to a Ticket.
You can now select specific fields for matching, providing enhanced control and customization during bulk processes or integrations. This functionality enables more precise data handling, ensuring that the information aligns with your specific requirements. By tailoring the matching criteria, you can streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and provide better outcomes for your team. This flexibility enables you to harness the full potential of your data.

Improvements in user experience 

Transparent process and status tracking 

We’ve implemented a straightforward, step-by-step process for data imports, complete with real-time status updates for each stage. This transparency enables users to monitor import progress and understand the current state of the process.

Unique identifiers for entity mapping 

New fields have been introduced to help users identify if a parent entity already exists when importing related child entities. For example, users can seamlessly map a contact to an existing account in Zoho Desk to streamline the import process while minimizing the risk of duplicate entries.

Enhanced error handling and log accessibility

We’ve made significant improvements in error handling by allowing users to download detailed error logs right from the history page in case of import failures. This enhancement provides users with greater insight into any issues and facilitates faster troubleshooting and resolution.

Support for custom modules

The import UI has been revamped to support custom modules, providing users with greater flexibility and customization options. This enables a more personalized and efficient data import experience.

Coming up soon

Custom unique fields

Identifying key data points, such as a Customer ID in the Contact Module, ensures that every customer has a distinct reference, which streamlines ticket management and resolution. By establishing these fields as identifiers, support agents can quickly access and update customer records, enhancing response times and accuracy.

External ID fields 

Integration with various systems often generates External ID fields, such as CRM ID, Invoice ID, and Bug ID. Utilizingthese fields as identifiers enables agents to cross-reference relevant records seamlessly. When records need to be updated or retrieved from different systems, these unique identifiers are crucial in maintaining data consistency across platforms.

Composite identifier fields

Often, relying solely on a single identifier may not be sufficient to pinpoint a customer accurately or a record.Implementing multiple fields as composite identifiers can enhance data integrity and accuracy. For example, considering both the Last Name and Email of a contact can significantly reduce errors in data retrieval and ensure that support inquiries are directed and resolved correctly.

Wrapping up

Using these features positions support teams to operate more effectively and improve overall customer interactions. For instance, a large corporation merging client data from multiple legacy systems into Zoho Desk modules will benefit significantly from automatic field mapping to ensure that contact and account names are accurately aligned. This attention to detail not only improves the user experience but also enhances overall data integrity during the merging process.


Please stay tuned for more in the Desk behind-the-scenes series.

 

Regards,

 

Kavya Rao

The Zoho Desk Team


    • Recent Topics

    • Multi file upload

      Hi, I just wonder if one could upload multiple files in one shot, say between one and three files, without adding multiple File Upload fields? Thanks, Alalbany

    • How to change position button transtition of Blueprint?

      Hi Everyone, Look at my screenshoot, it is possible move the reject button to the right? I couldn't find that setting in the blueprint. Thank you.

    • Sorting Descending in a lookup

      I have a case number lookup on multiple forms. I need the most recent added to appear at the top of the lookup or as the list of cases grom it's too much to scroll. Is there a way to have a look up sort descending?

    • Ticket Status email

      Good day, This was discussed in the past, but it would be helpful if we could have the system assign a custom response to a status. We have various statuses for tickets, e.g. "closed due to no response", or "Pending Status", it would be helpful for the

    • Can we add custom fields to portal community profiles?

      How do we add custom fields to our profile pages in our portal community? If we have the ability to add custom fields, will we be able to access those fields via API? We want to use our Desk community in our help portal as our primary community and would

    • Auto-upload Creator Files to WorkDrive

      Hi everyone, I’m working on a workflow that uploads files from Zoho Creator to specific subfolders in Zoho WorkDrive, as illustrated in the attached diagram. My Creator application form has two multi-file upload fields, and I want—on successful form submission—to

    • Asap Widget 2.0

      Where's the documentation for the new ASAP widget? https://www.zoho.com/desk/developers/asap/#introduction this one is outdated How can we dynamically navigate between different views? How can we prefill ticket forms using ASAP 2.0?

    • Gain control over record sharing with portal users through our new enhancement: criteria-based data exposure

      Dear Customers, We hope you're well! Portals is a self-service avenue through which your clients can access and manage their direct and related data in Zoho CRM. This empowers them to be more independent and enables them to experience a sense of transparency

    • CRM x WorkDrive: File storage for new CRM signups is now powered by WorkDrive

      Availability Editions: All DCs: All Release plan: Released for new signups in all DCs. It will be enabled for existing users in a phased manner in the upcoming months. Help documentation: Documents in Zoho CRM Manage folders in Documents tab Manage files

    • Can the Trigger be changed?

      I'm afraid I already know the answer, but here goes... After activating a workflow (under Campaigns > Automations), Then later choosing to Edit the workflow, Can the Workflow's Trigger be changed? Currently the entire Trigger section + options are gone

    • Marketer's Space: Proven tips to improve open rates – I

      Hello Marketers! Welcome back to another post in Marketer's Space! In this week's post, we'll discuss the ever-important concept of open rates. This will be a multi-part series, as we have a range of topics to cover. Open rates—which measure the percentage

    • Holidays

      Hi; For defining Holidays, you need to add logic to handle the year as well as the month & day. We need to be able to enter Holidays for the next year. I need to add a holiday for January 2, 2017, but I can't until January 1st, which is a Sunday and we

    • Creating Custom PDF Template from Form

      I am trying to create a custom PDF from form submissions. I have the standard subscription and it indicates that PDF forms are included. I cannot find anywhere to create PDF forms. I try to follow the instructions from here: https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/forms/form-settings/pdf-settings/pdf-editor/articles/creating-your-own-pdf-template#Creating_your_template_from_the_scratch

    • Empowered Custom Views: Cross-Module Criteria Now Supported in Zoho CRM

      Hello everyone, We’re excited to introduce cross-module criteria support in custom views! Custom views provide personalized perspectives on your data and that you can save for future use. You can share these views with all users or specific individuals

    • Important Update: Facebook Metrics Deprecation & Impact on Zoho Analytics

      Dear Zoho Analytics users, Facebook has deprecated a set of metrics from the Facebook Pages Insights API, effective November 15, 2025. As a result, these changes will affect any reports and dashboards in Zoho Analytics that rely on Facebook Pages data.

    • Quick Copy Column Name

      Please add the ability to quickly copy the name of a column in a Table or Query View. When you right-click the column there should be an option to copy the name, or if you left-click the column and use the Ctrl+C keyboard shortcut it should copy the

    • Conditional Field Visibility in Bigin CRM

      I would like to request support for conditional field visibility within Bigin CRM. This feature should allow administrators to configure show/hide rules for fields based on predefined criteria (e.g., field values, picklist selections, stage changes,

    • Tag Adding Option in Kanban Card Customization Bigin CRM Mobile App

      I would like to request an option to add and display tags on Kanban cards in the Bigin CRM mobile app. This feature would make it easier to categorize deals and quickly identify priorities while working on the go.

    • WhatsApp Voice Message Sending Option in Bigin CRM

      I would like to request a feature that allows users to send WhatsApp voice messages directly from Bigin CRM. This would help improve communication efficiency and make it easier for teams to respond quickly to customer inquiries.

    • Introducing Zoho MCP for Bigin

      Hello Biginners! We're excited to introduce Zoho MCP for Bigin, a completely new way of interacting with Bigin data using AI. With Zoho MCP, you can securely connect your Bigin account with popular AI agents like Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code,

    • Introducing the Zoho Projects Learning Space

      Every product has its learning curve, and sometimes having a guided path makes the learning experience smoother. With that goal, we introduce a dedicated learning space for Zoho Projects, a platform where you can explore lessons, learn at your own pace,

    • Ask the Experts 26: Brighten every customer interaction with Zoho Desk all year long

      Hello everyone, Greetings and welcome to Ask the Experts 26. As we wrap up 2025, we are excited to invite you to the 26th episode of our Ask the Expert series. 🎄The Merry Metrics Edition = Best of Zoho Desk [Best Practices + Holiday Automation + Year-End

    • MCP > Creator connection failing with Claude

      I'm trying to get claude to access any of my Zoho Creator apps and it keeps failing. I have enabled all tools for creator and ensured in claude settings that everything is authorised. Here is what claude says : Unfortunately, the error messages I'm receiving

    • Is it possible to sync data every 5–10 minutes in Zoho Analytics (CRM or Excel imports)?

      Hello Team, I want to know if Zoho Analytics supports near real-time syncing of data from different sources. My requirements: I am importing data from Zoho CRM → Zoho Analytics I also have some datasets maintained in Excel/CSV I want both data sources

    • Feature Request: Dynamic Dimension Control for zc_LoadIn Popups

      As detailed in this community discussion, Zoho Creator's zc_LoadIn parameter is a vital tool for opening components (forms, reports, or pages) in modal dialogs via HTML snippets, Notes, or Rich Text Fields. While powerful, this feature suffers from a

    • Subforms in stateless forms

      I think the title says it all. We need to be able to add subforms to stateless forms. Currently the only workaround is to create a Form and delete each record upon submission of the form. I need to build an interface to update our inventory. Basically

    • Text wrap column headers in reports?

      Is it possible to auto wrap column headers so that a longer multi-word header displays as two lines when the column is narrower than the width of the header title?

    • Converting Sales Order to Purchase Order

      Hi All, Firstly, this code works to convert a sales order(SO) to a purchase order (PO) via a button, however I am running into an issue when I convert the SO where the values from the line items are not pulled across from the SO to the PO. The ones in

    • What’s New in Zoho Inventory — Latest Features, Integrations & Updates | December 2025

      Zoho Inventory has evolved significantly over the past months, bringing you smarter, faster, and more connected tools to streamline your operations. Whether you’re managing multichannel sales, complex fulfillment workflows, or fast-moving stock, our newest

    • Marketer’s Space - Multi-Channel Campaigns for the Biggest Shopping Week with Zoho Marketing Automation

      Hello marketers, Welcome back to another post in Marketers Space! The biggest shopping week of the year is almost here, and it’s your moment to shine without the stress. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday just around the corner, being present across email,

    • Auto-Invite Users to Portals in Zoho CRM based on Conditions

      Hello Everyone, You can now automate portal invitations in Zoho CRM with the new Auto-Invite users feature in Portal management. No more manually enabling portal access one by one. With this enhancement, you can automatically send invites for users to

    • Pricing Strategies: #5 Stay local, Price & Sell Global

      Arun had always dreamed of taking his handmade craft business beyond his hometown. For years, he sold locally. Most of his customers are familiar faces, in our usual currency and with the exact expectations. But one day, a traveller visited his workshop

    • Best practice to structure reporting to include events covering multiple months / quarters.

      Hi, I'm new to Zoho, have some experience of more "enterprise" tools, looking for some input from the community. I'm looking to create a report that includes events that cover a long period, each event has a start / end date and I'm struggling undertanding

    • Incorrect Email Notifications for Product Reviews

      Dear Zoho Commerce Support Team, I am writing to report a technical issue that occurs frequently on our platform. Problem Description: We regularly receive email notifications informing us of new product reviews awaiting approval. However, when we access

    • Zoho CRM for Everyone's NextGen UI Gets an Upgrade

      Hello Everyone We've made improvements to Zoho CRM for Everyone's Nextgen UI. These changes are the result of valuable feedback from you where we’ve focused on improving usability, providing wider screen space, and making navigation smoother so everything

    • FSM - Associating and selecting Contacts based on Service Addresses

      Hi FSM team, I've come across an FSM limitation I wanted to share for improvement. I'm currently configuring FSM for a client who provides heating system install and maintenance services. The are often sub contracted by building management companies to

    • What is the easiest way to move Hotmail emails to an IMAP server?

      The easiest way to move Hotmail (Outlook.com) emails to an IMAP server is to add your Hotmail account directly to any email client that supports IMAP, then copy the messages across. This avoids paid tools and keeps the process simple. Fastest free method:

    • No feedback from Zoho Books regarding Yodlee feeds for Investec

      I reported on 6 Feb 2025 that the Bank Feeds for Investec bank via Yodlee are not working. To date there has been no resolution. You are charging us for a suite of products where the functionality does not work. Please advise how you will refund me for

    • Turn off Knowlege Base Follow options and Follower lists

      Is there a way to hide or turn off the option in the Knowledge Base for users to follow specific departments/categories/sections/articles? If not, is there a way to turn off the public list of followers for each of those things? Otherwise, customer names

    • Custom validation in CRM schema

      Validation rules in CRM layouts work nicely, good docs by @Kiran Karthik P https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/crm/customize-crm-account/validation-rules/articles/create-validation-rules I'd prefer validating data input 'closer to the schema'

    • Next Page