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-organised 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 can seamlessly align with the Account name field. This approach to data management helps maintain an organised database, thereby enhancing productivity and user trust in the system.
Prerequisites
- Users can upload a .csv file or a .zip file containing multiple .csv files.
- The .zip file must be named, for example, Contacts.zip, Accounts.zip, etc.
Working with the Identifier Field
When importing data into Zoho Desk, the Identifier Field is essential because it helps identify existing records and avoid duplicate entries.
What are the 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:
Module | 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 |
Points to remember:
- While these fields help find matching records.
- So, if multiple records match the value, the first matching record will be selected automatically.
- This can lead to unexpected matches or data being updated in the wrong record if you're not careful.
For your understanding:
Some users expressed a preference for matching Contacts by Last Name instead of Email, highlighting the importance of flexibility in their workflow. Furthermore, some additional users approached matching through the use of a custom field, emphasising the need for tailored solutions to fit their unique requirements. Moreover, users requested that the functionality be enhanced by updating existing records with the relevant entity's Zoho Desk ID, aiming to streamline their processes and improve data accuracy.
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, ultimately leading to enhanced efficiency and better outcomes for your team. This flexibility enables you to harness the full potential of your data.
Import Systems
Let's start by preparing the CSV file.
A sample tickets module CSV file is given below,
External ID | Subject | Contact Email | Contact Name | About |
101 | Hitman | rohit@bcci.com | Sharma | Rohit Sharma's journey from a gifted schoolboy to an international icon and fierce competitor reflects resilience, elegance, and remarkable leadership. |
102 | King Kohli | virat@bcci.com | Virat | Virat Kohli is a world-renowned Indian cricketer known for his aggressive batting, unmatched consistency, and passionate leadership across all forms of the game. |
103 | Lambu Ishanth | ishanth@bcci.com | Sharma | Ishant Sharma is a tall and experienced Indian fast bowler known for his 300 test wickets and key performances in overseas conditions. |
Then choose the appropriate Find By identifier field.
The Find By field is selected from a predefined set of fields specific to each module. It is used to determine whether a record already exists in Zoho Desk.
When using the import tool, the system searches the Desk portal for a record (e.g., a ticket) that matches the value mapped to the selected Find By field. This prevents duplicate records by identifying existing entries based on the chosen field.
- Once the file is uploaded, you need to choose a Find By Field — for instance, Ticket External ID.
- Whichever Find By field we choose must correspond to the relevant column in the CSV file. Since we've selected the Ticket External ID, the Case External ID column in your file should be mapped to the Ticket External IDfield.
If the chosen operation is to 'create new records while avoiding duplicates', and there is no existing ticket with the External ID 101, the import tool will generate a new ticket using the mapped fields. To associate the ticket to the correct Contact, the import tool utilizes the Map By field feature.Finally, choose the appropriate Map By field.
The Map By field enables users to link imported records to their corresponding dependent records, such as associating a ticket with a specific contact. This functionality ensures that when you import ticket data, the import tool actively searches for a matching Contact in Zoho Desk based on the value defined in the selected Map By field.
For instance, during the field mapping process, you can specifically choose to map the Ticket to a Contact using criteria such as the Contact's email ID. This approach enhances the accuracy of data integration by ensuring that each ticket is correctly associated with the relevant Contact, thereby improving data integrity and streamlining the support process. This meticulous mapping not only minimizes the chances of errors but also facilitates a more organized and efficient ticket management system, ultimately leading to improved customer experiences and satisfaction.
Map by identifier field functionality
The tool efficiently searches for contacts associated with the provided email address.
Search: When a user submits a ticket, the system initiates a search for contacts associated with the specified email address.
Match found: If a single match is identified, the ticket is seamlessly associated with that Contact, ensuring that all relevant customer information is readily accessible for support agents.
Multiple Matches: If numerous contacts are found with the same email address, the system will prioritize and use the first match. This helps streamline the ticketing process while maintaining clarity in customer support.
No Match Found: If no matches are found within the system, the ticket will not be created. This prevents unnecessary duplication and ensures that support agents are only working with valid, existing customer records.
In summary, the strategic use of Custom Unique Fields and External ID fields as identifiers, along with the potential for composite identifiers, positions support teams to operate more effectively and improve overall customer interactions.
Significant 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, streamlining 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 directly from the history page in the event of import failures. This enhancement provides users with greater insight into any issues, facilitating 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.
Takeaway
For instance, a large corporation merging client data from multiple legacy systems into Zoho Desk modules will benefit significantly from automatic field mapping, ensuring 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 Desk updates.
Cheers,
Kavya Rao
The Zoho Desk Team
Recent Topics
link to any Belgian bookkeeping software?
Hello, Does anyone on this Forum can help me with the question whether the ZOHO CRM (Invoices) or ZOHO Book can be linked to software that is used for Belgian Bookkeeping/accountancy? By linking, I mean either with the help of a middleware program or either by the ability to export the custom made reports as CSV-files... If someone has an experience with online CRM-Accountancy in Belgium, with ZOHO (or other), it would be great to read it... Thank you
Client Script | Update - Introducing Subform Events and Actions
Are you making the most of your subforms in Zoho CRM? Do you wish you could automate subform interactions and enhance user experience effortlessly? What if you had Client APIs and events specifically designed for subforms? We are thrilled to introduce
Kaizen #152 - Client Script Support for the new Canvas Record Forms
Hello everyone! Have you ever wanted to trigger actions on click of a canvas button, icon, or text mandatory forms in Create/Edit and Clone Pages? Have you ever wanted to control how elements behave on the new Canvas Record Forms? This can be achieved
how to use validation rules in subform
Is it possible to use validation rules for subforms? I tried the following code: entityMap = crmAPIRequest.toMap().get("record"); sum = 0; direct_billing = entityMap.get("direct_billing_details"); response = Map(); for each i in direct_billing { if(i.get("type")
Global Sets for Multi-Select pick lists
When is this feature coming to Zoho CRM? It would be very useful now we have got used to having it for the normal pick lists.
stock
bom/bse : stock details or price =STOCK(C14;"price") not showing issue is #N/A! kindly resolve this problem
Zoho sheet desktop version
Hi Zoho team Where can I access desktop version of zoho sheets? It is important as web version is slow and requires one to be online all the time to do even basic work. If it is available, please guide me to the same.
ZOHO SHEETS
Where can I access desktop version of zoho sheets? It is important to do basic work If it is available, please guide me to the same
Option to Empty Entire Mailbox or Folder in Zoho Mail
Hello Zoho Mail Team, How are you? We would like to request an enhancement to Zoho Mail that would allow administrators and users to quickly clear out entire folders or mailboxes, including shared mailboxes. Current Limitation: At present, Zoho Mail only
Zoho Books - France
L’équipe de Zoho France reçoit régulièrement des questions sur la conformité de ses applications de finances (Zoho Books/ Zoho Invoice) pour le marché français. Voici quelques points pour clarifier la question : Zoho Books est un logiciel de comptabilité
Using Zoho Flow to create sales orders from won deal in Zoho CRM
Hi there, We are using Zoho Flow to create sales orders automatically when a deal is won in Zoho CRM. However, the sales order requires "Product Details" to be passed in "jsonobject", and is resulting in this error: Zoho CRM says "Invalid input for invalid
Is Zoho Sheet available for Linux ?
Is Zoho Sheet available for Linux ?
how to disable staff selection Zoho Booking integrated to SalesIQ?
currently there is only one Consultant in my Zoho Bookings like this I integrate Zoho Bookings into Zoho SalesIQ to create a chatbot. Unfortunately, even though I only have one consultant for a consultation, the user have to pick the consultant. It will
Zoho Bookings No Sync with Outlook
Zoho Bookings appointments are showing on my Outlook Calendar but Outlook events are not showing on Zoho Bookings. How do I fix this?
End Date in Zoho Bookings
When I give my appointments a 30 minutes time I would expect the software not to even show the End Time. But it actually makes the user pick an End Time. Did I just miss a setting?
Custom confirmation message
How can I change the message that users see after they submit the booking form? I have to confirm some details before their appointment is officially "confirmed", so I want to change it where it doesn't say their appointment is "confirmed" but rather
Issue showing too many consultations in my workspace link.
Hi Team, I’ve set up two Workspaces to track meetings from different sources. So far, this has been working well, and the two Workspaces are differentiated without any issues. However, when I navigate to Consultations and share the link to my personal
All new Address Field in Zoho CRM: maintain structured and accurate address inputs
The address field will be available exclusively for IN DC users. We'll keep you updated on the DC-specific rollout soon. It's currently available for all new sign-ups and for existing Zoho CRM orgs which are in the Professional edition. Managing addresses
Recurring Supervisor Rule Reminders for Open/In-Progress Tickets
Hello Zoho Support Team, I would like to suggest a potential improvement regarding reminders for tickets and activities in Zoho Desk. Currently, it is possible to set reminders only once. In the Supervisor Rules section, it is possible to configure reminders
Improved RingCentral Integration
We’d like to request an enhancement to the current RingCentral integration with Zoho. RingCentral now automatically generates call transcripts and AI-based call summaries (AI Notes) for each call, which are extremely helpful for support and sales teams.
Deluge sendmail in Zoho Desk schedule can't send email from a verified email address
I am trying to add a scheduled action with ZDesk using a Deluge function that sends a weekly email to specific ticket client contacts I've already verified the email address for use in ZDesk, but sendmail won't allow it in its "from:" clause. I've attached
Zoho Learn & Zoho Connect
Hi, Is there a way to sync the knowledge base we have in Zoho Learn with the manuals section is Zoho Connect? Thanks,
Addin Support in Zoho Sheet
Is there any addin support available in zoho sheet as like google marketplace to enhance productivity by connecting with other apps, providing AI data analysis, streamlining business processes, and more?
Allow syncing Activities from other applications
Marketing Automation could be a much more powerful platform if you were able to sync activities into the platform (e.g. purchase, donation, etc) outside of a user doing something on your website. I'd love it if you could sync Custom CRM Modules as activities,
Changing Corporate Structure - How Best to Adapt Current and Future Zoho Instances
My current company is Company A LLC with a dba ("doing business as" - essentially an alias) Product Name B. Basically, Company A is the legal entity and Product Name B is what customers see, but it's all one business right now. We currently have a Zoho
how to add subform over sigma in the CRM
my new module don't have any subform available any way to add this from sigma or from the crm
{"errors":[{"id":"500","title":"Servlet execution threw an exception"}]}
Here's the call to move a file to trash. The resource_id is accurate and the file is present. header = Map(); header.put("Accept","application/vnd.api+json"); data = Map(); data_param1 = Map(); att_param1 = Map(); att_param1.put("status",51); data_param1.put("attributes",att_param1);
How to Install Zoho Workdrive Desktop Sync for Ubuntu?
Hi. I am newbie to Linux / Ubuntu. I downloaded a tar.gz file from Workdrive for installing the Workdrive Desktop Sync tool. Can someone give me step by step guide on how to install this on Ubuntu? I am using Ubuntu 19.04. Regards Senthil
Integración Books para cumplir la ley Crea y Crece y Ley Antifraude (VeriFactu)
Hola: En principio, en julio de 2025, entra en vigor la ley Crea y Crece y Ley Antifraude (VeriFactu). ¿Sabéis si Zoho va a cumplir con la ley para cumplir con la facturación electrónica conectada a Hacienda? Gracias
How to upload own video?
How can you upload your own video on your zoho website? I do not want to use another host, but i want to insert my own files. how can i do this?
Support new line in CRM Multiline text field display in Zoho Deluge
Hi brainstrust, We have a Zoho CRM field which is a Muti Line (Small) field. It has data in it that has a carriage return after each line: When I pull that data in via Deluge, it displays as: I'm hoping a way I can change it from: Freehand : ENABLED Chenille
A couple of minor enhancements to Workflows
Last updated on September 17, 2024: These enhancements were initially available for early access, and we've now enabled them for all users. We are elated to announce a couple of enhancements to custom functions in our Workflows! Say hello to: "Source"
Announcing new features in Trident for Windows (v.1.32.5.0)
Hello Community! Trident for Windows just got better! This update includes new features designed to improve and simplify email and calendar management—and it includes a feature you’ve been waiting for. Let’s dive into what’s new! Save emails in EML or
How to render either thumbnail_url or preview_url or preview_data_url
I get 401 Unauthorised when using these urls in the <img> tag src attribute. Guide me on how to use them!
Zoho CRM Calendar | Custom Buttons
I'm working with my sales team to make our scheduling process easier for our team. We primary rely on Zoho CRM calendar to organize our events for our sales team. I was wondering if there is a way to add custom button in the Calendar view on events/meeting
Default Sorting on Related Lists
Is it possible to set the default sorting options on the related lists. For example on the Contact Details view I have related lists for activities, emails, products cases, notes etc... currently: Activities 'created date' newest first Emails - 'created
Directly Edit, Filter, and Sort Subforms on the Details Page
Hello everyone, As you know, subforms allow you to associate multiple line items with a single record, greatly enhancing your data organization. For example, a sales order subform neatly lists all products, their quantities, amounts, and other relevant
Create custom rollup summary fields in Zoho CRM
Hello everyone, In Zoho CRM, rollup summary fields have been essential tools for summarizing data across related records and enabling users to gain quick insights without having to jump across modules. Previously, only predefined summary functions were
Create static subforms in Zoho CRM: streamline data entry with pre-defined values
Last modified on (9 July, 2025): This feature was available in early access and is currently being rolled out to customers in phases. Currently available for users in the the AU, CA, and SA DCs. It will be enabled for the remaining DCs in the next couple
Create Lead Button in Zoho CRM Dashboard
Right now to create Leads in the CRM our team is going into the Lead module, selecting the "Create Lead" button, then building out the lead. Is there anyway to add the "Create Lead" button or some sort of short cut to the Zoho CRM Dashboard to cut out
Next Page