The platform supports importing data from external files into the database. Rather than requiring manual data entry, you can load records from a spreadsheet, CSV, text file, or XML file directly into one or more objects using an Import Process.

All data entering the platform — including data received via connectors or email — passes through a Process. Import Processes are simply the Process type designed specifically for loading external file data.

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There are two variants of Import Process, and choosing the right one depends on whether your source data already matches the structure of the target object.

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A Simple Import reads data from a file and writes it directly to an object with no transformation. The file must exactly match the target object's structure — same number of columns, same attribute order, correct data formats. Each row in the file becomes one record in the database.

This is the right choice when you control the source file format and can ensure it matches the object specification, or when building an export from another system specifically formatted for the platform.

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An Import-Merge Process uses a Process Logic workbook to transform the incoming data before writing it to the database. The workbook receives the file contents, applies formulas to reshape, validate, or enrich the data, and produces output ranges that are written to the target objects.

Use Import-Merge when the source file layout does not match the object structure, when transformation or calculation is needed before storage, when validation against existing database records is required, or when data arrives in formats that need parsing — such as CSV, text files with delimiters, XML with an XSLT transform, or zip archives containing multiple files.

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Simple Imports support Excel (.xlsx, .xls) and CSV files. Import-Merge Processes support those formats plus text files (with configurable delimiter parsing), XML files (via XSLT transform), and zip archives containing multiple files of any supported type.

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Import Processes can be run manually from the Process Execution screen, where the user uploads the file at runtime via a File-type Process Parameter. They can also be triggered automatically by email — when a message arrives at a configured address with an attachment matching defined rules, the platform routes the attachment to the appropriate Import Process. See Integration & API for email-triggered imports.

For detailed configuration steps, see Create a Simple Import Process or Create an Import-Merge Process.