An Import-Merge Process transforms incoming file data before writing it to the database. Unlike a Simple Import, the source file does not need to match the target object structure — the Process Logic workbook receives the file contents and applies formulas to reshape, validate, or enrich the data before it is stored.

Use Import-Merge when the source file layout does not match the object definition, when transformation or calculation is needed, when validation against existing database records is required, or when the source data arrives in a format that needs parsing (CSV/text, XML, or zip).

Overview of configuration steps

Verify target objects exist with the correct attribute structure.
Prepare the Process Logic workbook.
Create the Import Process record.
Create a File Process Parameter.
Configure Process Outputs.
Configure Import Merge Mapping.
Add file-type specific configuration if needed (text/CSV, XML, or zip — see below).
Configure Process Inputs if the workbook also needs to read from the database.

1. Verify target objects

Before building the workbook, confirm the attribute names, order, and data types of each object that will receive data. Navigate to Objects \> Objects in the Configuration application and review the attribute definitions. The column structure of your output named ranges must exactly match the object specification.

2. Prepare the Process Logic workbook

The workbook must be saved in .xlsx format. The legacy .xls format is not supported for Import-Merge.

The workbook needs:

An import worksheet for each set of data coming from the file. This is where the Import Merge Mapping will paste the incoming data.
Calculation logic that transforms the imported data into the structure required by the target objects.
An output named range for each target object. The column order must exactly match the object's attribute order. Blank rows are ignored during writing. The range must not be smaller than the maximum possible number of records.
ES_RESULT — a cell returning Success, Warning, or Failed.
Optionally, ES_PARAMETERS and EU_NOTIFICATION named ranges if user parameters or notifications are needed.

If Excel Data Validation is used in the workbook, the validation source must reference a named range defined in Name Manager. Direct cell range references (for example =Sheet2!$A$1:$A$5) are not supported and will cause the Process to fail with a BadFormula error.

3. Create the Import Process record

Open the Configuration application and navigate to Process Configuration \> Processes.
Click New.
Enter a Process Name and Description.
Upload the Process Logic workbook in the Template/Process Logic field.
Set Process Type to Import.
Enter the Spreadsheet Result Location (the named cell or reference containing the ES_RESULT value).
If the workbook uses Process Parameters, enter the Spreadsheet Parameter Location.
Select the Application.
Set the Logging Level.
Enter an Audit Comment and click Save and Refresh.

4. Create the File Process Parameter

In the Process Parameter section, click Edit.
Add one record with Name set to something clear (for example, Data File), Type set to File, and Order set to 1.
Add additional parameters if the Process Logic requires user-supplied values.
Enter an Audit Comment and click Save and Refresh.

5. Configure Process Outputs

In the Process Output section, click Edit.
Add one record per target object.
For each record, set Location to the named range in the workbook, Object Specification to the receiving object, and Output Order to control write sequence (referenced objects must be written before the objects that reference them).
Enter an Audit Comment and click Save and Refresh.

6. Configure Import Merge Mapping

Import Merge Mapping defines which worksheets from the incoming file are copied into the Process Logic workbook, and where they land. Data is copied by value — no formulas or formatting are transferred.

In the Process Import Merge Mapping section, click Edit.
Add one record per worksheet to be imported.
For each record:

From Sheet Pattern — a regular expression matching the worksheet name in the incoming file. For example, Sheet.*1 matches Sheet1, Sheet 1, or Sheet_1.
To Sheet — the worksheet name in the Process Logic workbook that will receive the data.
Optional — set to False if the worksheet must exist for the Process to succeed; True if it may not always be present.

Enter an Audit Comment and click Save and Refresh.

File-type specific configuration

Importing from text or CSV files

Text and CSV files require the Process Import Text File Converter to parse the raw file into a tabular structure before it is passed to the workbook. Configure this in addition to the standard Import-Merge steps above.

In the Process Import Text File Converter section, click Edit and add a record.
Set the following:

File Name Pattern — regex matching valid filenames, for example .*\.csv or .*\.txt.
Column Delimiter — the character separating columns, for example a comma. Use ES_TAB for tab-delimited files.
Start Pattern — regex defining where data begins in the file.
End Pattern — regex defining where data ends.
Exclusion Pattern — regex defining rows to skip between start and end (for example, comment lines or blank separators).
Worksheet Name — the name of the temporary worksheet where the parsed data will be placed.

Enter an Audit Comment and click Save and Refresh.

Then in the Import Merge Mapping, set From Sheet Pattern to the worksheet name defined above, and To Sheet to the corresponding worksheet in the Process Logic workbook.

Importing from XML files

XML imports use an XSLT file to transform the incoming XML into a standard structure before processing. The XSLT must transform the source XML into the format <range><row><cell>value</cell></row></range>.

Prepare an XSLT file that transforms your source XML format into the required structure.
In the Process XML File Converter section, click Edit and add a record.
Set:

File Name Pattern — regex matching valid XML filenames, for example .*\.xml.
Transform — select the XSLT file.
Worksheet — the name of the temporary worksheet where the transformed data will be placed.

Enter an Audit Comment and click Save and Refresh.

Then configure Import Merge Mapping with the temporary worksheet name as From Sheet Pattern.

Importing from zip archives

A zip archive can contain multiple files of the same structure, each processed in turn by the same Import-Merge Process.

In the Process Import Zip File Specification section, click Edit and add a record.
Set:

File Name Pattern — regex matching valid zip filenames, for example .*\.zip.
Zip Entry Pattern — regex matching the files inside the archive to process, for example .*\.xlsx. Files not matching this pattern are skipped.

Enter an Audit Comment and click Save and Refresh.

When the Process runs, it executes the full Import-Merge logic once per matching file in the archive.

Configure Process Inputs (if needed)

If the Process Logic workbook also needs to read data from the database — for example, to validate incoming records against existing data — configure Process Inputs in the standard way. See Process Inputs and Filters.

Create an Import-Merge Process