This area allows you to import your customer database into TicketSearch from any other system. Also, if you are maintaining a separate CRM system, you can regularly update your CRM to TicketSearch. There are certain rules that must be adhered too, to ensure that your import of data is accepted. You must begin by uploading your customer database first. Once uploaded, TicketSearch will use the unique customer/patron id to enable you to upload tags, memberships, vouchers etc. and match these to the customer record.
Important- please create any custom field (i.e. dietary preference, medical details, old membership number, seat preference) before importing into the system. Click on Settings > Customer Field Setup.
Tip: If you create a custom field that is multiple choice, you will not be able to import results from an external system into TicketSearch. All other fields types including email, radio, date etc can be imported.
How does the import process work?
Step 1: Select the fields that you would like present in the excel file that will become your template when uploading your database and matching it to your TicketSearch Database. i.e. The First Name of the customer may be referred to as something else in your separate database. Simply download the CSV file and match the database fields.
***Important*** It is extremely important that the spreadsheet columns are not adjusted in any way. They must be maintained by name, and ordering. For example, if first name is the first field, and email is in the second field, the system on upload of data will not accept the data if you have moved email to the first column (i.e. column A).
The following fields are mandatory to be downloaded to your spreadsheet:
First name
Last Name
Customer id, an important field to consider
Customer id can be used as the unique id from your previous system or if maintaining a separate CRM database, will be used to ensure that the right customer record is updated on a regular basis. Please note, if you do not have a customer id assigned from your previous system, prior to importing you must allocate a id number or the alternative is to use an email address as the identifier. Either customer id or email is compulsory. The customer id can only be a number. If you are using the External ID, this can be both numbers and letters.
Once you select your fields or click ‘Select All’ to select all fields,, click ‘Download CSV File.
Once the file is downloaded, please keep all columns exactly as they appear. Failure to do so will result in a failed database import. Please do not add, delete or change any columns in the spreadsheet. If in the end you do not use a particular column, simply leave it blank.
The new customer import guidelines are as follows:
· No duplicate email addresses are allowed and will be rejected on import. If there is an existing email address with customer data in the system, we will override this data on import. If you have a husband and wife who have the same email address, it’s best to contact them to obtain a second email address. The uniqueness is essential.
*if the field is a drop down, radio option etc, the results from the TicketSearch CRM must match exactly. For example, if you are collecting titles, (MR, MRS, MISS etc), in the TicketSearch system they don’t have a full stop after the fields i.e. MR. This means that on import if you did add a full stop, it would be rejected. You can always go into your Customer Fields Setup and adjust your results to match any import process from another system. The fields also are case sensitive, if Mr is as follows Mr, please ensure that the you do not list for example mr. Again, this will be rejected.
*Any fields that are mandatory in your system such as First Name can be imported without data in these fields however, when you click into the customer record to update it, you will be forced to update any mandatory fields before saving.
· With all phone numbers, the downloaded CSV will automatically add a column for ‘Country Short Code’. For example, if you select mobile – you will get a column for ‘Mobile CountryShortCode’ and ‘Mobile’. If you are not sure of your country short code, please click the hyperlink in the next paragraph to access a full list of country short and long names. For example, Australia is AU and the United States is US. When you get to the next field which will be something like ‘Mobile’ or ‘Home’, just add in the phone number as it is (without any country code). You need to add the number keeping in mind that the system will automatically add in the country code based on your country short code. For example, for Australian mobile numbers you would remove the ‘0’ and just add in 456378965 as the system will add +61 to it once you upload it. It is mandatory to fill in both the country short code and phone number fields for the upload to work successfully.
· Billing states must be formatted correctly. To access our global list of country (short and long names i.e. AU or AUSTRALIA) and State codes (i.e. for New South Wales is NSW), click here for the full list.
· Country can be either the two letters country code or the full country name. AU or AUSTRALIA, click here for the full list. Country full names must in capitals.
· Make sure that the file size is less than 20Mb. If there are more records than these, you may split the file into multiple files. Each split file must have the same format.
*for customer id import, only numbers are allowed.
* For date formats such as date of birth or a custom field, please follow the following guidelines:
- Check Settings > Customer Field Setup for format of specific fields. For example, accepted format is either one of these below for date of birth. Failure to meet this requirement will reject your data. The data must be in the below format i.e. 03/12/2020 if dd/mm/2020 is selected. You may find that the format displayed in your excel file could be 03 Dec 2020 however in the cell preview, it’s represented as 03/12/2020.
If your data is in a different format, you can always format a cell in your CSV file by right clicking on the column, then select ‘format cells’, then click ‘Date’ and select the format above.
Creation Date and status ‘import’ assigned.
TicketSearch will use the current date as the import date.
We’ll also mark the record as Created by import so that it’s clear how the record was created.
Recording creation date or last modified date from your previous system
Create a custom field called Creation Date Previous System or something to easily identify this field.
In this step, click ‘Select A File To Upload’ and upload the amended spreadsheet containing your customer information. Please note that if the spreadsheet has missing columns or if the customer field setup has been updated since Step 1, i.e. the field name has been updated, the upload may fail.
Once you click to upload, the following message will be displayed:
If you are maintaining other systems such as a separate CRM system and are regularly updating customer data based on customer/patron id, the above message will ensure that if your CRM data is the master outside of TicketSearch, we’ll update the data and replace it with the latest information. If an email address already exists, that will be overridden with your latest spreadsheet information.
***IMPORTANT INFO*** Note the below only applies if you are maintaining a separate database system and importing regularly or conducting subsequent imports.
The primary priority with data import is Customer ID, followed by email address.
Case 1. If the Customer ID already exists > It will replace all the data.
Case 2. If the Customer ID doesn’t already exist, but the Email Address exists > It will check the email address, then that record will show as an error file with the error “Customer id is unique but email already exists.” If the email address does not exist, then it will create a new record in the system with a new customer id and email address.
Case 3. If the Customer ID has not been added to the file, but the email address field has been entered > It will check the email address, if it exists, it will replace the data according to email address. If the email address does not exist, it will create a new record in the system.
Please also ensure that you do not change the file type to any type other than a Comma-delimited CSV file.
Step 3: Upload History
This section displays the upload history and allows you to download the last uploaded file and the error report (if applicable). Correct any errors and reimport the new file provided. On re-upload, rename the file, then delete the ErrorDetails column.
Tip: the error report will display an extra column (or multiple) for error messages. Please ensure you completely delete the entire column rather than deleting the data of the column cells. Failure to do this will result in the system recognising an extra column and your import will fail. To delete, right click the column and click ‘delete’.
- Tags Import
Tags allow you to automatically tag (i.e. big spender, frequent donor) or manually tag (seat preference E4, accessibility: wheelchair) a customer based on criteria you select. If auto assigning based on criteria, as soon as the customer falls within the criteria of the tag, they will be assigned the tag in their customer account and available for reporting analysis. This is a great way to profile your customers and maintain past history from a previous system.
Simply create the tags in the TicketSearch system via Marketing >Tags. Click on the tags tab under ‘Customer Database Import’. Click the tag(s) you want to upload in one go, either one at a time or multiple. Select ‘Download CSV File’ then complete the customer id and tag information. Once you click “Select A File To Upload’, our system will match the customer id and allocate the required tag to their record. You must have a customer id so that the system can match the tag to the correct customer.
If you have a single tag, you simply need the customer id and in the required tag column. Enter a Y to represent you want the tag allocated to the customer. If you fail to enter a Y against any ID code, the system will not allocate the tag.
If a tag is a manual assigned tag (i.e. seat preference, accessibility) enter the tag description in the tag column field rather than the Y. The system will assume content in the field will represent wanting to assign the tag to the customer and with the right manual tag.
You will be presented with the following message:
Alert: You have selected a tag that can be manually assigned. Once you download the spreadsheet, if the tag needs a note assigned, i.e. Tag name:seat preference A4, or accessibility requirements, hearing impaired, simple enter the note against i.e. hearing impaired into the tag column or you have selected a tag that can have a an expiry date assigned.
Once you download the spreadsheet, if the tag needs an expiry assigned, i.e. a VIP customer that has access to benefits for 365 days, simply enter the expiry date into the tag column.
What does this really mean?
Notes- Tags can be built with manual assign which means that you can add a note such as disability requirements. If this is the case, then the Y is not required, and the system will assume that if a note is in the field, then that means it’s a yes. Assign the note against the tag of the customers record.
Note: Tags can also be built with an expiry date i.e. a fixed date or 365 days from date of allocation etc. If you don’t enter a date, the system will follow the date of the tags that’s already been created in TicketSearch. If you enter a date in the spreadsheet under the tag column, the system will expire the tag by your spreadsheet date.
Important: For tags that require an expiry date, formats are Day Month Year and you must enter expires=08 Mar 2020. No times are accepted, only dates. You cannot enter your format as i.e. 08/03/2020
If you are downloading multiple tags, you can follow the following structure, where the Y will represent that you want the tag applied and the description will be treated as a yes to assign against the customer and also the description will be assigned.
i.e.
Customer ID Tag 1 Tag 2 Tag 3
VIP customer Frequent buyer accessibility
1222222 Y Y y
2222223 12 Jan 2021 Y eye issues
Tip: the Y for yes can be in lower or upper case.
- Categories Import
Categories are aligned with types of events/activities you hold such as a Comedy Show, Sports, Tour, theatre etc. You can also create sub-categories, such as a tour could be the category, and the sub-category could be island tour, land tour etc. When you create events/activities, you can allocate one or more categories/sub categories and then generate this information to target these customers in marketing efforts.
However, as categories are assigned to an order against an event, they cannot be imported. The following guidelines appear under Categories Import.
As categories are assigned to events/activities and orders being processed, Tags will need to be created.
Click on Marketing > Tags then create a tag defined by the category name i.e. Comedy and use the Tag Import function to import your category data into our system. We suggest you read our help file carefully under Tags.
Through reports, you’ll be able to select tags >Categories, select your Category to then market to these customers
- Interests Import
Interests allow you to understand not only customers who have purchased particular types of events/activities, but also those that are interested in receiving information i.e. I didn’t purchase a comedy show but online in my customer account, I select Comedy as one of my interests and therefore allowing you as an organisation to market these type of events to me.
Simply create the Interest under Marketing > Categories & Interests in the TicketSearch system. Click on the ‘Interests Import’ tab under ‘Customer Database Import’. Click the interests you want to upload either one at a time or multiple i.e. you could download Sports first or do multi-interests at a time. The interests will simply appear in columns in the downloaded spreadsheet.
Select ‘Download CSV File’ then complete the customer id and interest information making sure that a Y is added against each customer id to indicate the interest should be assigned. If you are maintaining regular imports and want to update interests from another system, by enter N for rno, the interest will be removed from the customers profile..
Once you click “Select A File To Upload’, our system will match the customer id and allocate the required interest to their record.
- Marketing Opt-in Import
Opt-in marketing is a form of permission marketing in which there is a formal opt-in process for receiving follow-up communication, offers, etc.
Under Marketing Opt-in Import is a list of your previously created Opt-ins and if they’ve been created specifically against an event rather than at organisation level, the word (event) will appear next to to opt-in. Event//activity level optin’s created at the event/activity level rather than organisation level (i.e. soliciting opt-in’s for a promoter who is holding a show at your venue), cannot be imported into TicketSearch.
Click on the desired opt-ins to download by clicking on ‘Download CSV’ then complete the customer id and marketing opt-in information making sure that a Y is added against each communication type i.e. Email, Mail, SMS. If you don’t want a customer to be allocated to an opt-in, simply do not enter a Y in the communication column.
If you are maintaining regular imports from another system and want to remove a opt in preference, by enter N for No, the communication type(s) will be removed from the customers profile..
If you are downloading multiple opt-ins to complete, you will notice that the communication types will be marked with a number i.e. marketing opt-in 1 as email1, mail1, sms1 while marketing opt-in 2 will be have communication options marked as email2, mail2, sms2. Please do not alter any of these header fields as the number range is important to successfully completing your import and identifying each column as unique in our database.
Please do not enter any content into the column that represents your Marketing Opt-in Name. Only enter content into the Email, Mail, SMS fields (where applicable).
Once you click “Select A File To Upload’, our system will match the customer id and allocate the required Marketing Opt-in to each customers record with the desired communication type.
- Notes
Notes allow you to add a subject and a note against a customer id that will be allocated to a customer’s profile. This is ideal in circumstances where you want to keep the communication history against a customer’s profile.
Click ‘Download CSV’ then enter your notes and subject as required against the customer id if applicable.
Click ‘Select A File To Upload’ to upload your data.
Tip: when importing notes, please ensure that your subject is less than xxx characters and note field less than 255 characters. Failure to comply this minimum will result in the following message: