A comprehensive guide to importing contact location data. This process facilitates the bulk creation of contact records and their direct association with locations, streamlining initial setup and mass updates.
📖 Key Terminology
For clarity throughout this guide, the following terms are defined:
Contact Location: A master data record that links a specific contact person (name, email, phone) to a specific physical location.
Location: The physical address, warehouse, or delivery point where the contact is assigned. The location must already exist in the Qargo system.
Contact: The specific person being recorded (e.g., Warehouse Manager, Shipping Clerk) who can be associated with a Location.
✅ Critical Import Requirements for Containers
Prior to importing Contact Location data, the following requirements and warnings must be considered to ensure data integrity.
Location Prerequisite: Before a contact can be imported and linked to a location, the Location record must already exist in the Qargo system. The import will fail if the specified Location cannot be found.
Mandatory Fields: The Location Name and Contact Name are mandatory fields. An import will fail if either of these is left blank.
🛠️ Step-by-Step Data Import Process
Step 1: Download Template
A specific spreadsheet template is available to upload Contact Location data:
📚 Always use a blank template downloaded directly from here or provided by the Qargo team. Re-using an old template may lead to import errors.
Step 2: Fill in the Excel Template
Open the template and populate it with the required data. The template contains column headers that correspond to the fields in Qargo.
Required Fields: Make sure to fill out all the required fields (a comprehensive list of required fields can be found in the next section of this article). An import will fail if these fields are left blank.
Formatting: Close attention should be paid to the specified data format (e.g., dates, numbers, text).
Step 3: Submit for Upload
During Onboarding: Work directly with your onboarding manager to upload your initial business data. They will guide you through the process and ensure a successful import.
After Onboarding: For all future data updates and imports, contact your account manager. They will assist you with the upload process and provide ongoing support.
📝 Details of the Contact Location Import Template
The following table provides a detailed, field-by-field explanation of the Excel template for contact location import, including data formats, required fields, and best practices for populating each column.
Column name | Required/optional | Remarks | Example |
name | Required |
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phone_number |
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job_title |
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has_role_billing |
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has_role_operations |
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has_role_cmr_processing |
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location_name | Required |
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location_address |
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location_city |
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location_country |
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latitude |
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longitude |
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location_address_second_line |
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location_postal_code |
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location_identifier |
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location_state |
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location_place_id |
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location_row_id |
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🔎 Troubleshooting Common Contact Location Import Errors
This section addresses specific errors that may arise during the import of Contact Location data.
Location Record Not Found: This is the most common error. It occurs when the unique identifier for the Location in the template does not exactly match an existing Location record in Qargo. The Location must exist in the system before a contact can be imported and linked to it.
Sheet name: The sheet name in the Excel template file must be named exactly 'Import'. Any other name will cause an error when uploading the file.
Missing Mandatory Field: The import will fail for any row where the Location Identifier or Contact Name is left blank.
Case-Sensitive Column Headers: Column headers must be entered with the correct casing. Using incorrect casing will cause the data in that column to be silently ignored and not imported.
Leading Apostrophe Errors: Data in a cell cannot begin with an apostrophe ('). If an apostrophe is used, the system will not recognise the value, and an error may occur.
✨ Best Practices for Contact Location Containers
To ensure a smooth and accurate import, consider the following best practices:
Maintain Data Consistency: Pay close attention to the spelling and capitalisation of Location Names and Contact Names. Any inconsistencies will prevent the link from being created.
📈 Use Cases for Contact Location Import
Importing contact location data is an invaluable tool for several key business processes:
Initial Setup Efficiency: The primary use case is to rapidly populate a Qargo tenant with contact personnel details associated with a large number of warehouse or delivery locations.
Mass Updates: When contact personnel change across multiple sites, their details can be added or corrected in bulk via this import tool.
Data Consolidation: When onboarding a new business unit or integrating location data from another system, the contact details can be added and linked to their respective locations efficiently.