Setting the import action and mapping fields during import
When you import data into an existing FileMaker Pro file, the Import Field Mapping dialog box appears after you select the file or source of the data to import. Use this dialog box to specify the following import options:
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Import action: Specify how to import the data into the existing file. You can add new records to the file, update existing records in the file, or update matching records in the file. See Methods of importing data into an existing file.
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Field mapping: Specify where to import the data by mapping the fields in your database to the fields in the source data that you’re importing.
To set the import action and map fields during import:
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Follow the instructions in Importing data into an existing file, Importing a folder of files all at once, Importing Bento data (OS X), or Importing XML data. You will see the Import Field Mapping dialog box.
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In the Import Action area, choose the type of import to perform.
Important  Updating existing or matching records overwrites data in the target file and cannot be undone. Choose File menu > Save a Copy As to make a backup copy of the target file. Make sure you understand how updating records works. See Methods of importing data into an existing file.
 
Note  If the table you’re importing into contains no data, you can only select Add new records; the other options described below are not available because there is no data to update.
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Selecting Don’t import first record (contains field names) skips the first record during import.
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For Target Fields, drag fields to align with fields or data in Source Fields, to indicate where source data will be imported or updated.
To align a field, move the pointer over the Double arrow icon icon next to a target field name in the list. When the pointer changes to a double arrow Double arrow pointer, drag the field to a new location.
You can do any of the following to align target fields and source fields:
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To create or change fields in the table you're importing into, click Manage Database. In the Manage Database dialog box, make your changes, then click OK. (If the Manage Database button is dimmed, either you don't have sufficient access privileges, or the database is shared over a network and does not currently permit database changes. For more information about changing shared databases, see Sharing and hosting files.)
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Note  Data from a source field will not import when:
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6.
Continue clicking until the symbol between the fields indicates the field mapping you want. For a description of each symbol, refer to the Field Mapping area. You can choose whether or not to import each field into the target field, or use a field pairing as a match field for updating matching records.
Tip  You can also set the field mapping for multiple fields at the same time. First select the target fields you want to change by holding down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (OS X), and clicking each target field. (You can also select a range of adjacent fields by clicking the first field and then Shift-clicking the last field in the range.) Then click a field mapping symbol for one of the selected fields until they all indicate the mapping that you want. (You can also press the Space bar one or more times to change the field mapping symbol.)
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If necessary, for Character Set, choose the character encoding used in the source file.
The Character Set list may be dimmed or available:
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Note  If you’re importing a 16-bit Unicode (UTF-16) text file, the file must contain a Unicode standard Byte Order Mark (BOM). If the BOM is missing, FileMaker Pro will not properly recognize the file encoding.
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Click Import.
You may see the Import Options dialog box, which appears when:
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9.
 
Select Perform auto-enter options while importing. Otherwise, auto-entered values will not be entered.
Note  When you’re importing into fields that are set to auto-enter a value (like modifier name, modification date or time, or lookup data), clear this option unless you want the auto-entered data to overwrite the data you’re importing.
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Keeping them in the original record to maintain the field(s) as repeating fields.
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Splitting them into separate records to import each repeating value into a separate record. (Use this option to work with individual values in repeating fields, such as to sort or summarize them.)
Note  When you split repeating field data into separate records any non-repeating fields that you import are duplicated in each separate record. For example, if a record in the source file has values in three repetitions, splitting them into separate records imports three records, each identical except for the values in the repeating fields.
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The Import Records Summary dialog box displays three statistics detailing the imported records and any skipped data:
 
Note  This number will include multiple updates of the same record if you’re updating matching records and more than one record in the source file matches a record in the found set of the target file. See the Notes section in Methods of importing data into an existing file.
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Privilege errors: Access privileges prohibit modifying one or more records.
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Locked records: One or more records cannot be modified because they are being accessed elsewhere, either in another window by the same user or (if the file is shared) by other clients.
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Validation errors: One or more records cannot be modified because record-level field validation requirements are not met, and the record could not be committed. See About validating data during import.
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Validation errors: One or more fields cannot be imported because the data does not match the validation requirements defined for the field. See About validating data during import.
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Privilege errors: Access privileges prohibit modifying one or more fields.
Notes
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If you’re importing a large amount of data, you may see an Importing dialog box that shows the progress of the import process. To stop importing, click Stop. Records that were already imported remain in the target file (the import is not reversed). To permanently delete the records already imported, choose Records menu > Delete All Records.
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