Create an Import
Customer imports will allow you to generate multiple Customers within Paradigm from a spreadsheet template.
You can find 'Customer Imports' under the 'Data Imports' navigation menu item.
You can create a new Import by clicking the 'Add New Customer Import' button found at the top-left of the screen. 
On the 'Import Document' panel, select the company you wish to import data for. The 'Document Status' will default to 'In Progress'.
On the 'Import Details' panel, you can select 'Auto Generate Code'. If this is checked, the Customer Code field will populate automatically, following Paradigms naming scheme. Leave the Customer Code field blank on the template if you wish to use this option.
Setting Up Your Data Import File
You now need to attach your data import spreadsheet to your 'Document Import' in Paradigm, the following steps will cover how to set up your data import file.
Here is an example of a completed Data Import Template for Customers.
You can download an empty template here attached to the bottom of this article.
Note : Do not format any of the cells on the template as Paradigm is designed to read this specific setup. Only the data input is required.
The template fields are as follows :
'Customer Code' : If you are using 'Auto Generate Code', you can leave this field blank.
'Customer Name' : This is the full Customer name.
'Registration Number' : This is the customer's CRN or Company's Registration Number.
'VAT Number' : This is the customer's registered VAT Number.
The following fields are all contact information and address information on the customer :
'Contact 1', 'Contact 2', 'Telephone 1', 'Telephone 2', 'Mobile', 'Email', 'Physical Adress 1 through 5', 'Physical Postal Code', 'Postal Address 1 through 5', 'Postal Postal Code'.
'Credit Limit' : This is the credit limit put on the customer as a form of credit control. Customers total outstanding payments cannot then exceed their 'Credit Limit' unless manually overridden.
Once you have filled in all the required data, you must now save the spreadsheet as a '(Comma Delimited) CSV file'.
In Excel click 'File' > 'Save As'.
In the 'File Type' drop down menu, select 'CSV (Comma Delimited) (*.csv)'.
Generating Customers from Your Import Data
Attach the CSV file to the 'Data Import' within Paradigm. You can drag and drop the file onto the open pane on the 'Data Import' screen. Alternatively, you can use the 'Add From File' button.
This button will allow you to browse your local files and select the file you wish to attach.
Once you have successfully attached the CSV file, click the 'Import Data from CSV Attachment' button.
This will populate the 'Customer Import Data' tab with the lines from the imported file.
Two common error messages may occur at this step.
The 'Invalid length parameter passed' error is caused by the imported file being the incorrect format.
'Error converting data type' is caused by one of the fields within the imported file being input incorrectly, such as typing text into the 'Credit Limit' field, which requires a numeric value.
If successfully imported, the 'Customer Import Data' tab should look as follows.
In the case that changes need to be made to the import data, the imported file will have to amended and then re-imported.
You can do this by pressing the 'Reset Data Import button'.
This will clear the 'Customer Import Data' tab.
Navigate to the 'CSV Attachment' tab and click the 'Unlink' button.
This will remove the attached file. You can now amend the data in the Excel spreadsheet and then re-attach as a CSV file and re-import the data.
If you are satisfied that all the imported data is correct, you can click the 'Approve Import Data' button.
This will set the 'Approval Status' to 'Approved' and set the 'Approval Date' to the current day.
Once the data import has been approved, the 'Process Import Data' button will enable.
The Customers will now be added to the Paradigm system, they can be viewed on the main Customers table.
