There are two methods by which you can import data into Troy Vision. You can import from CSV files or use the contacts within Microsoft Outlook.
The import function is located within the main drop menu (top left corner of the main Troy window) and you must be logged in as an administrator to run it.
Importing from a CSV file
Figure 1 – Importing a CSV file
At the top of the window shown in fig. 1 choose what you wish to import. You have the option to import Candidates, Companies (and contacts), Education / Qualifications, Employment history, History (including any notes) and CV’s and/or external documents.
If importing companies and their contacts, select the Contact Type to be recorded against all except the first contact imported for a company. If you need to import several contacts as different Contact Types, either use the same setting during the import and then amend them individually afterwards, or split them into several separate files and import them in batches, depending on the numbers involved.
Before selecting the CSV file to use, ensure that the correct delimiter which is used to break up the CSV file into columns is selected. This is done by choosing from the 3 options within the delimiter drop box. These are comma ( , ) – the default, semi-colon ( ; ) and pipe ( | ). The comma is typically used as the delimiter for English language CSV files whereas the semi-colon is used within continental Europe. Also, tick the box entitled ‘are columns enclosed within double quotes’ if the data within the CSV is encapsulated. This means that alphanumeric data is enclosed within double quotes ( “ ) typically used if the data contains the delimiter.
Click the ‘…’ button to choose the CSV file, which will then show a preview of the first data row within the large grid in the middle of the window. You will now need to map where each column of data with the CSV is to be stored within Troy. To do this, double click upon a row and choose a field from the resultant window. If you do not wish to import a field, simply leave it blank as shown for ‘postcode’ in the example above.
Once you have mapped the fields, it is possible to save the mapping so that you can use it again if you get another file of the same format. To do this type in a description in the space provided and click the Save button. It will then become visible in the drop box above the mapped fields grid, the next time that type of import is performed.
Before starting the import of data, tick the box entitled ‘first row contains column headings’ if the first row of data within the CSV are column headings describing what the data within the file contains. This will stop the column headings being imported. Duplication checking is switched on by default, but if you wish to ignore duplicates just tick the box labelled ‘do not perform any duplication checking’.
To start the import, click the Import button. A progress message will be displayed along with a cancel button which you can use if you wish the cancel the import. However, any items imported before the cancel button was clicked will still be added to the database.
The import runs in a separate process to Troy, so you can minimise the window and carry on with something else whilst the import runs. Obviously, the time taken for the import depends upon the size of the data being imported.
If you choose to import Education / Qualifications, Employment, History or CV’s (which can only be run once the candidates have been imported) then you need to tell Troy which field within its database is to be used to identify the item being imported. Typically, a reference number will be used for this, which has been imported when the candidates were created. A useful tip is to set up an additional field to store this reference number. When mapping the fields, you will a see a field called ‘Reference Field’. This field is used solely to identify the candidate already imported into the database and will not itself be imported.
“00003994”,”A Level English”,”BSc Hons Mechanical Engineering”
Above is an example of a CSV data row for education. When the data is imported it will update candidate 00003994 with education and degree information that follows it. So when mapping the first field, select ‘Reference Field’ from the drop box as shown in fig 2 below.
Fig. 2 Reference field mapping
Education, Employment and History data could all contain line feeds. CSV files use a line feed to denote the end of the data for that item, so in order to import the line feeds you need to replace the line feeds within the CSV file with another character (‘^’ for example). The import then allows you to type in this character which is used to denote a line feed when it is being imported. For example;
Dear Fred^Please find attached a CV that you will find very exciting^Regards^A Consultant
Within the CSV file would be converted as:
Dear Fred
Please find attached a CV that you will find very exciting
Regards
A Consultant
When saving these CSV files, it is important to save them in UTF-8 format. This is one of the Excel ‘Save As’ options:
Fig. 3 Saving in UTF-8 Format
Please remember that if you are importing education, employment, history or attaching CV’s then the candidate must have already been imported complete with a reference number.
Importing from Outlook
Figure 2, Importing from Outlook
You can import contacts from Outlook from your default Outlook folder or any other folder within the Outlook hierarchy. The default folder option will initially be selected, but if you wish to import contacts from another Outlook folder click the ‘…’ button to pick from your list of folders within Outlook.
Then choose what you wish the Outlook contacts to be imported into Troy as, candidates or company / contacts. If you have both types within the outlook folder, you can differentiate between them by using the categories function within Outlook to identify what they are. Using the ‘Outlook Category below to determine’ option type in the text that is used to recognise a candidate or company. Troy will then only import Outlook contacts which match that category as the type (Candidate / Company) selected.
You can also use the Outlook Contact category to populate the item user fields by ticking ‘Use Outlook Category’ check box. When this is ticked, the import will look for any user fields whose description or code match that of the category and allocate the item to it.
When an item is imported from Outlook Troy will added ‘Imported into Troy’ into its category. If you tick the ‘ignore’ check box, any items which have the ‘imported into troy’ category will be ignored.
Click the Import button to import the Outlook contacts and as with the CSV import a progress message will be shown along with a cancel button and you can minimise the window. Once the import has completed, the results will be shown and you will be able to click on the link showing what has been imported, or any duplicates that were encountered.
