{Requirement} Import related customer data using Excel in Dynamics 365

Consider a situation where you have implemented your client’s Dynamics 365 system and all set to go live. You are not waiting for your client to share the customer (Account/ Contact) data from their old system to be imported in newly implemented Dynamics 365 using the standard excel import feature.

Assuming you receive the below data from your client for Account & Contact. If you notice the account record set, you will see that the Account “SF Tyre Pty” limited has Primary contact “John Keen” and if you notice the Contact set you will see that the contact “John Keen” is associated with Account “SF Tyre Pty”.

ACCOUNTS

CONTACTS

Now if you try to import any of these files into Dynamics 365, you will receive the error “The lookup reference could not be resolved.”–

This error simple means that CRM tried to create these records, but the related record mentioned in the excel doesn’t exists in CRM.

To fix this error, we need to import both the files together as a zip file. Doing this will ensure that if CRM can’t find the related record in CRM, it will look for the related record in the uploaded zip file.

Follow the below steps to create a zip file and upload the customer data:

1) Select both the files and add to the zip.

2) Navigate into Dynamics 365 >> Settings >> Data Management >> Imports and select this zip file and click Next.

3) The zip file will be loaded in memory and the wizard will display both the files-

4)     Complete the wizard by clicking Next and Submit at the end.

5)     You will notice that there 2 import record gets created for each excel file.

6)     Once the import job is completed, you will see the success-

7)     If you investigate the records, the related mapping will also be maintained-

The above is applicable to import related data for any entities including custom entities. The field mapping can also be done if required.

Hope this helps!

- Ravi Kashyap

{Requirement} Import related customer data using Excel

1) Select both the files and add to the zip.

2) Navigate into Dynamics 365 >> Settings >> Data Management >> Imports and select this zip file and click Next.

3) The zip file will be loaded in memory and the wizard will display both the files-

4)     Complete the wizard by clicking Next and Submit at the end.

5)     You will notice that there 2 import record gets created for each excel file.

6)     Once the import job is completed, you will see the success-

7)     If you investigate the records, the related mapping will also be maintained-