Import companies with no URL

[paul01]

Hi,

I tried to import a list of companies (associations) which do not have a URL. Two alert messages were received (see below). As far as the second alert message goes, I'm mapping to the HubSpot default field "Company Name". I can create a new Company record manually without a URL. How can I complete the import?

Thanks.

Alert messages:

No unique identifier selected
We notice you didn't use a unique identifier. For companies, HubSpot accepts Company domain name as the unique identifier. Without this, every row in your import file will be created as a new record.

Some required properties are missing.
To complete your company import, you need Company domain name or Name as a HubSpot property. Please review your property mappings below or review the columns in your file.

[warrendavey · Accepted solution]

@paul01 Great!

On your Screenshot, you will notice that Domain URL went with the Company record (the building image on the HubSpot Property column next to the property indicates which record type) but all the addresses were associated with the Contact.  For your next import duplicate the address information and associate it with the Company record.

The best practice and organization here is that the company address may be different from the individual address. For example, John Doe works in Seattle but the main office is in Miami.

If you need more help, feel free to contact me directly.  My number and info are on my site at www.pearagon.com.

[warrendavey]

@paul01 

This can be hard when you just want a list of companies to be uploaded into your CRM.  what you will find is that a URL for a unique identifier is a best practice to keep duplicates from occurring or to tell you that a duplicate is in the system.  

The reason you can do it manually is so you can push it in if the company really doesn't have a domain.  The hope is that they at least have a website and that only a handful of your prospects don't.  

[paul01]

Hi Warren,

Thanks for the reply. In this case, the upload is Homeowner Associations. It's unusual for HOA's to have URLs. 

Do you know what "Name as a HubSpot property. " refers to in "To complete your company import, you need Company domain name or Name as a HubSpot property." ?

Regards,

-paul

[warrendavey]

@paul01 

I just did a test to see if I could upload and create the same issue.  I was able to upload a simple list of companies with no URL. Can you send me a redacted image of the file you are uploading and the process you are going through to do it?  I think we can solve this together.  Look up my company and call me directly if you want and I can help.  www.pearagon.com

[paul01]

Maybe it's because I've got associated contacts in the data.

Below is a sample of redacted data. I selected multiple objects (company and contacts) in the import options. Perhaps one object to import the companies and then a second import to associate contacts with companies. Will HubSpot recognize "Company Name" as the key to associate the contacts?

[warrendavey]

@paul01 

I think this will work:

Try the import again, but this time add a column to your spreadsheet with Company URL as the header.  Leave it blank for the company domain of course.  Make sure it maps as the company domain name when you import.  That way the system can check for duplicates even though nothing exists.  This may be causing the issue

Do you have multiple contacts per HOA?  If not you can just upload the contacts with the company name as a single object.

[paul01]

Hi Warren,

I hadn't thought of a blank URL field. Good idea.

So, I tried this and the import completed. The results were a bit of a mixed bag.

The redacted screenshot shows how the fields were mapped. Contacts were created with street, city, and phone 1 field data. Companies were created but had no name, street, city state, zip. Phone 2 data was added and the "Type" field was successfully populated.

What I ended up doing was opening each contact and editing the "Blank Name" associated Company ( a company was associated). I changed the "Company Name" in the company preview of the contact and then manually populated street, city state, zip.

All-in-all, the import was better than manually adding these records but far from optimal.

Perhaps a better option would be to import only companies as a single object. Then import contacts. I don't think this would work however as the import doesn't appear to use "Company Name" as a primary key. I strongly suspect the subsequent contact import would create another "Company" with the same name as the previous company-only import. There were two identical "Company Name" records in my import and the system created two separate "Blank Name" company records. The two associated contacts were assigned to one company each.

Thanks.

[warrendavey · Accepted solution]

@paul01 Great!

On your Screenshot, you will notice that Domain URL went with the Company record (the building image on the HubSpot Property column next to the property indicates which record type) but all the addresses were associated with the Contact.  For your next import duplicate the address information and associate it with the Company record.

The best practice and organization here is that the company address may be different from the individual address. For example, John Doe works in Seattle but the main office is in Miami.

If you need more help, feel free to contact me directly.  My number and info are on my site at www.pearagon.com.

[DNelson7]

Wouldn't the best way to avoid duplicates be to have a Customer ID#? I'm trying to import companies where I already have a customer ID. I want to use the Customer IDs in my data because they correspond to national data.  HubSpot won't let me do this.

[paul01 · Accepted solution]

Thanks.

I agree it would make sense to duplicate the address fields and map to both company and contact. 

This duplication would also (probably) solve the other outsanding issue of why the company "Name" field wasn't populated. 

Therefore, duplicate the company name records calling one field (say) "Company Name" and the other "Company Contact". Map "Company Name" to "Name" in the Company properties - with the "buildings" icon. Map "Company Contact" to "Company Name" - yeah confusing eh - in the Contact properties with the "person" icon. This should associate the contact with the Company and populate the missing company "Name" field from my first attempt.

Do the same for address fields.

I don't have more data to test right now but am fairly confident this would work and can mark the thread as resolved