Betreff: Import to a Multi Check field.

[pinchvalve]

I have exported data from my CRM which includes a multi checkbox field. The data shows as info1; info2; info3. I updated the field, but when I try to import it, I can only import records with a single value. This is because Hubspot requires that you select each value from the list for each record. This is impossible because you can only see the first few letters of what you are importing. On the import, you see info1; info2... That could have another 10 options, you have no way to know. 

And you can have many variables depending on the order of items; one record may have info3; info1; info2 while the next has info3; info2; info1.  Event the same data, if it is in a different order, is treated as different items. 

Is there a way around this? 

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @pinchvalve,

If you follow these formatting rules, importing into a multiple checkboxes property should not be an issue: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/import-and-export/set-up-your-import-file#format-values-based-on-prope...

The short of it is:

• If you want to append values, start with a semicolon
• If you want to replace values, do not start with a semicolon
• Values should be separated by semicolon

I am not sure what you mean by this: "I can only import records with a single value". Can you please share a screenshot? Have you made sure your target property is of the type multiple checkboxes?

Regarding the order of items, HubSpot does not store any particular order. Items will be ordered according to how the checkbox options are sorted in the property settings. In other words, A, B, C will be treated exactly as C, B, A.

Best regards

[kennedyp]

Thanks for the help @karstenkoehler & @franksteiner79 😊

[franksteiner79 · Accepted solution]

Hi @pinchvalve 

This is a bit of quirk, because in order to reimport multiple values they need to start with a ";".

So the data in your import needs to look like this:

• ;info3; info1; info2 or
• ;info3; info2; info1

Hope that helps.

Frank

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @pinchvalve,

If you follow these formatting rules, importing into a multiple checkboxes property should not be an issue: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/import-and-export/set-up-your-import-file#format-values-based-on-prope...

The short of it is:

• If you want to append values, start with a semicolon
• If you want to replace values, do not start with a semicolon
• Values should be separated by semicolon

I am not sure what you mean by this: "I can only import records with a single value". Can you please share a screenshot? Have you made sure your target property is of the type multiple checkboxes?

Regarding the order of items, HubSpot does not store any particular order. Items will be ordered according to how the checkbox options are sorted in the property settings. In other words, A, B, C will be treated exactly as C, B, A.

Best regards

[pinchvalve]

Thank you both for the information, the leading semicolon solved the problem. What an odd quirk. 

To answer Karsten's question: 

In the screenshot, you can see that a record with a single, short value can easily be mapped. If you have multiple values, you cannot see them all, so you cannot select all of them in the drop-down list. I discovered that if you copy and paste the value from the import field, you can see all the data. This is helpful when data does not match exactly, but is close enough to map. 

To your second point, while treated the same, A,B,C will appear as one line item on the import, while B,A,C will be a second line, and C,A,B will be a third, and C,B,A a fourth etc. Each will need to be mapped separately. 

Both issues were easily solved by having matching data AND using the leading semicolon. So a big thank you again.