Loading data

In this section, we will go through the steps required to load some data, starting with an overview of the process.

The loading process

The overall steps for loading data are common regardless of the tool that you use. They are as follows:

1. Define the data template.
2. Format data on the template.
3. Execute the data load:
   • Select the operation
   • Select the file/source
   • Confirm mapping and settings
   • Load data
   • Review errors
4. Validate all data has loaded correctly.

In the following sections, we will look at each of these steps in more detail.

Creating a template

Often, the easiest way to create a template for loading data is to create a record in the target system with realistic data in all the fields that you want to load. Then, using the selected tool, you can export the record. This will give you all the headings and show you an example of the format of the data. You will have one template per object.

This is a good option for tools such as Salesforce...