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How to import jobs in bulk

  • Updated

If you have jobs in another system or in a spreadsheet that you want to import into vWork you can import these in bulk using a CSV file. This saves time and reduces input errors - especially when you have a lot of jobs to create.

In this article

This article explains how to import job data from a CSV file. To find out how to prepare a CSV file for importing jobs please see the article, Prepare a CSV file to import data into vWork.

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Things to consider when importing Jobs into vWork

Assigning workers and start times

  • You create jobs in vWork when you import them. You’ll be able to view them in the Jobs tab and, if they have a worker assigned and/or a planned start time, also on the Schedule.

  • Workers are assigned when their email is included in the job import information.

  • Jobs are always created with a start time if they have a worker assigned to the job.

  • The planned start time is always the time the job is created in vWork unless a specific start time is included in the import.

  • You can save a job with a planned start time and keep it unassigned by leaving out the worker’s email in the CSV file.

Customer information

  • If the customer for the job isn't saved as a customer record in vWork you will create a new customer record in vWork.

  • You may end up creating duplicate customer records if you make an error in a Customer 3rd Party ID, or a Customer Name field in the CSV job import file. To make sure you don't create duplicate records see the article, Prepare a CSV file to import data into vWork, and review the information about the values that you can include in the Customer 3rd Party ID and Customer Name fields in the Job import CSV file.

Importing Equipment with a job

  • You can import several items of Equipment with a single job. Equipment that is imported is matched to an equipment item in vWork using either the equipment's ID or using the equipment's name.

  • New equipment can be added to vWork when it is imported with a job. You may end up creating duplicate equipment records in vWork if you make an error in the equipment 3rd Party ID or equipment Name in the CSV file. To make sure you don't create duplicate records see the article Prepare a CSV file to import data into vWork and review the information about the values that you can include in the equipment 3rd Party ID and equipment Name fields in the Job import CSV file.

When do you want jobs published?

  • You can import jobs in a Draft state.

  • When a job is in a Draft state no details are published to your workers until you manually publish the schedule. This is useful when you want to plan the schedule and shuffle jobs around to find the best fit before publishing jobs to your mobile workers.

  • To create jobs with a Draft state add a column labeled “Import draft” to your CSV file. Use the value 't' for true (import in Draft state) or 'f' for false (do not import in Draft state).
    Note: If you leave this field empty the job is not imported in Draft state. It will be published if it has a worker assigned to it in the job import.

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How to import jobs from a CSV file

The job import process

Jobs are imported through the Jobs tab. When you import jobs from a CSV file you perform 2 steps:

  1. First, upload the CSV file into vWork.
  2. Next, match the specific data fields from the uploaded CSV file to the vWork job fields and run the import.

Upload the CSV file

Before you upload the job import CSV file make sure that it is ready for import. Take a look at the article, Prepare a CSV file to import data into vWork, for more information about how to set up the CSV file.

Note: You can import a maximum of 400 jobs in a single CSV file. If you want to import more jobs than this you can create multiple CSV files and import jobs in batches.

To upload the CSV file:

  1. Go to the Jobs tab.

  2. Click Import Jobs from the menu to open the CSV upload page.

    Jobs_Import_Jobs.png

  3. On the CSV upload page, at step 1. Choose a template to use for your upload:, click the drop-down list and select the job template that you want to use to create your jobs.  
    In our example, we chose the Mobile car service job template.

  4. From step  2. Upload a CSV file:, click Choose_file_button.png . 

    Upload_CSV_part_1.png

  5. Browse your computer to locate and select the job import CSV file.
    Note: Once selected you can see the name of the CSV file next to the Choose File button.

  6. Click Start_matcing_button.png to upload the CSV file.

    Upload_CSV_part_2.png

  7. As the file uploads, you will see the Start Matching button change to display Uploading.

    Jobs_uploading.png

Match the CSV data fields to the job template

When the upload is complete the field matching page opens where you complete stage 2 of the Job Import process. The blue fields on the left correspond with the columns that you have in your job import CSV file. In this example, we have 12 columns in our CSV file. 

CSV_Job_matching_page_before_matching_WITH_EQUIPMENT.png

At this stage of the process, you match the fields that contain the data from the CSV file to the corresponding fields in the selected job template.

Some things to be aware of:

  • We only import data from the fields that you choose to match. You don't need to match every field from the CSV file if those fields don't need to be completed when the jobs are imported.

  • Jobs are not created until you have completed the matching process and clicked Import Jobs. This means you can review where you have placed matched fields and adjust this before finalizing the job import. 

Steps

If you want to geolocate a step in your job there are two important fields you must include in the CSV file;

  • the formatted address for the step in one column - this shows the address in a format that is easy to read - you'll match this to the corresponding Steps field in the template, and

  • the corresponding Latitude and Longitude to match the address in a separate column - this is the actual location of the address on the map described in decimal degrees -you'll match this to the corresponding Step Coordinates field.

If you have multiple unique geolocated steps, you need to include separate columns for the formatted address and the combined latitude and longitude for each geolocated step.

Equipment

If you are importing Equipment with the job there are two Equipment fields to include in the CSV file. You must include at least one of these for each item of equipment you are adding to the job;

  • the equipment's 3rd Party ID is used to match the equipment's ID in the vWork record. If this ID doesn't match an existing vWork equipment record a new item or equipment is created in vWork.

  • the equipment's Name can also be used to match an item of equipment with a vWork record if the equipment's 3rd Party ID isn't used in the job import CSV file. You need to be cautious using the equipment's Name exclusively in the CSV file; it must match the capitalization, spelling, and punctuation exactly as it is in the vWork record to avoid vWork creating a duplicate equipment record.

To match the CSV fields to the vWork job template fields:

  1. Drag the first blue field that you want to match from the CSV fields on the left to the corresponding vWork job field on the right. Drop the CSV field in the corresponding job field. The vWork job field changes to green when the CSV field is matched, and the CSV field changes to light blue.

  2. Repeat step 1 for each field that you want to match.

  3. To match additional items of equipment click Plus_icon.png above the Equipment fields. This adds an extra 3rd Party ID and Name field for the additional item of Equipment. You can add as many additional fields as you need to include all items of equipment in the job import.

    CSV_Job_matching_page_during_matching_WITH_EQUIPMENT.png
    💡Tip: If you accidentally drag a CSV field to the wrong job field you can click the X in the right-hand corner of the green box to remove the match.

  4. Once you have matched all fields from the CSV file to the vWork job template click Import_Job_button.png to start creating the jobs in vWork.

  5. A warning shows to tell you how many jobs you are importing and how many fields you have mapped from the CSV file to the vWork job fields.
    Click Accept to import the jobs.

    Job_import_warning_WITH_EQUIPMENT.png

  6. When you Accept the import, vWork returns to the Jobs tab, and a banner displays at the top of the screen to tell you that the jobs are being imported. This may take a while - depending on the number of jobs you are importing and the complexity of the job template. The banner continues to display while the jobs are being imported. It shows the number of jobs created so you can track the job import progress. You can continue to do other tasks in vWork while the job import is processing. We’ll send you an email when the job import is complete. 

    Notice_job_import_now_running.png

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Consider using the API

We also have a full API that can automate this process. If you want to find out more, the API documentation can be found here. Alternatively, send an email to support@vworkapp.com. We’ll get in touch to talk about your requirements.

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