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Import data from outside Quickbase

If work on your app is already well-underway, you can still import data from outside of Quickbase at any time.

Importing in pipelines

To import data using Pipelines, see using copy records in the Quickbase channel  and if you need to transform the data or manually enter values, see Bulk Record Sets.

To import data into an existing app, you can:

Merge fields

When you import data into an existing app, Quickbase either adds the new records to an existing table (a normal import), or replaces existing Quickbase records with those that you import (an update import). Quickbase decides which type of import you want based on whether or not you import data into the destination table's merge field.

If you have chosen to import data into a merge field, Quickbase checks each row of data to see if there's a match between the value for that merge field and any value that already exists in the merge field in your table. If it finds a match, Quickbase updates the matching record with the new data you're importing. If it doesn't find a match, Quickbase creates a new record.  

For example, you have an app that manages language classes your business offers. In the Course table, you change the key field (1) from the Record ID to the Course ID (which you know will always be unique). Records in your app might look like this:

three rows and columns in a Quickbase table. First column is labeled Course ID and is highlighted as the key field

Now, let's say you go to the Import page, copy and paste the following data, and keep Course ID as your merge field: 

Course ID, Course name,
 Description
201009, Advanced French,
 "This course describes how to build complex sentences, etc."
201111, Italian for
 Beginners, "This course covers basic Italian vocabulary, conversation,
 etc."

Because you are importing into your merge field (Course ID), Quickbase checks to see if there's a match between any value you're trying to import into your merge field and an existing value. In this case, it finds a match in Course ID 201009.

Therefore, Quickbase takes the following actions:

  • Updates Course ID 201009 with a new Course name (Advanced French) and the new description

  • Adds Course ID 201111 to the table

Read more about formatting data for import by pasting, and importing blank values.

Link related data by importing into lookup fields

Quickbase automatically links child records to the correct parent when you import into a lookup field. For the lookup field to show as an option, it must be marked unique in the parent table. Learn more in Import into lookup fields to link related data.

Copy and paste data

To copy and paste data:

  1. In your source document, highlight the text that you want to copy, and choose Copy from the Edit menu.

    You can copy tables from a word-processing document, or specific rows or columns from a spreadsheet program.

  2. Open the Quickbase app into which you want to paste the data and navigate to the table where you want to paste the data.

  3. Choose Import/Export from the More menu on the page bar.
    page bar above a table report, showing the more menu selected and then highlighting the import/export button

  4. Choose Import into a table from the clipboard.

  5. In the Select Merge Field section, choose a field in your table to match imported data to existing records. Read more about merging.

  6. In the Paste Data section, paste the data that you want to import.

  7. Click Import Data.
    Quickbase analyzes your data, and then displays a preview of the results.

    Note: Quickbase may display a warning prompt to let you know that you're about to perform an "Update import.” If you don't want to do so, remove the merge field from your import. To remove it, locate the field and click Do Not Import at the top of the column.

  8. Check the Import Data page to ensure that the field labels for each field (column) are correct and that the data is properly aligned. To do so:

    • Examine the data displayed beneath each field label. If the column is set for importing into an existing field, check that the correct field label is showing or else select it in the drop-down menu. If the column is set for creating a new field, check that the correct field type is shown or else select it in the drop-down menu. Also enter a label for this new field.

    • If you want to import a column's values into a different field, click the drop-down and select the correct field.

    • If you want to import the values but there's no appropriate field to receive them, create a new field. To create a new field, click Create New Field at the top of the column, select a field type, then enter a label for the field in the Field Label box.

    • For new fields, if a field type isn't correct, select the appropriate type from the drop-down at the top of the column. Remember, fields that stored parts of addresses should be matched to Address subfields.

      Tip: If you import values that are also people who'll use your Quickbase app, import those values into a User field. (Read more about user fields.) When you import into User fields, you can import text or—if you've got them—email addresses. When you import text into a User field, Quickbase creates placeholders that you can later convert to user values. If you import email addresses, Quickbase can immediately match a value with the Quickbase user who's registered with that email address. So, if you can, try to import email addresses instead of names. You can save time later.

    • If you don't want to import any of the values that appear under a particular field, select Do Not Import at the top of the column.

  9. Click Import or Import (with Update).

    If the import creates new fields, Quickbase displays a warning message asking you to confirm the action. If this isn't your intention, click Cancel, then edit your import (refer back to Step 8). Otherwise, click OK.

    Quickbase tells you how many records you created or updated.

    Note: If the program created placeholders to populate a User field, Quickbase displays the number of placeholders created. A Replace Placeholders link appears in the explanatory text. Click Replace Placeholders to convert placeholder values to real users. If your roles include the Manage users and share the app permission, you can convert placeholders later, via the Users page.

  10. To access the app, click Go to the App Home Page.

Import data from a file

To import data from a file:

  1. If your data is in Microsoft Excel, you can import the .xlsx file. Read more about importing data from Excel into existing applications.

    Otherwise, open the file in the original program that created it, then export the file as a tab-delimited (.tsv) or comma-delimited (.csv) file. If there's no Export command, click Save As and specify either file type.

    Tip: If you have rows that contain explanatory text, remove them before you save the file as a tab-delimited (.tsv) or comma-delimited (.csv) file. Import only column headings and records into Quickbase. Doing so helps Quickbase analyze the structure of your data.

  2. Open the Quickbase app into which you want to import data and navigate to the table where you want to import the data.

  3. Choose Import/Export from the More menu on the page bar.

  4. Choose Import into a table from a file.

  5. In the Select Merge Field section, choose a field in your table to match imported data to existing records. Read more about merging.

  6. In the Choose file section, click Browse, select the Excel (.xlsx), comma-delimited (.csv), or the tab-delimited (.tsv) file that you want to import, then click Open.

  7. Click Import from File.

    The Import Data page displays, showing you how Quickbase will structure the import.

    Note: Quickbase may display a warning prompt to let you know that you're about to perform an "Update import.” If you don't want to do so, remove the merge field from your import. To remove it, locate the field and click Do Not Import at the top of the column.

  8. Check the Import Data page to ensure that the field labels for each field (column) are correct and that the data is properly aligned. To do so:

    • Examine the data displayed beneath each field label. If the column is set for importing into an existing field, check that the correct field label is showing or else select it in the drop-down menu. If the column is set for creating a new field, check that the correct field type is shown or else select it in the drop-down menu. Also enter a label for this new field.

    • If you want to import a column's values into a different field, click the drop-down and select the correct field.

    • If you want to import the values but there's no appropriate field to receive them, create a new field. To create a new field, click Create New Field at the top of the column, select a field type, then enter a label for the field in the Field Label box.

    • For new fields, if a field type isn't correct, select the appropriate type from the drop-down at the top of the column. Remember, fields that stored parts of addresses should be matched to Address subfields.

      Tip: If you import values that are also people who'll use your Quickbase app, import those values into a User field. (Read more about user fields.) When you import into User fields, you can import text or—if you've got them—email addresses. When you import text into a User field, Quickbase creates placeholders that you can later convert to user values. If you import email addresses, Quickbase can immediately match a value with the Quickbase user who's registered with that email address. So, if you can, try to import email addresses instead of names. You can save time later.

    • If you don't want to import any of the values that appear under particular field, select Do Not Import at the top of the column.

    • If you want to import the values but there's no appropriate field to receive them, create a new field.

      To create a new field, click Create New Field at the top of the column, select a field type, then enter a name for the field in the Field Label box.

  9. Click Import or Import (with Update).

    If the import creates new fields, Quickbase displays a warning message asking you to confirm the action. If this isn't your intention, click Cancel, then edit your import settings (refer back to Step 8). Otherwise, click OK.

    Quickbase tells you how many records you created or updated.

    Note: If the program created placeholders to populate a User field, Quickbase displays the number of placeholders created. A Replace Placeholders link appears in the explanatory text. Click Replace Placeholders to convert placeholder values to real users. You can do this at any time.

  10. To access the app, click Go to the App Home Page.

Importing from a relational database

Before you import data from a relational database into a Quickbase app, decide whether you want the app to preserve relationships based on the primary and foreign key fields in the relational database.

To import data without preserving relationships:

  1. Export the data from the relational database to Microsoft Excel (2007 or later) files, comma-delimited (.csv) files, or tab-delimited (.tsv) files.

  2. You can do one of the following tasks:

To import data and preserve relationships:

  1. Export the data from your the relational database to Microsoft Excel (2007 or later) files, comma-delimited (.csv) files, or tab-delimited (.tsv) files.

  2. Create a new Quickbase app from scratch, change the key field of each table so that it corresponds to the key field in the relational database, and set up the table, relationship, and field structure that matches the relational database structure. The exceptions are:

    • Quickbase does not support compound keys.

    • Quickbase supports auto-numbering key fields only with the built-in field called Record ID#. You cannot import information into the default "Record ID#" key field, or into any of the other four Quickbase built-in fields. Follow the steps below if you have an existing auto-numbering key field and want to preserve relationships when you import your data into Quickbase:

      1. Create a Numeric field in Quickbase and designate it as the key field.

      2. Import your data into the table, then map the auto-numbering key field to the key field from step 1.

      3. If you are not planning to use the relational database anymore, change the key field back to the built-in "Record ID" field so that you can continue to have an auto-numbering key field in Quickbase.

        Quickbase takes care of managing all the relationships; changing the key field does not disrupt any relationships between records across tables.

  3. Import the file for each table into Quickbase.

Limits

There are no limits on the amount of data you can import. Your actual performance during the import may vary because it is dependent on a number of factors.

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