Salesforce makes it very easy to import leads, opportunities, and contacts into the right category during the data transfer process. In this blog post, we review how the Salesforce import data function is designed to improve the proper organization of accounts.
Basics of Importing Data into Salesforce
Salesforce keeps converted leads separate from prospective accounts in order to keep everything organized. A prospective lead is created in many ways such as direct customer meeting, a referral through an existing client or from website visitor traffic.
As the lead is nurtured, it moves from an account into a qualified sales opportunity. Once the lead has converted into sales, it is moved to a different category called a contact.
The Salesforce import data function can recognize different categories of accounts and ensures that leads, opportunities, and contacts are moved into the right category during the data transfer process. You can start the data loader when you run the Salesforce software for the first time after installation and it can also be accessed from the system’s menu.
Steps to Import Leads to Salesforce
- You will need to get permission from Salesforce.com to allow you to open audit fields for your organization. The fields you need are CONVERTEDACCOUNTID, CONVERTEDOPPORTUNITYID, CONVERTEDCONTACTID and CONVERTEDDATE. These fields are not visible by default and you will need to get them activated to import data into the right field.
- Once the fields are active on your existing database, load ‘Account, Contact and Opportunity’ that need to be associated with the converted lead.
- Output the data into a .csv file with the information of the accounts. Make sure you get the IDs right and load data into the appropriate converted field.
- For contacts, the field ISCONVERTED should be set to ‘True’.
- Run the data loader from the new platform and insert, upsert, or update accounts as required.
Important Considerations for Importing Data into Salesforce
- The field for converted account is necessary if you want to update or upsert leads as converted account. The converted contact and converted opportunity fields are not mandatory.
- The converted contact and opportunity fields do not have to belong to the converted account field.
- You will need permission from Salesforce.com. Otherwise, you won’t be able to update leads as contacts.
- You won’t be able to view the information for converted leads. You can check information about the converted date, converted contact, account and opportunity based on which one of these was mapped.
- Converted leads cannot be updated to contact because they are already treated as existing accounts. You can delete them and recreate as a contact though.
- If you do not map the Converted Date, it will give a value ‘This lead was converted on [X]’, with X giving the date the account was created.
It isn’t very difficult to import converted leads into Salesforce if you know the right procedure for it. You do need permissions and set up the right mapping fields at the time of loading the data.