Import Guide
Learn how to prepare, map, validate, and import transportation data into FTM using Salesforce’s native Data Import Wizard.
Import flow
Prepare CSV
Clean and format data
Data Import Wizard
Setup → Import Wizard
Map Fields
CSV headers to FTM fields
FTM Records
Loads, carriers, customers
Prerequisites
Before You Import
Complete each item before running the Data Import Wizard. Skipping these steps is the most common cause of failed imports.
1
Prepare CSV files in the correct format
Export your source data as a .CSV file. Column headers must match FTM field names exactly, including capitalization and spacing. The Import Wizard uses header names for automatic field mapping.
2
Clean duplicate data before importing
Remove duplicate rows from your CSV. Importing duplicate records creates data quality problems that are difficult to resolve after the fact. Use Excel or Google Sheets to deduplicate before uploading.
3
Verify all required fields are present
Required fields in FTM must have values in every row of your CSV. If a required field is missing, those records will fail to import. Review the required fields for the object you are importing before uploading.
4
Review field mappings before running
The Import Wizard auto-maps fields where names match. Unmapped fields are silently skipped and not imported. Review the mapping screen carefully before clicking Start Import to avoid missing data.
5
Back up existing Salesforce data
Export a data backup before running any import that updates existing records. Use the Salesforce Data Export tool (Setup → Data Export) to create a full backup. Imports that update records cannot be easily undone.
6
Test with a small dataset first
Import 5 to 10 records before running the full dataset. Verify field mapping, data accuracy, and relationship lookups on the test records before committing the complete import.
Import order matters. FTM Load records contain lookup fields that reference Customers, Contacts, Drivers, Trucks, Trailers, and Carriers. Those parent records must exist in Salesforce before you can import Loads. Import in the correct order or lookups will fail.
Import sequence
Correct Import Order for FTM Data
Each Load record references related records through lookup fields. Import parent records first or the Load import will fail.
Objects shown above (Carriers, Workers, Customers, Contacts, Fleet) must be imported before Loads.
Object
Why First
Key Fields
1
Customers Required
Load records look up Customer. Must exist before Loads are imported.
Account Name, Billing Address
2
Contacts Required
Contact Person field on Load references a Contact record.
First Name, Last Name, Account
3
Carriers Required
Carrier field on Load is a required lookup. Must exist before Loads.
Carrier Name, MC Number, DOT
4
Workers / Drivers If used
Driver field on Load references a Worker record. Required if Load data includes driver assignments.
First Name, Last Name, Unit Type
5
Fleet (Trucks & Trailers) If used
Truck and Trailer fields on Load reference Fleet records. Import if Load data includes equipment assignments.
Unit Number, Equipment Type
6
Loads Final step
Import Loads last. All lookup records must exist first.
Customer, Carrier, Driver, Pickup/Delivery details
Process overview
Typical Import Process
Follow this sequence for every import. Skipping the test step is the most common cause of data quality problems.
Prepare Data
Clean CSV, verify headers
Verify Required Fields
Check all lookups exist
Map Salesforce Fields
CSV header to FTM field
Run Test Import
5 to 10 records first
Validate Results
Check imported records
Import Full Dataset
Complete production import
Review Records
Confirm in FTM
Step-by-step
Data Import Wizard Walkthrough
Follow these steps in order. Each step includes the expected outcome so you can confirm you are on track before proceeding.
1
Prepare and clean your CSV file
Your source data must be in a
.csv file with column headers that match FTM field names. The Import Wizard uses these header names for automatic mapping.
1
Open your source data in Excel or Google Sheets and export as .csv2
Ensure column headers exactly match FTM field names (check capitalization and spacing)3
For state fields, use abbreviations: TX not Texas4
For date/time fields, use the format: M/D/YY H:MM (e.g. 4/3/19 8:00)5
For zip codes, remove any dashes: 92714 not 92714-12346
Ensure name spellings in the CSV exactly match corresponding records in FTMLookup fields (Customer, Carrier, Driver, Truck, Trailer) must match exactly the Name field of the related record in Salesforce. If the CSV says “YU Trucking” but the Carrier record says “Yu Trucking Inc.”, the lookup will fail for those rows.
Expected outcome: A clean .csv file with correct headers, no duplicates, correct field formatting, and names that match existing Salesforce records.
2
Open the Salesforce Data Import Wizard
Access the Data Import Wizard through Salesforce Setup. You must have System Administrator profile access to use this tool.
1
Click the gear icon in the top-right of Salesforce and select Setup2
In the Quick Find box on the left, type Data Import Wizard3
Click Data Import Wizard in the results under IntegrationsExpected outcome: The Data Import Wizard page opens showing the “Import your data in 3 easy steps” screen with a Launch Wizard button.
3
Launch the wizard and select the correct object
Click Launch Wizard, then select the Salesforce object that matches the data you are importing. For FTM data, most objects are Custom Objects.
1
Click Launch Wizard! on the Data Import Wizard page2
Under “What kind of data are you importing?”, click the Custom Objects tab3
Select the object you are importing (e.g. Loads, Carriers, Workers)4
Under “What do you want to do?”, select Add new records for first-time imports5
Configure the matching criteria for lookup fields (e.g. match Carrier by Carrier Name)6
Drag and drop or upload your CSV file in the file upload area7
Leave character encoding as the default and click NextThe wizard can import up to 50,000 records at a time. For larger datasets, split the CSV into multiple files and import sequentially.
Expected outcome: CSV file uploaded successfully, wizard advances to the Edit field mapping screen.
4
Review and correct field mappings
The wizard automatically maps CSV columns to FTM fields where names match. Review every mapping before proceeding. Any field shown as Unmapped will not be imported.
1
Review the mapping table. Each row shows the Salesforce field, the CSV header, and sample data from your file2
Fields marked Unmapped in red will not be imported. Click Map to manually assign them3
Click Change next to any incorrectly mapped field to reassign it4
Verify sample data in the Example columns looks correct for each mapped field5
When all required fields are mapped, click NextUnmapped fields do not cause the import to fail. They are silently skipped. This means missing data will not produce an error during import and may only be discovered when reviewing records afterward.
Expected outcome: All required fields mapped, sample data verified, wizard advances to the review and start import screen.
5
Start the import and monitor progress
Review the summary, click Start Import, then monitor the job through Bulk Data Load Jobs. Large imports run asynchronously and may take several minutes.
1
Review the summary on the final wizard screen and confirm the record count and object are correct2
Click Start Import to submit the job3
To monitor progress: click Setup, type Bulk Data Load Jobs in Quick Find, click the result4
Find your import job in the list. Status will update as the job processes
Salesforce sends an email notification when the import completes. The email includes a summary of records processed, records failed, and any error details.
Expected outcome: Import job submitted and visible in Bulk Data Load Jobs. Email notification received on completion with records processed count.
6
Review imported records in FTM
After the import completes, verify the records in FTM before considering the import successful. Check a sample of records for data accuracy, correct field population, and working lookup relationships.
1
Navigate to the imported object in FTM (e.g. open the Loads list view)2
Open several records and verify fields are populated correctly3
Click on lookup fields (Customer, Carrier, Driver) to confirm they link to the correct records4
Compare the imported record count against the number of rows in your CSV5
If records are missing or incorrect, check the Bulk Data Load Jobs error log for row-level detailsExpected outcome: Records appear in FTM with all fields populated correctly. Lookup fields link to correct related records. Import count matches expected row count.
Import reference
Common Import Types
Key fields and preparation notes for the most frequently imported FTM objects.
Customers (Accounts)
Import before Loads. Customer name must match exactly what will appear in the Load CSV lookup field.
Key CSV fieldsAccount Name, Billing Street, Billing City, Billing State, Billing Zip, Billing Country, Phone
Carriers
Import before Loads. Carrier Name must match exactly. MC Number and DOT are key compliance fields.
Key CSV fieldsCarrier Name, MC Number, DOT Number, Address, City, State, Zip
Locations / Facilities
Pickup and delivery facility records. Import before Loads if using facility lookups rather than inline address fields.
Key CSV fieldsFacility Name, Street, City, State, Zip, Country, Contact Name, Phone
Contacts
Contact Person on Load records references a Salesforce Contact. Import with Account Name to establish customer relationships.
Key CSV fieldsFirst Name, Last Name, Account Name, Email, Phone, Title
Equipment (Fleet)
Truck and Trailer records in FTM Fleet object. Unit Number must match what appears in Load CSV truck/trailer columns.
Key CSV fieldsUnit Number, Equipment Type, Make, Model, Year, VIN, License Plate
Loads
Import last. All lookup records must exist. Pickup and delivery date fields require DateTime format. Status must match FTM picklist values exactly.
Key CSV fieldsCustomer, Carrier, Driver, Pickup Address, Delivery Address, Pickup Date/Time, Delivery Date/Time, Rate, Status
Troubleshooting
Common Problems
Most import failures have one of these causes. Check the Bulk Data Load Jobs error log for row-level details when an import produces fewer records than expected.
Required fields missing
Likely cause
A required FTM field has no value in the CSV row, or the CSV column is unmapped in the wizard.
Solution
Check which fields are required for the object. Add missing values to the CSV before re-importing. Verify the column is mapped in the wizard.
Duplicate records created
Likely cause
The same CSV was imported more than once, or duplicate rows exist in the CSV file.
Solution
Deduplicate the CSV before importing. Use “Add and Update” mode with a unique matching field to prevent duplicates on re-import.
Invalid picklist values
Likely cause
A picklist field (such as Status or Equipment Type) contains a value in the CSV that does not exist in the FTM picklist.
Solution
Open the FTM field in Salesforce Setup to see the exact picklist values. Update your CSV to match. Values are case-sensitive.
Relationship / lookup errors
Likely cause
A lookup field in the CSV references a record that does not exist in Salesforce, or the name spelling does not match exactly.
Solution
Verify the referenced record exists in Salesforce before importing. Compare name spelling exactly, including capitalization and punctuation.
Formatting issues
Likely cause
Date fields not in DateTime format, state names not abbreviated, zip codes containing dashes, or phone numbers with inconsistent formatting.
Solution
Use
M/D/YY H:MM for DateTime. Use two-letter state abbreviations. Remove dashes from zip codes. Standardize phone number format.Validation rule failures
Likely cause
A Salesforce validation rule on the FTM object is blocking the import because the data does not meet a configured business rule.
Solution
Check the error log for the specific validation rule name. Review the rule in Setup and update your CSV data to meet the condition, or contact your administrator.
External resources
Salesforce Trailhead Resources
Official Salesforce documentation for the tools used in this guide.
Operational guidance
Recommended Import Practices
Follow these practices on every import to protect data quality and reduce the risk of errors that are difficult to reverse.
01
Always test with a small dataset before the full import
Import 5 to 10 records first. Verify field mapping, lookup accuracy, and data completeness before committing thousands of records. A five-minute test can prevent hours of cleanup.
02
Validate required fields and lookup names before uploading
Cross-reference your CSV against Salesforce records before running the wizard. Name mismatches between lookup fields in the CSV and actual record names are the most common cause of partial import failures.
03
Use consistent naming conventions across all imported records
Establish a standard format for carrier names, unit numbers, and customer accounts before importing. Inconsistent naming creates duplicate records and makes reporting unreliable over time.
04
Deduplicate the source file before every import
Even a single duplicate row imported into Salesforce creates a record that must be manually merged or deleted. Use Excel’s Remove Duplicates feature or a data quality tool on every CSV before uploading.
05
Review imported records immediately after each import completes
Open a sample of imported records in FTM and verify field values, lookup relationships, and data integrity before closing the import session. Catching errors immediately makes correction significantly easier.
06
Keep the original CSV source files for auditing
Store a copy of every CSV file used for imports, organized by date and object type. If imported data is questioned later, the source file is the fastest way to trace where the data came from and what was in it at import time.
Which Salesforce import tool should I use?
+
For FTM imports, use the Salesforce Data Import Wizard. It is accessible through Setup without any additional tools and supports up to 50,000 records per import. For larger datasets or more complex updates, the Salesforce Data Loader is an alternative but requires installation.
What file format is required?
+
The Data Import Wizard requires a
.csv (comma-separated values) file. CSV files can be created from Excel by using File → Save As → CSV. Column headers must match FTM field names. Keep the default character encoding (UTF-8) when uploading.Can I update existing records?
+
Yes. On the Choose Data screen, select “Update existing records” or “Add new and update existing records.” You must specify a matching field (such as a unique ID or name) so Salesforce knows which records to update. Back up your data before running updates.
How do I prevent duplicates?
+
Use the “Add new and update existing records” import mode with a unique identifier as the matching field. This tells Salesforce to update records where the identifier matches rather than create new ones. Also deduplicate your CSV before importing using Excel’s Remove Duplicates function.
What happens if an import fails?
+
Partially successful imports create records for rows that passed validation and skip rows that failed. Salesforce sends an email with a summary and error details. Open Bulk Data Load Jobs in Setup to download the error log, which identifies the specific row number and reason for each failure.
How do I undo an import?
+
There is no automatic undo for imports. If you need to reverse an import, you must manually delete or update the affected records. This is why testing with a small dataset and backing up data before the import is critical. Contact support at [email protected] if you need assistance with a large-scale reversal.
Where can I get help?
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Contact the FTM support team at [email protected] or call +1 (949) 800-7197. For Salesforce-specific platform questions, refer to the Salesforce Trailhead resources listed in this guide.
Support
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