Data Importing Templates

This chapter provides an overview of how data importing works in Good Sign. It explains how to access the available import interfaces, download the correct Excel templates, fill them out properly, and run the two step import process to bring data into the system.

You will learn:

• what the different import interfaces are used for,
• how to download interface-specific Excel templates from Good Sign ‑specific Excel templates from Good Sign,
• which user rights are required to perform imports,
• how to run the import workflow using the Import and Execute steps, 
• how to check import results using Interface Events, and
• best practices to ensure clean and reliable data import.

1. What Are Data Import Interfaces?

• Organizations
• Products
• Prices
• Contract Headers
• Contract Lines
• Event/Usage data

Below is a simplified table listing what each interface is used for.

3. Required User Rights

To use the import interfaces, you need:

• 3589 Menu – Interfaces

4. How to Download an Import Template

Each interface includes an Excel template containing the correct fields for that object type.

1. Go to Interfaces → Interfaces.
2. In the first column, click the wrench/settings icon next to the interface.
3. Open the Template tab
4. Click Export → Current page to Excel (located in the top right corner of the template grid)

This generates a usable import template. You can use this as the starting point for preparing your import data.

5. The Two-Step Import Process

Every import interface in Good Sign follows the same overall flow. Depending on your chosen Execution Trigger, the system may process the imported data immediately or allow you to review it first.

Step 1 — Import Data

1. Go to the correct interface (e.g., OrganizationImport).
2. Open Data Inbound Settings → Data.
3. Click Import data and select your Excel file.
4. Click Proceed to upload the file.

Execution Trigger Behavior

After you click Proceed, the import behaves differently depending on the selected Execution Trigger:

• This is the default setting in most environments.
• The file is processed immediately after upload.
• Rows move directly into the system without any manual review step.

This mode is commonly used once the setup is stable and data flows are predictable.

• When this trigger is selected, the file is not processed immediately.
• Instead, the uploaded rows are placed into a temporary holding area (also referred to as a staging table).
• This allows you to open the datatable, inspect the imported rows, and verify that everything looks correct before final processing.

After reviewing the data:

1. Go to Query Settings → Execute.
2. Click Execute to process the data into the actual target table.

This approach is especially useful during testing, early configuration work, or troubleshooting.

Summary of When to Use Each Mode

Step 2 — Verify the Import (Interface Events)

After the data has been processed—either automatically (Execute on arrival) or manually (Execute on demand)—you can verify the results in the interface event log.

To confirm that the import was successful or to check for any errors:

• Open Interface → Interface Status → Interface Events for the same interface.
• See the latest event to review import details.

This is the most reliable place to validate that the import worked as expected and to identify any rows that require correction before re-importing.

6. Critical Logic & Golden Rules

These rules appear across every import document and must be understood before importing.

Rule 1 — httpmethod

• POST → Creates a new record
• PUT → Updates an existing record

Rule 2 — PUT Overwrites Blank Fields

If you use PUT, empty cells overwrite existing values with null.

To avoid accidental data loss:

• ✔ Remove columns you are not updating
• ✔ Do not leave cells blank unless you intend to delete that value

Rule 3 — Choosing Between Names and IDs for Hierarchies

When importing hierarchical data—such as organizations—it is important to reference parent items correctly.

You can use either:

• parent_organization (full hierarchy name), or
• parent_org_id (unique ID in Good Sign)

Both are supported, but each has different advantages:

Using Names (parent_organization)

• More readable for users preparing the file
• Easier to understand during testing and troubleshooting

However, names may not be unique, depending on how customers structure their data.

Using IDs (parent_org_id)

• IDs are always unique, which removes ambiguity
• Recommended when working with large customer hierarchies
• Ideal for automated or repeated imports where precision is critical

Recommendation

• During early testing and small imports:
  Using parent_organization can be more intuitive.
• For production, ongoing imports, or complex hierarchies:
  Prefer parent_org_id, since it guarantees the correct parent is referenced every time.

This guidance ensures both accuracy and usability, and accommodates the full range of customer scenarios.

Rule 4 — Use ISO Standards

Good Sign import interfaces use ISO‑standard formats for all date and datetime fields.

Use:

Dates (no time):

YYYY‑MM‑DD
(e.g., 2026‑02‑12)

Date + Time (datetime fields):

YYYY‑MM‑DDTHH:MM:SS
(e.g., 2026‑02‑12T14:30:00)

Countries:

ISO 3166‑1 alpha‑3 (e.g., FIN, SWE)

Currencies:

ISO 4217 (e.g., EUR, SEK)

7. Quick Reference — Mandatory Fields

A condensed summary of required fields for the most common imports.

Organizations (OrganizationImport)

Required fields:

• company_name
• parent_organization or parent_org_id
• business_id
• Country (ISO code)

Strong suggestion:
→ Use parent_organization

Products (ProductImport)

Required fields:

• productcode
• productdescription
• productcategory
• org_id = 0 (ROOT)

Prices (PriceImport)

Required fields:

• PricelistOrganization or PricelistOrgID
• productcode
• price (no VAT)
• currency (ISO 4217)
• Pricevalidfrom