Bulk Data Import Guide
Import large volumes of historical or external data into AskBiz using CSV uploads, scheduled imports, or the API — and understand how each method handles data validation.
Three ways to import data
1. CSV upload — the simplest method. Upload one or more CSV files through the UI (Settings → Data Sources → Upload CSV). Best for: one-off historical data imports, data from sources without a native AskBiz integration, and manual data sets (e.g. offline sales, trade show leads). 2. Scheduled CSV import — upload a CSV to a designated cloud storage location (S3, Google Cloud Storage, or Dropbox) and AskBiz imports it automatically on a schedule you define. Best for: regularly updated external data from systems that export CSV. 3. API import — use the AskBiz REST API to push data programmatically. Best for: real-time data from proprietary systems, automated pipelines, and developers who need precise control over data structure and timing.
CSV format requirements
AskBiz accepts CSV files up to 500MB per upload. Required columns vary by data type — download the appropriate template from Settings → Data Sources → Upload CSV → Download Template. Common requirements across all templates: dates must be in ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS), currency values must be numeric without symbols (use 125.50, not £125.50), and the first row must be a header row matching the template column names exactly. UTF-8 encoding is required — files saved from Excel in Windows may need to be re-saved as UTF-8 CSV.
Validating your import before it processes
All uploads go through a validation step before data is committed to your account. AskBiz will show you: the number of rows detected, any rows with validation errors (missing required fields, invalid date formats, values outside expected ranges), and a preview of the first 10 rows. You can choose to import only the valid rows (skipping errors) or fix the errors and re-upload. Validation errors are downloadable as a report — for large files, this report shows you exactly which rows need fixing.
Backfilling historical data
When you connect a new data source, AskBiz pulls historical data up to the limits of the source API (typically 12–24 months for most platforms). To import data older than this: export it from your source platform as a CSV, format it using the appropriate AskBiz template, and upload it via Settings → Data Sources → Upload Historical Data. Historical data is processed separately from live sync data and is labelled with its source in the dashboard so you can distinguish historical imports from real-time data.