Private Directory > Import and Export Contacts

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Importing and Exporting Contacts

Import button

This feature lets you import contacts into your private directory from a .csv or .txt file.

Note: To import contacts you will need to prepare a CSV or TXT file with the proper column headings.

To import multiple companies and contacts into the McGraw-Hill Construction PDM private directory, you must create a comma separated values file (CSV). A CSV file can be generated by exporting contact information from most company contact management software programs.

When exporting the CSV file from your system, you will be given the option to customize which fields to include in the exported CSV file. The program may reference this option as “field mappings”. During this step, you must select the fields for the CSV file that coordinate with the fields allowed in the McGraw-Hill private directory (outlined below).

All phone numbers are verified when the data is imported. The following characters are considered valid phone number elements in the import data:
{space}, "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9", "0", "(", ")", "-", "."
If other characters exist in the phone number, it will be considered invalid.
For USA or Canadian phone numbers (Country = USA or Canada), all phone numbers containing exactly 10 digits are considered valid after removing all non-numeric
characters.  Phone numbers with 11 digits are considered valid if the first number is 1. For all other countries, there must be at least 5 numbers in the phone field.

If a value is provided for the country field, it will be compared to an ISO listing of country names that includes the two-character abbreviations (US, CA, etc.) and three-character abbreviations (USA, CAN, etc.). If no match is found, the country will be considered invalid.

If the contact is from the USA, the names and two-character abbreviations will be used to compare against the imported values. If no match is found, the state/region will be considered invalid.
For contacts from Canada, the names and abbreviations of the 13 provinces/territories will be used to compare against the imported values. If no match is found, the state/region will be considered invalid.
For all other countries, or if the country is not specified, it will not be validated.

When importing data into any field that is a Yes/No data type, the system will allow the following values:
“Yes”, “No”, “True”, “False” and “”
If other values exist in the import data, the record will be considered invalid.

When a field supports multiple values, all values must be included within one set of quotation marks and each of the values must be separated by a semi-colon (“ ; ”).
For example:
“Value 1;Value 2;Value 3”.
Any spaces before or after the semi-colon will be removed.
For example:
“Value 1 ; Value 2; Value 3” will import values “Value 1”, “Value 2”, “Value 3”

When contact information is exported from a user’s contact information system, the labels for the fields being exported should be included in the CSV file as the first row in the CSV. Those field names must match the names given above. For example, the address field may be labeled “company address” in your contact management system and exported as such. In order for the import system to work properly, you will have to edit the label in the CSV file and change it to “Address1” as indicated above. You will need to do this for each and every field that you are importing into the PDM system.
If construction codes are to be imported, then make sure the construction code structure is set prior to import. If you do not have the rights to set up the construction code structure, then notify the plan room owner to select the proper settings.
It is important to note that if the tax exempt, prevailing wage, MBE, WBE, DBE fields have dates being imported and contain values other than “yes”, “no”, or empty (blank), the import will produce a warning message and the dates will have to be edited prior to import.

The CSV file to be imported can be saved as either a “.TXT” or “.CSV” format. Once the CSV file is prepared, you need to login to the McGraw-Hill construction network PDM system and perform the following steps:

1. Click the Plan Room tab
2. Click the Private Directory tab
3. Click the Import button
4. Browse to the CSV file you created
5. Click Next

PDM will analyze the CSV file and display a page with the following four tabs:
New Construction Codes – Displays any construction codes to be imported that are not defined.  You may edit the Description for each of these codes prior to importing.
Ready for Import – This lets you know that the contacts have been analyzed and are ready to be imported.
Duplicate Contacts – Displays a list of contacts that already exist in your private directory.  If there are any notes, or additional construction codes, these will be appended.
Contacts with Errors – There were problems reading these contacts.  You have the option to amend your CSV file by clicking Export to CSV.  If you do nothing, these contacts will not be imported.

6. Click Import.

Export button

To export your contacts, click the Export button.

A CSV file containing all your contacts is created.