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Overview

Imports cannot be deleted or undoneIf you’ve come to this page because your import had unexpected negative results, it’s important for you to know that there’s no easy way to undo an import once it’s been run. However, it’s likely we can still help you. Please contact Broadstripes support to talk through your options.
In this article, we’ll take a look at where to see data import results at a glance as well as how to undergo a more in-depth post-import assessment.

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Import info at a glance: The data imports page

After you run an import, Broadstripes computes detailed statistics about what happened during the import process. Broadstripes keeps a record of these details for every import in your project and presents it on a single page called Data Imports. Here’s how to view this page:
  1. First, you’ll need to be logged in with admin privileges for the project.
  2. Next, access Data Imports by clicking Settings > Data imports in the top-right corner of any page.
  3. This takes you to the data imports index page, which lists every data import in the project in a table.

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Understanding the data imports table columns

The data imports table shows comprehensive information about each import. Some columns use icons as headers to save space while showing you all the important metrics at a glance. Data import index table

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Core columns

  • # (ID) - A unique numeric identifier for each import. This is the import’s “short ID” used for reference.
  • Name - The name you gave the import, or the original filename if no custom name was provided.
  • Status - Shows whether the import is queued, processing (with a progress bar), completed successfully, or encountered errors. The status updates in real-time as the import progresses.
  • Type - Indicates whether this was a “Manual” import (uploaded by a user) or “Automated” import (scheduled to run automatically).

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Import statistics columns (icon headers)

These columns use icons as headers and show clickable numbers that let you view the actual contact records:
  • + (Inserted) - Number of new contacts created by this import. These are contacts that didn’t exist in your database before.
  • ↔ (Matched) - Number of existing contacts matched by this import. These contacts were already in your database and may have been updated with new information.
  • Σ (Affected) - Total number of contacts affected by this import. This includes both newly inserted and matched contacts that were updated.
  • (Warnings) - Number of rows that processed successfully but triggered warnings. For example, a row might have a minor data issue but still imported.
  • ⚠ (Skipped due to error) - Number of rows that were skipped due to errors. These rows couldn’t be processed because of critical issues like missing required fields or invalid data formats.
  • (skipped/no match) - Number of rows that were skipped because they didn’t match any existing contacts (when the import was configured to only update existing contacts, not create new ones).
  • ≡ (Total Rows) - Total number of data rows in the uploaded file (excluding the header row).
Tip: Click any number in the statistics columns to view the actual contact records that make up that count. This is helpful for reviewing exactly which contacts were affected by your import.
About counts: If contacts are deleted after an import, you may see two numbers: the original count from when the import ran, and the current count (in parentheses) of how many of those contacts still exist.

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Timing columns

  • Scheduled to run - When the import was scheduled to begin (hidden by default; primarily used for automated imports).
  • Start time - When the import processing actually began.
  • End time - When the import processing completed.
  • Duration - How long the import took to process, automatically calculated from start and end times.

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Metadata columns (hidden by default)

These columns provide audit trail information but are hidden by default to reduce clutter. You can show them by customizing the table view:
  • Created - When the import record was first created in the system.
  • Created by - The user who created/uploaded the import.
  • Updated - When the import was last modified (for example, when a new file was uploaded or configuration changed).
  • Updated by - The user who last made changes to the import.

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Navigating and customizing the data imports page

You can customize the view of your imports page:
  • Sort by any column by clicking the column header.
  • Filter imports by status, date, or other criteria using the filter options.
  • Show/hide columns to customize which information is displayed. To customize, click the button at the top right of the table.
  • Search for specific imports using the search box.

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Viewing import details

To see which specific contacts were affected by an import, simply click any of the numbers in the statistics columns. For example:
  • Click the number in the + (Inserted) column to see all newly created contacts.
  • Click the number in the ↔ (Matched) column to see all matched/updated contacts.
  • Click the number in the ⚠ (Skipped due to error) column to see details about which rows failed and why.
Broadstripes will open a page showing the relevant records, making it easy to audit your import results.

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In-depth import assessment

For a more detailed analysis of your import results:
  1. Click on any import row from the Data Imports page to open its detailed view.
  2. The detail page shows several sections: Configuration Summary - Shows the field mappings and import settings that were used. Pre-import Analysis - Before the import runs, Broadstripes analyzes your data and displays:
    • How many records will be affected
    • Potential issues or warnings to review
    • Data quality insights
  3. Expand the “Warnings” section to see detailed explanations for each warning triggered during preprocessing. Each warning includes:
    • Which rows are affected
    • What the potential issue is
    • Recommendations for how to address it
  4. The “Results from import” section shows comprehensive statistics for the completed import:
    • Total new (inserted) contact records created
    • Total matched contacts that were updated
    • Total affected contacts (combined inserted and matched)
    • Rows with warnings that processed successfully but had minor issues
    • Rows with errors that were skipped
    • Total rows processed from your file
  5. Click any hyperlinked number in the results section to view the actual contact records that comprise that total. This allows you to:
    • Verify that the right contacts were created or updated
    • Review any contacts that had warnings to ensure data quality
    • Investigate errors to understand what went wrong and potentially correct the data for a future import
This detailed view helps you understand exactly what happened during your import, validate that the results match your expectations, and identify any issues that need to be addressed.

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Understanding import status indicators

The Status column shows different states an import can be in:
  • New - Import has been created but no file uploaded yet
  • Uploaded - File has been uploaded and is ready for preprocessing
  • Preprocessing - Analyzing the file and validating data
  • Preprocessed - Analysis complete, ready to run
  • Scheduled - Queued to begin processing
  • Processing - Actively importing data (shows progress bar)
  • Imported - Successfully completed
  • Imported with errors - Successfully completed with errors
  • Failed - Encountered a critical error and stopped
  • Stopped - Manually stopped by a user
Real-time updates: The data imports page automatically refreshes while imports are processing, so you can monitor progress without manually reloading the page.