Import & Export

Move data in and out of Rapida MDM 2.0 in bulk, without ever bypassing governance. Imports land as Pending and are validated before commit; exports contain only approved golden records.

The governance contract

Bulk operations are where master data usually gets polluted: a spreadsheet with a few bad rows, loaded straight into production. Rapida MDM 2.0 avoids this by holding bulk data to exactly the same rules as single-record entry:

Setting the context

At the top of the page, three cascading selectors define where data flows: Enterprise, Data Model, and Entity (the table). Changing the enterprise resets the model and table; changing the model resets the table. All three must be set before you can import or export.

Importing data

The import flow has three steps, each designed to catch problems before they reach your data.

  1. Upload the file

    Drop a file onto the uploader or click to browse. Accepted formats are .csv, .xls, and .xlsx. Once a file is loaded (and your context is complete), the ↑ Start Import button activates.

  2. Map the columns

    The Map Columns dialog shows every column found in your file next to a dropdown of the table's attributes. Match each column to its attribute, or choose Skip column to ignore it. A counter tracks your progress (X of Y columns mapped). Click Validate & Import when done.

  3. Review and confirm

    The system validates data types, required fields, and business-key duplicates, then shows a confirmation: "Ready to import N records." If some rows match existing business keys, the dialog explains they will be created as new Pending versions of those records rather than duplicates. Click Confirm Import to commit.

All or nothing, by design If a single row fails validation, the entire import is rejected. Fix the file and try again. This is intentional: a partially loaded batch is far harder to untangle than a rejected one, and your master data should never contain half an import.

Exporting data

The export side follows an equally simple contract:

Choosing a format

FormatWhen to use it
Excel (.xlsx) Review and ad-hoc analysis. Hidden when the export would exceed 50,000 rows.
CSV Downstream pipelines and very large exports.
JSON Integrations and developer use.

Pick a format and click ↓ Download: the file is generated on the fly.

Empty template trick If the selected table has no golden records yet, you can still download an empty template with the correct column headers. It is the easiest way to prepare your very first import file with a guaranteed-correct structure.

Also available from the Records screen

The same import and export dialogs open from the ↑ Import and ↓ Export buttons on the Records screen header. Both entry points share the same logic, so use whichever suits your workflow.

Common questions

My import was rejected. Where do I start?

The validation message identifies what failed: typically a wrong data type, a missing required field, or an unmapped business key. Correct those rows in the source file and re-run the import. Because nothing was committed, there is no cleanup to do.

Will importing a file overwrite my existing golden records?

Never. Rows whose business key matches an existing record are created as new Pending versions of that record. The existing golden version stays in force until an approver reviews and approves the imported one.

Why don't I see Excel as an export option?

Excel is hidden when the export would exceed 50,000 rows, to keep file generation reliable. Use CSV for large extracts: it handles any volume and feeds pipelines more efficiently anyway.

Can I export pending or draft records for review?

The export function is deliberately restricted to golden records: it exists to distribute trusted data. To review pending or draft records, use the Records screen with the status filter, where the full governance context (versions, errors, history) is available.