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Importing text files

You can import text files that include items or user records exported from other TestTrack projects. Before importing, you must map fields in each item to fields in the project you are importing to. This ensures field values are correctly populated in imported items and lets you exclude fields not used in the destination project.

Note: You can only import issues, requirements, test cases, users, and customers from text files to TestTrack projects. If you need to copy additional data between projects, use XML export and import. See Exporting to XML and Importing XML files.

1. Choose File > Import > Text File Import.

The Text Import dialog box opens.

2. Select the field type to import from the Import fields list.

3. Click Browse.

The Open dialog box opens.

4. Select the file to import.

5. Click Open.

The Select Code Page dialog box opens.

6. Select a character set and click OK.

The Text Import dialog box opens.

Tip: If you saved the settings from a previous import in a template that matches the file format, click Load to load it and skip to step 10.

7. Select the Import Options.

Ignore first record ignores the first record in the file, which usually contains field names.
Handle quoted text ignores delimiter characters in text enclosed in quotation marks, which are usually inserted around comma- and tab-delimited values in exported items. For example, a user field value may be exported from an issue as "Adams, Abby". If this option is not selected, Adams and Abby are imported as separate values if the comma delimiter is used for the import.
Map vertical tab to return restores the formatting of multi-line fields. Some applications map carriage returns in multi-line fields to vertical tab characters.
Delimiter specifies the character used to separate field values.

8. Map the fields in the text file to fields in the project. These mappings specify how to populate field values in the imported items. TestTrack does not validate data imported from text files, so it is important to carefully map fields to avoid adding items with incorrect field values.

The left column displays fields in the text file for a specific item. Click and to move between items.
The right column displays fields in the project you are importing to. Drag these fields up or down to align them with the corresponding field in the text file (left column). If you cannot find an exact match, use the closest equivalent.

Note: When a user field, such as Fixed By, is imported, TestTrack tries to match the first name and last name with an existing user or customer. If a match is not found, a local customer is created. If multiple users with the same name are found, TestTrack tries to match the user by email address, phone number, company, division, and department. If TestTrack cannot distinguish between users, the user with the lowest record ID in the project database is used.

9. In the right column, select the fields to populate with values from the mapped text file field in the imported items. A check mark is displayed next to the fields to populate.

Clear a field to exclude it from the import. In imported items, excluded fields are set to the default value configured in the project. If a default value is not configured, <not set> is displayed in the field.

Tip: To save the settings for future imports, click Save to create a text file import template. See Creating text file import templates.

10. Click Import.

The items are imported.

Note: Email notifications are not sent when you import from text files because a large number of emails could crash some email servers.