Update Lines on an Existing Record

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Overview

Use the information in this article to update data on existing lines for a record using a new .CSV file that you create. Or, you can export a file, make changes to it, and then, re-import the .CSV file. The Import and Export buttons are available on the following objects:

Payable
Recurring Billing
Recurring Payable
Recurring Journal Entry

In order to perform an update, you will need to either create a new .CSV file or use one that was exported, because a new mapping process will need to be created.

Do you want to:

Update Data for Existing Record Lines using a New .CSV File
Update Data for Existing Record Lines from a .CSV File that was Exported

Update Data for Existing Record Lines using a New .CSV File

Best Practice: If you initially used a .CSV to import the record lines, we recommend that you create a completely new .CSV file with distinct mapping for updates that you would like to make to a record in the Advanced Line Manager (ALM) using the Import button.

Important: If the Import button on a record was initially used to create the header/lines, the same .CSV file and mapping from the original import CANNOT be used to update existing lines.

Best Practice: If you have Excel 2019 or higher, to avoid issues with special characters, save your file import as a .CSV file. This will automatically save the file as a .CSV UTF-8 file. For more information, refer to the following Microsoft Community article.

The new .CSV file must contain the following:

A column that represents the header record - this value can be the record name or the Salesforce ID number.
A column that represents the specific line ID numbers that need to be updated.
Columns for the updates that need to be made.

Note: Notice that in the .CSV file below, each Line ID has its own distinct Salesforce ID number.

Payables_02 (Added).png

Navigate to the screen for which you want to import a new template.
Note: The available objects that can be selected are listed above in this article.
Display a list view other than the Recently Viewed.
Select the record for which you want to update lines. In the sample screen below, a Recurring Payable was selected, and the Expense GL Account displays as 7050-Telecommunications. That GL Account needs to be changed on all lines to 6050-Travel Expenses.

Note: Click here to view the above image in full screen.
Click Import. Then, upload your new .CSV file that contains the updates.
Click Next.
Click Create & Map.
(Optional) Update the file Name.
Enter the API Name for the Parent Relationship object.
Note: To locate the API Name, click the Gear icon and select Setup. Then, click the Object Manager tab. Search for the appropriate object. The API Name for each object displays in the second column. You can copy/paste the API Name into the Parent Relationship field.
Select the File Has Headers checkbox.
Click Save & Map.
Map your Fields. In the sample screen below (based upon the .CSV above), the Recurring Payable Name is mapped to the Recurring Payable Target Field with ID as the Lookup Type, and it is the Group By field. The Recurring Payable Line ID is mapped to the Record ID Target Field, and the Expense GL Account ID is mapped to the Expense GL Account Target Field, with ID as the Lookup Type.

Note: Click here to view the above image in full screen.
Click Create Mapping. The mapping process is complete. Now, the updated line data needs to be imported.
Click Import CSV.

The updated data displays on the lines. In the sample screen below, the Expense GL Account was updated to 6050-Travel Expense for all lines.

Note: Click here to view the above image in full screen.

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Update Data for Existing Record Lines from a .CSV File that was Exported

Important: On the .CSV file that was exported from an existing record, do NOT remove the ID column. However, you can change this column header to “Line ID” and move it to become the first column header, if you prefer. This is the column header that will be selected to Group By during the mapping process.

The sample screen below shows a file that was exported.

Note: Click here to view the above image in full screen.

Note: When you export a file, it will automatically be saved in your Downloads folder. However, you can navigate to save the file in a preferred location.

Guidelines for Updating a .CSV file that was Exported

Delete the following columns from the exported .CSV file:

Line Name (in the sample screen above, Recurring Payable Line Name will be removed)
Sub-Total
Tax Amount
Total

Delete any/all other columns that you do not want to update.
The Date value is set to the default on your spreadsheet application. Therefore, you need to update the Date on lines, ensure that the Date format in the .CSV file is set to YYYY-MM-DD.
The exported .CSV file will contain two columns for each Lookup field that was populated on each line: one that shows the Name value and the other that shows the Salesforce ID number.
To update a Lookup value, use either the Salesforce ID or the Name, but NOT both (one of those columns must be deleted).
If you select the Name column, delete the Salesforce ID column. Then, for that specific line in the .CSV file, replace the existing Lookup Name value with the new Name (verbatim) for updating the value. Similarly, if you want to update the Lookup value using the Salesforce ID, delete the Name column. Then, replace the existing Salesforce ID with the updated one.

Make updates to the .CSV file, as necessary then, save the file. In the sample .CSV file below, the Quantity and Unit Cost were updated on the first two lines and the Expense GL Account was updated on the remaining lines.

Best Practice: If you have Excel 2019 or higher, to avoid issues with special characters, save your file import as a .CSV file. This will automatically save the file as a .CSV UTF-8 file. For more information, refer to the following Microsoft Community article.

Note: The file includes columns that were updated. All other columns (other than the ID) have been deleted from the .CSV file.

Navigate to the screen for which you want to import a template on a .CSV file that was exported and updated.
Note: The available objects that can be selected are listed above in this article.
Display a list view other than the Recently Viewed.
Select the record for which you want to update lines.
Click Import. Then, upload your new .CSV file that contains the updates.
Click Next.
Click Create & Map.
(Optional) Update the file Name.
Enter the API Name for the Parent Relationship object.
Note: To locate the API Name, click the Gear icon and select Setup. Then, click the Object Manager tab. Search for the appropriate object. The API Name for each object displays in the second column. You can copy/paste the API Name into the Parent Relationship field.
Select the File Has Headers checkbox.
Click Save & Map.
Map your Fields. In the sample screen below, the Line ID is mapped to the Record ID Target Field. The Quantity and Unit Cost are mapped to the respective Target Fields, and the Expense GL Account is mapped to the Expense GL Account Target Field, with the Name Field as the Lookup Type (since that actual name was used in the .CSV file) and the Name as the Lookup Field.

Note: Click here to view the above image in full screen.
Click Create Mapping.
Click Import CSV.

The updated data displays on the lines. In the sample screen below, the Quantity and Unit Cost were updated on the first two lines, and the Expense GL Account was updated for all remaining lines.

Note: Click here to view the above image in full screen.