Content Migration

This feature is available on all plans.
Users with Access content migration tool permission can access this page.

If you have existing content from another platform, you can easily import it to EasyContent using our Content Migration tool. You can access this tool through the account-level menu.

This article will walk you through the step-by-step process you need to do to migrate your content to EasyContent successfully. Let's get started!

Prepare Your Import File

Before you begin, you need to have your import file ready. Our content migration tool accepts both TXT and CSV files.

The platform you're migrating content from should be able to import your content to CSV or TXT. Most of the time, the import file they generate should follow the common CSV structure and you shouldn't run into any issues when importing them to EasyContent.

However, if you're using a custom solution or hiring a developer to write a script to generate an import file for you, you need to ensure that it follows proper formatting.

Import File Formatting

To see how an import file should be formatted, check out this example import file we've prepared. It uses the default data formatting settings we accept.

As long as the import file follows the common format for a CSV file, there shouldn't be any problems importing it to EasyContent. You can also define custom delimiters during import to ensure your file is properly parsed.

Date Formatting

⚠️IMPORTANT: When importing a date field, ensure the format is yyyy-mm-dd. This is an international standard date format, designed to reduce confusion. Failure to use the correct format will result in our migration tool dropping this field from your import.

⚠️NOTE ABOUT USING MICROSOFT® EXCEL: If you use Excel to edit your CSV files, the date format might automatically be formatted to follow your system's date format, which may not be yyyy-mm-dd.

Even if your CSV file is in the correct format (you can check it by opening it in Notepad), if you use Excel to edit it, the date will be reformatted based on your system's configuration.

To fix this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open your CSV file using Excel.
2. Find the column where your dates are.
3. Right-click that column's header, then select Format Cells.
4. In the window that will appear, click the Number tab.
5. Under the Choose Category dropdown, select Date.
6. From there, select the one that follows the yyyy-mm-dd format (e.g. 2012-03-14).
7. Your date column should now reflect the correct format.
8. You can now close the window. Don't forget to repeat the same steps on other date columns you may have.
9. Save the file as CSV.

If the above steps don't work, try the following:

1. Open your CSV file using Excel.
2. Find the column where your dates are.
3. Right-click that column's header, then select Format Cells.
4. In the window that will appear, click the Number tab.
5. Under the Category list, select Custom.
6. In the type field, replace the text that appears with yyyy-mm-dd.
7. Click OK.
8. Your date column should now reflect the correct date format.
9. Repeat the same steps on other date columns you may have.
10. Save the file as CSV.

(Optional) Prepare a Template for Your Imported Content

This is an optional step, but it's a good idea to use a separate template for your imported content. This will ensure that all data can be imported correctly and without any issues.

For example, if your import file has a lot of fields that contain data from checkboxes, radio buttons, or dropdown select fields, it's better to create a template that contains widgets that have matching data. Otherwise, they will be discarded by our content migration tool during import.

For instance, let's say you have a field that contains the values "Carrot;Potato;Eggplant" that came from a checkbox in your import file. Then, in your template, you have a checkbox field with "Onion", "Carrot", and "Banana" as options. In this case, only "Carrot" will be matched and the rest will be discarded. While you can adjust your existing template to add these new values, that might not be the best solution, especially, for example, if this template is only used for articles about onions, carrots, and bananas.

Another example is suppose your import file has an "author" field and your template does not, but you want to import it. You can either add this new field to an existing template or create a new template that has this field.

P.S. If you've decided to create a new template for your import, make sure you create it in the project where you intend to upload your migrated content. But don't worry! You can easily clone a template from one project to another if you happen to create it in the wrong one.

Migrating Your Content

Now that you have made the necessary preparations, it's time to start migrating your content!

Go to the Content Migration page via the account-level menu.

1. Select The Project to Import Your Content

The first step is to select the project to which you want your existing content to be migrated. Click on the project name and the next section will appear.

2. Select The Template to Use for Your Migrated Content

After selecting a project, you will be prompted to select the template you want to use for your migrated content. Make sure the template you choose has fields that can accept all the data from your import file. It might be a good idea to create a new template for your migrated content and ensure it has all the fields you need. Refer to the optional section above for more details.

⚠️IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Suppose you're importing to a template with a "dropdown select widget" and you specified a "limit the number of selected options" value. In that case, if your import file contains more selected values than the limit, the import will proceed and add all the matching values to the select field, ignoring the limit.
• If a field maps to a "radio button widget" and it contains 2 values, the import will skip this field, and all data is dropped. Make sure to check all data you plan to import to a radio button widget to avoid losing data. The radio button widget will only accept a single value.

3. Upload Your Import File

After selecting a template, it's time to upload your import file. We accept CSV and TXT formats. For the TXT format, as long as it contains valid CSV values, it will be recognized by our content migration tool.

⚠️ Double-check that the date fields in your import file are formatted yyyy-mm-dd, otherwise, they will be discarded during import! Refer to the Date Formatting section above for more details.

4. Choose Your Data Format Settings

After uploading your import file, you will be prompted to choose your data format settings. Select the correct delimiters used by your import file so that it can be properly parsed by our content migration tool. You will be given a preview so you can check if everything is correct.

Here's what each of the settings means:

• Header - If the first line of your file contains field names instead of actual data, check this box to skip that line during import. This prevents the header row from being entered as a content item.
• Field Delimiter - Choose the character that separates fields in your file. Common options include commas, semicolons, tabs, or pipes. For example, if you use a comma as the field delimiter, each comma will indicate a new field. This setting ensures that your data is split correctly into individual fields during the import process.
• Field Enclosure - If your fields are enclosed with quotes, select the type used (e.g., double quotes). This ensures any delimiters inside the quotes are treated as part of the text. For example, if fields are enclosed in double quotes, commas, and semicolons within those quotes won't break the field into separate parts. This is commonly used to handle text fields with special characters.
• Multi-field Delimiter - Choose the character that separates multiple values within a single field (e.g., tags or assets). Common options include commas or semicolons. For example, if you use a comma as the multi-field delimiter, "Tag1, Tag2, Tag3" will be processed as three separate tags. This setting ensures the data is correctly parsed into multiple values for fields that can contain more than one entry.

5. Maps Your Fields to Our Fields

It's time to match the data from your import file to the fields of your chosen template. Click the column headers to map your import file's fields to our fields. Selectable fields depend on the template you've selected.

If you can't find a matching field for the data you want to import, make sure the template you've selected has a field that can accept that data. See the optional section above for more info. You can also skip them by selecting "Don't import". Any fields under "Don't import" will be skipped and discarded by our content migration tool.

💡The content item title is a mandatory field and must be mapped.

6. Start the Import

After you've mapped the fields and verified that the data is correct, click the "Import N Items" button located around the upper right corner of the import preview section to start the import process.

💡Note: The option "Skip items with duplicate titles" is enabled by default. This will help you avoid duplicates. However, keep in mind that the tool only checks for the title, if your import file has multiple items with the same title but different content, you may want to disable this option.

You will see a real-time log of the import progress on the screen. Please keep the page open until the import completes to avoid interruption.

You're done! Check your imported articles to make sure there aren't any issues before deleting your import file. If you find issues during or after import, don't hesitate to contact our support so we can assist you.