Adding your equipment in bulk can save time and reduce data entry errors. The bulk import process allows you to either add new equipment or update existing equipment using a formatted spreadsheet with specific fields, as detailed in the grid below.
Importing to Update Existing Equipment
- A key feature of the bulk import is the ability to update existing equipment using the "Internal ID" column.
- The easiest way to find the Internal ID is to export the Equipment search grid.
- When you import equipment and include the Internal ID, the system will use the data in that row to update the corresponding equipment.
- Any cells or columns left blank in the import file will not result in updates to those specific fields.
Format Information for Bulk Import
Before you can upload a spreadsheet of your users to Prism, it must be formatted based on the guidelines below. You'll also need to download the Equipment Bulk Import Template CSV file available via the modal when selecting Equipment.
Acceptable formats include CSV and XLS.
Navigate to My Equipments > Actions > Import. Then click "Download Equipment Template" to download an empty import template.
Guidelines for Bulk Import
|
Field Name |
Explanation |
What’s Allowed |
Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Name (Required) |
The name of the of equipment |
No character limit. |
Acme Compressor |
|
Equipment Category (Required) |
The category the equipment belongs to. |
Must match an existing category
|
Building Equipment |
|
Equipment Asset Type (Required) |
Sub category that the equipment belongs to. |
You can select an existing Asset Type already entered into Prism or create a new one by defining it here. |
Air Compressor |
|
Property (Required) |
The property name the equipment is located at or belongs to. |
You must specify an existing property name as it appears in Prism under the My Properties module. |
75 State St. |
|
External Key |
This field can be set with an ID of your choosing. Use it in subsequent imports to update existing records. If the ID is empty then a new record will be created. |
100 character limit, no spaces. |
|
|
Internal ID |
Unique Building Engines ID assigned to the piece of equipment. Use it in subsequent imports to update existing records. |
The ID is available on equipment exports. |
|
|
Floor |
The floor the piece of equipment is located on. |
You must specify the existing floor name as it appears in Prism under the My Spaces module. |
|
|
Suite |
The suite name or number where the piece of equipment might be located in. |
100 character limit, no spaces. |
|
|
Specific Location |
The specific location the piece of equipment may be in. |
No character limit. The import will honor line breaks. |
Across the hallway. |
|
Manufacturer |
Name of the equipment manufacturer. |
No character limit. |
Acme Industries |
|
Model |
Model name or number of the piece of equipment |
No character limit. |
|
|
Serial Number |
Serial number of the piece of equipment. |
No character limit. |
|
|
Asset Tag |
Asset tag of the piece of equipment. |
No character limit. |
|
|
Equipment Notes |
Any additional notes you wish to specify for the equipment. |
No character limit. The import will honor line breaks. |
|
|
Safety Notes |
Any safety notes you wish to specify for the equipment. |
No character limit. The import will honor line breaks. |
|
Known Issues or Limitations
|
Issue or Limitation |
|
|---|---|
|
Do not save your spreadsheet as a CSV file if it contains lots of UTF-8 characters, such as the accented é in resumé. (Other examples of these "extended" characters include ñ, ü, superscripts, fractions, and currency symbols other than the U.S. dollar, such as the euro symbol €.) Instead, save your file as an XLS.
|
FAQ Troubleshooting:
I filled out the import sheet and tried to upload it to the system, but it says it was unsuccessful. How do I check to see what needs to be changed?
If you get an error message, a banner message will appear in the top right, with an option to Download the Error File.
Click on "Download Error File" to be able to see what needs to be changed
In the excel file that downloads, scroll all the way over to the right on the sheet and there will be an "error" column that will tell you what information needs to be changed. In the example below, the property name does not exists in Prism, so you either have to make sure that the property name you are entering matches exactly what is listed in the My Properties module, or you will have to build out the property in the My Properties module (if it does not exist in the system let).