Shelter Types not importing choices

[MorganG]

I set up a Shelter Types column as a choice with the option to select multiple, assigning each animal type listed in the table as a separate choice with it's own value (values 1 through 9). However, I've tried uploading the spreadsheet after converting it to a csv file multiple times, and the data under Shelter Types is being considered one entry instead of selecting multiple choices. What am I doing wrong here?  

[Anton-X · Accepted solution]

Hi @MorganG ,

According to Microsoft, multiselect choice columns aren't supported for import into Dataverse.

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/maker/data-platform/data-platform-import-export 

What I did to workaround this:

1. When uploading/importing your csv, set the mapping for the 'Shelter Types' column to none, so that it doesn't import that column's data. Basically ignoring it.

2. Then, manually add the multiselect data yourself for each Shelter. Since there's not that much data, this is doable.

Hope that helps.

Anton

[MorganG]

Thank you @Anton-X, that helped. Frustrating that we were provided choice data to import and were taught how to set up choice columns, but importing choice data is not supported. 

[evahas]

You can also import by using your model driven app after it is created. I used Export to Excel > Open in Excel Online and separated each choice with a semicolon.

[Anton-X]

thanks @evahas , that approach worked.

@MorganG , you may want to try this. But, because the data set is so small, it's easier just to manually enter the values as I originally suggested. No need to overcomplicate with this new method.

First, I have to say importing data into Dataverse seems to be very non standardized and full of loopholes and workarounds. Plus, when the documentation clearly states you can't import multi-select choice columns, one is likely to believe it (even if it's not completely true). 

But I digress.

Here are some visuals of how I applied evahas's method. For simplicity, I only tested a 'Shelter Name' column and the multiselect 'Shelter Types' column. Note my table and column naming was just for testing:

1. Created the 'Shelter Types' column in the Shelter Table as seen below:

:

2. Then created the Model Driven App, and added the Shelter Table to that app:

3. This step is a must. Any columns you plan to import from the csv file, make sure they are included in the Model Driven app's view. Note we are not 'Playing' the app yet. We're still in app edit mode:

Click 'Edit columns' in the top right.

Add the columns you expect to import data to. In this case I'm only going to import the 'Shelter Name' and 'Shelter Types' multi select choice column. You'll have more column when doing the real thing.

Publish so when we play the app, our changes will appear:

Play the app:

Open in 'Excel Online':

Excel Online should open. But first,  open your originally provided .csv in Excel and convert the commas to semicolons. (You'll be pasting these values in the Excel Online version that opened up in Power Apps:

Now, copy paste the values from your .csv spreadsheet to the Excel Online sheet that popped up in Power Apps:

Click save, then track your progress to see if it imports correctly:

SUCCESS!!:

You can check by viewing the table at the solution level, or assuming you've added your columns to your forms in the app, you can check to see that it indeed has done the multi selecting for you:

ALTERNATIVE METHOD WITHOUT USING EXCEL ONLINE:

Once all your columns are setup in the model driven app view (like we did above) . . . Just before the 'Excel Online' step, you could have instead downloaded a blank Excel file template. That Excel template is pre-configured to handle multiselect choices separated by semicolons. You would just copy paste the data from the PowerUP supplied .csv into this template.

Then, import the Excel template as an Excel file back to the app. See images below for a visual:

While playing the app, choose 'Excel Templates':

Then, choose 'Download Template':

This will download a special Excel file that is in 'Table Format', and has the special considerations for a multiselect choice field (don't forget to use semicolons!):

Save this Excel template with your data. Then, we'll upload it back up to the app:

Now, notice how nicely all the multiselect choices are mapped. So nice:

Click the 'Finish Import' button, and it should all import correctly.

The moral of the story here is that you can't do this from a .csv. You either have to use the Excel Online method OR download a special Excel (.xlsx) file template, populate it with data, then upload it back. A normal plain .xlsx file will not work.

If there's a quicker way. Please share.

Anton

[MJAhmed]

This is life saver.