DetailOAR Field Manual · Customer import

Import Existing Customers and Vehicle Records

Prep, preview, dedupe, import, verify, and export customer and vehicle data — without any of it landing in the wrong workspace.

Intermediate12 min readAction: 45 minUpdated July 16, 2026

Written by Kevin Reynolds · Reviewed by DetailOAR Product Team

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Contents

Start

Know the outcome.

What you will accomplish

You’ll import customer contact fields with one associated vehicle per row, review every match decision before anything is written, and confirm source IDs, consent, notes, and profile details didn’t get silently overwritten.

Steps

Do the work in order.

Step 1
Prepare the CSV safely
1. Export customers from the old system as CSV, and keep that untouched export outside the application as your backup.
2. Open Customers, choose Import customers, then grab the template to see which headers are supported.
3. Make one row per customer-vehicle combination. Repeating a customer with a different vehicle is fine as long as email, phone, or source ID stays consistent.
4. Clean up emails, phone numbers, years, make/model names, plate, VIN, and size class. Don’t invent missing VINs, consent, or service history.
5. Strip out full card numbers, passwords, access tokens, private payment notes, and files. None of that belongs in a CSV import.
Step 2
Preview before writing
1. Choose the source format if the app recognizes it, or choose Generic and map each input column yourself.
2. Upload the CSV. The preview should show create, fill blank, link, skip, or review decisions without touching the database.
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3. Sort out rows marked ambiguous. Lean on source identity, email, or a verified phone — never guess between two similar names.
4. Download the error CSV when it’s offered, fix only the rows it names, and preview the corrected file again.
5. Glance at the workspace name in the sidebar before selecting Import customers.
Step 3
Verify the result
1. After Customer import complete, jot down the created, updated, linked, skipped, and review counts.
2. Search three customers by name, phone, and email. Open each one and check the vehicle fields.
3. Search at least one vehicle by plate or VIN.
4. Choose Export CSV and compare a sample against your source backup.
5. File the import summary and error CSV with the migration record, and delete local working copies once you no longer need them.

Reference

Use the detail when you need it.

How duplicate protection works

The importer works from tenant-scoped source IDs and conservative contact matching. It fills blanks when that’s safe, but it won’t overwrite populated profile details just because a later file disagrees. Ambiguous or phone-only matches get flagged for review, because a bad merge is much harder to undo than a skipped row.

Common mistakes

Importing straight into production with no preview and no backup.
Mapping a notes column to consent, or a generic ID with no source namespace.
Assuming two family members sharing one phone are the same customer.
Letting a formula or malformed row slip in and shift later columns.
Re-running the corrected file under a different source name and minting avoidable duplicates.

Troubleshooting

File rejected as too large: split it into stable batches and keep the same source namespace.
Wrong number of columns: repair the exact row the error names — don’t just delete the header and hope.
Vehicle missing: check the row carries customer identity plus year/make/model or another supported vehicle field.
Possible duplicate: export the customer list, look at both records, and merge only through a supported, reviewed path.

Finish

Check the result and close the loop.

Final checklist

Untouched source backup saved.
Preview decisions reviewed.
Errors fixed before import.
Sample customers and vehicles searchable.
Post-import export reconciled.
Working files handled per the business privacy policy.

Prerequisites

Create Your Account and Business Workspace12 min read

Learning paths with this guide

Set Up DetailOAR8 guides

Frequently asked questions

Will a later import overwrite customer notes?

The safe fill policy fills blanks rather than overwriting populated profile fields — still, review the preview for every update.

Can one customer have several vehicles?

Yes. Repeat the tenant-scoped customer identity with a different vehicle on each row.

Should payment cards be included?

No. Full card data never goes in the import. Use the connected payment provider’s secure card-on-file flow instead.

Sources and review

Reviewed by DetailOAR Product Team on July 15, 2026. Verify current labels, interfaces, prices, and local requirements before acting.

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