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Better handling of blank data when importing a CSV file

  • April 12, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 66 views
A
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I’m experiencing an issue when importing a CSV file using the CSV import block.

The default behavior is that if one of the matched fields is blank on the CSV but filled-in on Airtable, the importing will remove the filled-in value and replace it with a blank.

I’m sure there cases where this behavior makes sense, but in all cases where I’ve used the import feature my CSV data is actually patchier than Airtable. For example, I often have a field that is filled-in in some cases, but not in others.

I want to incorporate the CSV data into Airtable, without removing any of the existing Airtable data. Is this possible?

3 replies

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  • Alex_Armstrong
  • Author
  • Participating Frequently
  • 8 replies
  • July 10, 2020

I’m still interested in this feature. Is there any way to achieve this in Airtable?

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  • Almas_Abulkhair
  • New Participant
  • 1 reply
  • April 28, 2021

I’m still interested in this feature. Is there any way to achieve this in Airtable?


Hey @Alex_Armstrong.

I’m also having this data, importing Stripe payments report and using charge_id as deduplication identifier.

But I use scripts to populate data from other sources, event-driven.
So when reimporting data with duplications i also want to avoid blank fields (if in imported data the field is blank, and in table not, - I want field be populated not with blank)

Airtable team, any updates on this?

D
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  • David_Ayer
  • Known Participant
  • 19 replies
  • February 22, 2023

Hey @Alex_Armstrong.

I’m also having this data, importing Stripe payments report and using charge_id as deduplication identifier.

But I use scripts to populate data from other sources, event-driven.
So when reimporting data with duplications i also want to avoid blank fields (if in imported data the field is blank, and in table not, - I want field be populated not with blank)

Airtable team, any updates on this?


Same. Importing without erasing existing data is key, kind of basic functionality.

I get that you could import to a different field and then do some fancy formula stuff in AT, but why?

This functionality was present way back in FileMaker 7 if you go back that far, so surely doable?


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