3.3. Downloading Data from Your Directory
You can download data from your directory in a comma delimited format (CSV) that can be opened in applications such as Microsoft Excel. First you need to locate the companies or contacts you want to download in the Company or Contact Search. Select the companies or contacts you want to include in the file and click the download CSV action button above your results. This will open the Download CSV page.
Tip: If you want your file to include all the relevant contacts at each company, use the Contact Search. If you just want the main contact details (or no contact details), use the Company Search.
3.3.1. Selecting Which Fields to Include
The Download CSV page allows you to select which fields are included in the file. This section will contain any Custom Text Fields that have been set up on your directory that you have opted to include in the CSV download. You can set whether or not a custom field appears in this section by setting the 'In CSV Download' flag of the custom field edit page.
Once you have decided which fields you want to include you have two options. You can download the file so that you can open or save it, or you can send it as an email attachment.
3.3.2. Download CSV File
Tip: If you have included a lot of records in the file you could have to wait a little while for it to download, so you may wish to email larger files, particularly if you are not working over a fast connection.
Click the Download CSV File button. You will be given the option to open or save the file. The CSV file will be downloaded as a 'zipped' file, which is much smaller and quicker to download. To open the file, you need to have Winzip installed. Click here for more information on Winzip (third party website - opens in a new window).
3.3.3. Email CSV File
Click the Email CSV File button. You will be taken to the Email CSV Download page where you can prepare and send your email.
Recipient Details
Enter the email address you want to send the file to. You can enter more than one email address, separated with a semi colon, e.g. 'recipient1@anywhere.com; recipient2@anywhere.com'.
Sender Details
Enter the name and email address you want the email to come from. Your details will be entered by default, but you can change them if you wish. You can use the drop down list to select any other Business Directory user to quickly copy their name and email address to the relevant fields.
Although the email will appear to come from the sender details you enter, it will be sent from the directory and will not appear in your Outbox. If you want a copy of the email to be sent to the sender address so that you have a copy for your records, make sure the Copy email to sender? box is checked.
Email Attachment
This section shows that the CSV file will be attached to the email, and how large the file is.
Content
Enter the subject line and a message content for your email. The message content will be pre-filled with the default text from the mail template created in the Automatic Mails section. If you have a regional system, a template will have been created for each region. The message will not be pre-filled, but you can select the template you want to use from a list.
The template may include merge fields such as your name, email address or organisation name. These will appear in the body of the email as tags, e.g. the tag [AdminName] will insert your name into the email when it is sent.
You can also insert other merge fields by using the insert fields drop down list.
Tip: Be careful! The list of insert fields is used across all the emails in the system, and many of them are not applicable to this email. For example if any of the company or contact fields are inserted they will not be merged as the email is not being sent to a directory member.
Tip: Most email recipients will be able to receive HTML formatted emails (which enable you to style your text and add colours etc.), however some recipients may only be able to receive emails in plain text. To ensure all recipients can read your email it is a good idea to create your message in both HTML and plain text. Use the radio buttons to toggle between the two message types.
Preview Email
Once you have created your email, you can click preview email to check what it will look like when sent.
Send Email
Click send emails to send the email with the CSV extract attached.
The CSV file will be downloaded as a 'zipped' file, which is much smaller and quicker to download. To open the file, you need to have Winzip installed. Click here for more information on Winzip (third party website - opens in a new window).