Bulk Update Functionality

Requirement

Can we update data in bulk?

Solution

Yes, MSCRM has provided below two ways for bulk update

• Bulk Update from Advance Find (for less amount of data)
• Bulk Update with help of Export-Import (for huge amount of data)

Before see the steps let’s assume one scenario,

We got requirement to create new custom field with type of “two options” and with default “No” value in opportunity. After this changes we can assure that created every new record would have “No” value in that Custom field like below due to the customization 

But existing data will remains with null value in new field like below

Let’s update existing data with “No” value with these two approach

First approach is Bulk Update from Advance Find

• Open “Advance Find” window by clicking on “Advance Find” button

• Select “Opportunities” entity from “Look for” list. Then select desire filter, here I want all records where new Custom field has a null value so my filter looks like below

• Click on “Results” button to get all data

• After getting all records for bulk update use multi select checkbox which is on top left corner in columns header row, select it, after selection all records would checked in first page. Max records per page is 250 as of now. Click on “Edit” button available on ribbon

• It would open new Bulk Edit window check radio button in front of “No” value of “Custom Field”, then click on “Change” button.

It will start update process for selected 250 records. We had 2520 total records, so for rest of 2270 records we have to repeat same process almost 10 time if we chose this approach

Let’s see second approach for data update and that is Export and Import

• Open Advance Find window as explained earlier select desired entity in “Look for” list
• Then remove unnecessary fields if any and add required fields from advance find with help of Edit Column button, it will open new window

• To remove fields from advance find select field then click on “Remove” after that click on “OK” button

• after confirmation field will be removed from list

• To add required field (which need to update) click on “Add Columns”

• It will open “Add Columns window” select required field then click on “OK”

• After field alteration add filter criteria to retrieve data then click on “Result” after retrieving all data export data by clicking on “Export Opportunities”

• It will download one excel file, after saving the file open that for data update, Click on “Enable Editing” for modification in excel

• Update “No” value in Custom Field column for first row then copy it for all rows save and close the file

• After changes in excel file, same need to import in to the system for actual data update so go to Settings--> Data Management--> Imports

• Then click on “Import Data”

• It will open new window, choose your modified file then click on Next

• If required then make changes in setting and click on “Submit”

• Click on Finish, then track status of your imported file as per given navigation in below screenshot

This is status of my imported file

After completion of Importing Process we can check for data update in advance find like below

Here we have updated all existing data for newly added “Custom Field” with value “No”

Note : When we Export data from MSCRM in Excel it keeps references inside it for each records in excel which helps in update of that record, we can see that by unhide columns from excel like below

After unhide columns excel will look like below

So do not make changes in first 3 columns in excel, it would interrupt the update functionality

Happy Learning 😊