Create a staging table to store data while you import it. Make sure the table matches the structure of the import file before moving it to the final table.
During a file import, data is first loaded to a staging table and then mapped into the associated fact table. As part of the import process, the staging table will be truncated before loading to the table.
The staging table must be created before configuring a new File Import. The structure of the staging table must be compatible with the data file to be imported.
For example, if your import file contains columns for Account, Date, Entity, Currency, and Amount:
| Account | Date | Entity | Currency | Amount |
| 10000 | 202503 | USA | USD | 67000 |
| 11000 | 202503 | USA | USD | 1240000 |
| 13100 | 202503 | USA | USD | 15000 |
| 13200 | 202503 | USA | USD | 10000 |
| 13300 | 202503 | USA | USD | 58222 |
| 13400 | 202503 | USA | USD | 125490 |
Your staging table must contain these columns:
| Parameter | Description |
| Column Name | This column lists the names of the fields within the staging table. For example, Account, Date, Entity, Currency, and Amount, need to exist in the same order to the file above. |
| Data Type | This indicates the type of data each column holds, for example, string and float. |
| SQL Data Type | It specifies the corresponding data type used in the underlying SQL database. For example, varchar should be used for Account, Date, Entity, and Currency, while float should be used for Amount in the file example above. |
| SQL Size | For varchar columns, it shows the maximum length in characters that can be stored. |
| SQL Precision | Displays relevant for numeric types such as Float and specifies the precision. In the example above, the Amount column has a precision of 52. |
| Primary Key | The checkbox indicates whether the column is a primary key. A primary key uniquely identifies each row in the table. |
| Nullable | The checkbox indicates whether a column can contain NULL, that is, no value. |
Use the Add button to add new columns and Delete button to remove rows from the current staging table.
Note: The name of the staging table must begin with an alpha character.
The Clear Data Settings in Data Import Definitions clears members in the data model based on the members found in the staging table.
For example, if the staging table or the source file contains entities such as London and Toronto, and the Clear Data Settings is set to Staging Source Values for the Entity dimension, rows with London and Toronto will be cleared from the data model before the data is imported.
