Imports enable you to work with data from external sources in Anaplan and to keep your data consistent across your workspace. You can import data model from a flat file, or from one Anaplan model into another.

Within a model, workspace administrators can run file imports for lists and modules, and import users to the workspace. They set the import up the first time they run the import, and the import is saved as an action, so it can be run again.

Anyone can set up private imports with the Anaplan Integrations API, or use the API to run imports shared with everyone.

You can import from a file, or import data from another model.

Note: If you import from a file, you must use a text file, such as those with a .txt or .csv extension. Prepare your file before you begin to ensure it's set up correctly.

Set up an import

When a workspace administrator runs an import for the first time, they:

These options are saved as a file that enables the import to be run again as an action. The workspace administrator can choose whether the file saves as a private or shared file.

You can only set up an import and its data source in standard mode. Once set up, you can mark either or both the import and data source as Production Data. This enables users to run the import in deployed mode.

Imports as actions

Workspace administrators can run an import again from the Actions pane. To enable other users to run the action, a workspace administrator can publish it to a dashboard or add it to an action card on a page.

You can also add import actions to a process and use integrations, such as Anaplan Connect, to schedule imports for specific times.

Access constraints on imports

Selective access and dynamic cell access can limit what data you can import. To import from a file, your model role must have access to the action and the list, module, or version into which you want to import.

If you're a workspace administrator, you can import from a file into cells for which you do not have dynamic write access. If you're not a workspace administrator and you do not have write access to some of the cells, the data does not import into those cells.

The access constraints for model-to-model imports depend on the type of data you want to import and whether you're a workspace administrator in the source and target models.

Note: Workspace administrators can run imports faster than end users where access restrictions apply, even if the restrictions do not apply to the user who runs the action.