Issues with migrating from workspace contacts to a Contacts app
Note: what follows is irrelevant to the new “Contact app type” feature, and conversion between app types. It applies regardless of the app type.
So we need to convert workspace contacts to a Contacts app. Right now, one or several contacts are attached to both Client and Project items, which seems like a very common use case.
Exporting from the Projects app gives an Excel spreadsheet with one line per project, and multiple contacts added as line breaks within the same cells, same line, in “Contact - name”, “Contact - email”, etc. columns.
I'm trying to reimport contacts into a relationship field to a Contacts app, using the project number or unique ID as key, expecting one item to be created per contact in the Contacts app and attached to the same project item initial contacts were attached to... and this turned out to be a real and unexpected PAIN, mainly because :
1. We don't get null values (same as with `@All of` arrays, BTW...)
Meaning that if we've got 3 contacts in the “Contact - name” cell as:
Contact 1;
Contact 2;
Contact 3
...and let's say the email value is only available for Contact 1 and 3 (i.e. missing for Contact 2), in the “Contact - email” column, we WON'T get:
contact1@company.com;
<blank>;
contact3@company.com
...but :
contact1@company.com;
contact3@company.com
So upon importing and creating items, Contact 2 name will get Contact 3 email.... (true for phone or whatever too)
2. It will only import the first line in the contact cells, not subsequent ones, so in the example above, if you use a key, and map Contact fields to a relationship field expecting as many items as contacts to be created, you'll only get one: the first line (Contact 1 in my example above).
This makes migrating a REAL pain... been pulling my hair on this for several days. I was thinking resorting to GlobiFlow, but even GF can't deal with missing null values...
As I understand it, the general direction (and advice) is to move away from workspace contact fields, and use apps instead, but I'd bet there are many apps out there currently using workspace contacts, so (unless I'm missing something) with migrating (from ws contacts to apps) becoming a must, it should be made way easier to common users (let alone involve the API).
Please help. Thanks.
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Please tell me something is happening with this, we've gotten to the point where we're just making new contacts in our new contact app and forgetting about the old ones.
This is scary as the originals in workspace contacts aren't being updated and when we eventually get the functionality to export them and update they will be all out of date.
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We're having the same issue.
In my view, the failure to anticipate, at best (or downright neglect if you'd rather not give them the benefit) users' needs is scornful!
How could Podio plan for the introduction of a new feature and FAIL to plan for the migration of users from the old environment??
Given the likely high percentage of users that had been using WORKSPACE CONTACTS before the introduction of the Contacts App, one really wonders what they were smoking when they planned (or, rather failed to plan) for this change?
... and to IGNORE users' persistent questions about this matter just adds insult to injury!
There ... I've got it off my chest now!
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Hi Tony,
Thank you for the feedback. Are you having the same issue as Adrien reported above? This should have been fixed a few months back.
We understand it can be a pain to locate the different apps that contains workspace contacts, export and merge them into one view in excel and import again to a contact app. If you like our assistance, I am happy to take a meeting to assist you make the changes and review your set-up.
I am sorry we have not been able to provide a smooth migration experience.
You can reach me via sara@podio.com
Cheers,
Sara - Product Manager
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