Question

I have an Excel document containing the details of 2000 users that need to be imported as Members in Expression Engine – using the Member Import utility.

Where on earth do I start?

First Problem
– converting the Excel doc into XML format.

Second Problem – including over 60 custom member fields.

Third Problem – ensuring each user has a unique username, screen_name, password, salt, unique_id and crypt_key.

Any help much appreciated.

Answer 1

I worked in out.

First Problem – converting the Excel doc into XML format.

Create an XML Schema, then in Excel > Developer tab > Source > XML Maps > Drag and Drop Map for A:1, copy and paste tab delimated data into A:2

Second Problem – including over 60 custom member fields.

In EE, if you simply leave the ‘Create custom fields’ unchecked – all custom member field/XML tags will insert correspondingly.

Third Problem – ensuring each user has a unique username, screen_name, password, salt, unique_id and crypt_key.

Use this – http://dosysadminsdream.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/generating-random-passwords-in-excel/ – to create a module in Excel VB for the passwords. Ensure your XML has type=’text’ attribute in the password tag, EE will do the MD5 on its own.