The New Data Import is Here

The Bulk Import functionality in IKE Office Pro is a powerful feature that expands data management capabilities within the platform, opening up diverse possibilities for both importing new data and more easily editing existing data all using a handy Excel-based form template. This feature is available exclusively to IKE Office Pro customers. 
 

The Excel Bulk Import tool goes beyond the utility of our previous CSV Import, enabling users to import data at both the collection level, and through various subform levels. This tool is especially useful for bulk updating PLA (Pole Loading Analysis) collection information and importing form data with locations and details already populated so your field crews can be as efficient as possible. 

Two Workflows: One Solution

Excel Bulk Import supports two important workflows in IKE Office Pro that allow for 1. the import of new pole data and 2. editing existing pole data. These objectives can also be achieved together by adding new pole data to the bottom of the downloaded Excel template for existing pole collection information. 
 

In order to be successful with this feature, we recommend the user have a thorough understanding of their company's collection form structure. For PLA (eg IKE PoleForeman, OCalc, SpidaCalc), this includes a working knowledge of the Equipment, Framing, Wire, and Anchor options represented in the associated collection subforms. The formatting in the Excel template is important for successful import, but if done correctly, the potential for more efficient data management is significant. See below for more details on how to use the new feature. 

Quick Links:

• Importing New Poles
• Editing or Updating Existing Poles
• Importing Multiple Jobs at Once
• Excel Template Formatting Notes

Importing New Poles (Single Job)

To import new pole data into IKE Office, please follow the steps below:

1. From the home page, navigate to the main menu, located in the upper left corner (near IKE Office Pro logo).
2. Select the Import option from the menu.
   
   
3. On the Import page, ensure the EXCEL tab is selected.
   
   
    
4. To the right side of the screen, use the drop down to select the existing collection Form you want to use.
   
   
    
5. After Form selection, click the EXCEL button to download the Excel template - it should download to your default browser download location.
   
   
6. Open the downloaded Excel Form template - it will be blank, other than sheet titles and column headers that correspond to various parts of your collection Form (i.e. subforms).
   • Note: You can edit all of the sheet tabs, EXCEPT the Metadata - this needs to remain the same for successful import.
   • New in IKE Office v2.30.0: Select List and Nested List fields in the template now include dropdown menus with pre-validated options that match your collection Form. Use these dropdowns to select values rather than typing them manually. This ensures entries are valid and eliminates import errors due to mismatched input for these field types.
     
     
      
7. In order to keep your pole data straight, you will use the Instance ID. This is an arbitrary identifier that you will use throughout the template to align data to the correct pole/collection.
   • The Instance ID MUST be alphanumeric characters (numbers or letters), that are unique for each pole you wish to represent within a single excel file. 
   • Tip: It may be easiest to have the Instance ID be something that is readable for you, e.g. "poleid0002"
      
8. Enter in your new pole data, following the subform and other labeling conventions laid out in your collection Form. For each subform, you will have another ID field outside the instance ID - think of this as the list of subform entries assigned to each pole. These also need to be 10 alphanumeric digits if used. 
    
9. When your pole data entry is complete, save the populated Excel Form template. 
   • Tip: It may be useful to update the file name before saving so you know what it represents (not required). 
      
10. Go back to the Import page in IKE Office, then 1) upload your populated Excel form template file (re: new pole data), and 2) enter a new Job Name 
    
    
     
11. Select IMPORT - your new poles should be imported. 
    
    

If there are errors or warnings, messaging will be provided and the affected poles will be skipped. 

• Messaging will indicate the cell in the Excel template where the error occurred and give a reason why import failed for that pole. 
• Otherwise, your new job should be created and be visible on the Map screen. 

Editing or Updating Existing Poles (Single Job)

To edit existing pole data in IKE Office, please follow the steps below:

1. Starting from the Map view, select the existing poles and/or jobs you'd like to edit using the checkboxes on the left side of the screen.
   • Note: If selecting more than one job at a time, the jobs will need to use the same collection Form and form version for successful export.
     
     
      
2. With poles selected, open the Export menu (downward facing arrow) and select "Importable Excel." The Excel template file will be downloaded to your default browser download location. 
   
    
   
   
    
3. Open the downloaded Excel template file - the template will be populated with the existing pole data that was previously selected for export. The sheet tabs and column headers will be consistent with your collection Form subforms and fields. 
   • Note: Do NOT make changes to the Metadata tab, or the ID fields (i.e. Instance ID, Collection ID, Span ID, etc.) for the existing pole data. These fields must remain unchanged for successful Import and editing. 
      
4. When your pole data edits are complete, save the updated Excel Form template.
    
5. Go back to the Import page in IKE Office, then 1) upload your edited Excel Form template (re: edited pole data), and 2) select the existing job to edit from the list that pops up under the Job Name field.
   
   
    
6. Select IMPORT - your edited poles should be imported and should overwrite/update the existing pole information in IKE Office. Edits made to pole information in the Excel Form template will be visible in the collection editor pane (right side) when a collection is selected. 
    

If there are errors or warnings, messaging will be provided and the affected poles will be skipped. 

• Messaging will indicate the cell in the Excel template where the error occurred and give a reason why import failed for that pole. 
• Otherwise, your edited job should be imported and be visible on the Map screen. 

Importing Multiple Jobs at Once

Available in IKE Office Pro v2.39.0 and later.

For users who need to import or update collection data across multiple jobs at the same time, IKE Office Pro supports bulk import via a .zip file containing multiple Excel files (one per job). This eliminates the need to manually import each file individually.

Preparing Your Files

1. Populate or export-and-edit each job's Excel template as you normally would for a single-job import. Each Excel file represents one job. 
2. Place all Excel files into a single .zip archive. Non-Excel files within the zip will be ignored. 
3. Ensure each Excel file is named clearly. The filename (without the .xlsx extension) will be used as the default job name for that import.

Running a Multi-Job Import

1. From the home page, navigate to the main menu and select Import. 
2. On the Import page, ensure the EXCEL tab is selected.
3. Click the file upload area and select your .zip file, or drag and drop the prepared .zip file. 
4. For .zip file import, the Job Name field will be greyed out and unavailable:
   • For newly created jobs, each job will be named based on its Excel filename (e.g., site_survey_01.xlsx → job name "site_survey_01").
     • Note: If an auto-generated job name matches an existing job in IKE Office, the import will update that existing job rather than create a new one (consistent with single-job import behavior).
   • For edited jobs that already exist in IKE Office, the collection ID info will be used to update matching collections accordingly.
5. Select IMPORT - job data will be created or edited based on the files within the .zip import. 

After the import completes, a results summary will indicate which jobs were successfully created or updated and which, if any, encountered errors. Collections with errors will be skipped and will not affect the successful imports. Error messages will identify the affected file and the cell-level reason for failure, so you can correct and re-import individual files as needed.
 

Excel Template Formatting Notes

In order to successfully use the Bulk Import tool, the formatting of information in the Excel Form template must match the existing Form structure in IKE Office. If information in the Excel template cannot be mapped to the selected collection Form, then the import for the affected poles will fail. 
 

Instance IDs

If you plan to import new pole data, each new pole will need to have a unique Instance ID as defined by the user. You can think of the Instance ID as a temporary identifier for each pole that will be used throughout the Excel Form template to align data to the correct pole/collection.
 

For example, in the screenshot below, on the "Collection" sheet tab for the downloaded Excel Form template, there are four unique Instance IDs that will define four new poles for import.  For new poles, you will leave the "Collection ID" and "UUID" columns blank - these will be automatically assigned by the system on Import to IKE Office. 


 

Once collections/poles have been defined, you will move through the various subforms using the sheet tabs at the bottom of the Excel Form template. In addition to the Instance ID, each subform entry (e.g. Equipment, Spans, Wires, Anchors, Span Guys, Anchor Guys) will also need to be assigned an ID by the user. 
 

For example, in the Span sheet tab (subform) below, there are eight new Spans being entered (see Span ID column) - two for each of the four poles set up using the Instance IDs from the example directly above. 

When defining Wires, Anchor Guys, or Span Guys, the user will need to map which pole is associated (Instance ID), which Span or Anchor is associated (Span ID or Anchor ID respectively), and define IDs for the individual conductor or guy wire.
 

This can be seen in the example below, where four new Wires are being entered (see Wire ID column) in relation to two Spans (see Span ID column) on two different poles (see Instance ID column). 
 

Select List & Nested List Fields

For the non-ID fields that describe your pole data, the entries must match what is built into the collection Form within IKE Office. This is especially relevant for PLA collection (e.g. IKE PoleForeman, SpidaCalc, OCalc) where form values are consistent with the PLA database being used. 

Select List and Nested List fields in the template include dropdown menus populated with the valid options from your collection Form. Select from the dropdown rather than typing manually to ensure your entries match exactly.
 

General Tips

• While populating or editing your Excel Form template, it may be helpful to have the IKE Office Form Builder screen open for your reference. This will help ensure that values entered into the Excel template are consistent with those laid out in the selected collection Form. 
• Although the formatting for new and updated pole information is highly specific to the collection form you're using, the general examples from this article should provide a good starting point. 
  
   

If you run into issues with the Bulk Import Tool, or have additional questions, please contact us at Support@ikegps.com.