Defect import

Use Defect import to create or update many defects at once from a CSV file. This is useful when you need to move defect records from another system into Shoreline or maintain defect data in bulk.

Defect import uses each defect’s External ID to decide whether to create a new defect or update an existing one. If a defect with the same External ID already exists, the import updates that defect. If no matching External ID exists, the import creates a new defect.

Where to find Defect import

Go to Import.
Open Defects.
Select Defects.

You can also import related defect settings from the same Defects import area:

Defect priorities
Defect categories
Defect types
Defect error codes

Defect import is only available when defects are enabled for your account, when you are online, and when your user role has permission to create defects.

Before you import defects

Before importing defects, make sure the required related records already exist in Shoreline.

Required:

Defect categories
Defect priorities

Optional, depending on the columns you include:

Defect types
Defect error codes
Sites
Assets
Subassemblies
Components

The import matches these related records by their external IDs. For example, if your CSV includes a DEFECT_CATEGORY_ID, that value must match the External ID of an existing defect category.

Prepare your CSV file

Create a CSV file with one row per defect.

Required columns:

Column	Description
EXTERNAL_ID	Unique ID used to create or update the defect
TITLE	Defect title
DESCRIPTION	Defect description
DEFECT_CATEGORY_ID	External ID of an existing defect category
DEFECT_PRIORITY_ID	External ID of an existing defect priority

Optional columns:

Column	Description
STATUS	Defect status
DEFECT_TYPE_ID	External ID of an existing defect type
DEFECT_ERROR_CODE_ID	External ID of an existing defect error code
SITE_ID	External site ID
ASSET_ID	External asset ID
SUB_ASSEMBLY_ID	External subassembly ID
COMPONENT_ID	External component ID
REMARK	Defect remark
CAUSING_DOWNTIME	Whether the defect causes downtime
HAZARDOUS	Whether the defect is hazardous
REGISTERED_AT	Date the defect was reported or registered

Supported status values:

IN_BACKLOG
REJECTED
APPROVED
RELEASED_TO_WORK_ORDER
CLOSED_NO_ACTION_TAKEN
CLOSED

If you leave STATUS empty or do not include it for a new defect, the defect is created with the default status IN_BACKLOG.

Configure the import fields

Before uploading your file, check that Shoreline knows how to read your CSV columns.

Go to Import > Defects > Defects.
Review the field mapping table.
Match each Shoreline field to the correct column in your CSV file.
Use fixed values or other available mapping options only when the same value should be applied to every imported row.
Save or confirm the mapping if prompted.

Use the exact required fields listed above unless your account’s import configuration has been customized.

Import defects

Go to Import > Defects > Defects.
Check the field mapping.
Select your CSV file.
Choose any available import options, such as whether to ignore empty cells or ignore missing columns.
Start the import.
Keep the page open until the import starts and a status is shown.

The import processes each row separately. Some rows can succeed while other rows fail.

Review import results

After the import starts, Shoreline shows the import status.

The status can include:

Rows processed
Rows created
Rows updated
Rows failed
Error messages for failed rows

If a row fails, fix the value in your CSV file and import the corrected file again.

Import related defect settings

You can import related defect settings before importing defects.

Defect priorities

Use this import to create or update the priorities used by defects.

Common fields include:

EXTERNAL_ID
NAME
DESCRIPTION
DEFAULT_RESOLUTION_TIME_IN_MINUTES
RESOLUTION_TIME_UNIT

Defect categories

Use this import to create or update the categories used by defects.

Common fields include:

EXTERNAL_ID
NAME
DESCRIPTION
DEFAULT_PRIORITY_ID
HAZARDOUS

Defect types

Use this import to create or update defect types.

Common fields include:

EXTERNAL_ID
NAME

Defect error codes

Use this import to create or update defect error codes.

The exact available fields may depend on your account configuration. Review the field mapping page before uploading your file.

Available import options

Ignore empty cells

Use this option when you are updating existing defects and do not want blank cells in the CSV file to overwrite existing values.

Ignore missing columns

Use this option when your CSV file does not include every configured import column and you want missing columns to be skipped.

Delete existing records

Some import pages may include an option to delete existing records before importing. Use this carefully. If available and selected, it can remove existing records for that import type before new rows are imported.

Prerequisites and limitations

Defect import is not available offline.
Your user role must have permission to create defects.
Defects must be enabled for your account.
The CSV file must include all required columns.
EXTERNAL_ID is used to decide whether to create or update a defect.
Required related records, such as defect categories and defect priorities, must already exist.
Related records are matched by external ID, not by display name.
Optional location references are limited to site, asset, subassembly, and component in the defect import file.
If an optional lookup column is included but the value does not match an existing record, that row fails.
If an optional lookup column is included and left empty, the relationship may be cleared on update.
If an optional column is not included, existing values are preserved when updating a defect.
Attachments are not imported as part of the defect CSV import.
Work order links, notified users, approval history, and some workflow actions are managed from the defect itself after import.

Troubleshooting

I cannot see Defect import

Check that:

You are online.
Defects are enabled for your account.
Your user role has permission to create defects.
You are looking under Import > Defects > Defects.

My import says “External ID is required”

The row is missing a value in EXTERNAL_ID. Add a unique External ID for that defect and import again.

My import says “Title is required” or “Description is required”

The row is missing a required text field. Add a value in TITLE or DESCRIPTION and import again.

My import says “Defect category not found”

The value in DEFECT_CATEGORY_ID does not match an existing defect category External ID. Create or import the category first, or correct the ID in your CSV file.

My import says “Defect priority not found”

The value in DEFECT_PRIORITY_ID does not match an existing defect priority External ID. Create or import the priority first, or correct the ID in your CSV file.

My import says “Defect type not found” or “Defect error code not found”

The CSV includes a type or error code ID that does not match an existing record. Create or import the related record first, or remove the value from the row if it is not needed.

My import says “Site not found,” “Asset not found,” “Sub-assembly not found,” or “Component not found”

The location ID in the row does not match an existing external ID. Check the relevant ID in Shoreline, update the CSV file, and import again.

A row updated an existing defect instead of creating a new one

A defect with the same EXTERNAL_ID already exists. Change the External ID if you want to create a separate defect.

A new defect was created with status In backlog

This is expected when STATUS is empty or not included. Add a valid status value if the defect should be imported with a different status.

Defect import

In this article

Where to find Defect import

Before you import defects

Prepare your CSV file

Configure the import fields

Import defects

Review import results

Import related defect settings

Available import options

Prerequisites and limitations

Troubleshooting