Prepare your CSV file

A clean CSV file makes the import much faster and safer.

Most import problems are preparation problems before they become Boldo problems.

Basic format rules

Your file should follow these rules:

• use the .csv format
• put column names on the first line
• use one row per asset
• keep one consistent delimiter in the whole file

Boldo can usually detect common delimiters:

• comma
• semicolon
• tab
• pipe

Choose a good import key

Before importing, make sure your file contains a stable Name column.

At the moment, the import flow matches rows by asset name.

That means this column should be:

• stable over time
• non-empty
• unique
• consistent across future imports

If names are not stable enough, fix the file first before importing.

Use a stable Name column for import matching.

Clean your data

Before importing:

• remove empty duplicate rows
• normalize spelling for statuses and lists
• remove accidental extra spaces
• check date formats
• confirm numeric values are really numeric

If a property can contain multiple values in one cell:

• use one consistent separator
• document it before mapping

Example:

Java, React, PostgreSQL

A relationship column should contain the value used to find the related asset.

Examples:

• a team name
• an application name
• a server name

When a cell contains several related assets, use the separator expected during mapping.

Keep related names consistent, otherwise Boldo may create several near-duplicate related assets.

Watch out for these common mistakes

Problem	Why it causes issues
Missing header row	Boldo cannot map columns correctly
Duplicate identifiers	Update and create behavior becomes ambiguous
Mixed separators	Rows are read incorrectly
Wrong encoding	Characters appear corrupted
Inconsistent list values	Mapping becomes unreliable

Recommended method

For a first import:

1. test on a small sample
2. validate the result in Boldo
3. correct the mapping if needed
4. import the full file

If your CSV uses the same filename as the asset type, Boldo can preselect that asset type automatically.

If your CSV uses the expected column names, Boldo can also prefill the matching properties and relations automatically.

In practice, the easiest starting point is often to export a very small CSV from the target inventory with Actions > Export to CSV, then edit that file instead of starting from scratch.

Before starting the real import, make sure:

• the preview is readable
• the key column is complete and stable
• the important properties are clean enough to map confidently
• relation columns use consistent names

Continue with Import a CSV file when the file is ready. If the result still looks wrong, use Troubleshoot CSV import.