cannot import excel/csv to table

[hems]

I cannot import data to a custom table using excel/csv

see screenshot of error message below

i have a community licence and am following the "Get Started with Dataverse" Learning path.  

In unit 3 of Load/export data and create data views in Dataverse module - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/learn/modules/load-export-data-create-data-views/3-load 

3. Import the data into an entity. 

• Sign in to Power Apps. 
• On the left pane, expand Data and then select Entities.   
• Select the entity that you want to import data into. 
• Select the ellipsis (...) or menu at the top. Select Get data and then select Get data from Excel. 
• On the Import data screen, choose whether to import data from an Excel or a CSV file. 
• Select Upload. 

 Is there something else required for my set up?

I was also not able to export the custom table (which is newly created so has no data) for use a template. 

any help or explanation would be greatly appreciated. 

...text version of the error message for upload is below ...  

 

The import service is not available: Connection set initialization failed for project DMImport_2020_11_30T16_19_15_961Z. Error: Service principal couldn't be written 

Import data 

The import service is not available 

[SeanHenderson]

Hi @hems 

Is this import just for the learning exercise, or are you trying to import production data in your environment for a real world project? Because if it's the latter, I can walk you through a more reliable way to do an import.

[hems]

@SeanHenderson this is solely for the learning exercise ... having said that, I'd appreciate it greatly if you could point in the right direction for the best practice as I intend to build stuff for a portfolio to showcase what I've learnt 😀

[hems]

as a slight update, the final unit of the Dataverse module - Load/export data and create data views links to a page "Open table data in Excel" - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/maker/common-data-service/data-platform-excel-addin

I would have liked this information to have available in earlier units, but even still the add in for excel (on the web)/Microsoft 365 does not work and have given me this error ...

is anyone else having the same issues? 

also @SeanHenderson any thoughts? 

[SeanHenderson · Accepted solution]

What security roles do you have in that environment?

For future data imports, consider this method:

Click the gear icon in the top right of your environment

Select Advanced Settings.

Click the arrow next to Settings, select Data Management > Imports:

From here you can see all your import jobs. Select Import Data from the top ribbon. This will start a new job. Basically, you can upload a CSV from here, pick which table to put it into and then map the columns explicitly. You can even map lookups based on specific fields, map option set values and even save a loadout for future imports. 

Incidentally when you do an import through excel, this tool is what runs in the background, you can even go to this area and check the job for failures.

I always recommend using this tool for import, it never gives errors, provided you prepared the data in CSV properly.

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[hems]

@SeanHenderson thanks for this. I'll give this a go for another table I want to add data too. 

I did manage to get it working in Excel in the end. 

I already have my personal copy of office 2016 on my machine and didn't realise I could essentially log in using my onmicrosoft account. Once done, I was able to download the Power Apps Add-in and works really well. Unfortuantely this method doesn't track with the learning path modules that led to me this conundrum but after some fiddling it works perfectly and I'm able to import, export and refresh the data for my table. 

 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/maker/common-data-service/data-platform-excel-addin

data in the table

data stored in the table

excel with connection to the table (entity) 

data on excel

[hems]

Hi @SeanHenderson 

Works like a charm, its much more reliable than the Get data from Excel method. 

Thanks again

[ndsza]

A year later and I was stuck with a similar issue - your solution still holds strong! Thanks a lot!