We’re back! Common data import challenges (and how to solve them) and more

It's been too long!

A lot has happened in the last year. In addition to the launch of the Flatfile Data Exchange Platform and all of the incredible features we've been developing, you might have noticed that we have a new look both here and on our website. We also have a new and improved developer experience, and if you haven't checked it out yet, you should! You can read about the new developer experience here.

Flatfile helps companies collect, map, import, clean, validate, onboard and exchange data files, ensuring they can get the right data into the right place at the right time. So, we're in the right spot to see the most common data import challenges that businesses and developers face. Because data exchange is what we do, one of the most common questions we find ourselves answering is, "What is data exchange?" It's a term that can be confusing, so it seemed like a good idea to answer that question clearly.

What is data exchange?

The data you need is everywhere, and getting all of the different data files and file types you receive from your partners, vendors, employees and everyone else into your system can be a constant and painful challenge. By now, you've discovered that traditional tools aren't an efficient solution for your needs, and you're probably spending time and resources on complicated workarounds.

Data exchange is the safe, fast, and efficient upload of data files that are:

• Highly variable in structure and quality and frequently vary from file to file
• Often external to professionally managed IT systems
• Saved in a wide variety of formats, like CSV, XLS, PDF, etc.
• Received from multiple sources, like end users, partners, customers, agents and suppliers

Data exchange (sometimes referred to as "data file exchange," "data import," "data collection," or "data onboarding") is the solution that can help any company safely and efficiently import all the highly variable data files it needs. Even if your files come from tons of different sources in a wide variety of formats and need manual mapping, review, cleanup and validation before you can import them, a data exchange solution will help you deal efficiently with all of the real-world data you have.

How is data exchange different from solutions like ETL?

Even though you need to collect and import data from your customers, suppliers, partners, agents, and any number of other sources, you probably haven't found the right way to simplify that process. Data integration and management tools may have been around for decades, but they don't always make life easy…

Traditional ETL (Extract Transform Load) and iPaaS (integration Platform as a Service) solutions are great for connecting highly structured systems and databases. You can use an ETL solution to do things like synchronize master customer data between a CRM system and an accounting system. You could use a data management tool to ensure and enforce data retention policies across an extensive corporate database of employee data.

But do they actually simplify your data imports?

These systems are built on the idea that data is only ever safely and securely transferred between tightly managed IT systems. They ignore today's data import and onboarding reality: Data is messy! Your data files almost certainly require complicated data mapping, review, cleanup and validation and may even need human oversight before they can be imported into managed databases and business systems.

Data exchange lets businesses safely and efficiently import a range of data file types from thousands or even millions of different sources. It can work on its own, and it's also incredibly helpful when you pair it with traditional integration tools. If your business has a traditional tool in place, pairing it with a data exchange solution can improve every step of your data integration process, particularly if you're dealing with multiple file types and data files from external sources.

To learn everything you need to know about what data exchange is and how it can help your business, read the entire article here.

The top 6 data file import challenges that companies face

The ability to import, manage, and analyze data files efficiently is essential in today's data-driven world. Data import plays an incredibly important role in making sure that businesses can harness the power of their data for making informed decisions, optimizing operations, and driving growth. But even data file import tasks that seem straightforward have challenges that can trip up the most seasoned data professionals.

It may not always be easy, but understanding and overcoming these challenges is necessary if you're trying to make sense of your data.

What are the six most common data file import challenges that businesses face today?

• Implementation projects
• File import features
• Orchestrating complex data workflows across diverse stakeholders
• Preparing data for large IT migration projects
• File feeds
• Managing the human-in-the-loop

If you want to learn about these common data file import challenges and find out how you can solve them, read the full article here!

Data integration's (surprising) missing piece

If you want to dig even deeper into the missing piece in today's data integration architectures, check out our ebook, "Introduction to Data Exchange: The Missing Piece in Enterprise Integration Architectures." Download this in-depth guide to understand the impact of data exchange and how it helps to maximize revenue opportunities, eliminate expensive workarounds, save resources, reduce data errors, accelerate decision-making and improve security and compliance.

In case you missed it, on January 17th, we also hosted a webinar that dug deep into the topic of data exchange. Watch the replay to learn:

• How common data file import, collection, exchange and onboarding challenges significantly impact businesses today
• Why ETL and data exchange are the chocolate and peanut butter of data integration
• Key considerations for adding the missing piece of data file exchange to your data integration stack
• How AI can drastically improve data imports (and when to be cautious)

Are you going to be at Developer Week? Our founder and CEO David Boskovic is speaking, so don’t miss “How we 10x'd the speed of parsing CSV data,” and make sure you come and say hi to us at booth 309!

There's a critical missing piece in most integration architectures that common ETL systems don't solve. Download our in-depth ebook to find out how you can avoid data errors, reduce unnecessary data import costs and accelerate data availability and decision-making.