Step by step process for importing historical sales data into Factors

If you’ve just signed up for Factors and want to bring in your old sales data, you’re in the right spot. Maybe you’re migrating from another tool, or maybe you’re just tired of letting your historical numbers gather dust in random spreadsheets. Either way, getting your data into Factors is the first step to making sense of it all.

This guide walks you through the process—no guesswork, no skipped steps. If you’ve ever been burned by a “simple” import that turned into a mess, read on. I’ll flag the tricky parts and call out the shortcuts that actually work.

Step 1: Figure Out Where Your Data Lives

Before you can import anything, you need to know what you’re working with. Historical sales data tends to hide in all sorts of places:

  • Old CRM exports (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
  • Accounting systems (QuickBooks, Xero)
  • E-commerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce)
  • Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets, CSVs on your desktop)

Pro tip: Don’t overthink this. If your sales team has been manually tracking deals in a Google Sheet, that’s fine. The main thing is consistency: you want all your data in one place, with the same columns and formats.

What to Ignore

  • “Nice-to-have” fields you never actually used (e.g., “Lead Source” that’s always blank)
  • Notes columns filled with random comments
  • Duplicate datasets (pick your most complete version)

Step 2: Clean Up Your Data

This is the step everyone hates, but it’ll save you hours of pain later. Here’s what matters:

Standardize Columns

Factors expects certain fields—usually things like:

  • Date of sale
  • Customer name or ID
  • Product or service sold
  • Amount
  • Sales rep (if you track it)

If your columns are called weird things (“Sold On” instead of “Sale Date”), rename them now. Make sure dates are in a consistent format (YYYY-MM-DD is safest).

Remove Junk

  • Delete empty rows and columns.
  • If you’ve got test records (“Test123,” “Fake Deal”), get rid of them.
  • Make sure you don’t have duplicate entries. If you do, dedupe based on a unique field (Order ID is ideal).

Check Data Types

  • Amounts should be numbers, not “$1,000” strings.
  • Dates should actually be dates, not text.
  • If you use dropdowns or tags (like product types), make sure naming is consistent (“Widget A” not “widget a” or “Wdgt A”).

Honest take: Most import headaches come from messy data. Spend an extra 30 minutes fixing this now, and you’ll breeze through the rest.

Step 3: Export Your Data to CSV

Factors (like most tools) prefers CSV files because they’re simple and universally compatible. Here’s how to get there:

  • If you’re using a spreadsheet: File → Download → CSV
  • From most CRMs or accounting platforms: Look for “Export,” then choose CSV as the format

Don’t: Try to upload Excel files (.xlsx) or copy-paste tables. They might work sometimes, but CSV is safer.

Double-check: Open your CSV in a text editor (like Notepad or VS Code) to make sure there aren’t weird characters, extra header rows, or empty lines at the bottom.

Step 4: Review Factors’ Import Template (If They Have One)

Before you upload, check if Factors provides a sample CSV template or a guide to required fields. This is usually in their help docs or on the import page itself.

  • Download their template and compare it to your file.
  • If you’re missing a required field, add it now—even if you have to fill with “N/A” for old records.
  • Don’t worry about optional fields unless you need them for reporting.

Pro tip: If you’re unsure about a column, leave it blank or ask support. Guessing gets you errors.

Step 5: Start the Import in Factors

Now you’re ready to bring your data in:

  1. Log in to Factors and go to the “Data Import” or “Sales Data” section.
  2. Click “Import” (sometimes it's “Upload Data” or similar).
  3. Select your CSV file.

Map Your Columns

Most importers will ask you to match your CSV columns to their internal fields. This is where your cleanup pays off:

  • Make sure “Sale Date” maps to “Date of Sale,” etc.
  • If you see a field you don’t have, check if it’s required. If not, skip it.
  • Watch for date format warnings—if Factors flags an issue, you may need to go back and fix your CSV.

Run a Test Import First

If Factors offers a “Preview” or “Dry Run” option, use it. Import a handful of rows (10-20) instead of the whole file. This lets you spot problems without making a mess of your actual data.

  • Check that amounts, dates, and customer names come through correctly.
  • Look for fields mapping to the wrong place (e.g., “Amount” showing up under “Customer ID”).

If something’s off, fix your CSV and try again.

Step 6: Import the Full File

Once your test rows look good, go ahead and import the full dataset.

  • Don’t navigate away or close your browser until it’s done.
  • If you have thousands of records, it may take a few minutes.

When the import finishes, Factors should give you a summary: how many records imported, how many failed, and why.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

  • Date format errors: Go back and standardize to YYYY-MM-DD.
  • Missing required fields: Add them to your CSV, even if you use “N/A.”
  • Duplicate records: Remove or merge them before importing.
  • Encoding errors (weird characters): Make sure you’re saving your CSV in UTF-8 format.

Step 7: Validate and Review the Imported Data

Don’t assume everything’s perfect just because you got a “Success” message.

  • Spot-check a handful of records—search for a few known deals and see if the details match.
  • Run a quick report in Factors to make sure totals line up with your source data.
  • Check for obvious gaps (missing months, strange outliers).

Honest take: Every import has a hiccup somewhere. Better to catch it now than three months from now, after you’ve made decisions based on bad data.

Step 8: Set Up Ongoing Imports (If Needed)

If you plan to keep importing new data (say, monthly or weekly), set up a repeatable process:

  • Save your cleaned CSV template.
  • Document any field mapping or special steps.
  • Ask Factors support if they offer automations or integrations with your CRM.

Don’t bother with automation until you’ve nailed the manual process. Otherwise, you’ll just automate your mistakes.

What to Do If You Hit a Wall

  • Don’t waste hours fighting with cryptic errors. Factors’ support is usually more helpful if you send them your CSV and a screenshot of the problem.
  • If you’re missing data from an old system, decide if it’s worth tracking down. Sometimes those ancient deals just aren’t worth the hassle.
  • Remember, you can always import more later. Get the big stuff in first.

Pulling in your historical sales data isn’t glamorous, but it’s the foundation for everything you’ll do in Factors. Keep it simple: clean your data, double-check your fields, and don’t try to be clever on your first go. Once the basics are in, you can always add nuance and automation later. Start small, get it right, and you’ll avoid the headaches that come from rushing the process.