About Importing and Exporting XML Files

Import and export GoldMine contact data to or from an Extensible Markup Language (XML Acronym for Extensible Markup Language. XML is a universal format that uses tags for exchanging structured documents and data on the Internet.) format. XML is a meta language used to facilitate the easy exchange of data between systems using different applications. Importing or exporting your GoldMine data as an XML file helps you share information with different applications, such as contact management systems, that support XML.

Like HTML HyperText Markup Language. The authoring language used to define the structure and layout of a Web document by using a variety of tags and attributes., XML uses tags (words bracketed by < and >) and attributes (name = "value"). However, XML provides more flexibility when interpreting the tags and values. For example, HTML specifically defines the meaning of each tag and attribute as well as the appearance of the tagged text when displayed in a browser; XML uses tags only as data delimiters, leaving the interpretation to the receiving application.

NOTE: When exchanging data with other GoldMine systems, be sure to synchronize with GoldMine instead of sharing exported data. Synchronization A proprietary remote synchronization process that can update one GoldMine system with new or changed information that has been entered in another GoldMine system. provides features unavailable when you export data as an XML file, including cutoff dates to limit the date range of data and the capability to exchange updates to additional contact data and calendar data.

Use the GoldMine XML Import Wizard to import data from an XML file. The wizard takes you through the process and lets you save the settings in a profile to reuse.

Use the GoldMine XML Export Wizard to export your contact data as an XML file. The wizard guides you through the procedure. All the data you export is placed in one file that the recipient can import and use as a key to map the imported data into the recipient’s database.

Exporting to XML

Export GoldMine contact data to Extensible Markup Language (XML) format. XML is a meta language is used to facilitate the exchange of data between systems using different applications. Exporting your GoldMine data as a.xml file helps you share information with recipients using a different contact management application supporting XML. Data exported is placed in one file the recipient can import and use as a key to map the imported data into the recipient’s database.

The following is a view part of a sample XML export.

To Export GoldMine Contact Data to XML

○ Export to a new XML file: Displays the Select GoldMine Data for Export dialog box. GoldMine exports the data according to a profile created as you define settings in the GoldMine XML Export Wizard. You can save the new profile for future use.

○ Export to a new XML file using an existing profile: Displays the Select Profile dialog box to select a predefined profile GoldMine will use to format the data for export.

To Export Data Using an Existing XML Profile

If you selected Export to a new XML file using an existing profile, the Select Profile dialog box appears.

Importing XML

GoldMine can import contact data and user activities from an XML file. The GoldMine XML schema dictates how data is arranged within the XML file in order for GoldMine to recognize contacts, calendar activities, and other data when importing into GoldMine. The XML file you importing into GoldMine must conform to the GoldMine XML schema for the field mapping to work. You can use XSL Transformations (XSLT) to transform XML source documents to GoldMine-compliant XML documents.

NOTE: For more about XSLT, see http://www.w3.org/TR/xslt.

Create an XML transformation sheet converting the XML file to match the GoldMine schema. Then import the data into GoldMine.

Example: Your XML source schema has the contact’s first name in one field and the last name in another field. Because the GoldMine schema requires the first and last names to be in the same field, you must create a transformation sheet merging the two fields in your source XML file. Once your source file matches the GoldMine schema, you can import the XML data into GoldMine.

■ To view the GoldMine schema, export your GoldMine data to an XML file and include the schema. Open the file in Internet Explorer and view the schema.

■ To create a transformation sheet (a language for transforming XML documents into other XML documents) and transform the data, use Notepad or an XML transformation utility.

Example of the first few lines of a GoldMine schema:

To Import GoldMine Contact Data from XML

○ Import a new file: Displays the Import a New File dialog box. GoldMine imports the data according to a profile created as you define settings in the GoldMine XML Import Wizard.

○ Import a new file using an existing profile: Displays the Select File to Import dialog box to select a predefined profile GoldMine will use to format the data you import from.

Import a New File Dialog Box

The Import a New File dialog box appears when you select Import a new file from DBF, ASCII, or SDF on the GoldMine XML Import Wizard dialog box.

Either the Select Data to be Imported From File or Import File Profile dialog box appears.