Field Mapping Guide

Field mapping is a crucial step in the data upload process. It's how PawPlacer understands which columns in your spreadsheet correspond to which fields in the system.

Understanding the Mapping Table

After uploading your file, you'll see a table with four columns:

Status Types Explained

Each field will have one of these status indicators:

• Exact Match <span style="color:green">●</span> - Your column header perfectly matches a PawPlacer field
• Custom Mapping <span style="color:blue">●</span> - You've manually selected which column to use
• Possible Match <span style="color:orange">●</span> - The system found a column that might match
• Custom Default <span style="color:blue">●</span> - You've set a default value for unmapped fields
• Unmatched <span style="color:red">●</span> - No matching column was found and no default set

Mapping Fields

To map a field:

1. Click on any row in the mapping table to open the field details sidebar
2. In the sidebar, use the "Map to CSV Column" dropdown to select the appropriate column
3. If no suitable column exists, you can set a default value instead
4. The sidebar will show a validation summary of your data for that field
5. Changes are saved automatically

Setting Default Values

When a field can't be mapped to a column in your spreadsheet:

1. Click the field row to open the sidebar
2. For dropdown fields (like species or status), select a default value from the options
3. For yes/no fields, use the toggle switch
4. For text fields, enter a default value in the provided input

Default values will be applied to all records where the field is missing data.

Field Validation

The sidebar shows a validation summary for each field:

• Valid values - Values that match the expected format
• Values requiring conversion - Values that can be automatically converted
• Invalid values - Values that can't be used (default value will be applied)

Review these carefully, especially for fields with many conversion or invalid values.

Required Fields

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required for a successful upload:

• name - Every pet must have a name
• Additional required fields depend on your account configuration

If required fields are missing, you must either:

1. Map them to columns in your spreadsheet
2. Set default values

Handling Multiple Values

Some fields accept multiple values (like breed, color, image_urls):

1. In your spreadsheet, separate multiple values with commas
2. The system will automatically convert these into arrays
3. Single values will be automatically converted to arrays where needed

Data Type Conversions

PawPlacer tries to intelligently convert data:

• Boolean (yes/no) - Words like "yes", "true", "1" convert to Yes; "no", "false", "0" convert to No
• Enums (dropdowns) - Common variations are recognized (e.g., "F", "female", "girl" all convert to "female")
• Arrays - Comma-separated values are split into arrays

Common Mapping Challenges

• Different column names - Your "Animal Type" might need to map to our "species" field
• Combined fields - If your spreadsheet has "Age and Size" as one column, you'll need to choose which PawPlacer field to map it to
• Special formats - Dates, phone numbers, and other special formats may need mapping attention

Tips for Successful Mapping

• Use column names in your spreadsheet that match or closely resemble PawPlacer field names
• Review all "Possible Match" fields carefully to ensure correct mapping
• Pay special attention to required fields
• Check the validation summaries for fields with many conversions or invalid values