Import data for customers in Dynamics 365 projects

Applies to: Dynamics 365 Commerce, Dynamics 365 Finance, Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management, Dynamics 365 Project Operations, Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management

You can use data entities to import data for customers in Dynamics 365 projects, such as for data migration or integration scenarios. This article outlines the contexts and use cases with links to the relevant entities.

Context and problem

Dynamics 365 contains multiple entities for importing customers in a Dynamics 365 project. Choosing the best one requires understanding the similarities and differences between the available entities. The Customer definitions entity is recommended for most scenarios. The Customer definitions entity, when combined with the Customers details V2 entity, supports most of the same functionality as the Customers V3 entity.

The highest performance can usually be achieved using a combination of the Customer definitions and Customer details V2 entities. In most cases, using one of those entities, or even using both of them, one after the other, will outperform the Customers V3 entity.

Use the Customers V3 entity when any of the approximately 80 fields that aren't supported by the Customer definitions and Customer details V2 entities must be included in the import.

Entities

• Customer definitions

• Customers V3

• Customer details V2

Next steps

• Learn how you can use entities to import sales orders at Import sales orders

• Learn how you can use entities to import customer free text invoices

• Learn how you can use entities to import customer payment journals

• Learn how you can use entities to import general journals Import general journals

Related resources

• Financial dimensions
• Data import and export jobs overview
• Data management
• Data management checklist
• Testing strategy
• Testing strategy checklist