Importing data into DMS can be accomplished by either using a formatted text file or importing data from an external database via SQL.  For importing and exporting via text files, see Text File Importing and Exporting.  To import via SQL, see SQL Importing.

When importing data to DMS, retain and merge is used for making changes to existing jobs.  Retain and merge specifies which fields may be changed during an import and which fields cannot be changed.  The retain and merge settings apply to both the text file importing and SQL importing.

Importing has an option that enables you to modify and add to operations that are being imported via SQL or a text file by using the Import Interface Table.  As each operation is read in, and if the operation has a match in the Import Interface Table, the operation is modified and extra operations can be added to the import.