Import new devices

Use the following procedure to import a list of devices into Output Manager.

Importing devices is useful if you have a database or spreadsheet that lists your existing devices. You can save that document as a CSV file and then import it to create new devices in Output Manager.

Before you begin, review the following information on importing CSV files:

  • The first row of CSV file acts as column header. In the CSV file, the header record (first record) determines which fields are defined. Configure the field names in the header record to match predefined Output Manager names. Field names that match are used to populate the settings associated with that column. Field names that do not match are ignored.
  • Each record after the header record is created as a device. The newly created devices contain the settings from the recognized columns for that record. Output Manager interprets values for text and numeric settings. For settings that have a fixed list of options, Output Manager matches the value to the name of the option. Values which are not recognized, out of bounds, or otherwise invalid are replaced with the default value for that setting.
  • A single CSV file can be used to generate multiple new devices. The CSV file should contain the following columns.
    • Name
    • Server
    • IP Address
    • DNS Name
  • Among the above fields, the value of IP address is mandatory to import new device, which can be IPv4 or IPv6.
  • If value of server is known, add the server column. Otherwise, do not add the Server column in CSV file. In this case, the file can includes three columns only.
  • Upon successful completion of importing new devices from a CSV file, if SNMP is active, it automatically fills up or update all other fields of Devices window, such as Printer Name, v3 Enabled, Description, Manufacturer, Model Number, SNMP Alert Level, Group Name, Destinations, and Serial Number.

Complete the following steps to import new devices from a CSV file:

  1. From the Devices tree, right-click a device group (folder) and click Import New Devices.
    It opens the New Device Import Wizard. The new devices is created in this group.
  2. Click Next button at bottom right.

    It opens the Select File and Delimiter (Step 1) step.

    1. In Select the file containing devices to import box, enter the path and file name of the CSV file or click the Browse (...) button to navigate to the file.
    2. Select the First row contains column headers box below to use the first row of CSV file as column header.
    3. Select a radio button below to select the delimiter. For CSV file it is pre-selected to Comma.
  3. Click Next button at bottom right.

    It opens the Map Imported Devices (Step 2) step.

    1. There is a grid with two columns and four rows. OM Property column is populated with the Name, Server, IP Address and DNS Name which are required to create a new device.
    2. Imported Value column is automatically populated by mapping CSV file header/first record. If any record in the header/first row of CSV file does not match with its corresponding OM Property, for example "Device Name" instead of "Name", you can use the drop-down list at each row of Imported value to map it to the correct value.
    If SNMP server is not provided, the value of the Server property remains empty in this step.
  4. Click Next button at bottom right.

    It opens the SNMP Server Required (Step 3) step.

    If server is not provided in previous step, a drop-down list shows the available SNMP servers. Select the SNMP server from the drop-down list and select the check box below to use the selected SNMP server.

  5. Click Next button at bottom right.

    It opens the Preview Import (Step 4) step.

    1. Verify the information that is to be imported in this step to create new devices. If information is not correct or you want to change anything, use Back button before Next button.
  6. Click Next.
    It opens the Completing the wizard page.
  7. Click Finish at the bottom right to finish the importing new devices.