# Manage Data In Excel

We have added useful guides to help you manage your data in an Excel file.

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**What's New?**

* Certificate template version 2.0 now has a separate sheet tab to manage the Certified Entity data.
  * Download template [here](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification/certification-file-templates)
* Certification can have multiple sites
* Sites can be added at an Entity level.
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### Import Certified Entity and its Certification data via Excel

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**Prerequisites:** 

* Clean and format data according to the IAF CertSearch data structure. [Learn more](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification/certification-file-templates).
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Below are the fields in the certification version 2.0 Excel template.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Certified Entity" %}
Here you can manage all Certified Entity-related data:

<table><thead><tr><th width="201">Field Name</th><th width="181">Optional / Required</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Certified Entity Unique ID</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Unique identifier for a specific Certified Entity. Used as a reference or a tracking number to look up Certified Entity records in the IAF CertSearch database.</td></tr><tr><td>Certified Entity Name</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Name of the Certified Entity, individual, product, or service that has been granted certification.</td></tr><tr><td>Certified Entity Trading Name</td><td>Optional</td><td>A trade name, trading name, or business name is a pseudonym frequently used by companies to operate under a name different from their registered, legal name. In a number of countries, the phrase "trading as" (abbreviated to t/a) is used to designate a trade name.</td></tr><tr><td>Certified Entity English Name</td><td>Optional</td><td>English name of the Certified Entity, individual, product, or service that has been granted certification.</td></tr><tr><td>Confidential Certified Entity</td><td>Optional</td><td>Indicator of whether the certified entity's information is confidential.</td></tr><tr><td>Business Registered Street</td><td>Optional</td><td>Business registered address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Business Registered City</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark><br>*<em>if preferred to input Multi-Line Address field</em></td><td>City of the business registered address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Business Registered State</td><td>Optional</td><td>State of the business registered address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Business Registered Zipcode/Postcode</td><td>Optional</td><td>Zipcode/Postcode of the business registered address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Business Registered Country/Economy</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Country/Economy of the main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Business Registered Full Address</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark><br>*<em>if preferred to input Single-Line Address field</em></td><td>Complete business registered address of the certified entity in a single field.</td></tr><tr><td>Certified Entity Website</td><td>Optional</td><td>Website of the certified entity. Must be http:// or https://</td></tr><tr><td>TAX ID</td><td>Optional</td><td>Tax ID of the Entity</td></tr><tr><td>VAT</td><td>Optional</td><td>VAT number of the Entity</td></tr><tr><td>Company ID Number</td><td>Optional</td><td>Company ID Number of the Entity</td></tr><tr><td>Business Registration Number</td><td>Optional</td><td>Business Registration Number of the Entity</td></tr><tr><td>DUNS Number</td><td>Optional</td><td>DUNS Number of the Entity</td></tr></tbody></table>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Certification" %}
Here you can manage all Certification data:

<table><thead><tr><th>Field Names</th><th width="183">Optional / Required</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Certification Identity Number</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Unique identifier for a specific certificate. Format of certificate numbers may vary depending on the type of certificate and the Certified Entity issuing it.</td></tr><tr><td>Certificate Number</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Unique identifier for a specific certificate. Format of certificate numbers may vary depending on the type of certificate and the Certified Entity issuing it.</td></tr><tr><td>Certification Status</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Current standing of the Certified Entity's certification. Certificate status dataset: <strong>active, inactive, hidden, cancelled, withdrawn, cbwithdrawn, suspended, pending, deleted, or expired</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Certification Type</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Refers to the main scope of the certificate</td></tr><tr><td>Certification Scope</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Specific description of the products, services, processes, or activities for which the Certified Entity has been granted certification.</td></tr><tr><td>Flexible Scope</td><td>Optional</td><td>Additional scope to a specific standard beyond the main scope.</td></tr><tr><td>Certification Original Issue Date</td><td>Optional</td><td>Date on which the certificate was first issued or granted to the Certified Entities.</td></tr><tr><td>Certification Issue Date</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Date on which the certificate was officially issued or granted</td></tr><tr><td>Certification Expiry Date</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Date on which the validity of the certificate will come to an end.</td></tr><tr><td>Certified Entity Unique ID</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Unique identifier for a specific Certified Entity. Used as a reference or a tracking number to look up Certified Entity records in the IAF CertSearch database</td></tr><tr><td>Main Site Street</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark><br>*<em>if preferred to input Mutli-Line Address field</em></td><td>Main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Main Site City</td><td>Optional</td><td>City of the main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Main Site State</td><td>Optional</td><td>State of the main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Main Site Zipcode/Postcode</td><td>Optional</td><td>Zipcode/Postcode of the main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Main Site Country/Economy</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Country/Economy of the main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Main Site Full Address</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark><br>*<em>if preferred to input Single-Line Address field</em></td><td>Complete main address of the certified entity in a single field, used as an alternative to entering separate Main Site Street, City, State, and Zipcode/Postcode fields.</td></tr><tr><td>Certification Body Name</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Name of the Certification Body</td></tr><tr><td>Certification Body Acronym</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Acronym of the Certification Body</td></tr></tbody></table>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Certification Standard & Scheme" %}
Here you can manage the Certification Standard and Scheme data:

<table><thead><tr><th width="198">Field Name</th><th width="185">Optional / Required</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Certification Identity Number</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Unique identifier for a specific certificate. Format of certificate numbers may vary depending on the type of certificate and the Certified Entity issuing it.</td></tr><tr><td>Scheme Name</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Specific certification program or framework to which the certificate relates.</td></tr><tr><td>Standard Name</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Specific set of criteria, requirements, or guidelines that the certified entity has been assessed against and found to be in compliance with.</td></tr></tbody></table>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Certification Sites" %}
Here you can manage the Certification sites:

<table><thead><tr><th width="207">Field Names</th><th width="180">Optional / Required</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Certification Identity Number</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Unique identifier for a specific certificate. Format of certificate numbers may vary depending on the type of certificate and the Certified Entity issuing it.</td></tr><tr><td>Certified Entity Unique ID</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Unique identifier for a specific Certified Entity. Used as a reference or a tracking number to look up Certified Entity records in the IAF CertSearch database.</td></tr><tr><td>Site Street</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark><br>*<em>if preferred to input Multi-Line Address field</em></td><td>Main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>City</td><td>Optional</td><td>City of the main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>State</td><td>Optional</td><td>State of the main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Site Zipcode/Postcode</td><td>Optional</td><td>Zipcode/Postcode of the main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Site Country/Economy</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Country/Economy of the main address of the certified entity.</td></tr><tr><td>Site Full Address</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark><br>*<em>if preferred to input Single-Line Address field</em></td><td>Complete main address of the certified entity in a single field, used as an alternative to entering separate Main Site Street, City, State, and Zipcode/Postcode fields.</td></tr><tr><td>Site Type</td><td><mark style="color:red;">Required</mark></td><td>Identifier for the site, indicating whether it is the "Main Site" or an "Additional Site."</td></tr></tbody></table>
{% endtab %}
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**Tips:** Ensure that the identifiers such as the **Certified Entity Unique ID** and **Certification Identity Number** match across the sheets.
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2. Once completed, go to the IAF CertSearch Data Import page
3. Choose how you would like to import your data
   * **File Upload** - [Learn how to import data through File Upload](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification/data-import-methods/file-upload)
   * **FTP -** [Learn how to import data through FTP](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification/data-import-methods/ftp)
4. Once selected, click the **Continue** button (the system will initiate file and data processing)
5. The certificate will be successfully added to the existing Certified Entity record if all the files and data are valid.

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**Note:** If errors are encountered during the import process, go to [Error Handling.](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/accreditation-bodies/error-handling)
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***

### Updating Certified Entity and its Certification data

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**TIPS:**&#x20;

* We recommend updating the same file you used to upload your data, that way you minimize import interruptions or errors.
* Ensure that the **Certified Entity Unique ID** and the Certified Entity name match the existing Certified Entity record.
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**To update the Certified Entity and its Certification data**

1. In the Certificate Excel spreadsheet, look for the data that you want to update.
2. Make sure that the records you are trying to update match the record identifiers uploaded in the IAF CertSearch database.

   * **Certification Identity Number**
   * **Certified Entity Unique ID**<br>
3. Once completed, go to the IAF CertSearch Data Import page
4. Choose how you would like to import your data
   * **File Upload** - [Learn how to import data through File Upload](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification/data-import-methods/file-upload)
   * **FTP -** [Learn how to import data through FTP](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/accreditation-bodies/data-management/import-certification/data-import-methods/ftp)
5. Once selected, click the **Continue** button *(which initiates the data validation process)*
6. If all the fields and data are valid, the certificate will be successfully added to the existing Certified Entity record.

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**Note:** If errors are encountered during the import process, go to[ Error Handling](https://support.iafcertsearch.org/accreditation-bodies/error-handling/error-handling).
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