Upload CSV Files from Amazon S3 to Demandbase

You can securely upload CSV files to Demandbase-managed Amazon S3. Once uploaded, Demandbase automatically ingests the files and creates a corresponding data import in the Database area, labeled with the drop box name and timestamp.

This integration simplifies importing large datasets by eliminating the need to split files or rely solely on the Demandbase API.

Important: Each CSV file upload is limited to 20 GB.

Use Cases

• Moving Large Datasets: Upload large CSV files (up to 20 GB) into Demandbase without splitting them into smaller files.
• Cloud Storage Imports: Move data stored in Amazon S3 into Demandbase quickly and securely.
• Centralized Data Management: Centralize account, opportunity, person, and activity data in Demandbase for use across marketing and sales workflows.

Prerequisites

• You must have Admin privileges or be assigned permissions to create and update Accounts, People, Opportunities, and Activities.
• Read:
  • What to Know When Importing Data From a CSV File
  • Import, Update, Add, and Delete Account, Opportunity, People, and Activity Data from a CSV File
  • (Optional) Create Custom Activity Types and Fields

Select Source in Demandbase

1. From the left navigation bar, go to Database.
2. Select [Object] > Data Import.
3. Click Import Data.
4. Select the Cloud Upload tab.
   
5. In the Source drop-down, select from the following:
   1. CSV: General CSV file stored in S3 that is not associated with a specific integration.
   2. [Data Source]: CSV data in S3 originates from a specific integrated system (for example, Salesforce).
      Important: Only data sources with active integrations are shown.
6. Click Open to access the S3 location associated with the selected source and object type.

Upload CSV File or Folder in S3

1. In S3, click Upload.
   
2. Click Add files or Add folder, or drag and drop the CSV file or folder.
   
3. Click Upload.

Outcome

Upload Outcome

Successful Upload

If the upload is successful, the S3 interface shows a confirmation message. The file appears in the Files and folders table with details such as file name, type, size, and Succeeded status.

Important: A successful upload to S3 does not guarantee successful data ingestion. See Ingestion Outcome.

Failed Upload

If the upload fails, the file shows Failed status or an error message. Common causes include:

• File exceeds the 20 GB size limit.
• Unsupported file format (must be .csv).
• Network interruption occurred during upload.
• Temporary AWS credentials have expired (for AWS CLI/SDK uploads).

Ingestion Outcome

Successful Ingestion

After a successful upload, Demandbase automatically locks the file and begins ingestion. If the file meets Demandbase’s formatting requirements, Demandbase processes the data and creates a new data import record.

To see the import in Demandbase, from the left navigation bar, go to > Database > [Object] > Data Import.

The import is labeled using the file name and a timestamp in 24-hour UTC format (for example, account-import-crm-2025-09-15-1648).

After successful processing:

• Data is processed and available according to the schedules described in Understanding Demandbase Data Availability. 
• Click View Audit CSV to see the matched records. See Understanding CSV Data Import Results. 
• To see the field-level data, from the left navigation bar, go to Settings > Analytics > Fields.

Failed Ingestion

If the CSV does not meet Demandbase’s formatting requirements, the ingestion process fails. 

In this case:

• File in S3 shows a status of Succeeded (upload succeeded).
• The import in Demandbase shows a status of Failed.

Common causes include:

• Missing required column headers.
• Invalid field values (for example, incorrect data formats or mismatched data types).

To resolve the issue, correct the formatting errors, and re-upload the file.