Importing Data

If you've just started using Stream, you might want to import data from your infrastructure or previous chat provider. User, Channel, and Message data can all be imported through the Stream Dashboard.

From your dashboard select the app you wish to import chat data for. Then click on 'App Settings' in the top-right corner of your screen, and click 'Import Chat Data'

You will be presented with a modal asking for a JSON file. Please ensure you follow our import format below to format to avoid errors.

Once you have uploaded your file, scroll down on the chat overview page to see a ‘Data Import’ section. Here you can view some details about the file upload:

• The person who uploaded the file

• The date the file was uploaded

• The filename that was uploaded

• The current status of the upload

If your import fails validation on our end you can upload a new file by clicking on the ‘New Import’ button. To view more details of your import click on it within the list shown under ‘Data Imports’. This will show a modal where you can see the size of the import and a preview of the JSON that was uploaded.

Once the file validation begins, the status of the job will update to analyzing.

If unsuccessful, the job moves to analyze_failed status including a json with the results to help correct errors. Once corrected, upload a new file, which will create a new job.

If successfully validated, the job moves to waiting_confirmation status. This is when you contact customer support to complete the rest of the import process. A completed status means the data has been imported and will be visible on the dashboard explorer, or through API query.

A file which is error free can be imported quickly, however, it is recommended to allow 2-3 days for this process as it can be difficult to predict errors, especially with large amounts of data.

The import file must be structured as a JSON array of objects. Each object is an item to add to your application (eg. a user, a message, etc.).

Here's an example of an import file:

An import file can contain entries with any of these types.

Any user referenced in the import file needs to be included in its entirety, even if it already exists. The user type fields are shown below:

The channel type fields are shown below:

Distinct channels are channels that are defined by their specific members, not by id. In this case the Channel will be defined as:

Any object referencing this channel (including Member objects), will have to reference this channel similarly:

Channel members store the mapping between users and channels. The fields are shown below:

The only required field of an attachment is "type". All other fields are optional, and you can add as many custom fields as you'd like. The attachments are a great way to extend Stream's functionality. If you want to have a custom product attachment, location attachment, checkout, etc., attachments are the way to go. The fields below are automatically picked up and shown by our component libraries.

The reaction type has the following fields:

When problems occur during analyzing, they will show up in the dashboard. A list of errors will be shown in JSON format. Where applicable, the offending item will be included, for example:

Stream CLI allows you to manage your Stream Chat Imports easily and validate your imports quickly before uploading them for processing. Please, refer to our CLI docs to learn more about import.