Importing Saved Comments

Saved comments can be imported in bulk, but it is important to preserve the relationships between the records when preparing the import file.

We can provide a JSON export of your Saved Comments as a starting point. The export contains the saved comment data grouped into four related tables.

How saved comments are structured

Saved comments are stored across these four related tables:

1. saved_comment_types

This table defines the comment types, such as Information, Safety Concern, or Repair Needed.

Fields:

• id
• uuid
• name
• show_in_summary
• color
• position

Each type is referenced by comments through the saved_comment_type_id field.

2. saved_comment_categories

This table defines the categories or sections the comments belong to, such as Electrical, Roofing, Plumbing, or Interior.

Fields:

• id
• uuid
• name

Each category is referenced through the rank table.

3. saved_comments

This table contains the actual saved comment text.

Fields:

• id
• uuid
• saved_comment_type_id
• text

Each comment belongs to one saved comment type. In the export, saved_comment_type_id links the comment back to a record in saved_comment_types. In the sample export, that relationship is represented using the type UUID value.

4. saved_comment_ranks

This table links a saved comment to a saved comment category and stores its ranking value.

Fields:

• id
• uuid
• saved_comment_id
• saved_comment_category_id
• value

This is the table that connects comments to categories. One comment can appear in one or more categories depending on how the data is structured.

Why relationships matter

These four tables are related to each other. That means the import will only work correctly if the linking values continue to match.

The key relationships are:

• saved_comments.saved_comment_type_id → saved_comment_types
• saved_comment_ranks.saved_comment_id → saved_comments
• saved_comment_ranks.saved_comment_category_id → saved_comment_categories

If any of those linked IDs or UUIDs are changed incorrectly, the import can break in a few ways:

• Comments may lose their type
• Comments may no longer appear in the correct category
• Ranks may point to comments or categories that no longer exist

Recommended import workflow

Step 1: Start with the exported JSON

Request a JSON export of the saved comments and use that as the source file. This ensures you begin with a valid set of related records.

Step 2: Convert the data into sheets

Split the export into four sheets or tabs:

• saved_comment_types
• saved_comment_categories
• saved_comments
• saved_comment_ranks

Each sheet should contain the columns for that table.

ChatGPT or other agents should easily be able to convert this into an Excel spreadsheet or individual CSV files.

Step 3: Edit only what is needed

In most cases, the main field customers want to update is:

• saved_comments.text

They may also want to rename comment types or categories, but they should avoid changing identifiers unless they fully understand the relationships.

Step 4: Do not break the links

When editing the sheets, make sure the linked values stay consistent across all four tables.

That means:

• DO NOT delete or replace IDs/UUIDs casually
• DO NOT change a type UUID in saved_comment_types unless every related saved_comments.saved_comment_type_id value is updated to match
• DO NOT change a comment ID/UUID unless every related row in saved_comment_ranks is updated
• DO NOT change a category ID/UUID unless every related saved_comment_ranks.saved_comment_category_id value is updated

Best practices

To avoid import issues:

• Keep the original export untouched as a backup
• Make edits in a copy
• Update comment text only unless structural changes are truly needed
• Preserve all relationship fields exactly as exported
• Validate that every linked value still exists in its parent table before import

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common problem is editing one table without updating the related table.

Example:

• A row in saved_comments is changed or replaced
• The related row in saved_comment_ranks still points to the old value

When that happens, the comment-to-category relationship is broken.

Summary

Saved comments are not stored in a single flat list. They depend on four related tables working together:

• types
• categories
• comments
• ranks

We can provide a JSON export, but the data must be carefully reformatted into sheets before import. Customers can safely edit the comment text, but they must preserve the relationship fields so the links between types, comments, and categories remain intact.