# UDT definitions with TIA portal (beginner help) **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Tags:** database\ **Created:** [June 1, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/udt-definitions-with-tia-portal-beginner-help/35207 "2020-06-01T13:36:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 11
**Author:** ![nminchin](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/nminchin/32/6911_2.png) [@nminchin](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nminchin)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/udt-definitions-with-tia-portal-beginner-help/35207/11 "2020-06-02T13:20:08Z")
I don't quite understand as I haven't used OPC UA data types before, but sounds interesting. There's always the option of extracting out the tags from TIA into Excel and creating your tags semi-automatically with the help of XML generating code (or json I suppose these days). I use this to create bulk udt instances, or even udts if I don't have a plc connected. There's an initial time investment to create the code, but once it's done, I've used it hundreds of times. Alternatively, you could also use ignition's scripting to create tags in the same way with the system.tag.configure function. This might give you some inspiration > [@Mass import of UDT tags via simple csv and script (example)](http://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/mass-import-of-udt-tags-via-simple-csv-and-script-example/28439): > > There are SO many posts in here regarding tag imports, csv formats, xml schema, and the issues regarding them, so I figured I would post a very simple solution that was born out of my own issues with tag imports. The problem with the legacy csv import is that it is quite un-intuitive when it comes to the format when you are trying to write parameter values and tag values (overrides) along with the tag. The format becomes multi-line and somewhat cryptic. The issue with using xml is that unless… --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/udt-definitions-with-tia-portal-beginner-help/35207)._