docs: def import_data(self, data_items):
          """ import a bunch of dicts together """
          # keep counts of all actions
          record = {
              'insert': 0, 'update': 0, 'noop': 0,
              'start': utcnow(),
              'records': {
                  'insert': [],
                  'update': [],
                  'noop': [],
              }
          }
  
          for json_id, data in self._prepare_imports(data_items):
              obj_id, what = self.import_item(data)
              self.json_to_db_id[json_id] = obj_id
              record['records'][what].append(obj_id)
              record[what] += 1
  
          # all objects are loaded, a perfect time to do inter-object resolution and other tasks
          self.postimport()
  
          record['end'] = utcnow()
  
          return {self._type: record}