1) Are there any limits to the number of entries for a dictionary?

2) If I have a very large dictionary (10k entries) will it slow down the import significantly?

I am trying to make a simple gender dictionary based on first name and I have about 10k names to add.

While there is no limit set for entries in a dictionary, having a large number of entries can impact performance. All of that data gets loaded into memory and processed. Having RegEx entries can also increase the time it takes to run through the dictionary.

It really all depends on the computer running the import. I would suggest turning on the performance log and running a sample import to see if the time it takes is too slow for your needs.

Thanks Nic,

To clarify, does that mean that ALL dictionaries are loaded into memory when IOM is loaded or just the ones used in the particular profile? If it is all then I need to do some cleanup!

All dictionaries are loaded since you have the ability to call a dictionary from code.