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15.5. Import Manager
Import Manager
The Import Manager, found under the Tools menu, allows you to import multiple records at a time. This can be a significant time saver if you are importing a list of a few hundred or even thousand records.
There are 2 options for importing:
- Create a custom template that maps your spreadsheet columns to Campaign Manager fields- Follow Template Editor instructions below
- Use a standard template spreadsheet and copy/pasting your data into the pre-mapped columns- Skip to New Import instructions below
The Import Screen
When selecting Import Manager, the first screen that shows up is the import manager itself with the templates and the import history if there were any previous imports completed.
If you have already done an import, it will appear below the templates in the box that contains import name, status of the import, and other details of the files that were previously imported into your database.
Some other functions of the import manager include being able to filter by completed, failed, or queued imports. You can also add a date range if you are trying to find a specific import that was completed months ago. Another feature of the import manager is being able to click the file to download it in case you need to review it, just hover over the file name, click on it, and then you can open it after it downloads to view it.
Template Editor
At the top right of the import manager, there is a button labeled "Create New Template". Selecting this option will open a new window where you can start to build out your custom template.
1.) You will begin by typing in a name for the template and a description if applicable.
2.) Next you will check which type of record you want to import. If you are importing both individuals and organizations, check both. If you are only importing individuals, check off individuals.
3.) Below the record type box is where you will select your file for mapping the columns. Click choose file, browse for your file on your computer, and then click open. You can also drag and drop the file into the template editor too.
4.) The final box at the bottom will say "record matching". This option will allow you to set your record matching criteria to merge records that might already exist in Campaign Manager. The import manager will review the criteria you select, determine if a match is found in the database from your spreadsheet, and then automatically merge the donor to the already existing profile if the match exists.
Click the check box next to record matching, click on the drop down, and then select the criteria you want to merge records on.
5) Finally, the fourth section of the Create New Template tool is the actual template rows. This is where you will choose the number and order of the rows that you will be importing. For each row, you will select a category such as Basic Info, Address (Work), etc, and then the Row itself, for example First Name, Address Line1, etc.
** Please Note - A First Name and Last Name are required Fields to complete an import.
Once you have all the rows you want to import mapped out, you can save your template for future use.
Any created templates will automatically appear in the template screen in the import manager. You may have to scroll over to see them on the import manager screen.
New Import
The last section in the Import tool is the New Import section, where you can actually use the import templates you have created to import data into your database. There are five steps to importing a new file:
1) Select Template
Here you can select either one of the standard template, or a custom template you have created. When you choose your template, the template will automatically open with a few options. One of the options called download template allows you to download a fresh copy so you can add your data to the spreadsheet. Note that your template columns must match the template that you have selected, you cannot remove any columns after you downloaded a template as that will prevent your import from starting properly.
First click on the template that you want to use, and then proceed to the next steps. If you need to get out of the template, click the "cancel" button next to start import and it will take you back to showing all of your templates.
2) Upload
To upload your file, click on the "choose file" button. A new window will appear and you can select your file. After clicking on the file, it will appear at the bottom of the box in the "file to be imported" area with the file name.
3) Record Matching
To the right of the upload box is the record matching options. Click on the slider to enable record matching, and then click on the criteria that you want to merge records on. You can also leave the slider off to grey if you want to import with no record matching, but this might create duplicates in your database that you will have to merge.
4) Address Standardization
Select whether or not you would like the Address Standardization tool to be automatically run as part of the import process. This shortens addresses so that lane = ln for example. It will also add county and zip4 to the record.
4a) Import Name.
The import name is below the address standardization box. It defaults to import request with the time stamp, but you can click in the box and delete it to give your import a name.
5) Optional Parameters
These optional parameters allow you to set the Primary when multiple phones, addresses, or emails are being imported. If you are importing a group of people and they all would prefer to be contacted via their mobile phone, you can select Set Primary Phone: Mobile, and all the imported records will have their Mobile phone set as their Primary Phone.
You can also assign categories, add transactions to a batch, or assign election periods through the optional parameters if you are importing any kind of transaction data.
Finally, once the previous steps have been completed, you can press "Start Import" to begin the import process.
Assuming that you have not forgotten a step, you should see a message that your import has begun, and you will receive an email when the import is completed. You can now view the progress of your import in the Import History section, which you should be redirected to by default.