AddressFinder & uploading files

Erin Dollard

We recently exported our entire database to RE to utilize the "free offer" from BB.  The data has been sent and is ready for importing into our system, but I am hesitant as we have MANY seasonal address that may or may not be true preferred address or new addresses.  I'd like some feedback and advice on how to upload this correctly without loosing data.  Also, is there a way to view the actual changes that AdresssFinder so that I can compare what we have to what they found?  Help.

 

JoAnn Strommen

So how do you come about a free offer from BB??????



We don't utilize Address Finder but will follow thread should we get the offer.  LOL

Erin Dollard

There was this long apologetic email earlier this summer saying that some system broke down and as a gift clients could use Address Finder as a gift.  If I find it I will send it your way.  The trouble I'm faced with is we don't want to import over 35k new address and find that many of them are sesonal and over written.  I just want to see the changes before uploading.....

 

Jennifer McHale

Erin,



Once you have submitted your data, I'm not sure there is much you can do. I asked BB if it was possible to export the data and review before making the global change and it wasn't possible.



The good news? No address will actually go away. It may just be marked previous in the record.



I'd make sure to keep a printout (or the file) of the address changes. You can then spot-check the files that have concern.



Jennifer



(JoAnn - the AddressFinder "freebie" was given to hosted folks after the 7.94 upgrade snafu)

Erin Dollard

Ok, that makes sense, but how do I printout a copy of the new addresses?  If that is possible, great.  I was previously told that is was not possible.....

JoAnn Strommen

LOL - glad to hear they did something to attempt to make amends for the mess they caused all of you that are hosted. 

Jennifer McHale

I can't get it to work right now - but I believe it's the Updated Address Report that appears under Create Reports (after the data returns).

Debra Holcomb

Hi Erin,



I use Address Finder quarterly and love it. You can set the parameters of the addresses you send over so you can exclude constituents with season addresses in the future.  Address Finder also adds an attribute to each address record it changes so you can query by address attribute to look for Temporary Addresses, which might help for seasonal addresses.



Since I want to see the changed addresses too, I output the Control Report created after the addresses are imported.  I save it as a PDF.  I then export the PDF to excel, make modifications so that the excel file is searchable with ID numbers, and then do the additional work I need.



Typically there are several additional steps you should take after completing Address Finder and I believe you can find Blackbaud's recommendations in the knowledgebase.  For example, Address Finder doesn't change addresses coded Moved, No Forwarding Address; POBox Closed; Moved to Foreign Address and a few others.  You will need to make your own decisions how to code these address and what global changes to make.  Address Finder also does not remove the "No Valid Address" checkbox from BIO1 if you find new addresses so you will need to globally change those you had marked as lost.  



If you call Support they provide pretty good assistance with the follow up.  If you have any other specific questions feel free to PM me.  Regardless, you should write down all the steps you take to import the data as you'll wnat to do it consistently each time. There are several steps involved with the process so having good documentation will help it go more quickly in the future.  



Good luck,

Debra