Import Validation Errors

Elizabeth Allen

Hi everyone,

This is my first post and really hope someone can help me figure out my import validation errors. I set up my import to import a .csv file of new organizations and to update existing along with individual relationships for each (contacts at the org). I am working on a test of three rows of data. Two row will be new orgs and contacts and one row will be to add the contact to existing. I've had it work two separate times but when I run again I get new errors. The errors are always with a field of SR (SRRecip, SRRelat, SRisEmp). I have no fields of SR, only IR's. When I unchecked the box to make Relationship and Reciprocal required, it got me past the error, until I ran it again.  My key indicator is O. Has anyone had errors like this or know what might cause them? I think my import is trying to create spouse information on the record, but I don't know where/why... I appreciate anyone's input. I'm just so frustrated right now. Here's a copy of my fields tab and my csv datafile. Thank you!!, Liz

Cathleen Mai

Hi Liz,

I'm not able to really answer what's causing the error, but would recommend that you contact support and let them walk you through the process.

Also, you could try to separate into two lists - the new ones and the updates, and see if that makes a difference.

Sometimes it helps is to create a new RE import ( not the excel file, but the RE part).

Aaron Rothberg

Hi Elizabeth-


I took a quick look at your attachments and I don't see anything that would trigger Import to think you are importing a spouse, but I have a few questions.


You are doing this all in one pass, correct? If it's in multiple passes, can you explain those passes step-by-step?


Which Import are you using, specifically? Constituent -> Constituent? Constituent -> Organization Relationship? Something else?


Do you have a copy of the exception file you can share? It may not have much in it beyond what you've described, but sometimes looking at the error in context can be helpful.

Aaron Rothberg

For what it's worth I successfully imported your source file without changing anything in that file using a Constituent -> Constituent Import.


 

 

Elizabeth Allen

Aaron,

Thank you so much for the reply. Attached are my errors. The type of import is constituent. I don't know how to specify if it's constituent to constituent or constituent to organization. Can I specify that? Also, I choose constituent ID, for ID used, not sure if that makes any difference.

 

Aaron Rothberg

I did use Import Id and not Constituent Id so that why we're having different experiences


I also used a straight Constituent Import under the Import Type Constituent so I think you are using the correct Import Type.


Looking at your exceptions a couple of things things come to mind.


I think problem one is that you are trying to update constituents and import constituents in the same pass. I say this because Import explicitly asks in the configuration if you want to update records or import new records, not both.


I don't see any SR fields in your import so to get the error you're seeing, I think one of the fields in your source file may be incorrectly mapped to an SR field. It's just a guess, but I'd double-check your mapping. Posting a screenshot of your pre-import Mapping will clear up whether or not this is part of the problem.


Another thing, looking at the error, Import is saying that you are only allowed to check the Primary Business Information checkbox when the relationship is of Rel Type Employee, but that's not true. I just imported a constituent with the Rel and Recip Rel Type of Member and it accepted all of the check boxes including Primary Business Information so something else is generating that false error.


EDIT: I think the error about checking the Primary Business Button is not the Rel Type Employee, but the Employee checkbox. Import is telling you that you cannot check the Primary Business Information button for a constituent where you did not also check the Employee checkbox and that is true. If you plan to check the Primary Business Information box, you also have to check the Employee box.


Can we see a screenshot of your mapping?

 

Elizabeth Allen

Attached is a copy of my mapping and fields. What is strange is that I actually got it to create two records and update one. But when I ran again, I got an error. I will change to import only new.

Aaron Rothberg

Weird. Your mappings are fine. Without seeing a recorded video showing you go through the import, I am completely lost on why you'd get SR errors. Let us know how it goes when you keep constituent updates and new constituents in two different imports.


As for the error the second time around and one record not importing, if you're referring to the second exception in your exception file, it's because you are trying to import the same Constituent Id twice which Import is catching and excepting out as it should.

Elizabeth Allen

I took your advice and created a new import mapping to my existing datafile, and OMG it worked! Something must've been embedded in the original import. I can't believe all the time I've spent on this when it wasn't my error...THANK YOU so much for suggesting that. Has this happened to you before?

Elizabeth Allen

Weird indeed!!! I took the suggestion of Cathleen Mai and created a new import and mapped to my original csv file and MAGICALLY it worked with no errors! It added my contact to the existing org and created two new orgs with contacts. Something must've been imbedded in the import.


I have another question for you since this one is solved. It's about updating existing records. How do you handle if it's not coming out of RE (like a query)? Will I have to look up each to see if it exists and then I was thinking of giving those an attribute so I could then run a query to pull out all of the id's. Am I on the right track?

Cathleen Mai

Great! Glad it worked out for you. There are some bugs in the import tool. I have had similar issues with Participant imports before.

You might want to check out Importacular from Zeidman. It's free for Constituents and Gifts, you would have to pay for Relationship imports. I use both Raisers Edge import and Zeidman depending on the task on hand. Zeidman's software also matches your data with existing records and lets you choose if you want to update or create a new one. 

Aaron Rothberg

It's about updating existing records. How do you handle if it's not coming out of RE (like a query)? Will I have to look up each to see if it exists

If understand your question correctly, you know you are updating a record, but you are not sure which record. If that's the case, yes, you have to search for either that record's Constituent Id or Import Id so you can import updates to that specific record. I don't know that I would go the extra route of adding an Attribute simply to build a query since you'll have the Constituent Id right in front of you and can update your import source file right then and there.


 

Elizabeth Allen

Thank you. I will have to check into that if it becomes a recurring problem.

Elizabeth Allen

Ok, but don't I need a constituent id and also an Address Import ID to create an individual relationship on an existing organization?

Aaron Rothberg

Is the individual also already in your database? If so, see below for the required columns to create a relationship between an existing individual and an existing organization. You can, of course, add more columns such as From Dates and/or To Dates.

 

• Constituent Id of Individual
• Org Import Id
• Relationship Type
• Recip Relationship Type

That's it! You only need to specify an Address Import Id if you are changing an existing address or importing a new address.


Does that help?


 

Elizabeth Allen

Hi all,

My import validation error has finally been resolved due to Alex Harker and Michael Hayes from Chat help. The data was NOT corrupted and re-writing the import didn't fix my problem as I thought. The reason I was receiving the SR errors was because I was trying to import new constituents -- some contact names (IR's) and some with no contact names. The import was looking for the non-existent contact names to apply the IR fields (such as reciprocal, relationship, etc.), and because they weren't any contact names, it returned an error (a better error would've been helpful). Once the fields for IR's were deleted of those with no contact names, it validated clean.


So, if you're importing orgs with some contact names and some without, be sure to clear the IR fields for those without a contact name. 


Thanks for your help on this and have a good weekend.