?I have completed an import but realised I haven't imported a column. How to solve?

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Benedetta Pollastrini
Benedetta Pollastrini ✭
Name Dropper First Anniversary First Reply
in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®: General Discussion

I have completed an import but realised I haven't imported a column. How to solve?

I was thinking about using the gift ID and constituent ID, matching this with the missing column value and update the records in the import. But I am a little unsure about how to do this via RE. Please can you assist?

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  • Alex Wong
    Alex Wong ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ninth Anniversary Facilitator 4 Name Dropper Photogenic

    @Benedetta Pollastrini
    this depends on if your original import is import new record or update exisitng record. If your original import is updating existing record, then it already has columns that correctly “target” the record you are planning to update, so reruning the import mapping the missed field would work.

    However, if your original import was creating new record, then your original import file will not have the newly created record's import id to target the update on.

  • Benedetta Pollastrini
    Benedetta Pollastrini ✭
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Reply

    Thank you @Alex Wong. I did the import via importOmatic plug in and we realised the profile was not set up to map the column I then identified was not there.

    I would do the import via RE directly to map the Gift ID, the import ID and the missing field and values.

    I am a little unsure about how to populate this form below. How could I do a test import and see if that does what I need it to do?

    ed44de837aa64f7add9d575b7dc430a7-huge-im


  • Catherine Burns
    Catherine Burns ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 2 Name Dropper Photogenic

    @Benedetta Pollastrini
    Create your import file as a csv and select it, then go to Fields to map each one. If you are going to use the import again then you can use the field mapping to name the column correctly so mapping is not required next time. Do small test imports and always validate first but once you get the hang of it you will find it quite easy.

    I still sometimes get the Importing new / updating wrong if I don't pay attention as it depends on the import type. For example, if you use a Gift import and are adding an attribute you are updating (the gift) but if you use a Gift Attribute import and are adding new attributes then you are Importing new (attribute) records.

    From the Raiser's Edge Fields you can right click and select Legend then colour code Required Fields / Conditionally Required Fields and Non-essential Fields which I find helps.

    It would be nice if you could use ImportOmatic to add attributes etc. to existing gifts though wouldn't it? You can add an amendment with ImportOmatic but they are limited in what they can change.

  • Madeleine Holdsworth
    Madeleine Holdsworth ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 2 Name Dropper Photogenic

    @Benedetta Pollastrini
    Using the “validate data only” checkbox and running it will let you know if you will encounter any errors. You should be okay using the gift import ID and the missing field. If you have the gift import ID, you shouldn't need the Gift ID. You can also create a new file with 5 or so records and try it. Not sure which field is missing so I can't get into more specifics. This should be an easy fix.

  • Alex Wong
    Alex Wong ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ninth Anniversary Facilitator 4 Name Dropper Photogenic

    @Benedetta Pollastrini
    As importing is a powerful tool, it is also a dangerous tool. I strongly recommend you take some import class from Blackbaud, even if it's only the online self learn stuff.

    That said, every import varies, and will require you to do mapping correctly.,

    For example, if you are trying to change gift info that's 1-to-1 on a gift record, such as gift date, gift amount, reference, receipt, etc, you can do a Gift Import, and use the update existing record. You will need the gift import id of the gift you want to change.

    If you are updating an existing gift attribute, use the gift attribute import, you will need the gift import id AND the gift attribute import id that specific target the gift attribute of the gift you are trying to change.

    If your gift is missing gift attribute, you can the gift attribute import, but use the “import new record” selection, for this, you only need gift import id, as you are creating NEW gift attribute, not updating an existing gift attribute, you won't need/have the gift attribute import id.

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