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Data Importer - Uploading files via SFTP

Updated

Once you’ve prepared your files and mapped your file configuration, you can upload them to the Data Importer manually as CSVs or automatically via SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol).

Using SFTP allows you to send updated files to GiveCampus on a regular schedule without logging into the School Dashboard.

Before You Begin

  • Make sure you’ve completed your file configuration in the School Dashboard. Your SFTP uploads must use the exact same file names as those configurations (e.g., gifts.csv, constituent.csv).
  • If you already use SFTP with GiveCampus for Volunteer Management System (VMS) or Deposit/Donation Reports, you'll use these same credentials and use different folders (vm/ for Volunteer Management school_data_importer/ for the Data Importer).

Step 1: Choose an FTP Client

GiveCampus doesn’t require or recommend a specific provider, but partners have had success with:

If you already have an FTP client installed for another GiveCampus feature, you can use it for the Data Importer after adding new credentials.

Step 2: Generate SFTP Credentials in GiveCampus

  1. Log into your GiveCampus account.
  2. Go to School Dashboard → Integrations → SFTP.
  3. Click + New Credential.
  4. Fill out the form:
    • Description – Internal label (e.g., “SFTP Data Importer Service”).
    • Credential Type –
      • Username/Password (most common) – credentials will be generated by GiveCampus.
      • Public SSH Key – paste your public key.
    • Trusted Network (optional) – restrict access to a specific IP address.
  6. Copy and securely store your username/password or SSH key—credentials are only shown once.

Click Create Credential.

Step 3: Connect Your FTP Client

  1. Open your chosen FTP client and select Open Connection.
  2. Enter:
    • Protocol: SFTP
    • Server: securetransfer.givecampus.com
    • Port: 22
    • Username: generated from GiveCampus
    • Password: generated from GiveCampus (if using Username/Password method)
    • SSH Private Key: if using Public SSH Key method
  3. Connect.
  4. When prompted about the fingerprint, click Allow (this is expected).

You’ll now see two folders:

  • from_givecampus – files sent by GiveCampus to you
  • to_givecampus – where you send files to GiveCampus

Step 4: Upload Files to GiveCampus

  1. Place your files into: to_givecampus/school_data_importer/(this is the folder for school level Data Imports. If you also use the Volunteer Management System those files will go into the separate vm/ folder)
  2. Ensure each file name matches exactly the file name from your file configuration (e.g., gifts.csv, constituent.csv).
  4. Files remain on the server for 90 days.

Uploaded files are processed automatically, typically starting within 10 minutes. If your file doesn’t appear within 15–20 minutes, verify that it was uploaded to the correct folder and that the transfer completed successfully. Even after a file shows as Processed, background calculations may delay report updates.

Tips for Ongoing Use

  • Send files as often as you’d like—daily is recommended for the most accurate donor status and reporting.
  • Always send full files, not just changes, so the Data Importer can update existing records and add new ones automatically.
  • For more on maintaining data quality, see Maintaining Your Data.

verify a specific SFTP file was received and processed

Use these steps to confirm that a file was picked up by the School‑Level Data Importer and finished processing.

  1. Open GiveCampus and go to School Dashboard → Data Import → Import History. The Import History lists every import run with the file name, date, and processing status.
  2. Find the file you uploaded. Files uploaded via SFTP are processed roughly every 10 minutes; if your file doesn’t appear within 15–20 minutes, review the following items.
  3. Check the processing status: a successful run shows Processed; runs with errors show Failed. Click the row for more details if needed.
  4. If the file is not listed after 15–20 minutes, verify the following for your SFTP setup (even if your FTP client indicated a successful transfer):
    • Folder: The file must be in to_givecampus/school_data_importer/. Files in other folders will not be processed.
    • File name: The file name must match your configuration exactly (for example, gifts.csv or constituent.csv). A date‑stamped or modified name will not be detected unless configured that way.
    • Transfer completeness: Review your FTP client log to ensure the transfer completed and the connection closed. Partial transfers are skipped.
    • File format and headers: If the importer cannot parse the file because of header issues or formatting problems, it won’t process successfully. Re-save the CSV with the expected headers and upload the complete file.
  5. If you uploaded the file to the VMS folder, use the VMS monitoring UI. Files for Volunteer Management should be in to_givecampus/vm/ and are monitored under Volunteer Management → Imports → Received Files / Import Runs. The School‑Level and VMS importers are separate systems.
  6. If the file name is incorrect, rename the file to match the configuration exactly and re‑upload it. Alternatively, update your import configuration to match the file name you send.
  7. Common causes for a missing file despite a successful transfer include placing the file in the wrong folder, a file name mismatch, incomplete transfer, or file format/header issues. Use your FTP log and Import History to determine which step failed.
  8. Allow additional time for background processing. Even after a file shows as Processed, downstream recalculations (such as donor status or derived metrics) might take extra time to appear in reports.

If you prefer to receive alerts for parsing or validation failures, enable Data Import Notifications for an administrator (see the Getting notified of processing errors section below).

FAQ — My files arrive on SFTP but nothing is processed

Why this happens

  • SFTP uploads are matched to an Import Configuration by file name. Only configurations that are Enabled are used in processing; files with names that don't match an Enabled configuration remain unprocessed.

How GiveCampus logs an unmatched upload

  • Every SFTP upload generates an import record. If no Enabled configuration matches the uploaded file name, the run appears under the special configuration name: UNRECOGNIZED_SFTP_IMPORTS.csv, indicating a naming mismatch.

What to check (step‑by‑step)

  1. Confirm the SFTP folder and file location

    • Files for the School‑Level Data Importer must be placed in: to_givecampus/school_data_importer/. Files in other folders (for example, vm/) won’t be processed.

  2. Confirm an Enabled configuration exists with the expected file name

    • In GiveCampus, go to School Dashboard → Data Import → Import Configurations and check that the configuration is Enabled. The file name must match exactly. Matching is case‑insensitive, but spacing, underscores, and other characters must match. Date‑stamped or modified names won’t match unless specifically configured.

  3. Inspect Import History to see what matched

    • In School Dashboard → Data Import → Import History, check the Import Configuration column. If it shows UNRECOGNIZED_SFTP_IMPORTS.csv, the file name did not match any Enabled configuration. Rename the file or adjust the configuration as needed and re‑upload.

  4. If there is no Import History entry after 15–20 minutes

    • Verify the file was uploaded to to_givecampus/school_data_importer/ and confirm the transfer completed by reviewing your FTP client’s log. Partial transfers will not generate an import record.

  5. Confirm configurations are set up and visible on the Import Files page

    • Navigate to School Dashboard → Data Import → Import Files. If no configurations appear as enabled, SFTP uploads will not be processed.

How to fix a common mismatch

  • If Import History shows UNRECOGNIZED_SFTP_IMPORTS.csv, rename your file so that it exactly matches an Enabled configuration, or update the configuration to match the file’s name. Then re‑upload to to_givecampus/school_data_importer/.

Other tips and gotchas

  • Always upload full files rather than partial updates. If you adjust headers or formatting, re‑save and upload the complete CSV.
  • For files with variable names (such as those with dates), create separate Import Configurations that match the specific naming pattern used.

Quick checklist summary

  • Folder: to_givecampus/school_data_importer/
  • Configuration status: Enabled (must not be Not Enabled)
  • File name: Must match the configuration’s file name exactly
  • Diagnose using: School Dashboard → Data Import → Import History (check for UNRECOGNIZED_SFTP_IMPORTS.csv)
  • If no Import History entry appears after 15–20 minutes: verify the correct folder and transfer completion

Once an Enabled configuration is in place with the correct file name, the School‑Level Data Importer will automatically process the file.

Troubleshooting SFTP Access Issues

Lost or Forgotten SFTP Credentials

Important: SFTP passwords cannot be viewed or recovered once created. If you've lost access to your SFTP credentials, you must create new ones.

Steps to Restore SFTP Access

If you cannot connect with existing credentials:

  1. Delete old credentials:

    • Go to School Dashboard → Integrations → SFTP
    • Find your existing credential
    • Click the settings icon and select "Delete Credential"

  2. Generate new credentials:

    • Click "+ New Credential" on the SFTP Access page
    • Fill out the form with a new description
    • Select your preferred credential type (Username/Password or SSH Key)
    • Click "Create Credentials"

  3. Copy and securely store the new credentials immediately — they are only shown once

  4. Update your FTP client with the new username and password

Connection settings remain the same:

  • Host: securetransfer.givecampus.com
  • Port: 22
  • Protocol: SFTP

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