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Data Importer - Advanced Upload File Mapping

Updated

* As of February 2nd we’ve launched Guided Import—a new AI-powered experience designed to take the guesswork (and the frustration) out of data mapping. We recommend you start your data import journey there! For ongoing imports and advanced use cases, our Manual Field Mapping option remains available.

Once you’ve decided on your file structure and prepared your files, you’re ready to map your data to GiveCampus fields and run your first import.

The first time you use the Data Importer, you’ll configure how your files map to GiveCampus fields. After that, you can simply upload updated files on a regular basis—no need to repeat the mapping unless your file format changes.

Order of Operations

  1. Prepare your files
  2. Create a file configuration in GiveCampus
  3. Upload a test file (<100 rows)
  4. Run your first full import
  5. Send updated files regularly (ideally daily or weekly; SFTP can automate this)

Step 1: Set Your Constituent ID Settings

  1. Go to your School Dashboard → Data Import.
  2. Open the Data Management tab.
  3. Set your Constituent Identifier settings (e.g., expected character length for IDs).

Step 2: Create a New File Configuration

  1. In the File Configuration tab, click Add New CSV Configuration.
  2. Complete the required fields
    1. File Name (case-sensitive)
      • Use whatever your CRM naturally exports or add a simple file name like “Constituents.csv” or “Gifts.csv”
      • Date stamps are optional—if included, they’ll appear as asterisks in the configuration.
    2. File Encoding
      • Most CRMs export in UTF-8, which we recommend for widest character support.
    3. Constituent ID

Record type (constituent mapping)

When you create a new file configuration in Step 2, schools with the Gift Officer product see the option Import should create or update constituent records (individuals and/or organizations). Selecting this option displays a required field labeled Record type.

In the Record type field, enter the name of the CSV column that specifies whether a row represents an individual or an organization. This column must contain only the following values:

  • "Individual" or "I" – processes the row as an individual constituent
  • "Organization" or "O" – processes the row as an organization constituent

Any other value results in an import error. The help text below the field reads: "Accepted values for data within this column are: 'Individual' or 'I' for individuals, and 'Organization' or 'O' for organizations. Any other values will result in an error."

Both the full word and the single-letter shorthand are accepted, so you can map your CRM export directly without needing a Replace transformation.

Step 3: Map Your Columns to GiveCampus Fields

  • Click the relevant data type (e.g., Constituent, Gift).
  • In each GiveCampus field, type the exact column header from your CSV file (case-sensitive).
  • You can map the same column to multiple GiveCampus fields if needed.
  • You can combine Constituent and Gift data in one file, but best practice is separate files.

Step 3a: Data Transformations

Transformations let you send data in one format and have GiveCampus adjust it automatically:

  • Date → Fiscal Year: Convert gift dates to fiscal years without adding a separate column.
  • Replace: Reformat values (e.g., replace “A’22” with “2022”).

Step 3b: Defining Unique Fields

Unique fields deduplicate future imports:

  • Common choice: Transaction ID for gifts.
  • Can combine fields (e.g., Transaction ID + Gift Type) if needed.
  • If a match is found, non-unique fields will be overwritten with the latest data.

Step 3c: Additional Gifts or Designations

  • Additional Designations: Multiple funds tied to a single Transaction ID (most common).
  • Additional Gifts: Multiple gift columns for one constituent row (less common; requires knowing the maximum gifts per record).

Step 4: Save and Test Your Configuration

  1. Click Save File Configuration.
  2. Upload a test file (same format as your full file but <100 rows).
  3. Review results:
    • Errors appear in the “Errors” section—fix and re-upload.
    • If no errors, enable the configuration

Step 5: Run Your First Import

  1. Click Enable Configuration and Import Files.
  2. Choose your full file and click Import File(s).

Step 6: Check Status and Review Statistics

  • Go to Imported Files in the left navigation to see all uploads and their status

  • Click the Status link for details on records added, updated, or errored.

  • If importing solicit codes, map them in School Dashboard → Settings → General Settings to control which codes block emails, texts, or Smart Appeals.

 

FAQs

How often do I need to configure my files?
Only once, unless your file structure changes.

How often should we send files?
Weekly is a good starting point; daily is best for accuracy. SFTP can automate this.

Should I send full files or just new data?
Always send full files. GiveCampus updates existing records and adds new ones automatically. Even for small changes to a few records should be done using a full file import. 

What if I want to upload a specific set of constituents for an outreach/ personalization/ texting etc?
You will still upload full files using your existing configurations! Just make sure anyone you want to include is included in your upload. Then you can use the segment options built into each tool to create the group of people you want to interact with. 

How many configurations should I have?
You should only have one configuration for each datatype. You can either create one configuration for each section, or combine multiple datatypes into a single configuration, but a single datatype should never be included across multiple configurations.

How do I update a record?
To update a record, just make sure that data is updated in your CRM and export your same full dataset. Then upload either using the School Level Data Importer or SFTP. GiveCampus will automatically detect changes and import. 

How do I delete a constituent or gift record?
You can delete constituent records or gift records from School Dashboard > Data Imports > Data Management. The 'Example file' section will provide instruction on how to format your csv to delete each data type.

FAQ — What do row-level error reports mean and how do I fix gift-file failures?

If your gift import has many errors, review the import results page to identify which rows failed and why.

To view error details: Navigate to Data Import > Import History (or click Imported Files in the left navigation), locate the file you ran, and click its status link (showing labels like Processed or Failed). This opens the import results page with details on row-level, partial-row, and file-level errors.

Common issues to check:

  • Mapping errors: Ensure that every column header in your CSV exactly matches the header you entered in the mapping (including capitalization). A mismatch results in an empty column, causing errors.
  • Row errors: The results page categorizes errors as Import Errors (file-level), Row Errors (rows that didn’t import at all), and Partial Row Errors (rows with incomplete data). Check the error message beside each row number to pinpoint the issue.

Steps to resolve widespread errors:

  1. Open the import results page and review the most common error messages.
  2. Correct the specific values or headers in your CSV as indicated.
  3. If every row shows the same error, fix the underlying issue across the entire file before re-uploading.

Re-uploading after fixes:

After updating your CSV, re-upload the file from the Import History page by clicking the Run Import(s) button. There is no need to recreate your file configuration. When the import finishes, check the new status to verify if any rows still need attention.

Additional tips:

  • Test with a small file (fewer than 100 rows) to catch formatting issues early.
  • When mapping fields, type the exact CSV header (including case sensitivity) to avoid silent mapping errors.
  • Use the detailed row-by-row error list to focus your fixes rather than editing the entire file at once.
 

How does this interact with Volunteer Management (GC VM) data?
If using both VM and the Data Importer, the Data Importer is the source of truth for donor status and ID matching.

 

Glossary

  • File Configuration – Mapping between your CRM file columns and GiveCampus fields.

  • File Import – An uploaded file processed by the Data Importer.

  • Transformation – Automatic formatting changes during import (e.g., date → fiscal year).

  • Unique Field – Field(s) that identify a record as unique for deduplication.

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