Import Supporters

Step 1: Find the Import Tools

1. After you have a well-formed comma-delimited file, Navigate to the Supporters section to the left of the Engage window.
2. Click on the Manage Imports tab. This page will list your current and completed imports, and allow you to create a new import so you can add supporters to your list.

Note:  The format of your file needs to be a comma-separated value (.csv).  We'll discuss how to create this further down the page.

Step 2: Name and Describe Your Import

Under the Setup heading, you'll notice that your first step is to give your import a name.  This is a required step. Optionally, you can describe the particular import for future reference.

Second, click the "Browse for File" button.  If the button is grey (as shown in the above image), that means you've not yet given the import a name.  Once you do, the button turns blue.

Carefully follow the Prepare Supporter Import Data documentation.  Once you've selected your file from your computer, you'll either see a blue bar telling you the import has been successfully added for field matching, or you'll receive an error message in red.

If you get an error message, go back to your file and correct any errors. If you need help, remember you can submit a support request via the "?" icon in the upper right-hand corner  If you have a "Done!" message, you can select the "Next: Import Settings" button in the lower right-hand corner.

You'll notice that you can choose a different file if you picked the wrong one.  The "Browse for File" button changes to an "Upload a different file" button, as shown above.

Step 3: Match Fields

When matching supporter fields, start by selecting the row in your imported file on which "real" data actually begins. Usually, our imported file will have a header row and the "real" data begins on row 2.

The column contents and names from your spreadsheet are on the left and field names are on the right. Select the field names where your spreadsheet information should go.

Salsa can sometimes match your columns, but you can use the pulldown menus to match to the appropriate fields.  You have both standard fields and custom fields to chose from.  If you do not wish to import a particular column, simply select "Do not Import".

NOTE:  If you'd like to import into custom fields, create the custom fields before your import and they will appear in the dropdown list of field names.

Once you're done matching your fields, you can select the "Next: Import Settings" button.

Step 4: Decide What To Do With Duplicate Records 

• Decide how to identify duplicates—By default, Salsa will look at the email field to identify any duplicate records. When this field is selected, Salsa will cross-reference the values in the email column of your spreadsheet with the emails of existing supporters in your account.  If you're importing a supporter with the same email as a supporter that already exists in your database, they will be identified as duplicates.  We recommend email, but you may choose External ID instead to identify duplicates for this import.
• Decide what to do when duplicates are found:
• Overwrite with new data—This is the default setting.  The data in the spreadsheet will "win" if it conflicts with existing data in your database.
• Keep existing, but append if blank—The data in your database will "win" if it conflicts with new data in your spreadsheet

Step 5: Add Imported Supporters to a Group

There are two types of groups:

• Dynamic groups populate every 24 hours with supporters matching an attached Supporter Query.
• Static groups include only supporters that you add or remove manually.

In this step, you can either...

• Add imported supporters to an existing Static group
• Add imported supporters to a new Static group
  

Note: You can not import into a Dynamic group. Only Static groups can be created in this step or selected for importing supporters.

Step 6: Start the Import!

You can import this document immediately, or schedule it for later.

NOTE: You can cancel a scheduled import up to five minutes before the import is scheduled to activate.

Pro Tip: schedule when an import is to be performed based on the time zone of the user that is saving the edit, particularly the time zone setting on that computer workstation. We store the request in a universal time format that will work for all users, regardless of location. A Central time zone user scheduling for an east coast organization has to be cognizant of this relative to when the organization wants the action taken. 10 AM Central time is 11 AM Eastern time! If the time zone setting on the computer is not correct, this can affect scheduling.

Click the "I'm Done" button in the lower left-hand corner, and the import will either begin immediately or be submitted to the queue to import at the selected time.

Step 7: View Notifications

When your import is complete, you'll get a notification in the User Toolbar.