Set Import Options

  1. From the Add import process screen, select Set options. The Add import process screen includes a series of tabs designed to walk you through the process of creating an import process.

    Tip: Use Previous and Next to move between the tabs or select the links at the top of the screen.

  2. On the Import workflow tab, select which action to perform after batches are imported.

    • Do nothing: Manually validate and commit the batch at a later time. Use this option when another user must review the batch before you commit it, or when you need to skip the extra validation process to ensure the batch commits on time.

    • Validate new batches but do not commit any records: Validate the batch and then later commit it manually. Use this option when another user must review records before you commit the batch and time allows for the extra validation process. For example, you can schedule the validation to run overnight and then manually review and commit the batch in the morning.

    • Commit batches if they have no batch exceptions: Validate the batch and commit it automatically if there are no batch exceptions. Use this option when you need to enter records quickly and want to manually review any errors.

      Note: You may receive exceptions during committal for a batch that does not create exceptions during validation. For example, in a revenue batch, if a payment row is applied to a commitment and then another payment row is applied to the same commitment, an exception occurs because the commitment was already paid by the first row. This exception does not occur during the initial validation because validation temporarily commits a row in order to check for errors, then rolls back the committal before it processes the next row .

    • Commit all valid rows from new batches: Validate the batch and automatically commit each valid row. If a row does not validate, Altru adds it to an exception batch that you can review later. Use this option when you need to add data as quickly as possible.

  3. Select the Constituent matching tab.

    Note: These options only apply if the feature is turned on via Enable/disable matching under Administration.

    Tip: The Constituent matching tab is available only for imports that use Constituent Update, Membership Dues, and Enhanced Revenue batch templates. The settings default from the Constituent Matching Settings page in Administration or from the associated batch template if that template uses different thresholds.

  4. You can use matching settings to identify records in the batch that may already exist as constituents in your database. When you select Use batch template settings, the percentages default from the batch template selected for the import. To change the default settings, clear Use batch template settings and select Check for records that match existing constituents. The thresholds defined on this tab apply to all batches produced from this import process.

  5. Edit the percentage range for the Matched constituents threshold. Imported records with match scores in this range likely match records that already exist in the database. When Altru finds a match, it automatically assigns the record ID from the existing record to the matched record in the import.

    Note: For Constituent Update and Enhanced Revenue batches, Altru may update the existing constituent with information from the incoming constituent according to your constituent update rules set under Administration. For Constituent, Membership Dues, Revenue, Revenue Update, and Sponsor batches, Altru ignores any new or conflicting data. No updates are made to the existing constituent.

  6. Edit the percentage range for the Possible matches threshold. Records with match scores in this range are similar enough to existing records to be possible matches, but different enough to require manual review. Altru prompts you to compare the matched constituents and to choose whether to update the existing record or create a new one for the incoming constituent.

    Tip: For more information about how to compare records on the duplicate resolution screen, see Resolve Duplicate Constituents in a Batch.

    • The percentage range for the No match threshold is based on your settings for the upper thresholds. Imported records with match scores in this range probably do not match an existing record.

    • The action that occurs depends on the import type. For constituent update imports, Altru creates a new record. For enhanced revenue imports, Altru creates a new record and adds the revenue to that record. These actions occur behind the scenes and require no actions from users.

  7. Select the Date formats tab.

  8. Under Date format, Fuzzy dates, and Month/day format, specify how dates appear in the imported data. Select a format or enter date specifiers such as the following examples.

    Date Specifier

    Description

    Example

    d

    Numerical day of the month, single-digit

    4

    dd

    Numerical day of the month, double-digit

    04

    ddd

    Abbreviated day name

    Fri

    dddd

    Full day name

    Friday

    M

    Numerical month, single-digit

    7

    MM

    Numerical month, double-digit

    07

    MMM

    Abbreviated month name

    Jul

    MMMM

    Full month name

    July

    yy

    Year, two-digits

    80

    yyyy

    Year, four-digits

    1980

    Note: A “fuzzy date” is an incomplete date. The data in the import file may include incomplete dates. For example, a fuzzy birth date of a constituent may include the month and year, but not the day.

  9. Select the Other tab.

  10. Under Code table fields, select whether the import file contains the translation or ID value of data to import from code tables. To add new entries to a code table when entries do not exist for the fields in the import file, mark Add new entries. If you are unsure which to select, consult your System Administrator.

  11. Under Simple data list fields, select whether the import file contains the translation or ID value of data to import from simple data lists. If you are unsure which to select, consult your System Administrator.

  12. Under Search list fields, select whether the import file contains the ID or Quick find value of data to import from search lists. If you are unsure which to select, consult your System Administrator.

    Note: For an import process based on the constituent update batch template, if you select to search list fields based on Quick find, the Constituent column within your import file must contain the constituent lookup ID.

  13. Under Other, select how to handle a blank value in the imported data. You can select to import the blank value or use the default value from the selected batch template.

  14. Select Save.