Configure constituent update rules

Under Name updates, for the If name is different from existing name setting, select one of these options:

• Update name — Select this option to replace the name on the existing constituent with the name from the incoming constituent.

• Add name as an alias — Select this option to add the name from the incoming constituent as an alias to the existing constituent rather than replace an existing name. For example, if the incoming first name is "David" and the existing first name is "Dave," the program adds David an alias and leaves "Dave" as the first name.

• Ignore name — Select this option to never update the name on the existing constituent. For example, if the incoming first name is "David" and the existing first name is "Dave," the program leaves the first name as "Dave."

• Require manual review (generate exception) — Select this option to always require a user to manually compare conflicting names on the duplicate resolution screen even if the match confidence score is high enough to automatically update the name. Also, when you select Require manual review (generate exception) for any field, the program does not apply updates to other fields on the existing record, regardless of the selected rule, until you complete the duplicate resolution screen. For example, if you select Require manual review for names but Update existing address for addresses, the program does not automatically update the address fields on the existing constituent. On the duplicate resolution screen, when you select Use my organization's rules, the program automatically moves the address from the incoming constituent column to the existing constituent column, but you must manually select whether to add, update, or ignore the incoming name.

For the Retain existing name for historical reference setting, to store the existing name on the constituent record under Historical names, select Yes. This occurs when the batch is committed. To discard the existing name, select No.

Note: Need a visual? View the name update flowchart.

Under Address updates, for the If incoming address is similar to an existing address setting, select one of these options:

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Note: “Similar” means the incoming address (Street number, Street name, and Zip code) is very close to an existing address, but there are differences in one or more of the address fields. To find similar addresses, the program compares the incoming address to each address on the existing constituent (home, business, etc.) and applies the address portion of the matching algorithm to calculate how similar the addresses are. When a pair of addresses score 86 or higher, they are considered similar. For example, if the existing street address is 1955 Main St. 29402 and the incoming is 1956 Main St. 29402, their address matching score is 92, so the program applies the rule selected for the If address is similar to an existing address setting. If the incoming address is similar to multiple existing addresses, the program applies the rule to the existing address with the highest address matching score. If no existing addresses are found that are similar to an incoming address, the program applies the rule selected for the If address is NOT similar to any existing address setting.

• Update existing address (old address will not be retained) — Select this option to replace the address on the existing constituent with the address from the incoming constituent.

  Note: For imported Constituent Update or Enhanced Revenue batches, if the constituent row includes the constituent ID as well as the address ID (generally only used in vendor files), the address is always updated on the constituent regardless of the selected constituent update rule. If the row includes the constituent ID but not the address ID, the program applies the selected address update rules except for Make new address primary. The program always respects the address marked primary in the batch row regardless of the option selected for Make new address primary.

• Add as new address — Select this option to add the incoming address as an additional address rather than update the existing address.

• Ignore address — Select this option to never overwrite the address on the existing constituent. The program discards the incoming address.

• Require manual review (generate exception) — Select this option to always require a user to manually compare conflicting addresses on the duplicate resolution screen even if the match confidence score is high enough to automatically update the address. Also, when you select Require manual review (generate exception) for any field, the program does not apply updates to other fields on the existing record, regardless of the selected rule, until you complete the duplicate resolution screen. For example, if you select Require manual review for addresses but Update name for names, the program does not automatically update the name fields on the existing constituent. On the duplicate resolution screen, when you select Use my organization's rules, the program automatically moves the name from the incoming constituent column to the existing constituent column, but you must manually select whether to add, update, or ignore the incoming address.

For the If address is NOT similar to any existing address setting, select one of these options:

• Add as new address — Select this option to add the incoming address as a new address to the existing constituent.

• Ignore address — Select this option to never add the incoming address to the existing constituent.

• Require manual review (generate exception) — Select this option to always require a user to manually compare conflicting addresses on the duplicate resolution screen even if the match confidence score is high enough to automatically add the address.

Under When you add an incoming address as new, you can select additional options for the new addresses. These options also apply to new addresses entered on the duplicate resolution screen.

For the If new address had the same type as any existing address setting, select one of these options:

• Make existing address inactive — Select this option to make inactive any existing addresses with the same address type as the new address. The program updates the End date field on the constituent for all existing addresses with that address type.

  Note: If the new and existing addresses are similar and neither has an address type assigned, the program does not make the existing address inactive. If the new address is not similar to any existing addresses and it does not have an address type assigned, any existing addresses that do not have an address type assigned remain active.

• Keep the existing address active — Select this option to keep the existing address active and add the incoming address as an additional address with the same address type.

For the Make new address primary setting, select one of these options:

Note: If the existing constituent has no addresses, the primary address in the batch is always primary regardless of the option selected for Make new address primary.

• Always — Select this option to always make the new address primary. If a constituent has more than one new address in the batch, the one marked primary is made primary. If none of the new addresses is marked primary, the one that appears first in the batch is made primary.

• Only if the current primary address has the same address type — Select this option to make the new address primary only if it has the same address type as the existing primary address. If there are multiple new addresses in the batch and one has the same address type as the existing primary address, it becomes primary. If there are multiple new addresses with the same address type as the existing primary address and one of those new addresses is marked primary, it becomes primary. If there are multiple new addresses with the same address type as the existing primary address and none of those new addresses is marked primary, the one that appears first in the batch is made primary.

• Never — Select this option to never make the new address primary.

Note: Need a visual? View the address update flowchart.

Under Phone number updates, for the If incoming phone is not identical to any existing phone setting, select one of these options:

• Add as new phone — Select this option to add the incoming phone number as a new number.

• Ignore phone — Select this option to never add the incoming phone number to the existing constituent.

• Require manual review (generate exception) — Select this option to always require a user to manually compare conflicting phone numbers on the duplicate resolution screen even if the match confidence score is high enough to automatically update the phone number. Also, when you select Require manual review (generate exception) for any field, the program does not apply updates to other fields on the existing record, regardless of the selected rule, until you complete the duplicate resolution screen. For example, if you select Require manual review for phone numbers but Update name for names, the program does not automatically update the name fields on the existing constituent. On the duplicate resolution screen, when you select Use my organization's rules, the program automatically moves the name from the incoming constituent column to the existing constituent column, but you must manually select whether to add, update, or ignore the incoming phone number.

Note: For imported Constituent Update or Enhanced Revenue batches, if the constituent row includes the constituent ID as well as the phone ID (generally only used in vendor files), the phone number is always updated on the constituent regardless of the selected constituent update rule. If the row includes the constituent ID but not the phone ID, the program applies the selected phone update rules except Make new phone primary. In this case, the program always respects the phone marked primary in the batch row regardless of the option selected for Make new phone primary.

Under When you add an incoming phone as new, you can select additional options for the new phone numbers. These options also apply to new phone numbers entered on the duplicate resolution screen.

For the If new phone has the same type as any existing phone setting, select one of these options:

• Make existing phone inactive — Select this option to make inactive any existing phone numbers with the same phone type as the new phone number. The program updates the End date field on all existing phone numbers on the constituent with that phone type.

• Keep existing phone active — Select this option to keep the existing phone number active and add the incoming phone number as an additional phone number with the same phone type.

For the Make new phone primary setting, select one of these options:

Note: If the existing constituent has no phone numbers, the primary phone number in the batch is always primary regardless of the option selected for the Make new phone primary setting.

• Always — Select this option to always make the new phone number primary. If a constituent has more than one new phone number in the batch, the one marked primary is made primary. If none of the new phone numbers is marked primary, the number that appears first in the batch is made primary.

• Only if the current primary phone has the same phone type — Select this option to make the new phone number primary only if it has the same phone type as the existing primary phone number. If there are multiple new phone numbers in the batch and one has the same phone type as the existing primary phone number, it becomes primary. If there are multiple new phone numbers with the same phone type as the existing primary phone number and one of those new phone numbers is marked primary, it becomes primary. If there are multiple new phone numbers with the same phone type as the existing primary phone number and none of those new phone numbers is marked primary, the one that appears first in the batch is made primary.

• Never — Select this option to never make the new phone number primary.

Note: Need a visual? View the phone number update flowchart.

Under Email address updates, for the If incoming email address is not identical to any existing email address setting, select one of these options:

• Add as new email address — Select this option to add the incoming email address as an new email address.

• Ignore email address — Select this option to never add the incoming email address to the constituent.

• Require manual review (generate exception) — Select this option to always require a user to manually compare conflicting email addresses on the duplicate resolution screen even if the match confidence score is high enough to automatically update the name. Also, when you select Require manual review (generate exception) for any field, the program does not apply updates to other fields on the existing record, regardless of the selected rule, until you complete the duplicate resolution screen. For example, if you select Require manual review for email addresses but Update name for names, the program does not automatically update the name fields on the existing constituent. On the duplicate resolution screen, when you select Use my organization's rules, the program automatically moves the name from the incoming constituent column to the existing constituent column, but you must manually select whether to add, update, or ignore the incoming email address.

Note: For imported Constituent Update or Enhanced Revenue batches, if the constituent row includes the constituent ID as well as the email ID (generally only used in vendor files), the email address is always updated on the constituent regardless of the selected constituent update rule. If the row includes the constituent ID but not the email ID, the program applies the selected email update rules except for Make new email address primary. In this case, the program always respects the email address marked primary in the batch row regardless of the option selected for Make new email address primary.

Under When you add an incoming email address as new, you can select additional options for the new email addresses. These options also apply to new email addresses entered on the duplicate resolution screen.

For the If new email address has the same type as any existing email address setting, select one of these options:

• Make existing email address inactive — Select this option to make inactive any existing email addresses with the same email type as the new address. The program updates the End date field on all existing email addresses on the constituent with that email type.

• Keep existing email address active — Select this option to keep the existing email address active and add the incoming email as an additional email address with the same email type.

For the Make new email address primary setting, select one of these options:

Note: If the existing constituent has no email addresses, the primary email address in the batch is always primary regardless of the option selected for Make new email address primary.

• Always — Select this option to always make the new email address primary. If a constituent has more than one new email address in the batch, the email marked primary is made primary. If none of the new email addresses is marked primary, the email that appears first in the batch is made primary.

• Only if the current primary email address has the same email type — Select this option to make the new email address primary only if it has the same email type as the existing primary email address. If there are multiple new email addresses in the batch and one has the same email type as the existing primary email address, it becomes primary. If there are multiple new email addresses with the same email type as the existing primary email address and one of those new email addresses is marked primary, it becomes primary. If there are multiple new email addresses with the same email type as the existing primary email address and none of those new email addresses is marked primary, the email that appears first in the batch is made primary.

• Never — Select this option to never make the new email address primary.

Note: Need a visual? View the email address update flowchart.

Under Birth date updates, for the If incoming birth date is not identical to existing birth date setting, select one of these options:

• Update birth date — Select this option to replace the birth date on the existing constituent with the birth date from the incoming constituent. The program updates the date automatically for all matched constituents.

• Ignore birth date — Select this option to never overwrite the birth date on the existing constituent. The program discards the incoming birth date.

Note: For imported Constituent Update or Enhanced Revenue batches, if the constituent row includes the constituent ID, the birth date is always updated on the constituent regardless of the selected constituent update rule.