Excel into RE NXT

Amber Vrooman

Does anyone know a faster and less complex way to import data from Excel to Raiser's Edge NXT? I want to import a large amount of NEW records as new constituents into our database. I have been tinkering around with the import function in database view, but I don't understand how to get the required Ids? The required IDs that I don't know how to populate are Import Id Primary Addressee ID, Primary Salutation ID, Address Import ID, Phone Import ID. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Jesse Calagna

@Amber Vrooman if you go to admin-import and once you enter into a new or existing import, then go to the Fields tab, there will be a link at bottom “Click here for detailed field information". That should produce a pop up Help document where you can find most (if not all) fields for import.

Specifically for the ones you want (ImportID, PrimAddID, PrimSalID, AddrImpID, PhoneImpID)

Amber Vrooman

@Jesse Calagna Okay, so when I add those fields in the fields tab it will automatically assign them the numbers? Meaning, the excel file I have would just have to have a column labeled with the “ImportID” etc, and the cells below can remain blank upon uploading into the import?

Dariel Dixon

@Amber Vrooman I've always assigned them myself. It doesn't matter what the numbers are, as long as they are unique. I have used combinations of dates and import purposes as my IDs. In particular, it's helpful to have the import IDs in case something goes awry or if you need to add more information later.

EDIT: I don't know if addressee or salutation work like that. I've never added them in this way, as they are formulas in RE based on fields, and I would hate to import a bunch of editable addressees & salutations. Unless you are importing from a known good source. I've often gone in an created a query of imported records, and used that query to do a global add based on default values to not have any editable addressees.

Alex Wong

@Amber Vrooman
Most “ID” is not really needed:

• For importing new constituent, Constituent ID (ConsID) and Import ID (ImportID) is not needed
• for importing address, you just need to map the address fields (address line, city, state, zip, country, etc) maybe you need to create a column for “preferred” = Yes
• for importing phone, you will need column for Phone Type and the Phone Number
• for importing addressee/salutation
  • if you want to use your own editable version of addressee/salutation, then you will need 2 columns, one for mapping “Yes” to primary addressee editable and “Yes” to primary salutation editable, and then the “text” of primary addressee/salutation.
  • if you want to use addressee/salutation format that is coded to your RE instance, you will need to get the format ID, that you map the “Primary Addressee ID Number” and “Primary Salutation ID Number” in the import
    • this KB tells you how to ge the format ID: https://kb.blackbaud.com/knowledgebase/articles/Article/48203
• you will need a column for “KeyInd” = “I" to indicate a Individual or “O” to indicate a Org record
• then you will need to include any other required field (i.e. COnstituent Code if required)

Stu Manewith

@Amber Vrooman
I would strongly suggest that you investigate Omatic Software's ImportOmatic+. Omatic has been a Blackbaud Technology Partner for some 20 years. ImportOmatic is purpose-built for importing data from spreadsheets and 3rd-party sources into RE NXT, without needing all of the various import IDs, etc. Please contact info@OmaticSoftware.com for further information.

JoAnn Strommen

@Amber Vrooman You've gotten the answer to your question, I believe, in the responses received. I don't see any profile into to know how long you've been using RE or your org type, just relatively new to forums.

So, I'm going to ask the question. ? Do you have a solid reason to add this “large amount of new records" to your db? Often we are looking at records wondering why/how they were put in db. Or we may be looking at records not needed so we don't cross a pricing tier. If there's a solid reason, go for it. If not, you may want to do some further consideration.

SmartTHING Developers

@JoAnn Strommen Good point there. @Amber Vrooman There are several other import tools out there like our own SmartIMPORT, import-o-matic (as Stu mentions) and importacular. They all help with imports without needing to faff about with IDs and all take care to not create duplicates as part of the process.

Kristine Marvin

@Amber Vrooman this is a good article with the headers for importing constituents