Allow import of Persona and Account information WITHOUT updating names
This used to be possible when you assigned something like "ID number" as a key, but I just found out it no longer is. You used to be able to update things like Addresses, Persona UDFs, emails, etc, in bulk through import. Now, with the update, the import module forces you to choose the "Last Name" and "Account Name" and "Sort Name" while importing before moving on to step 3 from step 2. This is a huge hindrance to our work--we get supplemental move updates from another company whenever we do a mailing, and if I want to import those changes, I would have to import the names from the list I sent the company weeks or months prior--meaning any changes that have happened to names or salutations in the database between those times would be overwritten. While I recognize the need to have names and salutations be a requirement for adding new accounts, for accounts that already exist and have ID numbers to be used as a key, you should absolutely be able to update Persona information without updating names!
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KC Bridges
- May 13 2016
- Already Works That Way.
Related ideas
The Account Information by Account Number, or the other Account Number import templates can be used and do not require Name information. Please see the Import Types documentation for more information.
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Exactly! The Import Module is a powerful tool and I've used it in many different ways to load data into defined fields or temporarily tag accounts to then query on (rather than having to manually create a custom account query). None of my uses have involved making changes to account names. I find it CRAZY and FRUSTRATING that we now must import account names in order to import any other data. It seems to defy the original purpose for the import module, which was to be able to upload data from an outside source that can be keyed on a unique field (account number). The only way I see wanting to import name fields is when you're adding new accounts to your database. Otherwise, it should not be required. PLEASE CONSIDER REMOVING THE NAME FIELDS AS A REQUIREMENT FOR IMPORTING UNLESS YOU ARE IMPORTING TO ADD NEW ACCOUNTS!
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I completely agree! I use importing to assign UDFs to existing eTap accounts as a way to then create mass journal contacts for mailings and events. I do not want to mess around with the name formats of my existing contacts, as they are not cut and dry to the eTap format. I do agree with you that new accounts added should follow this protocol, but not existing accounts. The only suggestion given to me was to pull all of my data again from eTap and to include those three required import fields. I have already manipulated my data within Excel (or done multiple pulls to get that list) and cannot simply, easily, or quickly re-pull that information. Now I will have to spend MORE time repeating my work simply just to use the import function.
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