Data loading

The Data Loading section is where you go to update your prospect and gift data in Blackbaud Guided Fundraising. There are 2 files that you can upload - the prospect file and the gift file. You can update the files in Guided Fundraising as often as you choose. Most institutions choose to update the files on a weekly or daily basis.

Note: The Data Loading section does not apply to Fundraiser Performance Management (FPM) customers. If you are a customer of FPM, your data will be synced from FPM and you will not see the Data Loading section in Guided Fundraising.

Note: You need to be a Manager or Administrator in Guided Fundraising to access the Data Loading section. If your institution has an automated data feed set up, the Data Loading section will not be accessible and you will not need to load any files here.

Data Request Guide

The Data Request Guides below outline the specifications and field layouts for the files:

Upload Process

For help with importing data into Blackbaud Guided Fundraising, see our Importing Data video.

Choose Upload Type

Choose one of the following upload types to start importing your files:

  • Add Prospects to a campaign - Choose this option to add new prospects to a campaign. Follow the Prospect File format from the Data Request Guide. You will usually only use this option when you are setting up a new campaign, or need to add a new group of prospects to a campaign. When you are doing your routine data updates, use the Update Prospect Data option.

  • Update Prospect Data - Choose this option to update data on your prospects. Follow the Prospect File format from the Data Request Guide. You can use this option to update all of your prospects across campaigns. You do not need to upload a separate prospect file for each campaign when you are updating data (only when you are adding new prospects to a specific campaign).

  • Update Gift Data - Choose this option to update the gift data for your prospects. Follow the Gift File format from the Data Request Guide. You can use this option to update gifts for all of your prospects across campaigns. You do not need to upload a separate gift file for each campaign.

Select File

After you select your Upload Type and select Next, you'll be asked to choose a file. Select the Upload Data from File button, or drag the file onto the screen to continue.

Match Columns

After selecting your file, you'll be asked to match the columns in your file to the fields in Guided Fundraising. On the left, you'll see the name of the column as it appears in your file. To the right, you'll see a drop down to choose which field to match to in Guided Fundraising. The system will attempt to match the columns automatically. If you name your fields based on the field names in the Data Request Guide, most fields should match automatically. Review the list to verify the columns are matched correctly, make any necessary changes, then select Review.

Repair Problems

The Repair Problems step will show any validation issues in your file and allow you to correct them before continuing. Select the "Only show rows with problems" toggle to only see rows with validation issues. Hovering over the column header will provide you with more information about the validation issue. You can edit the data in the table below to correct the issue right away, or you can submit the file and discard the rows with validation issues. When you are ready to submit your file, select Complete.

Submit

After you complete and submit your file, the data will begin processing in the background. Depending on the size of your file, it could take several minutes or longer to process. You'll receive a confirmation email when the file finishes processing.

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