Import FAQ's
Preparing to Import Questions
Q: What is the first step to begin the import process?
A: The Eleo Import Tool requires the data you wish to import to be in an MS Excel or CSV (comma separate value) file. Therefore, your first step in the import process is to convert your donor data into a MS Excel or CSV file.
Q: What does the initial import include?
A: The initial import includes all fields within the contact and gift records. In other words, Eleo will import donor contact information and standard gifts data, at no cost if it is provided in the appropriate format of a MS Excel or CSV file.
Q: What is standard contact information?
A: Standard contact information is any field within Eleo’s Contact Record. When viewing a Contact Record in Eleo, any field shown here can be imported at no cost.
Q: What is not included in the initial import?
A: Anything outside the scope of ‘standard contact information’ or ‘standard gift information’ is not included in your complimentary initial import. Some examples include – the history tab, relationships, documents, pledges, detailed events (participants, activities, attendance, etc.), memberships, and grants. These examples of data can be manually entered into your database either by an Eleo user or the Eleo tech team for a nominal fee. If you need clarification on what is or is not included, please reach out to imports@eleoonline.com.
Q: How should I setup my MS Excel or CSV?
A: Eleo provides templates to guide you in the proper setup of the import spreadsheet. The column headers provided in those templates correspond to Eleo fields in the database. Each row will represent a new contact record or gift record (depending on the type of import).
Q: Where are the templates located?
All templates can be located by navigating to Settings > Tools > Imports > Import Contacts/Gifts
Q: Do I need to use all three templates provided?
A: No, you do not need to use all three templates. Please choose the template that best describes the type of import you wish to complete.
Q: What is the Basic Contact Import Template?
A: If you have a simple spreadsheet with only names and contact information (for example - first name, last name, spouse, address, phone, and email) you will choose the Basic Contact Import Template.
Q: What is the Basic Gift Import Template?
A: If you have a spreadsheet with only names and basic gift information (for example - gift date, gift amount, payment type, and fund) you will choose the Basic Gift Import Template.
Q: What is the Detailed Contact and Gift Import Template?
A: The Detailed Contact and Gift Import shows every field available in both the Contact and Gift records of Eleo. For example, specific fields such as maiden name, high school, volunteer interests are available to import into the Contact Record. Additionally, fields such as tribute, event, and reference are available for import into the Gift Record. Most nonprofits do not populate all fields listed in this template, but the fields are available for you to use.
Q: Do I need to follow the templates verbatim?
A: No, the templates are meant to be used as a guide.
Q: Can I combine the contact and gift import?
A: Yes, you can import Contacts and Gifts together. You will need to include the required fields for both Contact and Gift records, on one spreadsheet. At a minimum, this includes - first name or organization, gift amount, gift date, payment type, and fund. If you need to include address, phone, email or other fields, those corresponding columns will need to be added and filled in where necessary. Please note – if a contact has more than one gift record to be entered, each gift will require a new row. This means, each row will show duplicate contact information, but new gift information.
Q: What should I do with unused template columns?
A: Please delete any unused columns before importing.
Q: How many spreadsheets can I send to Client Support?
A: We ask that you keep the number of spreadsheets to a maximum of 5. Most clients submit their data in 1-2 spreadsheets.
Q: Can I have an import while on a free trial?
A: Yes – a sample import of Contact and Gifts is included on Free Trials! Free Trial Imports Include:
- An import of 100 rows of information.
- Choose your own data or select a general sandbox.-Information is broken down as you wish.
For example, you could choose 100 contacts with a single gift each or 20 contacts with 5 gifts each.
Q: Can I have an import if I am an Opportunity Grant recipient?
A: Yes! As an Opportunity Grant recipient, you are considered a full client of Eleo. Your initial import, as described above, of ALL Contacts and Gifts is completely complimentary. Please be sure to initiate your initial import within 30-days of accepting your grant.
Q: I was on a free trial and have switched to full client status. What happens to the data that is currently in my database?
A: If you would like your Free Trial data to be removed, please email imports@eleoonline.com. Otherwise, the data from your Free Trial will remain in your Eleo database.
Q: From start to finish, what is the estimated time of completion for my import?
A: In general, we estimate a 2-week turnaround. Import scheduling is on a first come, first-served basis and will depend on factors such as spreadsheet formatting and responsive communication.
Contact Import Questions
Q: What fields must be included in a Contact import?*
1. Contact Type – Individual, Company, Foundation, Government, Organization, School, or Vendor.
2. First Name OR Organization Name -
- If the contact is classified as an “individual,” Eleo requires the first name field to be populated.
- If the contact is classified as anything other than “individual,” Eleo requires the organization field to be populated.
*Last name, address, phone, and email fields are not required to open and save a new contact record.
Q: What Contact Types are available?
A: Individual, Company, Foundation, Organization, School, Government, Vendor, or Nonprofit.
Q: Can I add a new contact type?
A: No, Contact Types are not customizable.
Q: Do I need to split up a full name into separate columns?
A: Yes, each segment of a name has a designated field in Eleo. For example, title, first name, middle name, last name, suffix, and spouse are separate fields in a Contact Record. Because of this, each name field needs a corresponding column on your import spreadsheet.
Q: Do I need to split up an address into separate columns?
A: Yes, each segment of an address has a designated field in Eleo. For example- address line 1, address line 2, city, state, and zip code are separate fields in a Contact Record. Because of this, each address field needs a corresponding column on your import spreadsheet.
Q: What happens if I leave an address block together in my import spreadsheet?
A: If left unseparated, the entire address will be entered into address line 1 of the Contact Record. Unseparated addresses will not be correctly formatted in labels or mailings.
Q: Does Eleo have international address capabilities?
A: No, Eleo does not currently support international addresses.
Q: Where is the country code for an address in a contact record?
A: Currently, Eleo does not have a country code, as we do not support international addresses. If a country code is needed, a custom field can be created in the contact record. Please note – a custom field for country code can be viewed within a Contact Record, but will not be reflected in the mailing module or standard reports. However, you are able to pull the custom field for country code via the report writers.
Q: How many characters are permitted in a name, organization, or address field?
A: 50 characters is the maximum length for these fields.
Q: How do I setup my spreadsheet for couples?*
A: There are a few options for setting up couples in Eleo - Option 1 – One person is selected as the main contact. This person’s name is entered in the First Name and Last Name fields. The other person in the relationship is added to the spousal field. This option is regularly chosen when last names differ, or when one person in the couple is less involved in your organization.
Option 2 – Both parties are stated as the main contact (within the first name field). This option is regularly chosen when a couple’s last name is the same and they give together. In other words, couples who typically do not give individually and want to be acknowledged as a unit. Please note - The first name field has a maximum character count of 50.
Option 3 – Each individual in the couple has their own Contact Record. After the import, you can manually link the couple together via their Relationships tab. This is regularly chosen when couples give independently of one another, but your organization still wants to know if they are a couple. In this instance, if you want to track the couple individually but do not want them to receive duplicate mailings, you are able to turn off mailings for a chosen contact.
* You will specify formal and informal salutations for any couple in the Contact Preferences section of the Contact Record. Informal and Formal salutations are a great way to ensure you are communicating with your couples effectively.
Q: Do I need to include columns for formal and informal salutations on my import spreadsheet?
A: No, formal and informal salutations are not required. However, we strongly suggest that you use them. Formal and informal salutations ensure you are communicating to your supporters correctly and effectively. Further, formal and informal salutations will be used in mailings, labels, and certain reports. If there is no content in these fields, that line of the mailing, label, or report will remain empty.
Q: How do I setup ‘Contact Groups’ on my import spreadsheet?
A: A contact may be a part of one or multiple Contact Groups. To add a Contact Group to your import spreadsheet, label a column header ‘Contact Group.’ Then, insert the name of the group in the cells below. If the contact is a part of multiple Contact Groups, name the first column ‘Contact Group 1’. Create additional columns with the header of ‘Contact Group 2’, ‘Contact Group 3’, etc. and insert a different group name in the cells below.
Please note – Contact Group columns do not need to contain the same Contact Group across donor rows.
See example below:
Q: How do I set up multiple addresses on my spreadsheet?
A: Multiple addresses need their own columns for Address line 1, Address line 2, City, State and Zip Code.
See example below:
Q: How do I set up anonymous contacts on my spreadsheet?
A: Anonymous is only a setting for contact records. The gift records will follow what the contact record is set to. Either the user has the permission to see anonymous or not. There are no more anonymous gifts.
Gift Import Questions
Q: What fields are required for a gift import?*
A:
- Contact (first name and last name OR organization name)
- Gift Amount
3. Gift Date
4. Payment Type
5. Fund
*If this is a new contact to your database, you must also include the Contact Type on your spreadsheet.
Q: What are the payment types?
A: Credit Card, ACH, Cash, Check, Stock, Real Estate, Other, In Kind, and PayPal.
Q: Can I add a new payment type?
A: No, payment types in Eleo are not customizable.
Q: Can I add matching gifts to my spreadsheet for import?
A: Users can now indicate if a gift record has a matching gift via the import tool, but you cannot specify the actual matching organization via the import tool.
Q: I have a payment type that is not listed in Eleo. How do I specify this other payment type in the gift record?
A: For payment types not listed in Eleo, insert ‘Other’ in your Payment Type column. To further specify, add a custom Gift Source. Examples of gift sources are EFT, AmazonSmile, Facebook, Visa, Discover, MC, or AmEx.
Q: Where do I manage the list of available Gift Sources?
A: From any screen in Eleo, navigate to Site Settings > Customizations > Lookup Tables > Gift Source Types. Click the pencil icon to edit your Gift Sources.
Q: Does Eleo allow gift amounts of $0.00?
A: No, Eleo requires an amount of at least $0.01 to create and save a gift record.
Q: Can my In Kind gift have an amount of $0.00?
A: No, Eleo requires an amount of at least $0.01 for all gift records, even if the payment type is In Kind.
Q: Will the In Kind gift amount be included in reporting?
A: By default, all payment types are included in reporting. However, you can easily exclude In Kind gifts by unchecking the In Kind gift option under payment types, before running any report.