Contact Import Process

The Genesis Contact Import, on Registration>Imports>Contact Import, allows you to import contacts from the Excel spreadsheet provided to you on this screen. Contacts will be imported into CURRENT school year on screen.

STEPS

1. Save the Excel file by clicking the icon to the right. All the data may be filled in directly to this spreadsheet. See separate tabs for validation rules and codes tables.
2. Once you have filled in spreadsheet, locate your file using the Browse button below. 
3. Hit the Upload File button to import the contacts. When this happens, the following will occur:  
   • All data in the spreadsheet will be validated. If any errors occur on any contacts, then the import will not bring in any of the contacts and a report will show you all of the errors. 
   • If all the data passes validation, then the contacts will be imported into Genesis.

Filling out the Import Template

• All fields columns in the import template refer to the Contact person of the student. Ex: the Lastname and Firstname fields are not for the student's name (unless ContactType is 'Student'), but for the name of the contact being imported. 
• The imported file must be an Excel 97-2003 Worksheet file type. XLSX files will not be accepted.

Importing the Spreadsheet

• DO NOT attempt to import into contacts without fully understanding the options available to you. See below for more information...
• Append Mode is the least harmful mode when importing into Student Contacts.

PLEASE NOTE

• Run in append mode only will add phone numbers, etc. to existing contact objects already in Genesis. Row must contain valid Student ID, Contact Type, and Contact Last Name in order to append to contact.
  This will not add new contacts, and does not overwrite data. The process must first locate an existing contact on the student's record. The Contact Type and Last Name of the contact in the file MUST match one of the student's contacts for anything to occur. The import will then take any contact information listed (ex: phone numbers, emails) and ADD them to the Contact. Existing phone numbers are NOT removed or overwritten by this process. For example, if contact in the file has a Phone #1 listed, and they already have 2 phone numbers in Genesis, this number will be added to the contact as Phone #3. 
• Run in update/delete mode only will insert record into existing contacts only. Student ID and Contact Type will be used to match contact. Use *delete* in appropriate field (PhoneType, EmailAddress, AddressStreetNumber) to remove a Phone Number, Address and/or Email records from existing contact. Will overwrite data where it already exists.
  This mode will not add new contacts either, however it DOES overwrite data. The process must first locate an existing contact on the student's record...It does this by examining the Contact Type indicated in the import file. If the same Contact Type is found on the student, it will update that contact record. If none is found, the import will then look to see if there is a different contact but with the same last name and first name, then it updates that contact record.  Once it locates the contact, this import mode WILL overwrite data. Example 1: If a phone number is inserted into Phone1 Number column, the import will use this number to overwrite what is currently listed in Genesis as the contact's first phone number. Example 2: If the word "delete" surrounded by asterisks is inserted into the PhoneNumber, EmailAddress, or AddressStreetNumber fields instead, then that record will be deleted. (If "delete" is inserted into Phone1Number column, then the contact's first phone number will be removed).
• New contact records are not created unless BOTH of the above options are left UNCHECKED. If you don't select either option, it will add new contact records to students.
• If both options are checked when importing, the import will ultimately use Update Mode when processing the file.

FAQ

Q: Can we import STUDENT EMAILS into the CONTACTS screen on the Student Data>Modify Student>Demographics>Contacts>(Student Contact) screen?

A: Yes, with very specific steps.

1. Go to Registration>Imports>Contact Import. There is an excel file you can download in "Step 1"
2. On the Registration>Imports>Contact Import screen, you will be using the "run in append mode" rather than the "update/delete" if you are adding in a new student email entirely.  (Note: if students already have an email listed and you want to update existing email addresses for student contacts, you'd want to select "run in update/delete mode" to overwrite the existing one.)
3. In your file, you will include in the student ID (column A), the last name of the student (column E), the ContactType of Student (column G) and the Email1 Address (column AB) fields. 
   1. You may leave all remaining fields blank - but those headers need to be in there etc. when you do the actual import. (This import is different than Core>Import in this way.)
4. Additionally, we recommend doing this import with just one row of data / one student so you can see how it all works before you do it en masse - just to be sure.