Service Import - Export

The process of migrating fundraising data from your current system into NonprofitCore contains several main steps, including exporting data from your current system, cleaning up the exported data, importing the data into your NonprofitCore site, and validating the imported data. In this article, we'll provide an overview of the migration process and several key questions to consider when preparing for your fundraising migration.

Migrations Process Overview

While each migration can have unique elements, the main steps in the process are outlined below: 

1. Export data from your current systems.
   • There is one recommended fundraising file to export: 
     • List of opportunities
2. Clean up the exported data.
   • This includes adjusting formatting to best prepare for importing into NonprofitCore.
3. Import the data into your NonprofitCore Sandbox site.
   • Using the in-system tool, import the data into your NonprofitCore Sandbox site. 
4. Validate the imported data.
   • Iterate and adjust if necessary based on any issues you find when validating the data.
5. Import the finalized data into your NonprofitCore Live site. 

Select a Timeframe

Another important component to consider is when you plan to do your fundraising migration. In order to select a timeframe, the following questions can be a starting point: 

• When does your current fundraising software contract (and potentially any other related software contracts) end?
  • This is especially important to consider if you're using a hosted software as you might lose access to your data when your contract expires.  
• Is there a slower time of year for your nonprofit that could be ideal for a migration?
  • Consider migrating at a time that won't conflict with big fundraising events, grant application deadlines, etc. 

Prepare for Migration: Questions to Consider

In addition to identifying a timeframe for your fundraising migration, there are a few other questions to consider as you prepare. 

• How many systems are you currently using for fundraising, and from which systems do you want to migrate data?
  • If your fundraising data isn't currently housed in a formal system, start compiling lists of your events, upcoming grants, etc. 
• Do you want to clean up your fundraising data in your current system(s) prior to migrating the data? 
• What types of reports do you use regularly?
  • Identifying the most important types of reports from your current system can help you make set up decisions in NonprofitCore and might help you make decisions about the data you choose to migrate. 
  • Consider what information you bring to your board and what types of analysis you want to be able to perform. 
• In addition to the standard fields (listed below for reference), which fields do you want to track with your opportunities in NonprofitCore? 
  • Standard opportunity fields include the following:
    • Name

    • Description

    • Type

    • Status

    • Amount

    • Due Date

  • Consider what other information you'd like to know about your profiles, and information that you typically report on for individuals/organizations/households. Custom fields can be added in NonprofitCore to capture that information, so it's helpful to consider this as you set up your site and migrate data. 
• What types and status do you need for managing opportunities? 
  • These are customizable, so consider the opportunity type(s) and status(es) needed to manage your opportunities. 

Once you've identified your timeline for the migration and have finished other preparations, the next step is to export fundraising data from your current system(s).