Import Activities

The ‘Import Activities’ feature in the Contacts module of Retention CRM is a powerful tool for efficiently bringing activity data from external sources into your Retention CRM system. This is particularly beneficial in effective contact management for associations, chambers and nonprofits that deal with a high volume of interactions with members, volunteers, and other stakeholders.

Here’s a breakdown of the feature and its options, along with a hypothetical scenario for a nursing association:

General Functionality of ‘Import Activities’ Feature

The Import Activities Wizard streamlines the process of uploading activity records from spreadsheets or other applications into Retention CRM. This allows you to:

• Consolidate data: Merge activity information from various sources into a central location, improving data organization and accessibility.
• Save time: Eliminate manual data entry for recurring activities, freeing up staff for more strategic tasks.
• Improve accuracy: Reduce errors by importing verified data sets instead of manually entering each detail.

Using ‘Import Activities’ in Association Management

Let’s imagine the Evergreen Nursing Association (ENA) wants to import activity data related to member interactions. They’ve been capturing this information in a spreadsheet, including details like:

• Date: Interaction date (e.g., appointment, phone call, webinar attendance)
• Contact: ENA member name
• Activity Type: Meeting, Phone Call, Event Attendance
• Subject: Discussion topic or event name
• Notes: Brief summary of the interaction

Using the Import Activities Wizard

1. Upload Data (Step 1 of 3):
   • Choose Data Source: Select “Upload CSV File”
   • Import Data File: Browse and upload the ENA’s spreadsheet containing member interaction data.
   • Import Field Separator: Choose the appropriate separator used in the CSV file (e.g., comma)
   • Date Format: Select the format that matches the dates in the spreadsheet (e.g., yyyy-mm-dd)
   • Saved Field Mapping: Leave this blank for now (it can be used for future imports from similar sources)
2. Match Fields (Step 2 of 3):
   • Retention CRM displays the first two rows of the uploaded spreadsheet.
   • In the right-hand column, map each data column in the spreadsheet (e.g., “Date”, “Contact”, “Activity Type”) to the corresponding Retention CRM field using the dropdown menu (e.g., “Activity Date”, “Contact ID”, “Activity Type”).
   • For any irrelevant columns in the spreadsheet, choose “- do not import -“.
3. Preview (Step 3 of 3):
   • Retention CRM displays a preview of how the imported data will look within the system.
   • Review the data mapping and make any necessary corrections.
   • If satisfied, proceed with the import.

Benefits for the ENA

• By importing this data, the ENA gets a comprehensive record of member interactions within Retention CRM. This allows them to:
  • Track individual member engagement levels.
  • Identify areas for improvement in member communication and support.
  • Segment member communication based on their activity history.

Additional Considerations

• Activities in Retention CRM need to be linked to existing contacts. So, it’s recommended to import your contact data first (if not already in Retention CRM) and ensure proper matching during the activity import.
• Before importing your entire dataset, try with a small sample to identify and fix any potential issues with formatting or field mapping.
• Ensure the data source is accurate and reliable before importing.
• Standardize data formats (dates, names) for smooth import.
• Consider using the “Saved Field Mapping” feature if you plan to import similar data sets regularly.

By effectively utilizing the Import Activities feature, the ENA can save time, gain valuable insights, and strengthen member relationships.

More Use Cases for Associations

Merging Data from a Membership Management Platform (MMP)

An association might have switched from a dedicated MMP to Retention CRM for managing members. Importing activity data like membership renewals, event registrations, or volunteer sign-ups from the old MMP into Retention CRM allows them to consolidate their entire member history in one place. This creates a more complete picture of each member’s engagement with the association.

Integrating Event Data

An association might use a separate event management software for running events. Importing activity data related to event participation (registrations, attendance, feedback) into Retention CRM allows them to track member involvement in events alongside their other interactions with the association. This can help identify trends in member engagement and tailor future events accordingly.

On-boarding New Data

An association might be starting fresh with Retention CRM or integrating data from multiple sources. Importing historical activity data from spreadsheets or other databases allows them to populate Retention CRM with past member interactions. This data can then be used for targeted communication, personalized outreach, or analyzing member engagement over time.

With this feature, Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Nonprofits can simplify data management related to activities of your contacts i.e. members, donors and other stakeholders, and reduce the risk of losing data from the past system (the CRM system they were using, or spreadsheets) and data inconsistencies.