Importing Interaction Data
- 16 Nov 2023
- 6 minute read
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Importing Interaction Data
- Updated 16 Nov 2023
- 6 minute read
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Important
Core data must be imported prior to importing interaction data.
Remember to include a unique ID from your external system when importing into Slate. This ID is used to match school data with the associated records in Slate.
The unique ID should be the first export column of this import.“Is this really needed?”
Consider the need before creating an interaction export from a current system. It is often unnecessary, and many organizations decide to skip this step of their current prospect data migration.
If there is a need for interactions from an old system, focus on exporting only the interactions that are important to the new Slate process.
For example, importing a campus visit interaction might be a beneficial data point to have on a person's record, and critical to certain processes, while importing a viewbook mailing interaction might not.
If later it is decided that these additional data points are necessary, they can easily be imported from an external person information system at that time.
Identify Source Code Interactions
Remember that Slate automatically stores form submissions, event registrations, and uploaded dataset information as a Source code on the interactions tab on a person's timeline. For example, during the uploads that have taken place during this process (such as the core, qualitative, school, and score data uploads for prospects), each particular upload has generated a new Source code interaction on the timeline.
However, external information systems might have other interaction codes listed on prospect records that would also be useful Source code interactions to log within Slate. For instance, within Slate if a prospect were to register for a campus visit, this registration automatically appears on that person's timeline. However, what about past event registrations? This is where "historical" interaction codes can come in handy.
Make a Historical Interaction
Again, registrations can only be created if the form of the event exists in Slate, so taking the time to create Slate registrations for each and every prospect can be a time consuming process. Therefore, a recommended best practice to create a new historical interaction that enables users to migrate these past interactions into Slate in a more efficient manner.
Make "Historical Interaction" the parent code in the interactions area of Slate:
Select Database on the top navigation bar and select Activity & Interaction Codes.
Select Insert.
Enter the following configurations:
Status: Set to Active.
Folder: Keep your codes organized by putting them in a folder. Select Other to create a new folder.
Type: Set to Interaction.
Code: Set the code to historical.
Parent Code: Leave blank.
Label: The label is display name that appears when mapping data to this code. Make the label Historical Interaction.
Export Code: Leave blank.
Score: Leave blank.
Custom Permission: Leave blank.
Show in Reader: Leave set to No for now.
Once complete, it is now possible to add additional interactions with the historical code as the parent code. For example, there may be a need to make a historical interaction subcode to specifically store events from an external information system.
Additionally, there may be a need to make a historical interaction subcode to store form submissions.
Tip
Use batch import! Have a lot of historical interactions that need to be added? Remember it's possible to use the batch interaction management process to quickly add all historical interactions in one upload.
Exporting Interaction Data from an External System
Once the appropriate interaction codes are available or have been created in Slate, export interaction data from an external system using this recommended format.
Unique | Int 1 | Int 1 | Int 1 | Int 2 | Int 2 | Int 2 |
653451 | 3/2/2018 | VISIT | Campus Visit | 6/14/2016 | INT | Interview |
854278 | 2/14/2019 | INT | Interview |
|
|
|
324786 | 1/10/2019 | Viewbook | 3/1/2017 | VISIT | Campus Visit | |
147934 | 4/23/2018 | INT | Interview | 2/1/2017 | Viewbook |
Important
Remember unique ID! Remember to make the first export column the unique ID used to identify records in an external system.
Now that core data has been uploaded with this ID, Slate can match interaction data with the associated Slate records.
Reserve the first column of the interaction data export for the unique ID. The interaction data export must include:
REQUIRED EXPORT COLUMNS: | |
Unique ID | Interaction Code |
Consider adding these exports as well:
REQUIRED EXPORT COLUMNS FOR INTERACTION MATCHING: | ||
Interaction Date | Subject | User |
Interaction Private Comments | Interaction Public Comments |
|
Important
No date = import date! If no interaction date column is included, the import automatically uses the date the import was executed as the interaction date.
Importing Interaction Data from an External System
Fields Stage
Interaction data will be mapped to Slate destinations under the Interaction category.
Since it's possible to import more than one interaction at a time, it is important to group interaction data by selecting a group number. For example, if importing data for two separate interactions, identify the export columns that belong to interaction 1 and the export columns that belong to interaction 2.
Int 1 Date | Int 1 Code | Int 1 Subject | Int 2 Date | Int 2 Code | Int 2 Subject |
3/2/2018 | VISIT | Campus Visit | 6/14/2018 | INT | Interview |
2/14/2019 | INT | Interview |
|
|
|
Interaction 1 Information | Interaction 2 Information | ||||
Best Practice
It is important to clearly identify column names for interaction data, especially if importing data for more than one interaction.
Users should be able to quickly know if a data column is associated with interaction 1, 2, 3, etc.
Having clear column names help setting destinations in Slate more effectively and help recognizing and organizing groups.
Define how interaction data is grouped by selecting a group number.
Important
Give data items imported for the first interaction a group number of 1.
Give data items imported for the second interaction a group number of 2.
Group numbers will display in the destination column as work continues through the Fields Stage:
Source = sample value | Destination |
|
Unique ID = 653451 | Fields Details - Campus ID | Remember to set the proper destination for the unique ID so Slate can match this data with the correct records. |
Int 1 Date = 3/2/2018 | Interaction Interaction: Date | These fields are associated with interaction #1. |
Int 1 Code = Visit | Interaction Interaction: Code | |
Int 1 Subject = Campus Visit | Interaction Interaction: Subject | |
Int 1 Public Comments = Attended | Interaction Interaction: Public Comments | |
Int 2 Date = 6/14/2018 | Interaction #2 Interaction: Date | These fields are associated with interaction #2. |
Int 2 Code = INT | Interaction #2 Interaction: Code | |
Int 2 Subject = Interview | Interaction #2 Interaction: Subject | |
Int 2 Public Comments = No Show | Interaction #2 Interaction: Public Comments | |
Int 3 Date = 7/1/2019 | Interaction #3 Interaction: Date | These fields are associated with interaction #3. |
Int 3 Code = MAIL | Interaction #3 Interaction: Code | |
Int 3 Subject = Viewbook | Interaction #3 Interaction: Subject | |
Int 3 Public Comments = Region 1 | Interaction #3 Interaction: Public Comments |
Value Mappings
Review Stage
Proceed to the Review Stage once satisfied with the Field and Value mapping configurations. Be sure to double check any Pre-Flight Check errors that may appear to ensure that data imports correctly.
When ready, click Run Import and Slate will then import the data file to the records imported during the core data import, matching on records with the unique field value.
Historical Form / Event Registration
While creating a historical interaction code can be an effective way to quickly organize and import a lot of interaction data coming from an existing information system, it is also possible to import registration information directly to corresponding forms in Slate.
For example, an external system may possess registration information for an upcoming campus visit event. However, it is also possible to store this registration data in Slate provided the event has been created in Slate first. Once the event has been created, export the unique IDs for persons who registered for the event and then insert static values when importing this data into Slate. For this, add two separate static mappings.
Static Mapping 1:
Select Form/Event Registration.
Select Form Title.
Select the appropriate event. Keep in mind forms are displayed in the format:
Folder - Date - Name of form
Static Mapping 2:
Select Form/Event Registration.
Select Form Registration Status.
Select the appropriate registration status.
Remember that all records in the import will get this value added to their record.
All records included in the import will have the following interaction added to their interaction tab after executing the data import:
Historical Statuses
Can historical prospect statuses be imported?”
Yes! Using the Status History destinations, historical prospect statuses can be imported. Using the same process as detailed above for interactions, export historical prospect statuses and a unique ID.
Unique ID | Status 1 | Status 1 Date | Status 2 | Status 2 Date |
653451 | Prospect | 6/14/2018 | Inquiry | 6/15/2018 |
854278 | Prospect | 1/17/2019 |
|
|
324786 | Prospect | 6/25/2018 | Inquiry | 7/10/2018 |
147934 | Prospect | 3/5/2019 |
|
|
Map the Status to Status History: Status and the Status Date to Status History: Timestamp. Make sure that each status uses the same group number as the corresponding status date.
And don't forget to set the value mappings for the statuses!
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