The organization contacts dataset is pre-delivered with custom fields for phone and email (legacy), in addition to the standard device table. The current best practice is to inactivate the custom phone field, convert the custom email field into a unique-for-merging field (as outlined in the Organization Contacts Dataset Overview article), and use the device table to store email addresses and phone numbers for organization contacts. If the custom phone and email fields are currently in use, migrate existing data from these fields to the device table.

Is migrating to the device table required?

Leveraging the device table is not required, however using the device table is recommended because email communications sent to the appropriate organization contacts device are displayed on the dataset record timeline. This is not possible with the legacy custom fields for phone and email.

Export the data to be migrated

First you’ll need to export the data.

1. Create a new query on the Organization Contacts base and include the following exports:

   • Organization Contact GUID

   • Organization Contacts Phone

   • Organization Contacts Email

   

2. Optionally, filters may be used to limit the results only to records that have data in at least one of the custom fields.

3. Run the query.

4. From the Output list, select Excel Spreadsheet and press Export.

Import the data to device destinations

Now that you have your exported data, it is time to re-import it:

1. Select Database from the main navigation.

2. Under Import and Data Processing, open Sources / Upload Dataset.

3. Select Upload Dataset to begin a new upload. Configure the following:

   • File Format: Set to New Spreadsheet/Data File.

   • File Type: select Excel Spreadsheet to match the exported format.

   • Destination Scope: Set to Person/Dataset Record.

   • Record Type: Set to Organization Contacts.

   • Update Only: Check to indicate that yes, the imported file should not create new records and should only update existing records.

4. Select Add Files and choose the Excel file previously exported, then select Upload.

5. Select Build Import.

6. Under Field Mappings, set the import destinations as follows:

   • GUID: Set destination to Record: Row Slate GUID Matching Only.

   • Phone: Set destination to Device: Device - Value. Leave Group set to 1 (default).

   • Email: Set destination to Device: Device Value. Change Group to 2. This is to ensure that the phone and email device mappings are each associated with a distinct group.

   

7. Under Static Mappings, select New Static Mapping, and add the following to correctly set the device type corresponding to each of the device groups in the previous step.

   • For Phone:

     • Destination: Device: Device - Type

     • Group: 1

     • Value: Primary Phone

   • For Email:

     • Destination: Device: Device - Type

     • Group: 2

     • Value: Email Address

     

8. Now that the import mapping is complete, navigate to Review & Run Import and select Run Import.

Auditing and Converting Resources Using the Custom Fields

Once the data from the custom phone and email fields has been migrated to the Slate standard device table, it is important to take inventory of all of the places in Slate that used the custom fields and should now use the device table.

If using the custom email field as a unique for merging field, continue to map to this field on forms and source formats in addition to mapping to the device table. This process is outlined in the Organization Contact New Record Form article.

Both the device type and the device value system fields must exist for Slate to create or match on an existing email or phone entry on the device table:

Use the following checklist to audit and replace the custom phone and email organization contact fields with the standard device table fields:

• Active New Record Form

• Active Data Entry Forms

• Active Event Forms

• Active Recipient Lists in Deliver Mailings

• Record Tabs

• Dashboards

• Dataset Row Query displayed on Organization records

• Queries

• Reports

• Source Formats

Inactivate the fields

Once a field is no longer being used, it should be inactivated to prevent use going forward. Inactive fields do not appear as new mapping destinations on forms on source imports, and corresponding exports/filters will not be available to add to new queries.

1. Select Database from the main navigation.

2. Under Records and Datasets, select Fields.

3. Locate the custom field that is no longer needed, edit and set Status to Inactive.

If you intend to use the custom email field as a unique for merging field going forward, this filed will need to remain active—however, we encourage removing the custom email field from any tabs on the organization contacts record so that this unique for merging field is only updated by rules, imports, and specific calculated actions on forms (described in Organization Contact New Record Form).

The process for establishing a unique for merging field for this dataset and creating a rule to update it from the email address stored in the device table is outlined in the Organization Contacts Dataset Overview article.

Forms

When auditing any resources that use a form (data entry forms, event forms, tabs), it is important to follow the guidelines listed below:

• Inactivate the form field for custom phone - do not delete the form field as the form response data will be lost from prior form submissions.

• Follow the recommended device mappings in the Organization Contact New Record Form article.

Queries

When auditing any resources that leverage queries (including reports, dashboards, and recipient lists), the best practice is to inactivate the exports and filters that should no longer be used rather than delete them.

Source formats

When using Upload Dataset to import organization contacts phone or email data, follow the same procedure described above under Import the data to device destinations.