Exporting Historic Data from DonorPerfect

Easy steps on how to export contact and donation information from DonorPerfect.

Updated over a week ago

The Bonterra Data Import Team strongly recommends that you export or download all data from your former donor management system, whether or not you ultimately decide to send your files to Bonterra for assistance in the importing process. This allows you to have a complete archive of your former system, in the event that a field is overlooked during the import process.

The easiest way to prepare your data from DonorPerfect for transfer into Donor Management is to use the "Listings" feature.

This area of DonorPerfect allows you to export multiple types of data in an easy-to-read format, which also captures information from the both most common fields - to those important custom fields that you've created for your data. 

For our purposes, you will be pulling at minimum two separate reports. The first will be the "Main/Bio Listing" report, to grab all contact information - and the second will be the "Gift/Pledge Transactions Listing" report, to get your donation information.

NOTE: No matter which Listing report you create, you will always want to have the "Constituent" or "Donor ID" included in your exports. This limits duplicates, as well as ensures we can connect information across multiple files.

Main/Bio Listing

  • First, click "Report", then click "Reports Center."

  • Click Listings.

  • Under "Step 1 - Select a Report", select the last option listed - "Export to File".

  • An Export Type box will then appear on your screen.

  • Select the Export Type "Main/Bio Data".

  • In "Step 2 - Select Report Options", select the "Include NO MAIL Names" and "Export to Excel (CSV)" options.

  • Leave all other boxes unchecked.

  • In the "Export" template section, click the button to "Add New Template." That allows you to select all fields that you need to track in your contact records.

  • Leave all pre-selected fields as-is, but feel free to include additional fields if applicable to your organization. Examples may include:

    • Middle Name

    • Address Type

    • Country

    • "Do Not Call"

    • "Do Not Email"

    • "Do Not Solicit"

    • Donor Type

    • Email Status

    • Gender

    • Narrative (Notes)

    • Spouse Information

    • Website

  • Click the "Export to File" button.

  • Choose the "Save" option to save the data file to your computer and place it in an easy to access location, such as your Desktop. 

Gift/Pledge Transactions Listing

To generate the Gift/Pledge Transactions listing, please repeat the above steps, but select "Gift/Pledge Transactions" for the "Export Type".

You will see that with this "Listing" selection, you will be able to specify a "Date Range". Be sure you select a range that encompasses the full giving history that you've recorded in DonorPerfect.

Additionally, when exporting Gift/Pledge Transactions, be sure to add a new template as well - and include all fields that you need to track in the donation records moving forward.

Be sure to leave all pre-selected fields as-is, and include the following fields as well:

  • Gift ID

  • Record Type

You may also include additional fields if applicable to your organization, such as:

  • Campaign

  • Fair Market Value

  • GL Code

  • Notes

  • Check Number

  • Check Date

If your organization has pledges or soft credits, check the box to "Include Linked Gifts." If you check this box, you also must include the field "Record Type" in your report.

Pledges require these additional fields:

  • P-link

  • Pledge End Date

  • Frequency

  • Balance

Soft Credits require this additional field:

  • G-link

If your organization has Tributes, you will require these additional fields:

  • Tribute Name

  • Tribute Type

  • In Honor/In Memory Of

Additional Listings

If you have tracked additional data fields in DonorPerfect, you may need to export additional Listings, to ensure you have the most complete data possible.

For example, if you tracked donor notes, you'll want to export the "Other Info Transactions" Listing. If you tracked multiple addresses, export the "Other Address Transactions" Listing.

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