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Data Import

Import Member Information

To use this process, you must first import your family data.

After you import families, you can import member data. When you imported your family information, you assigned a value to the Family Key field. This value represents the field in your previous program that differentiated between family records. For example, if your previous program had a field called "Family Number" that assigned a unique number to each family record, this is the value you selected as the family key.

Each member record must contain the same Family Key value. This links the member information with the appropriate family record that you've already imported to your PDS Office program. Each record must also have a unique member key value that represents the field in your previous program that identified each member record. For example, if your previous program had a field called "Member ID" that assigned a unique number to each member record, this is the value you should select as the member key.

How this process works: Once you identify the .csv file, you will match the values in that file with your PDS Office program fields. There are a few required fields, but other than that, you only have to enter information for the data you want to import into your program. No data is imported until you click Begin Import on the final tab. Your selections are automatically saved on each tab, so you can come back to this process at another time if needed.

You can use the Import Member Information process to import existing member data from a .csv file into your PDS Office program.

  1. On the File menu in your PDS program, click Import Data > Import Member Information.
  2. The backup dialog box displays if you haven't performed a daily backup.
    CAUTION: This process alters data. We recommend backing up your data before proceeding.
  3. Read the information about this process. If you understand and want to proceed, select the checkbox and click I Agree.
  4. The Import Member Information dialog box displays. On the File Information tab, click Browse to locate the .csv file. After you select a file and click Open, your data displays.
    Note: We strongly recommend that you include field names/headers so it's easier to select the corresponding value from the drop-down lists on other tabs.
  5. On each tab, select the appropriate values from the drop-down lists. For example, if the first column of your table is labeled "Member ID" and you want that value to be the member key, then in the Member Key drop-down list, select Member ID. For more information about fields on these tabs, refer to the related topic "Member Import Field Information".
    Note: If you have existing information in PDS and want to update or override that information with the data in your .csv file, select Advanced Options and adjust the settings on the Key/Env/ID Number and Keywords/Remarks tabs.
  6. On the final tab, before you import your data, click Pre-Import Data Check. This creates a file called "PreImportMemReport.txt" in the program's data folder.
  7. Scroll through the items you're going to import to see if you need to make any adjustments.
  8. When you're ready to import the data into your PDS Office program, click Begin Import.
  9. Once the import is complete, a summary displays. This creates a file named "MemImportReport.txt" in the program's data folder.
  10. When you're done, click Finish.

Member Import Field Information

Key/Env Number

Family Key
This value connects the member to a family record. This value should be the same Family Key value you selected in the Import Family Information process.
Member Key
This value differentiates member records from one another. For example, if your previous program had a field called "Member ID" that assigned a number to each member, select that value here. This value must be unique to each member. If your import file doesn't have this information, you must create a separate field in the file and assign a unique value to each record.
Member ID/Env Number
If your import file has a value that represents a unique member envelope number, select that value here. This number cannot be the same as the Family ID Number.
Member is Active/Inactive
Only Yes/No/True/False values are recognized. You must select either Yes or True means Active or Yes or True means Inactive, depending on how you used your previous field.
Advanced Options / Update Existing Information
Tip: If you don't have any data in your PDS Office program, you do not need to use Advanced Options.

When selected, the following advanced options display in the window:

  • Add New Records—Imports all data as new records. If you have no existing data in your PDS Office program, select this option.
  • Update Current Data ONLY - Do not add new members—If you have data in your PDS Office program and only want to update that existing data, select this option.
    CAUTION: If your import file contains records that already exist in your program and you don't select this option, duplicate records are created.
  • Update Current Data and ADD New Member record if Member Key not found—If you have data in your PDS Office program and your import file contains updated information as well as new information, select this option. A new record is added if the family/member key isn't found.

If your import file contains blank values for some fields, you can choose how those affect existing data:

  • Do not affect existing data—Skips over any blank values in your import file, and leaves the existing data in PDS as it is.
  • Clear existing values—Sees blank values in your import file, and overwrites any existing data in that field with the blank value.

If your import file contains information that you want to add to the existing data in your Office program, you must match the values in the file with the record in PDS. Select an option to indicate which value you want matched with existing PDS records:

  • Use the Family Import Key to match members to families—Match members to family records using the value you selected as the Family Key.
  • Use the Family ID/Env Number to match members to families—During the Import Family Information process, if you selected Use the PDS Fam ID/Envelope Number to match families, select this option when importing member data.
  • Use the PDS Family Unique ID Number (exported from PDS) to match members to families—Match members to family records using the unique, internal number Fam Unique ID assigned to each family by PDS. If you select this option, you must use an export report with the Family Unique ID field as your import file.

Select an option to indicate what value you want matched with existing PDS member records:

  • Use the Member Import Key to update members—Update member records using the value you selected as the Member Key.
  • Use the PDS Member Unique ID Number (exported from PDS) to update—Update member records using the unique, internal number Mem Unique ID assigned to each member by PDS. If you select this option, you must use an export report with the Member Unique ID field as your import file.

Name/Details

Birth Date and Deceased Date
Only dates formatted as MM/DD/YYYY are recognized.

User Keywords

If your previous program contained user-defined keyword lists, you can import them. The first three keywords are already defined in PDS Office programs. Select the corresponding values for Religion, Special Needs, and Occupation in the drop-down lists.

Screen Labels and Data
Under Screen Labels, enter the keyword list name that exists in your program. For example, if your previous program had keywords for school district, in one of the keyword fields, enter "School District". Then, in the Data drop-down list, select the corresponding value.

Phone

Default Area Code
Enter a default area code for any imported records that don't contain the phone area code information.
Phone 1, Phone 2, and Phone 3
Each Phone section represents a type of phone number. For example, Phone 1 can represent a member's home phone number, Phone 2 can represent a cell phone number, and Phone 3 can represent a fax number.
Unlisted
Is this phone number unlisted or private? Only Yes/No/True/False values are recognized.
Description
Select a value from either the first Description drop-down list or the second one based on the following:
  • From Import File—If your import file has separate columns for each type of phone number, select the value from the first Description drop-down list. For example, if you want the Phone 1 section to represent the member's home phone, from the first drop-down list, select the value that corresponds to the home phone number.
  • From PDS List—If you have phone description keywords set up in PDS Office, select the value from the second Description drop-down list.

Email

Email 1, Email 2, and Email 3
Each Email section represents a type of email address. For example, Email 1 can represent a member's personal email, Email 2 can represent a work email, and so on.
Preferred
Does the member prefer email over other communication? Only Yes/No/True/False values are recognized.
Unlisted
Is this email address unlisted or private? Only Yes/No/True/False values are recognized.
Description
Select a value from either the first Description drop-down list or the second one based on the following:
  • Assign Import File Email Desc—If your import file has separate columns for each type of email address, select the value from the first Description drop-down list. For example, if you want the Email 1 section to represent the member's personal email, from the first drop-down list, select the value that corresponds to the personal email address.
  • Assign PDS Email Desc—If you have email description keywords set up in PDS Office, select the value from the second drop-down list.

Keywords/Remarks

Member Keywords
If you have a member keyword field with a Yes/No/True/False value, you must enter a corresponding description. For example, if "Yes" describes a school member, then enter "School Member" in the Description field. This way, a keyword of "School Member: Yes" or "School Member: No" imports into your PDS Office program. The Description field is limited to 31 characters.
Member Pictures
Make sure that the picture file is in the appropriate folder in order for it to display in your PDS Office program. We recommend that you store picture files in a shared folder, such as X:\PDSOffice\Pictures.
Advanced Options
Tip: If you don't have any data in your PDS Office program, you do not need to use Advanced Options.
When selected, the following advanced options display in the window:
  • Add to existing remarks—Keeps any existing remarks, and adds any remarks from your import file.
  • Replace current remarks with this content—Removes any existing remarks, and adds the remarks from your import file.
  • Replace current remarks OR delete current remarks—If your import file contains remarks, they replace the existing remarks in the program. If your file doesn't contain remarks, the existing remarks in the program are deleted.
Church Office
Formation Office

Last updated: March 4, 2026

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