This article explains how to update existing transactions using the File Uploader.

Each transaction has one Payment part and one or more Allocation parts. Each of these has a transaction number. The number you usually see, e.g. on a constituent timeline, is the payment transaction number. Allocation transaction numbers can be seen via transaction lists.

You can update transactions by providing a spreadsheet containing transaction numbers and the fields you wish to update.

Updating the Payment part

You can update these fields relating to the Payment part of a transaction:

• Campaign
• Amount paid
• Payment Method
• Processing Costs
• Received
• Bank Account
• Currency * required item. Please ensure that the relevant currency for the transaction is provided
• Channel
• Reference

Updating the Allocation part

You can update these fields relating to the Allocation part of a transaction:

• Product
• Qty
• Amount Due
• Fund
• Department
• Date Due
• Accounting Date
• Comments

Updating both parts together

You can update the Payment part and the Allocation part together in two ways:

• with the Payment transaction number, if the payment has just one allocation
• with the Allocation transaction number, you can update the associated payment.

Important notes

You cannot undo updates made by the File Uploader

It is a good idea to keep a downloaded list of the transactions you plan to update. If you need to undo an update, you have the original values to apply via another update, to set the values back.

Remove any columns from the worksheet that you do not want to update

An empty cell under a column heading is interpreted as a request to clear the field in Donorfy.

Duplicate entries will cause an error

Each upload can only update a transaction once. If you include the same transaction number twice, the upload will fail.

Combining Payment and Allocation transaction numbers can cause an error

This is likely due to the previous reason - if you have the Payment and Allocation transaction numbers for the same donation, the uploader will try and update the same thing twice, which fails.

Maximum file size is 1000 rows including headers

Transactions linked to Recurring Payment Instructions:

• Transaction linked to an RPI do not have their own campaigns. They take their campaigns from the RPI
• An RPI can have more than one campaign. When an RPI is upgraded, the upgrade can have a new campaign
• If you update the campaign of a transaction linked to an RPI, all the campaigns on the RPI will be changed to the campaign you specify

Performing the update

Using the template

• Download the Donation Update Data Preparation Template
• Read the guidance text in the sheet and then remove it
• Remove any columns you don't want to update
• Insert allocation or payment transaction numbers in the TransactionNumber column
• Insert the new values you'd like these transactions to have
  (Remembering a blank cell under a column heading will clear that field on the transaction)
• Save as .xlsx and upload on the File Upload page

You will need to include the Campaign column. If you're not updating the transaction campaigns, this column should contain the transaction's current campaign.

Using a list

• Create a transaction list with the transactions and columns you'd like to update
  Ensure it contains the "Transaction Number" column
• Download the list as a spreadsheet
• Remove / rename columns that aren't in the Donation Update Data Preparation Template or which have data you don't need to update
  (You will need to keep the Campaign column even if you're not changing the campaigns)
• Remove transactions you don't need to update
• Make sure you've read the "Important notes" section above
• Save as .xlsx and upload on the File Upload page

Correcting any errors

After you upload a file Donorfy will check it. If there are problems that prevent the data in the file from being imported, a message will be displayed. To correct errors please see Fixing Problems in an Uploaded File.