How to import a segmented contact database and recreate groups?

Springly lets you import an already-segmented contact database and recreate that segmentation as groups. This article is for administrators getting started on Springly with a database from another tool. The method relies on a temporary Custom Field: this field carries the segmentation information during the import, then is used to assign contacts to groups.

Simple group or dynamic group? A simple group (also called a fixed group) is populated manually, one person at a time — which is the case here, since you're replicating a segmentation already established in your previous tool. A dynamic group populates and depopulates automatically based on criteria you define. For this import, create simple groups only. How simple groups work.

• 1. Recreate your groups in Springly
• 2. Create Custom Fields for segmentation
• 3. Check your Excel file before importing
• 4. Import the Excel file
• 5. Bulk-assign contacts to groups

Example used in this article, for the fictional nonprofit My Nonprofit 123:

• we want to import 7 persons,
• we have 2 groups: A and B,
• persons belong to Group A, Group B, both, or neither.

In this example, persons were added to groups manually in the tool used before Springly. These are therefore not dynamic groups, which populate and depopulate automatically based on assignment criteria.

1. Recreate your groups in Springly

Go to Community > Groups, click New Group, and follow the on-screen steps.

Create simple groups, not dynamic groups. Name each group, then save.

For our example: Group A and Group B.

The groups you created now appear in the list on the Groups page.

2. Create Custom Fields for segmentation

Go to Settings > Community > Customize Fields, and add a Custom Field of type Multiple choice that includes the names of your groups.

Save the Custom Field. This field is used for the import only — it will be deleted at the end of the process.

For our example:

The Custom Field now appears on each contact's profile, visible to administrators.

3. Check your Excel file before importing

The quality of your file depends on the software you used before Springly. This formatting must be done in your Excel file before importing — Springly does not generate it automatically.

The quality of your file depends on the software you used before Springly. If this formatting takes some time, that is not something Springly can control.

If a person belongs to multiple groups, separate the group names with the "|" character, as shown for person 2 in the example table.

For our example:

4. Import the Excel file

Go to Community > Contacts, click Add, then Import persons.

Simply follow the on-screen instructions. Once the import is complete, the imported persons will appear under Community > Contacts.

5. Bulk-assign contacts to groups

Your imported persons are now available under Community > Contacts. All that's left is to assign them to the groups you created:

1. Run an advanced search filtering by the Custom Field you created for the import.
2. Select the persons returned by the results.
3. Click Add to a group, select the group, and confirm.

For our example:

The selected contacts now appear in the chosen group.

Once you're done, you can:

• Browse each group under Community > Groups to verify its members.
• Delete the Custom Field you created for this import, so it doesn't clutter your contact records.

Your previous tool's segmentation is now replicated in Springly as groups. From there, you can send targeted email campaigns to these groups.

Learn more: 

• Everything you need to know about group management
• How standard groups work
• Create and send an email campaign