Classic Template Converter

For your convenience, we have included a tool that will convert your templates from Importacular Classic into ones that you can use with Importacular NXT. This Classic Template Converter allows you to attach an exported templates from Importacular Classic and ‘import’ it into Importacular NXT. Before you do so, you might need to prepare your Classic Template before you Export it into a XML file.

Preperation

Importacular Classic has three different types for Data Transformations: Local Transformations, Organisation Transformation and Global Transformations.

Organisational and Global Transformations are both Cloud-based and are featured across Importacular Classic and Importacular NXT.

Local Transformations are transformations that exist only within the template itself and as such are stored locally. Since Importacular NXT is cloud-based, the concept of a locally stored data transformation does not exist. With this in mind, in 2025 we introduced a new tool in Importacular Classic that allows users to convert local transformations into ‘Organisational Transformations’ and automatically replaces the local transformation in the template to the Organisational one. The new tool is found within the Template Manager of Importacular Classic. Simply select the template you want to use, head to the File top menu and select ‘Convert transformations to Cloud’. A window will appear that takes you through the steps and options available to you.

Once any local transformations have been converted and/or replaced, export the Template. You can do this from within the Template Manager by making sure the template is selected, then heading to the File top menu and selecting ‘Export Selected Template’.

Next, make sure you have a suitable sample of the data is associated with your template at the ready.

Using the Classic Template Converter

Once you have a Classic Template prepared and exported, head to Importacular NXT and the Template Manager. On the top right of the screen is the button to the Classic Template Converter

Clicking this will open up a new window with a message encouraging you to convert local transformations. It also highlights that templates which contain mapping to fields, areas and data destination not currently supported by RE Webview or Importacular NXT will be processed, but the affected areas will be ignored. At present, Importacular NXT offers the following:

Constituent Data Destination with associated Area Mappings (excluding Notepad)
Contact Data Destination with associated Area Mapping (excluding Address Custom Fields)
Gift Data Destination with associated Area Mappings for One-Time Gifts, Pledge Schedules and Pledge Payments
Gift Batching Option
Action Data Destination with associated Area Mappings
Education Data Destination with associated Area Mappings

Again, if your Classic Template contains any Data Destination Area Mappings outside of what is listed above, the template will be converted but these areas will be ignored.

Once converted, you may get a list of Errors or Warnings. After taking a note of these you will then be taken to the Template Builder. The name of the Template will be pre-populated, but feel free to rename it.

Next, you will need to attach your sample data to the template. This should contain a couple of records for you to import and test with. Once attached, head to the next stage for a review of what was converted and address any of the warnings and errors that were presented.

When you are ready, head to the next step and check that your Criteria Sets have converted over as expected to Record Lookups. If you have never opened a Criteria Set in your Classic template and just used the default ones, you will need to create your own Record Lookup to work with. If you need to do this, you can exit the template builder to go to the Record Lookup Manager and your template will be saved.

Once a Record Lookup has been selected, you can then head to the next step and create an import to test your new template.

Managing Errors and Warnings

As Raiser’s Edge NXT users, you will be very aware that Database View and Webview behave differently to other, offering different fields, different naming conventions and, at times, different functionality. Importacular NXT and the Classic Template Converter will account for most of these differences, but there are still areas where you will need to consider for when converting templates. These are:

When a Field or Area exists in RE Database View, but does not exist in RE Webview or vice versa

Some examples of fields and areas that differ between the two:

Address Info Source field is missing in Webview
Address Custom Fields/Attributes is missing in Webview
Constituent Code Sequence field is missing in Database view

When a Data Destination has not yet been added to Importacular NXT

Here is brief outline of when to expect future Data Destinations and related features. Do contact development@zeidman.info for an updated timeline:

Participants – End of Q1 2026
Individual and Organisation Relationships – Q2 2026
Split Gifts – Q3 2026
Solicitors/Canvassers – Q3 2026
Tributes – Q3 2026

These Data Destinations are dependant on when Blackbaud are expected to release their functionality on to Webview

Soft Credits – Q3 2026
Memberships – Q3 2026
Recurring Gift (Schedule and Payments) – Q3 2026
Prospect/proposal – Q4 2026
Volunteers – Q4 2026
Fund Relationship – Q4 2026
Bank/Financial Relationship – Unknown. Listed as not being developed by Blackbaud

When a Field or Area behaves differently in Importacular NXT compared to Importacular Classic

Primary Addressee and Salutations have their own Area Mapping in Importacular NXT with new Area Settings to consider
Consent behaves differently in Webview, so the Area Settings in Importacular NXT vary from Classic
Alias matching is simplified in Importacular NXT, with the option to select the Alias Type in the Record Lookups
Record Lookup has been streamlined with a combined Ind/Org Constituent lookup instead of two separate ones.
Most dates from incoming data sources are automatically stripped of time values. Your date formats transformations may be affected

When the Classic Template contains a ‘local’ data transformation

See above on how to prepare your template.