---
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title: Batch Import Overview
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/sfdo/264-0-0/npsp_batch_import_overview.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.npsp_batch_import_overview.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 239fa6d0564c81981a41dbebcaf140439cce8c5238ca6200a138db55669a5e7a
description: The ability to import data in batches can be very useful. Batch Data Import allows you to have different groups of data import records that you want to process differently, using their own set of unique configuration options (instead of using the default settings).
products:
  - Nonprofit
release: "264"
---
# Batch Import Overview

The ability to import data in batches can be very useful. Batch Data Import allows you to have different groups of data import records that you want to process differently, using their own set of unique configuration options (instead of using the default settings).

In addition, if you set up and activated a batch number format, all Opportunities and Payments associated with this batch will include the batch number in the Batch Number field. Learn more in [Configure Batch Numbers for Donations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.npsp_configure_batch_numbers.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "For audit purposes, use auto-generated batch numbers to track Opportunity and Payment records created in batches.").

In these articles, we'll tell you how to set up the Batch Data Import feature, give you a sample use case, and show you how to process a batch data import, both manually and automatically using a scheduled job. These are the articles about using the Batch Data Import feature:

- [Create a Batch](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.npsp_create_batch.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "First, you need to define the configuration that will be used on only a selected set of records. To illustrate an example, we will create a batch for the upcoming event (that we mentioned earlier).")
- [Create NPSP Data Import Records Connected to a Batch](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.npsp_create_batch_records.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "After you create a batch, upload your data import file to create the data import records for the batch.")
- [Process an NPSP Data Import Batch](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.npsp_process_batch_parent.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Learn how to process a batch using NPSP Data Importer and what the different batch statuses mean.")
- [Schedule a Batch](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.npsp_schedule_batch.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Now that you'll be regularly uploading files, you don't want to worry about manually processing them. This is really useful for cases like the upcoming event signup example, where you have signups coming in at different times, and you want to regularly upload the new signups.")

If this is your first time using NPSP Data Import Batches, take a moment to run through the instructions in [Configure NPSP Data Importer](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.npsp_data_importer.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Prepare your organization for importing data from spreadsheets by following these NPSP Data Importer set up instructions.").

- **[Sample Use Case](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sfdo.npsp_batch_import_overview.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Each time you run the NPSP Data Importer, all unprocessed records are evaluated using the default configuration settings. So, if you have records that require different matching or other configurations, you have to reset the configuration options each time and ensure only the appropriate records are ready to be imported.

## Sample Use Case

Each time you run the NPSP Data Importer, all unprocessed records are evaluated using the default configuration settings. So, if you have records that require different matching or other configurations, you have to reset the configuration options each time and ensure only the appropriate records are ready to be imported.

The NPSP Data Import tab works well if you're importing a CSV file with records from the same source that require the same Contact and Donation matching, and you want to process all those records right away.

But now, imagine you have an event for which you're importing spreadsheets of signups on a regular basis. You want to match these records by first name, last name, and email address. You also have a different integration for which you're frequently importing opportunities that match against a specific Contact Unique ID field and you want to be sure that they always match existing Opportunities (so you're not creating duplicate records). On top of all that, it would be so helpful to automatically process those records without having to reset the configuration. It is very time consuming to have to adjust the default configuration options and process the records each time you import new records for these two very different scenarios.

With the NPSP Data Import Batch object, you can create a batch for importing the signup spreadsheets with the configuration options set to match against the first name, last name, and email fields on a Contact. Then, you can create another batch for your Opportunities with the configuration options set to match against the Contact Unique ID field and Single Match Donation Matching rule, and set up the batch to process automatically using a scheduled job. Then, when you want to import records, you just have to select the right batch record for that row in your spreadsheet, and the configuration options are automatically set to the right values when that batch is processed.