Importing leads and keeping BOTH field values

[Anonymous]

Help!  Is there any way to import leads into Marketo with more advanced conditional logic than the advanced import has by default (I am a user with full access to all user privileges).  Here's what I want to do:

If a lead:

1) already exists and has a comment value, the imported comment value is added on to the existing value, so now both values live in that single field

2) already exists and has a lead owner first name value, the imported value replaces the existing value. 

3a) already exists and has a lead status value, the imported comment value does NOT replace the previous value

3b) already exists and has no lead status value (empty), the imported value replaces the empty value

4) does not exist, a new lead is created

I want to do this with a single import - which would require me to be allowed to set special logic for each field (rather than simply mapping import fields to Marketo fields)

Is there any way to do this within Marketo without an add-on like RingLead?  I bump up against a huge time-waster like this every time I want to run an import.

Thanks,

Ryan

[Anonymous]

PS: RingLead would help somewhat, but also not accomplish nearly the depth of logic that I need to make these imports intelligent.

[SanfordWhiteman]

The concatenation ain't gonna happen during the import.  But you can use a flow step to create a history field that is your operative Comment field, using the imported field as LastComment.  Set {{Lead.AllComments}} = {{Lead.LastComment}}{{LeadAllComments}}

[Anonymous]

Hi Sanford, are saying that this method would allow me to see both current comments (field 1) and previous comments (field 2) by looking at two fields?  Or are you saying that this somehow allows me to concatenate them into a single field?

Additionally, is it possible on import to decide which fields overwrite existing field values (when present) and which ones do not?

Thanks Sanford! 

[SanfordWhiteman]

You can concatenate them both using a Change Data Value flow step: {{lead.token1}}{{lead.token2}}.

For the overwrite rules it sounds like you want to block some field updates (in Field Management) and then unblock them after your import. It wouldn't be on a per-import basis.

[Anonymous]

For the overwrite, I am hoping to block some fields only if the existing lead already have a field value there, and otherwise use the import value.

[SanfordWhiteman]

Yes, blocking field updates refers to empty vs. filled fields.

[SanfordWhiteman]

Also: the product support section is the Products space, not the Champions space.  Champions is for discussing the Champions program (honestly it should not have its own discussion space because it is only misused).

[Joe_Reitz]

I think I'm going to make it a regular part of any future Nation Talk to say "Please post discussions and questions in the appropriate place on Community, lest we give poor Sanford & Greg aneurisms."