Overwriting Data During Import?

[Anonymous]

I discovered that the system is overwriting data such as phone number when I am doing list imports. Is this the standard functionality? How would I not do this? I want to import phone number and populate only if field is blank and certainly dont want to overwrite the data sales has collected. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

Hi Christina,

In the admin section, go to field management, select the phone field you are concerned with overwriting.  Then select "field actions" from the menu above the main screen, select "block field updates" and then select block updates from trusted and untrusted lists if you want to block overwrites from list imports.  This will still allow blank values to be updated.

Best Regards,

Dave

[Anonymous]

Thanks Dave! Now...any way to go back in time and un-do what's been done from a recent list import?

[Dory_Viscoglio]

You might be able to contact support... or if you have SFDC, are there any audits on that field?

[Anonymous]

How many records were overwritten?  You can create a smart list using the following rules:

Member of List (use the list you imported into)
Data Value Changed
- Attribute = Phone Field (use whatever field you used)
- Date of Activity = Date the import was made
- Previous Value = "is not empty" <-- You can find the "Previous Value" field under Constraints.

This will give you a list of every field where the phone was updated from a non-null value.  From there I believe it would be a manual process.

Best Regards,

Dave
 

[Josh_Hill13]

You can use Field History in SFDC or a backup there as well.