Summary: ChMS People makes it easy to update information for many people at once! This comprehensive guide explains how this feature works and walks you through every step of using the Update People feature, detailing how to download and format the CSV template, correctly handle preloaded data, and structure all key profile fields—including names, family IDs, phone numbers, and custom fields—for a smooth and accurate bulk import process.
Before You Begin
The "ChMS People ID" is Required: You must keep the "ChMS People ID" column in your spreadsheet. This is the unique identifier ChMS People uses to match the row to the correct person.
Deleting Columns vs. Deleting Cells: You are free to delete entire columns to exclude those fields from the update, or delete entire rows to exclude specific people. Caution: If you delete data within a specific cell (like a person's phone number), that data will be permanently deleted from their ChMS People profile when imported!
Batch Size Limit: It is highly recommended to update fewer than 1,000 profiles at a time in a single attempt. Updating more than this makes it highly likely that the update will time out.
Unsupported Fields: This file contains nearly all of the data you store for your people, but file fields and photos cannot be updated through this method.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Download the Template
Go to Global Settings in the upper right corner (Person icon) > Bulk Tasks > Update People.
Click Download Template File.
2. Make Your Changes
Open the downloaded file and begin making your data updates.
Format Date Fields: When changing date fields in Excel, the 4-digit year may automatically reformat to a 2-digit year (which can accidentally turn 1976 into 2076 when imported). To correct this, highlight your date columns and format them as Date > MM/DD/YYYY before saving.
3. Save as a CSV File
Ensure you save your document properly so your data imports correctly. Follow the steps for your specific computer:
On Windows:
Go to File > Save As.
In the dropdown menu, choose "CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (*.csv)".
Click Save.
On Mac (using Numbers):
Go to File > Export To > CSV...
Make sure "Text Encoding" is set to "Unicode (UTF-8)".
Click Next... to choose a save location and file name, then click Export.
4. Import the Updated File
Back in ChMS People, go to Global Settings in the upper right corner (Person icon) > Bulk Tasks > Update People.
Click Import Updated People.
Upload your saved CSV file. ChMS People will immediately update your people's information based on your changes!
Troubleshooting & FAQs
What happens if I delete an entire column from the spreadsheet? Deleting an entire column (e.g., the "Phone Number" column) simply tells ChMS People to ignore that field. It prevents any information in that column from being updated or overwritten.
What happens if I delete a cell's contents? The update will reflect exactly what is in the file. If you delete the contents of a specific cell (e.g., erasing John Doe's phone number but leaving the column intact), that specific piece of information will be removed from ChMS People.
Why did some of my birth years change to the future (e.g., 2076)? This happens when Excel automatically compresses 4-digit years into 2-digit years. To prevent this, ensure all date columns are strictly formatted to MM/DD/YYYY before saving your file.