How would I send our staff a monthly TntConnect DataSync file?: Revision #49

This document describes how you can take data from your organization's donation system and package it in a way that is compatible with TntConnect.  The file you create is called a TntConnect DataSync file.  It might require technical skills to create this file.  This a file you could send via email to your staff.

The downside to the DataSync file approach is that it takes extra work on the part of the staff to import them, and it might introduce security issues by sending sensitive donor data over email.  A much better approach for delivering donation data is DonorHub Online.  This is a cloud-based service fully managed by TntWare that makes this process seamless for the staff.  It's also much easier for the accounting team back in the office.  Plus, DonorHub Online can deliver donation data to many other support raising tools as well, such as MPDX, Karani or DonorElf.

If you'd like to learn more about how DonorHub Online can help you become compatible more quickly:
  Ask us about DonorHub Online.  

Once you are TntConnect-compatible, your staff will be able to use TntConnect to connect to your system to:

• Download contribution details
• Download names and addresses of donors
• Be notified of their staff account balance

Not only will your staff be able to use these features, but their application will be branded with your organization's logo.  Also, while they are using the "Web Input" features of TntConnect, you can display your own advertisement/announcement banner.

This is an example of the logo you can provide:

This is an example of the advertising banner you can provide:

Example of a DataSync file:

Here's a sample of a DataSync file (with the required ".tntdatasync" file name extension):
https://download.tntware.com/tntconnect/sample_data_sync_file/sample.tntdatasync

Technical Details

A TntConnect DataSync file has the file name extension *.tntdatasync.  So for example you may send your staff a file called "January2002.tntdatasync".  TntConnect recognizes this file format which makes it incredibly easy for your staff to get started.  All they need to do is double-click the file and open it.  Since *.tntdatasyncis a registered filename extension, Windows will tell TntConnect to open it.

The DataSync file is synchronized with the currently opened database.  Because the data is synchronized, you can input the file several times into the same database without duplicating data in the database.

The DataSync file has up to three sections.  The sections are:

• [ORGANIZATION]
• [DONORS]
• [GIFTS]. 

<future> Supported sections might also include (to be described later): 

• [APPLICATION]
• [FILE]
• [DESIGNATIONS]
• [GIFTS_BY_DONORS].

An example is listed below.  (The complete version is available here.)

[ORGANIZATION]

The organization section is required and it has information about your organization.  Here you can specify your organization's name, abbreviation and logo (JPEG only).  In addition you can specify an announcement banner that the user sees while they import the file.  The last item is code.  Try to think of a unique code to represent your ministry (25 chars max).

<new in TntConnect 3.1> DefaultCurrencyCode specifies the base currency code (ISO 4217 3-char) for donations represented in the [GIFTS] section.

[DONORS]

The donors section has name, address and phone information about donors.  All fields are optional (column header must exist, but data can be blank) except PEOPLE_ID and ACCT_NAME.

Here's an example result:

Field Descriptions:

[GIFTS]

The gifts section has detailed contribution information over a particular date range.

Here's an example result:

Field Descriptions:

Data Types Explained

• A25, a text column with a maximum of 25 characters

• MEMO, a text column with no predefined length limits

• DATE, a date formatted as M/D/YYYY (or  <new in TntConnect 3.1> the YYYY-MM-DD format).

• BOOL, a boolean as "TRUE" or "FALSE"

• FLOAT, a floating point number.  Currency symbols or thousands separators are not allowed.  The decimal separator must be a period.

(Note: for all types, leading and trailing spaces are removed from the value.  So "  ABC  " is always trimmed down to just "ABC".)

Case Insensitivity

TntConnect will store designation ids, donor ids and donation ids exactly as it is received.  (Leading zeros will be removed from numeric donor ids.)  But internally when TntConnect is syncing incoming data, it will match up these ids in a case insensitive way.  So a donation id of "ABC" and "abc" are the same from TntConnect's perspective.  Sending your staff two donations with an id of "ABC" and "abc" respectively will either result in a "duplicate id error" in TntConnect or it will overwrite the one donation with the other.