What Is Field Mapping?
Field mapping connects the columns in your uploaded file to the data fields Tax Receipt Generator needs (donor name, amount, date, etc.). Accurate mapping ensures every receipt is populated correctly.
Auto-Mapping
When you upload a file the system scans column headers and automatically maps them to known fields. For example, a column named donation_amount maps to the Amount field. Each mapped column also gets a confidence badge (High, Medium, Low, or Manual) so you can see at a glance which guesses are worth double-checking before you continue — a Low badge is a hint to verify that column rather than trust it blindly.
Auto-mapping works best when your headers follow common naming conventions. See CSV Format for recognized header names.
Two buttons above the mapping table give you a fast reset in either direction: Auto Map re-runs the header-matching logic against every column, and Manual Setup clears all mappings so you can build them from scratch. Unmapped columns are highlighted in red and skipped columns in grey so you can scan the table for what still needs attention.
Name columns. Auto-mapping recognises the donor’s name whether your file has one column (Donor Name, Full Name, Name, Nom complet) or two (First Name / Last Name, Given Name / Surname, Prénom / Nom). When the name arrives in two columns the receipt shows them joined as “First Last”. A column that contains the word “name” but is not the donor — Campaign Name, Fund Name, Middle Name, Spouse Name and similar — is left unmapped on purpose so it can never be printed as the donor; skip it or map it to a custom field. If a file has both a Donor Name column and another loose ”…Name” column, only the donor column is mapped automatically. A name supplied as “Last, First” (for example “Aiken, Becky”) prints on the receipt as “Becky Aiken”.
Manual Mapping
If a column is not auto-mapped, or if the auto-map is incorrect:
- Click the dropdown next to the unmapped column.
- Select the target field from the list.
- Repeat for each unmapped column.
You can also set a column to Skip if it contains data you do not need on the receipt.
For a run with a compliance country set, the target field dropdown groups its options into “Required for <country>”, “Recommended for <country>”, and “All other fields”, so the fields most likely to matter for that country’s receipts sort to the top. Nothing is hidden — every field is still in the list, just grouped. Once you pick a field, a one-line description appears under the dropdown so you can tell apart similarly-named fields, such as “Description” (free-text notes) versus “Property Description” (what was donated).
Custom Fields
If a column does not fit any standard donor or donation field, you do not have to skip it. In the unmapped-columns list, click Create Custom Field, type a name, and the column becomes a new custom field on the mapping table — stored and searchable alongside the standard fields on every receipt record.
Handling Missing Fields
- Required fields (donor name, amount, date) must be mapped or the import will not proceed.
- Optional fields can be left unmapped. The corresponding placeholder on the receipt will be blank or use a default value.
- If your file lacks an email column, email delivery will be unavailable for that batch. You can still download receipts as PDFs.
Donation Dates Outside the Run’s Year
After mapping, an amber Donation dates panel appears if any row’s donation date falls outside the run’s year. It shows how many, with sample row numbers and dates, and a link to correct them in Review Data. The warning never stops the import. For Canadian and US runs, no receipts can be generated for the run until the dates are fixed. Review Data edits the first 100 rows; correct later rows in your source file and re-import. See Tax year for receipts.
Saving an Import Template
Once you are happy with the mapping, save it as an import template so you can reuse it next time. The toolbar above the mapping table suggests a name automatically (based on your file name and the current month), or you can type your own, then click Save Template. If you loaded an existing template and changed the mapping, the button instead reads Update Template so you can overwrite the one you started from, or Save as New to keep the original and create a second template. An unsaved-changes indicator appears whenever the current mapping no longer matches what was last saved.
On future uploads, select the saved template from the toolbar dropdown and the mapping applies automatically — no manual work required.
See Import Templates for more on managing saved templates.
Tips
- Preview the first few rows after mapping to confirm data looks correct.
- If your source system changes column order, re-upload and update the template.
- For large files (500+ rows), mapping is locked once background validation begins.
Related
- CSV Format — column requirements and naming conventions
- Import Templates — managing saved mapping templates