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Getting the right Salesforce permissions for Excel donor contact imports can be tricky. Too few permissions and your import fails, but some organizations hesitate to grant broad data access for bulk operations.
Here’s exactly what permissions you need for successful donor contact imports, plus the security considerations for nonprofit organizations.
Required permissions for API-based donor imports using Coefficient
When using Coefficient for Excel to Salesforce donor contact import, you need specific permissions beyond standard Data Import Wizard requirements. Coefficient requires API access and additional permissions due to its programmatic integration approach.
How to make it work
Step 1. Ensure API Enabled permission is granted.
This is the foundation permission required for all Coefficient functionality. Without API access, Coefficient cannot connect to your Salesforce org. Check this in Setup > Users > Permission Sets or Profiles.
Step 2. Grant Create, Read, Edit permissions on Contact object.
Your user needs full CRUD permissions on the Contact object to import donor data. This includes both standard Contact fields and any custom fields you’ll be populating during import.
Step 3. Set permissions for custom Contact fields.
If your donor data includes custom fields (donor categories, giving preferences, communication preferences), ensure Create, Read, Edit permissions are granted for each custom field.
Step 4. Configure bulk operation permissions.
For large donor datasets, you’ll need “Modify All Data” permission or object-specific bulk permissions. This allows Coefficient to process batches of up to 10,000 donor contacts efficiently.
Step 5. Add Campaign Member permissions if needed.
If you’re assigning imported donors to campaigns, include Create, Read, Edit permissions on Campaign Member objects. This is common for event attendee imports or appeal response lists.
Step 6. Consider MFA and security limitations.
With MFA enabled, Coefficient has a 2K row limit unless your donor data includes unique ID fields. Plan your import batches accordingly, or include External ID fields to bypass this limitation.
Step 7. Verify Salesforce edition compatibility.
API access requires Professional, Enterprise, or Unlimited Salesforce editions. Essential and Group editions don’t support the API connections Coefficient needs for bulk donor imports.
Get your permissions right the first time
Proper permission configuration prevents failed donor imports and security issues. With API access and bulk operation permissions in place, your donor contact migrations become reliable and secure. Start with Coefficient to handle donor imports with confidence.
