⚠️ Before you map your fields: You must first create the properties you want to map to. Go to Constituents → Properties and create any custom properties before starting your import.
When CollegeVine receives your import file, you'll need to tell the platform how each column corresponds to a property in CollegeVine. Here's a summary of the process:
1. Ensure the correct file is loaded
1. Ensure the correct file is loaded
Confirm the correct file is shown under Loaded initial data before proceeding.
2. Certify that all contacts are expected to hear from your organization
2. Certify that all contacts are expected to hear from your organization
Check the confirmation box to confirm that all contacts in your file are expecting to hear from your organization.
3. Map each field to either a CollegeVine property or a custom property, selecting the correct field type
3. Map each field to either a CollegeVine property or a custom property, selecting the correct field type
Under CollegeVine Property, assign each column in your file to the appropriate property. For fields that don't match an existing CollegeVine property, create a custom property and select the correct field type.
For dates, make sure to select the correct date format type.
4. Save your mappings to complete the import
4. Save your mappings to complete the import
Click Next to finalize and save your mappings.
5. Return to Integrations --> settings and update your unique identifier to a stable field (e.g., Student ID)
5. Return to Integrations --> settings and update your unique identifier to a stable field (e.g., Student ID)
Click the gear icon under your integration. Select a stable unique identifier — options will reflect the fields you just mapped. See Setting your unique identifier below for more detail.
CollegeVine properties vs. custom properties
When mapping a field, you'll choose whether to map it to a CollegeVine property or a custom property.
CollegeVine property
A built-in field with a specific purpose in the platform. Certain CollegeVine properties are used directly by the system — for example, to contact constituents or process records correctly. Only data mapped to the correct CollegeVine property will be used for those functions.
Custom property
A free-form field you define yourself. Custom properties are stored on the constituent record, and your AI agent can reference them to personalize messaging. You can also use custom properties to define segments or target specific audiences in workflows.
Required CollegeVine properties
The following three fields must be mapped to their corresponding CollegeVine property for the import to process correctly:
Field | Type | Why it matters |
First name | Text | Used by the AI agent in communications with constituents |
Last name | Text | Required for record processing |
Text | Only the email mapped to the CollegeVine property is used to contact constituents. A secondary email mapped to a custom property will be stored but not used for outreach. |
Available CollegeVine properties
The following fields are not required, but should be mapped to their CollegeVine property if included in your data — each has a specific function in the platform:
Field | Type | Function |
Phone | Text | Only the CollegeVine-mapped phone field is used for calls and SMS. Must use the format: |
Date of Birth | Date | Prevents constituents under 13 from receiving communications. Accepted formats:
YYYY-MM-DD MM/DD/YYYY MM-DD-YYYY YYYY/MM/DD DD-MM-YYYY DD/MM/YYYY |
Admission year | Text | Used internally to identify and reach the right cohort. Must be a 4-digit year (e.g. |
Consents to AI phone calls | Boolean | Opts constituents out of AI communications when set to false |
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All other fields
Any additional fields you send can be mapped to a custom property. When creating a custom property, select the field type that matches your data:
Type | Use for |
Text | Names, free-form values, IDs, most things |
Number | Numeric values (scores, counts) |
Boolean | True/false fields (opt-outs, checkboxes) |
Date | Date fields |
When in doubt, use Text.
Setting your unique identifier
After mapping your fields, you'll have the option to select which field CollegeVine uses as the unique identifier for each constituent record. This determines how CollegeVine matches incoming records to existing ones — and how it avoids creating duplicates.
The default is email address, but you may want to change this — constituents sometimes change their email, and a new email on an incoming record can result in a duplicate instead of an update.
If your CRM uses a stable, permanent ID for each constituent (such as a student ID), we recommend mapping that field and setting it as your unique identifier instead.
⚠️ Removing a field from your import doesn't remove it from CollegeVine. If you stop sending a field, the last synced value stays on the constituent record. To remove the field and its data from CollegeVine entirely, contact your CollegeVine team.
⚠️ You can't edit a field name or type once it's been mapped. If you need to make a change, create a new custom property with the correct name or type, and ask your CollegeVine team to archive the old one. You can then remap on your next import.