One click solution to delete data in specific fields.

[mattbaxter]

I have a situation where I need to delete the info in about 25 custom fields.

I has come about because I am using a merge program to bring in data from a remote SQL via a CSV import.

The are times when I need to delete the contact from the SQL database which means I need to manually delete the 25 fields (not entire contact) from my ACT DB.

If there was a way to set up some type of macro that would delete all those fields when run that would be ideal.

Any suggestions?

i am going to look at the merge software i am using to see if there is something in the program that could do it.

[Roy_Laudenslager]

Sounds like you need to do an update merge, if so check out OakMerge.

[mattbaxter]

I am using Oakmerge.

[mattbaxter]

The problem is that the record in the SQL gets deleted but I only want to delete some information in the ACT DB record.

The ACT DB also has other contacts in it that are not related to the ones in the SQL so I can't see a solution using Oakmerge in this case because there isnt a point of reference for it to its magic.

[Gary W]

Hi Matt,

The only way that I can think of to do this would be by using the Edit > Replace Field function, however this would have to be done once for each of the 25 fields, and is far from a one click solution.

Act! has no built-in features which enable you to mass delete data across multiple fields. This is intentional to avoid accidental data deletion by inexperienced users.

[mattbaxter]

Thanks Gary.

I thought I might be pushing 'it' up hill.

I might have to find a better way to do things at the SQL end.

[benhamilton]

I'd suggest you use this add-on to copy the GUID for each contact to another field:

http://www.actaddons.com/addons/copy_system_fields.asp

Then when using OakMerge, you've got the unique field to match upon. Might be a bit of work in the first instance, but if you're going to do this on a regular basis, well worth the effort.

You could have a .csv file that you import to clear those 25 fields, i.e.:

GUID,FirstName,LastName,FIELD1,FIELD2, ... FIELD25

123456-78901-12345, Matt, Baxter,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

123456-78901-12346, Ben, Hamilton,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

123456-78901-12347, Gary, Woodhouse,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

This would replace the values for those fields, but leave all other fields the same as they were.

Ben.

[mattbaxter]

Hmmm not sure if that is going to work.
Mainly because the merge is one direction.
If I was able to merge back from ACT to the SQL I could then isolate contacts that had SQL data but they should no longer have it. But then I need a quick way to remove the 25 or so fields with that data.
I think the solution will be to add a field into the SQL for these contacts that were previously deleted and then when oakmerge brings them into ACT it will remove the unwanted fields with some null info.