Assigning organizations during client uploads lets you categorize and manage client data efficiently by linking each client to one or more organizations in eCourtDate.

### Overview

When uploading client data through flat files, you can assign organizations to each client record automatically. This allows your agency to categorize clients by department, office, or division without manually editing each record after import. By mapping an organizations column in your upload file to the **Organizations** field in eCourtDate, you can assign single or multiple organizations per client in a single upload. This feature is especially useful for agencies that manage large volumes of client data across multiple organizational units.

### Prerequisites

Before you begin assigning organizations via uploads, ensure you have:

- Access to the **Uploads** section in the top navigation bar
- A flat file (CSV or similar) that includes a column with the organization name(s) for each client
- An existing Upload Template configured for your data file format
- Organizations already created in your agency's settings (or a plan to create them)

If you do not have an Upload Template yet, see [How to Upload a Flat File](/how-to-upload-a-flat-file) to learn how to create one.

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Prepare your file data

1. Open your flat file and verify it includes a column for organizations.
2. For single organization assignments, format your data like this:
   - Column headers: First Name, Last Name, Organization
   - Example row: John, Doe, Office 1
3. For multiple organization assignments, separate each organization with a pipe character (`|`):
   - Column headers: First Name, Last Name, Organizations
   - Example row: John, Doe, Office 1 | Department 2

#### Step 2: Create organizations in eCourtDate

1. Click **Admin** > **Settings** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the **Organizations** tab.
3. Fill in the **Create Organization** form.
4. Click **Create**.

> **Tip:** The **Reference** field should match the organization value in your upload file exactly. The **Name** field is what your team sees in the interface and can be different from **Reference**.

5. Repeat for each organization that appears in your upload file.

#### Step 3: Configure the Upload Template

1. Click **Uploads** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the **Upload Templates** tab.
3. Click **Edit** next to the upload template you want to use.
4. In the **Field Mapping** section, locate the **Organizations** field.
5. Set the field value to match the exact column name from your file.
6. (Optional) If you are assigning multiple organizations per client:
   - Scroll to the **Parsing Formats** section.
   - Change the **Cell Separator** to match the character that separates each organization in your file (for example, `|`).
7. Click **Save**.

#### Step 4: Upload your file

1. Click **Uploads** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click **Choose File** and select the file from your computer.
3. Select the **Upload Template** that you configured with the **Organizations** field mapping.
4. Click **Create**.

### What to Expect

After creating the upload, the status will change from **Queued** to **Processing** and then to **Complete**. Once complete, you will see the number of clients created by the upload. To validate that organizations were assigned correctly:

1. Click the **Clients** link next to the number of clients created.
2. Click **Edit** next to any client record.
3. Scroll down to the **Assigned Organizations** section to verify the results.

> **Note:** If you upload multiple files, the assigned organizations will reflect only the most recent upload.

### Best Practices

- Verify that organization values in your file match the **Reference** field in eCourtDate exactly, including capitalization and spacing.
- Test your upload with a small sample file first to confirm that organizations map correctly before uploading your full dataset.
- Use consistent naming conventions for organizations across all upload files to avoid duplicate or mismatched records.
- Review the **Cell Separator** setting in your Upload Template whenever you change your file format.
- Keep your organization list up to date in **Admin** > **Settings** > **Organizations** before running uploads.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I assign multiple organizations to a single client in one upload?**
A: Yes. Separate each organization with a pipe character (`|`) or another delimiter in your file, then set the **Cell Separator** in the **Parsing Formats** section of your Upload Template to match that delimiter.

**Q: What happens if an organization in my file does not exist in eCourtDate?**
A: Clients will not be linked to organizations that do not already exist in your agency's settings. Create all organizations in **Admin** > **Settings** > **Organizations** before uploading.

**Q: Will uploading a new file overwrite existing organization assignments?**
A: Yes. If you upload multiple files, the assigned organizations for each client will reflect the most recent upload only.

**Q: Does the organization column need to match the organization Name or Reference?**
A: The value in your file should match the **Reference** field in eCourtDate. The **Name** field is for display purposes only and does not need to match your upload data.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Organizations are not assigned after upload completes.
**Symptoms:** The upload finishes with a **Complete** status, but clients do not have any assigned organizations.
**Solution:**

1. Verify that the **Organizations** field is mapped correctly in your Upload Template's **Field Mapping** section.
2. Confirm that the column name in your file matches the mapped field exactly.
3. Check that the organization values in your file match the **Reference** values in **Admin** > **Settings** > **Organizations**.

**Issue:** Multiple organizations are not splitting correctly.
**Symptoms:** Clients show a single combined organization instead of separate assignments.
**Solution:**

1. Open your Upload Template and navigate to the **Parsing Formats** section.
2. Verify that the **Cell Separator** matches the delimiter used in your file (e.g., `|`).
3. Re-upload the file after correcting the separator setting.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to Upload a Flat File](/how-to-upload-a-flat-file)
- [How to Copy Settings From One Agency to Another](/how-to-copy-settings-from-one-agency-to-another)
- [How to Set Up a New Agency](/how-to-set-up-a-new-agency)