Title: Basic interface questions: first sync and mapping
Last modified: August 30, 2016

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# Basic interface questions: first sync and mapping

 *  Resolved [sjh25](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sjh25/)
 * (@sjh25)
 * [10 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/basic-interface-questions-first-sync-and-mapping/)
 * I am looking for some reassurance here on the steps to setting up my first sync.(
   I am a non-techie WordPress newbie learning as I go.) I searched the documentation
   I could find on the plugin, but couldn’t find this info.
 * In MailChimp Sync/Settings I have gone through the process of mapping most of
   the fields I want to sync, saved the changes, and left “Enabled?” set to NO (
   because I am not quite ready to sync). I was surprised to see that the “Send 
   Additional Fields area” reset to one blank entry field. So my first question 
   is:
 * 1. Are the fields that I mapped still saved… somewhere? Or were they lost because
   I did not enable and I will need to re-add them when I am ready to enable and
   follow-through to sync? (Also, is there a way I can double-check the fields I
   have mapped? Where might I look to review that?)
 * 1b. If “Add fields” is how you map what you want to have sync, and I have, perhaps
   redundantly, mapped the fields that sync by default as well as my additional 
   fields, will that cause a problem?
 * And, second question:
    2. Is “Forced Synchronisation” the first step in any sync
   setup? In other words, do I have to press that to establish the sync, and then
   the “listening” and auto-syncing will take over?
 * 2b. Forced Synchronisation says “Synchronise All” — Does “All” refer to all users(
   of the role I specified) or does it refer to all Fields? (which, it seems would
   override my mapping, no?)
 * Thanks to any and all who can answer these simple questions or point me to more
   detailed documentation that I was unable to find.
 * -sjh
 * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/mailchimp-sync/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/mailchimp-sync/)

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  Plugin Author [Danny van Kooten](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dvankooten/)
 * (@dvankooten)
 * [10 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/basic-interface-questions-first-sync-and-mapping/#post-6635021)
 * Hey sjh,
 * 1. This was an issue with the previous version of the plugin, we pushed out an
   update today that fixes this. Sorry that this had to happen to you but it should
   never happen again now.
 * 1b. Please see my previous answer, there’s no way to redundantly map fields.
 * 2. “Forced Sync” is not necessary but that will subscribe all of your current
   users (matching the user role criteria) to the selected MailChimp list. If you
   do not Force Sync then the plugin will kick-in whenever someone updates their
   user profile or when a new user is added to your site.
 * 2b. “Synchronize All” refers to all of the users matching the “role” criteria.
 * I suggest setting up a separate test list in MailChimp and test-running the whole
   thing. Make sure to disable double opt-in and you should be good to go to test
   things silently on your end.
 * Hope that helps. If not, let me know!
 *  Thread Starter [sjh25](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sjh25/)
 * (@sjh25)
 * [10 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/basic-interface-questions-first-sync-and-mapping/#post-6635039)
 * Thanks for your thorough reply Danny. I’ve read your change log entry and that
   certainly explains our garbled test results yesterday (I happened to run it as
   you describe, but thanks for confirming.)
 * Just FYI, the “garble” looked something like this: Though I did map several additional
   fields, only the default fields on the other end were populated– with the twist
   that all first names were replaced with content from one of my mapped fields.
 * Speaking of the default fields– just to be sure I understand– When I map (or “
   add fields”), there is no need for me to include first_name and last_name in 
   my additions? [I don’t ask about email because no form of email field was offered
   in the dropdown. At least not last night.]
 * I’m off to install the new versions of both plugins and re-test. Will post results.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘Basic interface questions: first sync and mapping’ is closed to new replies.

 * ![](https://s.w.org/plugins/geopattern-icon/mailchimp-sync_cfeefa.svg)
 * [MC4WP: Mailchimp User Sync](https://wordpress.org/plugins/mailchimp-sync/)
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 * 2 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [sjh25](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sjh25/)
 * Last activity: [10 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/basic-interface-questions-first-sync-and-mapping/#post-6635039)
 * Status: resolved