Answers.Body: <p>Let's assume that you can't edit the CiviCRM files or database  -  or only will do so as a last resort :)</p>
  
  <p>These are existing memberships, so you should be able to export the memberships info with the actual start date, add the start_date to your CSV file and import with the start date. </p>
  
  <p>I'm surprised membership start date is required....I'll ask that question on stack exchange :)</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-10-05T12:37:55.580Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-10-05T12:37:55.580Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: pkeogan - BackOffice Thinking
Body: <p>I want to import membership in update mode and I don't have <code>start_date</code> so at the time of import it shows me <code>start_date</code> is required field. I have removed <code>membership_start_date</code> required field from <code>/civicrm/CRM/Member/Import/Form/MapField.php</code> file after that it is giving me error-</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Invalid value for field(s) : Membership Start Date is required to create a memberships.; Start Date" in import_error.csv file</p>
  </blockquote>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-12-27T11:38:24.723Z
Comments.Text: We have the same problem. Have you found a solution? Because we don't want to export the date into a file just to get the start_date.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Albert V
Tags: <civimember><import>
Title: How can I import Memberships without membership start date?
ThreadText: # How can I import Memberships without membership start date?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-05)
  
  I want to import membership in update mode and I don't have `start_date` so at the time of import it shows me `start_date` is required field. I have removed `membership_start_date` required field from `/civicrm/CRM/Member/Import/Form/MapField.php` file after that it is giving me error-
  
  > Invalid value for field(s) : Membership Start Date is required to create a memberships.; Start Date" in import\_error.csv file
  
  **Tags:** civimember, import
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: We have the same problem. Have you found a solution? Because we don't want to export the date into a file just to get the start_date.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-05. Score: 1
  
  Let's assume that you can't edit the CiviCRM files or database - or only will do so as a last resort :)
  
  These are existing memberships, so you should be able to export the memberships info with the actual start date, add the start\_date to your CSV file and import with the start date.
  
  I'm surprised membership start date is required....I'll ask that question on stack exchange :)
  
  
  ---
  
  