SYBUNTs and LYBUNTs

Candy Edwards

I need some assistance with identifying SYBUNTs. Before I spend a great deal of time asking my questions, I think it best I identify which sub-forum I should use. Is it best practice to use the canned reports or a query?

JoAnn Strommen

Candy Edwards:
I need some assistance with identifying SYBUNTs. Before I spend a great deal of time asking my questions, I think it best I identify which sub-forum I should use. Is it best practice to use the canned reports or a query?

 Personally, I'd opt for Exports/Mail/Reports as SYBUNT is a report.  Most likely you'll get replies either way from those of us who subscribe to the posts.  It's not necessary to post anything in more than one location to me.

Candy Edwards

JoAnn Strommen:

 Personally, I'd opt for Exports/Mail/Reports as SYBUNT is a report.  Most likely you'll get replies either way from those of us who subscribe to the posts.  It's not necessary to post anything in more than one location to me.

Thank you! Using The report makes sense to me since it is there. However, there are numerous historical queries in the system based on last gift date. I have never utilized the forums, so my apologies for posting in two sub areas. The queries are set up based on last gift date being between a certain time frame (insert appropriate fiscal year dates) and being a certain time payment type. Being set this way, it excludes pledges. This has created several issues of folks being left out of the query. Specifically those donors who, for whatever reason, failed to pay the last phonation pledge, but have in fact made previous gifts. My thoughts would be to attempt to add another level of gifts? If the payment type was changed to allow pledges, it appears the system looks at a written off pledge as a gift. This really seems odd to me. I feel like with the report I can exclude zero balances. I would think I would need to include the pledge and write off payment type to captures things correctly. The part that I can't wrap my head around is the date parameters. If our current fiscal year runs June 1, 2013 - May 31, 2014 what dates do I enter in the reports for SYBUNTs and then for LYBUNTs? I have all the dates plugged into the queries, but it is based on last gift date. It appears from the verbiage it wants a different set of dates. I think if I used the report then I could create a constituent export for phonathon purposes. Also, could the dates on either of those reports be modified for long lapsed donors or would that be best done in a query? If so, then I still feel like the current parameters or skewed. I know that's a lot of stuff to ask, and I am struggling with myself on why I cannot wrap my head around this! Any help would be appreciated!

JoAnn Strommen

Candy Edwards:
Thank you! Using The report makes sense to me since it is there. However, there are numerous historical queries in the system based on last gift date. I have never utilized the forums, so my apologies for posting in two sub areas. The queries are set up based on last gift date being between a certain time frame (insert appropriate fiscal year dates) and being a certain time payment type. Being set this way, it excludes pledges. This has created several issues of folks being left out of the query. Specifically those donors who, for whatever reason, failed to pay the last phonation pledge, but have in fact made previous gifts. My thoughts would be to attempt to add another level of gifts? If the payment type was changed to allow pledges, it appears the system looks at a written off pledge as a gift. This really seems odd to me. I feel like with the report I can exclude zero balances. I would think I would need to include the pledge and write off payment type to captures things correctly. The part that I can't wrap my head around is the date parameters. If our current fiscal year runs June 1, 2013 - May 31, 2014 what dates do I enter in the reports for SYBUNTs and then for LYBUNTs? I have all the dates plugged into the queries, but it is based on last gift date. It appears from the verbiage it wants a different set of dates. I think if I used the report then I could create a constituent export for phonathon purposes. Also, could the dates on either of those reports be modified for long lapsed donors or would that be best done in a query? If so, then I still feel like the current parameters or skewed. I know that's a lot of stuff to ask, and I am struggling with myself on why I cannot wrap my head around this! Any help would be appreciated!

 While you can get the data you need by some complicated querying, I've found the report easier.  My suggestion would be (if needed) create a query with all donor going back as far as you want the "S" to consider.  Use that query in the SYBUNT report.  For the date with no gift, you can select 'last fiscal year' (this should work just as designed as long as your fiscal year has been set as 6/1-5/31 in your RE configuration).  On gift types take all your cash types and check box for exclude $0 gifts.  What I like is being able then to check 'create output query' on tab 1.  That query then gives my data to work with. 

For us if they didn't pay their pledge from previous year they didn't make a gift. So we don't include them as having given if that's the only gift on their record.  That's up to your procedures.  

Hope that helps some.

Candy Edwards

JoAnn Strommen:

 While you can get the data you need by some complicated querying, I've found the report easier.  My suggestion would be (if needed) create a query with all donor going back as far as you want the "S" to consider.  Use that query in the SYBUNT report.  For the date with no gift, you can select 'last fiscal year' (this should work just as designed as long as your fiscal year has been set as 6/1-5/31 in your RE configuration).  On gift types take all your cash types and check box for exclude $0 gifts.  What I like is being able then to check 'create output query' on tab 1.  That query then gives my data to work with. 

For us if they didn't pay their pledge from previous year they didn't make a gift. So we don't include them as having given if that's the only gift on their record.  That's up to your procedures.  

Hope that helps some.

[quote user="JoAnn Strommen"]While you can get the data you need by some complicated querying, I've found the report easier.  My suggestion would be (if needed) create a query with all donor going back as far as you want the "S" to consider.  Use that query in the SYBUNT report.  For the date with no gift, you can select 'last fiscal year' (this should work just as designed as long as your fiscal year has been set as 6/1-5/31 in your RE configuration).  On gift types take all your cash types and check box for exclude $0 gifts.  What I like is being able then to check 'create output query' on tab 1.  That query then gives my data to work with.  [/quote] 

I'll have to digest this a bit before I attempt it ... my head is just not grasping it.

However, I am in agreement on the non-paid pledge.  They did not make a gift.  However, the query based on last gift date/payment type is not skipping that entry.  It is seeing there is no selected gift type in that range.  What it doesn't do is pickup a previous gift in another query. SO if a gift prior to the non-paid pledge was made, it doesn't view that entry as the last gift.  Even though the unpaid pledge is not a gift, it seems the system recognizes it as such when looking to last gift. I hope I've explained that correctly.

I would prefer to use the report as it does make more sense to me.

When you say: [quote user="JoAnn Strommen"] create a query with all donor going back as far as you want the "S" to consider. [/quote] does "S" = system??  

When you say:  [quote user="JoAnn Strommen"] On gift types take all your cash types and check box for exclude $0 gifts.[/quote] you do not select any pledge at all, correct? How about write-offs?  

JoAnn, I truly appreciate you taking the time to try and assist me! I just told the office no wonder today was feeling all up in shambles.  I found my magic wand in the floor!!

JoAnn Strommen

Candy Edwards:

[quote user="JoAnn Strommen"]While you can get the data you need by some complicated querying, I've found the report easier.  My suggestion would be (if needed) create a query with all donor going back as far as you want the "S" to consider.  Use that query in the SYBUNT report.  For the date with no gift, you can select 'last fiscal year' (this should work just as designed as long as your fiscal year has been set as 6/1-5/31 in your RE configuration).  On gift types take all your cash types and check box for exclude $0 gifts.  What I like is being able then to check 'create output query' on tab 1.  That query then gives my data to work with.  [/quote] 

I'll have to digest this a bit before I attempt it ... my head is just not grasping it.

However, I am in agreement on the non-paid pledge.  They did not make a gift.  However, the query based on last gift date/payment type is not skipping that entry.  It is seeing there is no selected gift type in that range.  What it doesn't do is pickup a previous gift in another query. SO if a gift prior to the non-paid pledge was made, it doesn't view that entry as the last gift.  Even though the unpaid pledge is not a gift, it seems the system recognizes it as such when looking to last gift. I hope I've explained that correctly.

I would prefer to use the report as it does make more sense to me.

When you say: [quote user="JoAnn Strommen"] create a query with all donor going back as far as you want the "S" to consider. [/quote] does "S" = system??  

When you say:  [quote user="JoAnn Strommen"] On gift types take all your cash types and check box for exclude $0 gifts.[/quote] you do not select any pledge at all, correct? How about write-offs?  

JoAnn, I truly appreciate you taking the time to try and assist me! I just told the office no wonder today was feeling all up in shambles.  I found my magic wand in the floor!!

 Candy,

If you have pre-existing queries that you can just update and use that's fine.  To me creating them can be complex  for exactly the scenario you cited.  Pledge most recent,but gift in past. 

The "S" would be the "Some" in some years...  When I'm running that report to get an output query, I may only want those who've given in past five years for any campaign so I can't filter by just selecting funds for the past five years.  Instead, I would create a query of donor with gifts after 01/01/08 to use as my records for this report.  Personally, I'm not looking at just "last gift" but for anyone with a gift >$0 in the past five years.  Is that clearer?

For that type of report we don't include pledges as a gift type to include.  If the entire pledge was written off, I don't expect them to pull for this listing.  If they paid part, they will pull.  

 

 

Candy Edwards

JoAnn Strommen:

 Candy,

If you have pre-existing queries that you can just update and use that's fine.  To me creating them can be complex  for exactly the scenario you cited.  Pledge most recent,but gift in past. 

The "S" would be the "Some" in some years...  When I'm running that report to get an output query, I may only want those who've given in past five years for any campaign so I can't filter by just selecting funds for the past five years.  Instead, I would create a query of donor with gifts after 01/01/08 to use as my records for this report.  Personally, I'm not looking at just "last gift" but for anyone with a gift >$0 in the past five years.  Is that clearer?

For that type of report we don't include pledges as a gift type to include.  If the entire pledge was written off, I don't expect them to pull for this listing.  If they paid part, they will pull.  

 

 

JoAnn, if they were created correctly I would be OK with updating them; but it appears to me with the result I am getting they are not. I too am not wanting to look at the last gift, but any gift within the date parameters specified.  I don't think I can get that in these queries.  I think what you said is clearer, so I'll marinate on it and let you know.

Melissa Graves 2

Candy Edwards:

JoAnn, if they were created correctly I would be OK with updating them; but it appears to me with the result I am getting they are not. I too am not wanting to look at the last gift, but any gift within the date parameters specified.  I don't think I can get that in these queries.  I think what you said is clearer, so I'll marinate on it and let you know.

Candy - I do all of my SYBUNT and LYBUNT analysis using queries. It is doable. Your queries should be using summary information.

So in one summary total giving field your criteria should be that it equals zero for this year. The summary information should be filtered on gift type to only include cash/stock/gik types if you do not want to be including pledges and any other campaign/fund/other filters you need to use.

A second Summary total giving field your criteria should be that it equals .01 or greater for last year. This summary information should be filtered on gift type to only include cash/stock/gik types if you do not want to be including unpaid pledges and any other campaign/fund/other filters you need to use.

Candy Edwards

Melissa Graves:

Candy - I do all of my SYBUNT and LYBUNT analysis using queries. It is doable. Your queries should be using summary information.

So in one summary total giving field your criteria should be that it equals zero for this year. The summary information should be filtered on gift type to only include cash/stock/gik types if you do not want to be including pledges and any other campaign/fund/other filters you need to use.

A second Summary total giving field your criteria should be that it equals .01 or greater for last year. This summary information should be filtered on gift type to only include cash/stock/gik types if you do not want to be including unpaid pledges and any other campaign/fund/other filters you need to use.

Thanks Melissa.  This actually makes sense as well.  I don't dislike queries, I just didn't feel like they were complete.  I was thinking there would need to be another level/field.

JoAnn, I still want to try the reports as well.

I am a firm believer that whether you use a query or report, if your parameters match, then you should come up with the same information.  When they don't match I get frustrated.