Recording Survey Answers in Raiser's Edge

Mary Del Bianco

Hello...I'm wondering if anyone can share a best practice procedure for recording questions and answers in Raiser's Edge. We are looking at doing this thru Constituent Attribute. Thoughts/comments?



Thanks

Mary

Jen Claudy

I would advise against Constituent Attributes, unless there is either no other feasible option or you will be using them regularly enough that it makes sense.  Constituent Attribute Tabs can get very cluttered, very quickly.  I would probably choose either an Action and use Action Attributes, or an Event and use Event Attributes.  Or maybe part of the Volunteer Tab.  (Of course, depending on whether you have the Event and/or Volunteer Modules).  This will keep the data accessible (and query-able, which something like Notes is less-so), but avoid cluttering up the Constituent Attributes Tab.  On Actions, you would also have the option of the Action Notes, if you needed a bigger text field, and it's all right there on the same (Action) record.

Rachel Slager 2

Jennifer Claudy:

I would advise against Constituent Attributes, unless there is either no other feasible option or you will be using them regularly enough that it makes sense.  Constituent Attribute Tabs can get very cluttered, very quickly.  I would probably choose either an Action and use Action Attributes, or an Event and use Event Attributes.  Or maybe part of the Volunteer Tab.  (Of course, depending on whether you have the Event and/or Volunteer Modules).  This will keep the data accessible (and query-able, which something like Notes is less-so), but avoid cluttering up the Constituent Attributes Tab.  On Actions, you would also have the option of the Action Notes, if you needed a bigger text field, and it's all right there on the same (Action) record.

I use Action Attributes with an Action Type "Survey".  This allows me to create a attribute table for the description to record standard answers.  It also makes it easy to search.  Plus, if I ask the same question on later surveys, I pull from the most recent Action.  Some short answer responses can then be recorded as Attribute comments.  Long answers can go into notes with a Note description standard to that question.

Jenny Kleintop

We just completed a survey and we put an Action in when the survey was mailed out, then used Action Attributes on that Action to record responses.