Can I use Query to determine total number of pieces mailed within a timeframe

Jane Corbett

I would like to be able to pull from RE7 the total number of fundraising pieces mailed within a timeframe. We upload all our direct mail asks as Assiged Appeals, but the Number Solicited isn't always updated in the Appeal Record. Is there a way to Query on the Assigned Appeal tab to get the total number of Assigned Appeals within a period?


Or does anyone have a better way to get this information?


Jane

John Heizer

Jane Corbett:

I would like to be able to pull from RE7 the total number of fundraising pieces mailed within a timeframe. We upload all our direct mail asks as Assiged Appeals, but the Number Solicited isn't always updated in the Appeal Record. Is there a way to Query on the Assigned Appeal tab to get the total number of Assigned Appeals within a period?


Or does anyone have a better way to get this information?


Jane

Yeah, the "number solicited" on Appeal records doesn't always update accurately.  What I do is I have a Constituent Query where I filter down to the Appeals I want to look at (in your case you could filter by Assigned Appeals > Date.  In the Query Output also include Appeal ID, Package ID (if you use Packages), and Constituent ID.  I then use Reports > Pivot Reports based on that Query to give me an accurate count.  If you haven't created a Pivot Report before then this will help: https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/75286

Jen Claudy

You can also use the record count of a Query to manually update the Number Solicited on the Appeal Records.  If you also use Packages, clear the Number Solicited on the Appeal, then update the Number Solicited on each Package, and the total on the Appeal should update automatically as you save the Package Records.  Then you can pull these numbers in an Appeal Query and they should be accurate.


Caution: there's a reason for the mantra that Query is a grouping tool and not a reporting tool, and that reason applies here.  Be very careful about what fields you select in Query so that you don't have duplicates in your Query results and end up recording inflated & inaccurate numbers.