Entering actions to a constituent last

Jeffrey Jones

Is it possible to update a constituent list with an action, such as a letter or email that went to the entire group?

JoAnn Strommen

If you have a query or can make a query of the records you want to add the action to, yes.  Admin > Global Add Record. Use your query, set you action info...ta da!

Jen Claudy

You should be able to select a Constituent Query List in Global Add and therefore add an Action to all of the records currently in the Query List.  Be sure to refresh and save the Query List first, as it's essentially a Static Query.

Eleonore Buet

Jeffrey Jones:

Is it possible to update a constituent list with an action, such as a letter or email that went to the entire group?

One more step: You may have already exported your query and made modifications to the list, such as deleting constituents, so that the list you actually mailed to no longer matches the original query list and therefore you can't just add the action to your query list. If you have the bio IDs on your mailing list, you can convert them to their own query using the Import feature, then use that query do a Global Add Records. 


Steps to convert a mailing list back into a query:


Using the CSV format, delete all information except the BioIDs that you want to add the action to.

Go to Import, create a new Constituent Import

General Tab: Select "Update Existing Records" (very important) => Select your Import file (CSV format) => Select "Use Constituent ID"

File Layout, you should see your Const IDs, if you see symbols instead of text, you are using the wrong format spreadsheet and need to make sure it is CSV.

Fields, again, should just see Bio IDs. 

On the Summary Tab, select Create Exception file, and name the file

*Important* Select Create output query of the records imported (this is going to be the query you now use to do your Global Add Records.)



Before you select "Import now" you can always do the validation to make sure there is nothing funky with the list. That can be selected on the General tab, under Validate Only. I suggest doing this first.


As always, it is good to perform a manual back up of the database before doing these kinds of changes, so that if there are any mistakes made, you can revert back to the prior version of the DB.



 

JoAnn Strommen

Eleonore Buet:

Jeffrey Jones:

Is it possible to update a constituent list with an action, such as a letter or email that went to the entire group?

One more step: You may have already exported your query and made modifications to the list, such as deleting constituents, so that the list you actually mailed to no longer matches the original query list and therefore you can't just add the action to your query list. If you have the bio IDs on your mailing list, you can convert them to their own query using the Import feature, then use that query do a Global Add Records. 


Steps to convert a mailing list back into a query:


Using the CSV format, delete all information except the BioIDs that you want to add the action to.

Go to Import, create a new Constituent Import

General Tab: Select "Update Existing Records" (very important) => Select your Import file (CSV format) => Select "Use Constituent ID"

File Layout, you should see your Const IDs, if you see symbols instead of text, you are using the wrong format spreadsheet and need to make sure it is CSV.

Fields, again, should just see Bio IDs. 

On the Summary Tab, select Create Exception file, and name the file

*Important* Select Create output query of the records imported (this is going to be the query you now use to do your Global Add Records.)



Before you select "Import now" you can always do the validation to make sure there is nothing funky with the list. That can be selected on the General tab, under Validate Only. I suggest doing this first.


As always, it is good to perform a manual back up of the database before doing these kinds of changes, so that if there are any mistakes made, you can revert back to the prior version of the DB.



 

 

that should work but it a lot of steps.  You can create a new query if it's needed just using Constituent ID 'one of'' criteria.  To me it's easier anyway.

KB article on creating this way. https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/41666

 

Eleonore Buet

That's true you can absolutely create a query of IDs that way, and for smaller lists, I think that works fine. However, when we have done a mailing of say10k or more, it takes much longer to do it this way because of the restrictions on how many constituent IDs you can copy and paste into the "one of" criteria field at a time, I think it's 500 but it's been a while. 


Even though the steps I laid out below seem like a lot, it takes less than a minute to go through them and get your query, and you can convert your whole list at one time without having to copy and paste the ids in small segments. 


But there definitely are the 2 options. 

 

Jen Claudy

Jen Claudy:

You should be able to select a Constituent Query List in Global Add and therefore add an Action to all of the records currently in the Query List.  Be sure to refresh and save the Query List first, as it's essentially a Static Query.

Realized just now that I neglected to ask for clarification...when I read the original post, I read it as using a Query List, not just a regular Query.  If using a Query List, it's most likely that edits to that QL would have been made within RE, since that's the primary benefit of using QL.


If you do have a list outside of RE that has been edited, you can also just Import the Actions and add them that way instead of creating a Query and then Globally Adding the Actions.


The best answer here really needs more detailed information about the situation.

Jeffrey Jones

My question also was regarding NXT.  Can
this be done in MXT or do I need to use database view.  By the
way, I am a fundraiser and was trying to find a way to keep from
bothering our data people.  If I need to enlist their help
then so be it. 

 

Live, Jesus, in our hearts.
Forever!

 

Jeff

 

Jeffrey Jones

Director of Leadership Giving

Christian Brothers College High
School

1850 De La Salle Drive

St. Louis, MO 63141-8661

(o) 314-985-6104

JonesJeff@cbchs.org

 

Please remember CBC in your
will. 

http://cbchslegacy.org/

 

MEN
FOR TOMORROW. BROTHERS
FOR LIFE.

 

Eleonore Buet

That is a great idea, thank you!


I like to create a query usually because I like to be able to have that group of consituents for later but this is a much better way to just add an Action to a list that has been modified outside of RE.


Thanks, Jen!

Jen Claudy

Aha!  NXT Constituent List.  That changes things a bit.


You can Save an NXT Constituent List as a Static Query in RE7 and then use Global Add to add the Actions to those records.


Depending on your Security Rights, you will likely need to involve your data people.  I would recommend talking with them to determine what you can do on your own and what you need to provide to them to complete the remainder of the process.  My guess would be that you can save your List as a Static Query and then provide them with the name of that Query and the details of the Action.

Jeffrey Jones

Thanks.