Constituent Codes Hierarchy

Bernard Nemis

Hello, Everyone.

Outside of the Primary Const. Code, is there a value on how the rest of the constituent codes for a constituent is placed? On paper we do have a hierarchy of the codes (Board > Current parent > Alumni > etc.).

So my question originates from the expiring constituent codes (there's a value in the Date To field). Can I group all the expired codes at the bottom, then move all the current/valid codes to the top (while still preserving our primary code and hierarchy)? Does this really matter?

Thank you.

Adrienne Baumann 2

@Bernard Nemis This may be too basic but can you leave the ‘Date To’ field blank on the constituent codes that don't expire and just use it for things like Board members? (I've never worked in the Ed. field and understand you probably manage data much differently!) ?

Bernard Nemis

@Adrienne Baumann
Hi, Adrienne. Thanks. Yes, that is the plan. That way when I query on BOD, I can add a criteria of Date To = Blank so it doesn't pull the expired BOD (or past members). My question is do I then move the expired BOD (with the Date To), down? And when another code expires, do I move it down again… so much so that all expired codes are grouped below, while all the current codes (blank Date To) are on top. Outside of the primary code (which should always be the 1st row), I am not sure if sorting the other codes this way, expired or not, makes a difference.

JoAnn Strommen

@Bernard Nemis The only difference that comes to mind for me on having expired at the bottom is how it affects the constituent codes viewed on the Bio 1 tab in db view and on the record in web view. In web view, only 3 show. So, is it more important to know say they were a past bd member if that's # 2 code in your hierarchy or are the current codes more important.

Bernard Nemis

@JoAnn Strommen
That is a great point! Thank you, JoAnn.

Karen Diener 2

@Bernard Nemis:

Hello, Everyone.

Outside of the Primary Const. Code, is there a value on how the rest of the constituent codes for a constituent is placed? On paper we do have a hierarchy of the codes (Board > Current parent > Alumni > etc.).

So my question originates from the expiring constituent codes (there's a value in the Date To field). Can I group all the expired codes at the bottom, then move all the current/valid codes to the top (while still preserving our primary code and hierarchy)? Does this really matter?

Thank you.

Primary Constituent Code should never have a “date to” in it. Once it does, RE won't consider it the Primary code, and will skip to the next one that does not have a “date to”. That's the only sort of hierarchy that exists. Once the primary one “expires” - like a board member whose term is up - just move that code down in the list on a constituent record.

Personally, I do like to group the expired ones to the bottom of the list but it isn't something I proactively maintain. None of my clients are relying heavily on Primary Constituent Code for reporting, and it tends to be a little too fussy of a data point to manage. There are waaayy too many other things they are trying to wrangle right now!

@JoAnn Strommen shared some really good insight that only the top three show in webview. If you have colleagues using that view, I would make sure they know to check for more codes if that is an important value for them,

Karen

Adrienne Baumann 2

@Bernard Nemis Maybe you could make the ‘expired’ codes inactive so you can choose to show them or not. That would help declutter the visible list for daily use.

Bernard Nemis

@Karen Diener
Thank you very much, Karen!

Elizabeth Johnson

@Bernard Nemis I do keep mine all in a hierarchy order which is set in how we tend to solicit our constituents so we know which message to send. We are a school, so we have alumni that are also parents. Our fundraisers want to solicit them with parent messaging while they are active parents rather than as alumni for instance. I find that it also matters for exports. I have found over the years that by keeping them in order on the records I have more control over how query and export handle constituencies.

Bernard Nemis

@Adrienne Baumann
Thank you, Adrienne. I don't think that can be done on the constituent level. The expired code is based on a constituent, which means it can be expired to some, but not to everyone. I like that idea though. That way we don't have to worry about pulling expired codes accidentally from a group of constituents.