Using Event Records to Track Plaques

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Does anyone use the Event module for tracking donor plaques (or bricks, or donor honor roll walls, or captial campaign naming opportunities)?  I've searched the Community and only see posts mentioning the use of Attributes (gift or constituent), Notes, or Proposals.  We have plaque honor rolls in multiple buildings, with some buildings having multiple honor rolls.  I'm thinking of using an Event record to track the location of plaques, using the seating function.  I'm still figuring out the details but, for example, each building could be it's own event record, then each seating section could be a wall, with a table/row representing the row location of the plaque, with the seat assignment representing the column location.  The gifts that 'paid' for the plaque could be linked to the event registration.  Then I could make a super cool custom report in Crystal Reports that shows exactly where the plaques are and what the wall actually looks like, including the plaque inscriptions.  cool We would also be able to see available/empty plaque locations.


So, anyone else using the Event module for this?


Thanks!

 

Comments

  • We are not, currently, but I love the idea!  We already use the membership for our Donor Wall tracking of movement between levels of giving....  *stealing*
  • We decided to use organization records - all IDs start with a P.  We add in many attributes and put all that are being honored/memorialized or were donors in relationships so that the plaque record also shows on each person's record.
  • Stealing this brilliant idea immediatley. Thank you so much for posting. I acutally have been scouring the community looking for a solution! 
  • Joshua Bekerman bCRE:

    Does anyone use the Event module for tracking donor plaques (or bricks, or donor honor roll walls, or captial campaign naming opportunities)?



     

    That is a really cool way to track donor plaques/walls. I like it!

  • Heather MacKenzie:

    We are not, currently, but I love the idea!  We already use the membership for our Donor Wall tracking of movement between levels of giving....  *stealing*

    Thanks for this thought, Heather! I have been considering best ways to track movement between levels of giving for our Donor Wall.
  • Joshua Bekerman bCRE:

    Does anyone use the Event module for tracking donor plaques (or bricks, or donor honor roll walls, or captial campaign naming opportunities)?  I've searched the Community and only see posts mentioning the use of Attributes (gift or constituent), Notes, or Proposals.  We have plaque honor rolls in multiple buildings, with some buildings having multiple honor rolls.  I'm thinking of using an Event record to track the location of plaques, using the seating function.  I'm still figuring out the details but, for example, each building could be it's own event record, then each seating section could be a wall, with a table/row representing the row location of the plaque, with the seat assignment representing the column location.  The gifts that 'paid' for the plaque could be linked to the event registration.  Then I could make a super cool custom report in Crystal Reports that shows exactly where the plaques are and what the wall actually looks like, including the plaque inscriptions.  cool We would also be able to see available/empty plaque locations.


    So, anyone else using the Event module for this?


    Thanks!

     

    We have been using the Event Module for our Paving the Way (Bricks) - it just made it easier for reporting  (when group of people go in on a brick - they are guests)  I never thought about using it for location of the bricks - that is definately something that we need to look at!


     

  • Joshua Bekerman bCRE:

    Does anyone use the Event module for tracking donor plaques (or bricks, or donor honor roll walls, or captial campaign naming opportunities)?  I've searched the Community and only see posts mentioning the use of Attributes (gift or constituent), Notes, or Proposals.  We have plaque honor rolls in multiple buildings, with some buildings having multiple honor rolls.  I'm thinking of using an Event record to track the location of plaques, using the seating function.  I'm still figuring out the details but, for example, each building could be it's own event record, then each seating section could be a wall, with a table/row representing the row location of the plaque, with the seat assignment representing the column location.  The gifts that 'paid' for the plaque could be linked to the event registration.  Then I could make a super cool custom report in Crystal Reports that shows exactly where the plaques are and what the wall actually looks like, including the plaque inscriptions.  cool We would also be able to see available/empty plaque locations.


    So, anyone else using the Event module for this?


    Thanks!

     

    Amazing idea!!! We currently use attributes but I am totally stealing this idea now!! Thank you!!!

     

  • Also stealing this idea! We will be adding naming opportunities soon and hope to adapt this to tracking naming opportunities.
  • We have been brainstorming on this exactly. I have gone back and forth on many different options but I "think" I will be sticking with using the Prospect Tab, using proposals. We would use purpose (Library - Naming, Centennial Hall - Naming, etc.) as the way to track. Then attaching donations, actions (proposal sent, plaque ordered, plaque posted, etc.), media to show the actual proposal and photo of the plaque, and attributes for the actual location and room number. This is all in theory at this moment but it seems like the best route for us.

  • Heather MacKenzie:

    We are not, currently, but I love the idea!  We already use the membership for our Donor Wall tracking of movement between levels of giving....  *stealing*

    Heather, could you share how you use the Membership module for tracking movement between levels on your donor wall? Do you set up the expiration date to be a year from when they "joined" a certain level and then each year either "renew" at that level, or let it expire and have them "join" the appropriate next level? I like this idea but have never used the membership module before. Looking for insight. Thanks :)

    Cathy
  • Cathy Spencer:

     

    Heather MacKenzie:

    We are not, currently, but I love the idea!  We already use the membership for our Donor Wall tracking of movement between levels of giving....  *stealing*

    Heather, could you share how you use the Membership module for tracking movement between levels on your donor wall? Do you set up the expiration date to be a year from when they "joined" a certain level and then each year either "renew" at that level, or let it expire and have them "join" the appropriate next level? I like this idea but have never used the membership module before. Looking for insight. Thanks :)

    Cathy

     

    It's a relatively new process for us, so it's still a work in progress, just FYI.  Currently, everyone joins at whatever level as a lifetime membership.  That way it doesn't matter when they move up to the next level.  Unfortunately, that means a bunch of manual work (knee deep in this right now!) to move them up unless I can figure out a way to create queries of these folks who are moving up and then global change/add them somehow.  That being said, the next step is to expire the current level, and then "join" them at the next level up.  We renew our donor wall each calendar year, so it would look something like this:


    Mary & John Sample:  Joined Bronze Level (our lowest level) January 2016 with a lifetime membership

    Mary & John Sample:  Gave enough in 2016 and 2017 to move up to next level, Silver, with our 2018 refresh of the wall - Their Bronze level would then upgraded renew as of 1/1/2018 to the Silver Level and still be a lifetime membership


    I think this will mean less manual work each year than if everything expired and had to be renewed each year.


    We also have the donor recognition name as an Attribute on Org records, and a secondary addressee/salutation on Individual Records, which then gets pulled into our Donor Category Report for reference and can be queried upon as well.


    We use the Donor Category Report for finding those who have moved up a level(s) each year.


    By the way, any thoughts, comments, critique would also be appreciated on this if anyone has any thoughts about how to improve this.  It's our first year into doing it this way.


     

  • Heather MacKenzie:

     

    Cathy Spencer:

     

    Heather MacKenzie:

    We are not, currently, but I love the idea!  We already use the membership for our Donor Wall tracking of movement between levels of giving....  *stealing*

    Heather, could you share how you use the Membership module for tracking movement between levels on your donor wall? Do you set up the expiration date to be a year from when they "joined" a certain level and then each year either "renew" at that level, or let it expire and have them "join" the appropriate next level? I like this idea but have never used the membership module before. Looking for insight. Thanks :)

    Cathy

     

    It's a relatively new process for us, so it's still a work in progress, just FYI.  Currently, everyone joins at whatever level as a lifetime membership.  That way it doesn't matter when they move up to the next level.  Unfortunately, that means a bunch of manual work (knee deep in this right now!) to move them up unless I can figure out a way to create queries of these folks who are moving up and then global change/add them somehow.  That being said, the next step is to expire the current level, and then "join" them at the next level up.  We renew our donor wall each calendar year, so it would look something like this:


    Mary & John Sample:  Joined Bronze Level (our lowest level) January 2016 with a lifetime membership

    Mary & John Sample:  Gave enough in 2016 and 2017 to move up to next level, Silver, with our 2018 refresh of the wall - Their Bronze level would then upgraded renew as of 1/1/2018 to the Silver Level and still be a lifetime membership


    I think this will mean less manual work each year than if everything expired and had to be renewed each year.


    We also have the donor recognition name as an Attribute on Org records, and a secondary addressee/salutation on Individual Records, which then gets pulled into our Donor Category Report for reference and can be queried upon as well.


    We use the Donor Category Report for finding those who have moved up a level(s) each year.


    By the way, any thoughts, comments, critique would also be appreciated on this if anyone has any thoughts about how to improve this.  It's our first year into doing it this way.


     

     

    Thank you, Heather. This is very helpful! 

  • Joshua Bekerman bCLO,:

    Does anyone use the Event module for tracking donor plaques (or bricks, or donor honor roll walls, or captial campaign naming opportunities)?  I've searched the Community and only see posts mentioning the use of Attributes (gift or constituent), Notes, or Proposals.  We have plaque honor rolls in multiple buildings, with some buildings having multiple honor rolls.  I'm thinking of using an Event record to track the location of plaques, using the seating function.  I'm still figuring out the details but, for example, each building could be it's own event record, then each seating section could be a wall, with a table/row representing the row location of the plaque, with the seat assignment representing the column location.  The gifts that 'paid' for the plaque could be linked to the event registration.  Then I could make a super cool custom report in Crystal Reports that shows exactly where the plaques are and what the wall actually looks like, including the plaque inscriptions.  cool We would also be able to see available/empty plaque locations.


    So, anyone else using the Event module for this?


    Thanks!

    How is this going? I'd love an update as we're looking to do the same thing and want to gain as much knowledge about what works and what doesn't before diving in.  Thanks in advance! 


    Jan

  • Joshua Bekerman bCLO,:

    Does anyone use the Event module for tracking donor plaques (or bricks, or donor honor roll walls, or captial campaign naming opportunities)?  I've searched the Community and only see posts mentioning the use of Attributes (gift or constituent), Notes, or Proposals.  We have plaque honor rolls in multiple buildings, with some buildings having multiple honor rolls.  I'm thinking of using an Event record to track the location of plaques, using the seating function.  I'm still figuring out the details but, for example, each building could be it's own event record, then each seating section could be a wall, with a table/row representing the row location of the plaque, with the seat assignment representing the column location.  The gifts that 'paid' for the plaque could be linked to the event registration.  Then I could make a super cool custom report in Crystal Reports that shows exactly where the plaques are and what the wall actually looks like, including the plaque inscriptions.  cool We would also be able to see available/empty plaque locations.


    So, anyone else using the Event module for this?


    Thanks!

     

    Hi Joshua,


    Is it possible you can share a screen image of one of your records? My organization has been recording these as org records. The problem I have with that is that we now have close 1,000 org records for every room, brick, etc. we've ever sold - makes reporting a bit hard. I was thinking of using the event module and came here for some research.... to find that you've already detailed this great idea. smiley


    Thanks,

    Esmeralda

    esmeralda.cuevas-anderson@sharp.com

  • Joshua,


    How are you adding the folks that are on the plaque - either donors or those being honored/memorialized or ??


    We currently create an organization record and include the names of the above as relationships and a bunch of attributes - including latitude, longitude, size, etc. and we attach photos of the plaque.


    Thanks

    Chris

     
  • Joshua Bekerman bCLO,:

    Does anyone use the Event module for tracking donor plaques (or bricks, or donor honor roll walls, or captial campaign naming opportunities)?  I've searched the Community and only see posts mentioning the use of Attributes (gift or constituent), Notes, or Proposals.  We have plaque honor rolls in multiple buildings, with some buildings having multiple honor rolls.  I'm thinking of using an Event record to track the location of plaques, using the seating function.  I'm still figuring out the details but, for example, each building could be it's own event record, then each seating section could be a wall, with a table/row representing the row location of the plaque, with the seat assignment representing the column location.  The gifts that 'paid' for the plaque could be linked to the event registration.  Then I could make a super cool custom report in Crystal Reports that shows exactly where the plaques are and what the wall actually looks like, including the plaque inscriptions.  cool We would also be able to see available/empty plaque locations.


    So, anyone else using the Event module for this?


    Thanks!

     

    Josh, this is a great idea for those who have a need to track plaques and their locations. 

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