Query List

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We sent out our spring appeal about a month ago and we use a mail house.  We have one appeal and 5 packages underneath it.  In order to accomplish this, I created 5 query lists (one for each package) and then exported them into an excel file for the mail house.  I then globally add the appeal to everyone's record using the query lists I created.  My issue is this:  my understanding was that query lists automatically de-duped records, however, when I export each of the lists I end up with roughly 20 or so fewer people in my export which means that when I run reports from RE using the total number we sent to (based on the query lists), I'm off by a bunch!  The total of my static query lists shows 1,613 and the total from the export spreadsheets (that we sent to the mail house) is 1,532.  Thoughts?  If indeed, query list does de-dupe records.  If not, then clearly I have duplicate records within my query list and maybe I'll try using something different moving forward (merge queries).  It just seemed that query list was the easiest thing to do.  Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • Does your export have any of the "include inactive/deceased/no valid address" boxes unticked? (if not, it probably should!)

    If a constituent was in the query list but falls into one of those categories, or if you're using head of household processing to mail couples together, that could explain the difference in numbers between the query and the export.

  • Alan French:

     

    Does your export have any of the "include inactive/deceased/no valid address" boxes unticked? (if not, it probably should!)

    If a constituent was in the query list but falls into one of those categories, or if you're using head of household processing to mail couples together, that could explain the difference in numbers between the query and the export.

     

    Alan, thanks for the response.  All of my include these constituents boxes in the export are unchecked.  HOH processing doesn't seem to be the issue because those people show in the export; it's a bunch of random people who meet the criteria in the query list that are in it, but don't export and I don't understand why.

  • Mercedes McCay-Read:

    Alan French:

     

    Does your export have any of the "include inactive/deceased/no valid address" boxes unticked? (if not, it probably should!)

    If a constituent was in the query list but falls into one of those categories, or if you're using head of household processing to mail couples together, that could explain the difference in numbers between the query and the export.

     

    Alan, thanks for the response.  All of my include these constituents boxes in the export are unchecked.  HOH processing doesn't seem to be the issue because those people show in the export; it's a bunch of random people who meet the criteria in the query list that are in it, but don't export and I don't understand why.

     

    If you are using Head of Household processing and have checked the "Export only constituents marked 'Head of Household'... you may be leaving out your non-married, and married to non-constituent spouse,  individuals.

  • I would narrow down all the records that don't export and then evaluate them for common denominators, constituency type, attributes, solicit codes, etc. and see if there is a commonality and then explore if that would affect export. Have you had another user try to export the same list? Sometimes I feel like these freak things happen and with a restart or different user they self correct. 


    Good luck! I know these things are frustrating !
  • JoAnn Strommen
    JoAnn Strommen ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ancient Membership Facilitator 4 Name Dropper Photogenic
    Sometimes it really just seems like there are RE gremlins. I had a similar thing last month. I was only dealing with one query but when I took it to Export it dropped the 3 newest RE records in the query. Tried all kinds of things like looking at all the user options for query. Great support here on the forum of possibilities.  SC wasn't an issue as there wasn't any. It was 2 individuals and 1 org. Never did figure out why they didn't Export. Ran it multiple times. Did Export when I used a query list.  Then all of a sudden on Friday after a week of frustration, I ran the Export again with the original query and they were there. 


    LOL - Friday's coming - maybe the records will show up too.


    Best wishes on resolving it.
  • Larry Wheeler:

     

    Mercedes McCay-Read:

    Alan French:

     

    Does your export have any of the "include inactive/deceased/no valid address" boxes unticked? (if not, it probably should!)

    If a constituent was in the query list but falls into one of those categories, or if you're using head of household processing to mail couples together, that could explain the difference in numbers between the query and the export.

     

    Alan, thanks for the response.  All of my include these constituents boxes in the export are unchecked.  HOH processing doesn't seem to be the issue because those people show in the export; it's a bunch of random people who meet the criteria in the query list that are in it, but don't export and I don't understand why.

     

    If you are using Head of Household processing and have checked the "Export only constituents marked 'Head of Household'... you may be leaving out your non-married, and married to non-constituent spouse,  individuals.

     

    Larry, that's an inaccurate assessment.  Anyone without a Spouse Relationship record is automatically considered to be "Head of Household" even if they don't have a way to be marked as such.

  • John Heizer:

    Larry Wheeler:

     

    Mercedes McCay-Read:

    Alan French:

     

    Does your export have any of the "include inactive/deceased/no valid address" boxes unticked? (if not, it probably should!)

    If a constituent was in the query list but falls into one of those categories, or if you're using head of household processing to mail couples together, that could explain the difference in numbers between the query and the export.

     

    Alan, thanks for the response.  All of my include these constituents boxes in the export are unchecked.  HOH processing doesn't seem to be the issue because those people show in the export; it's a bunch of random people who meet the criteria in the query list that are in it, but don't export and I don't understand why.

     

    If you are using Head of Household processing and have checked the "Export only constituents marked 'Head of Household'... you may be leaving out your non-married, and married to non-constituent spouse,  individuals.

     

    Larry, that's an inaccurate assessment.  Anyone without a Spouse Relationship record is automatically considered to be "Head of Household" even if they don't have a way to be marked as such.

     

    Thank you for clearing that up, John.   I had a similar problem as Mercedes and thought I had fixed it because of the HOH 'head of household only' problem.   It must have cleared up on it's own like JoAnn's.

     

  • Is it possible that you have constituents who fall into more than one query category?

  • JoAnn Strommen:

    Sometimes it really just seems like there are RE gremlins. I had a similar thing last month. I was only dealing with one query but when I took it to Export it dropped the 3 newest RE records in the query. Tried all kinds of things like looking at all the user options for query. Great support here on the forum of possibilities.  SC wasn't an issue as there wasn't any. It was 2 individuals and 1 org. Never did figure out why they didn't Export. Ran it multiple times. Did Export when I used a query list.  Then all of a sudden on Friday after a week of frustration, I ran the Export again with the original query and they were there. 


    LOL - Friday's coming - maybe the records will show up too.


    Best wishes on resolving it.

    What JoAnn said!  I've had these gremlins pop up too.

  • Jennifer Gallo:

    Is it possible that you have constituents who fall into more than one query category?

     

    This. I would check to make sure that each constituent only has one appeal/package assigned for this mailing. 


    And good luck finding those dreaded gremlins! 

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