Difference between a gift query and a constituent query`

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Alison Johnson
Alison Johnson ✭
Eighth Anniversary First Reply
in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®: General Discussion
Can someone please tell me the difference between a gift and constituent query in RE7? I want to run a query to show all gifts from specific time periods year over year.


Thank you!

 
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  • Alison Johnson
    Alison Johnson ✭
    Eighth Anniversary First Reply
    Thank you all. This was very helpful. I actually thought the only way you could export was from a query. Good to know you don't need to do that. I still struggle a bit with the gift v. constituent exports and queries, but I guess the best way to think about it would be thinking what is more important about the information -- the gift or the constituent. For example, if the gift amount is the primary reason for pulling such an export or query, stick with focusing on the gift query or export. I can also add the name of the constituent into the export. Does this make sense to you all or am I still off base?

    This is the first time I've used the BB Community to ask a question or even to search, so this is a wonderful new resource for me.


    Thanks again!


    Alison

     
  • Michael Langley 2
    Michael Langley 2 ✭
    Eighth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Photogenic
    Actually, you really shouldn't use query to export. I do but only very limited and for small simple queries. Also I very rarely even use gift query unless i'm looking to clean up something or fix an error. For lists, I almost always use Constituent or Individual. If I need something regarding gifts it's usually for reporting, and then I use reports. It might benefit you to take a couple classes with Blackbaud University. If you don't have the money for that the Help sections have some great User Guides that I have found very helpful.


    Michael
  • Isaac Comer
    Isaac Comer ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Name Dropper Photogenic

    Alison Johnson:

    Thank you all. This was very helpful. I actually thought the only way you could export was from a query. Good to know you don't need to do that. I still struggle a bit with the gift v. constituent exports and queries, but I guess the best way to think about it would be thinking what is more important about the information -- the gift or the constituent. For example, if the gift amount is the primary reason for pulling such an export or query, stick with focusing on the gift query or export. I can also add the name of the constituent into the export. Does this make sense to you all or am I still off base?

    This is the first time I've used the BB Community to ask a question or even to search, so this is a wonderful new resource for me.


    Thanks again!


    Alison

     



    It's best to first look at Constituent Query vs. Gift Query, then talk about Exports next:


    Constituent queries focus on the constituent record.  Gift queries focus on the gift record.  The easiest way to see this in practice is to compare their Results tabs:

    In the results tab of a Constituent query, if you double click on a row, it will open that Constituent record.  If you double click on a row from a Gift query, it will directly open that gift instead (whether you want it to or not).


    This shift of focus causes many other more subtle differences between them.


    Generally, if you're not sure what kind of query you want, you are usually best starting off attempting it as a Constituent query.  If it turns out that this query is showing extraneous gifts that just should not be in the result, then you can try it as a Gift query.


    ---------------------


    Exports:

    All queries in Raiser's Edge have the inherent limitation that they tend to show many, many duplicate rows.  There isn't a good way around this within query.  (There's a Tools -> Query Options... -> Record Processing, "Suppress duplicate rows" option that you can try.  But in practice, it's only rarely able to actually suppress duplicate rows.)


    This is one key reason we have Exports.  When you build an Export based on a query, the only part of the query that's used is that of the Criteria tab.  Everything else is whatever you specify in the Export itself.


    Since Constituent Exports with any kind of gift data in them give various options for filtering the gifts you get (even including using a separate gift or fund query to select them), the distinction between Constituent and Gift (export/query) could seem a little muddy.


    When it comes to constituent Export vs query Export, here are some differences:  

    * A constituent export can't be based on a gift query.  However a gift export can be based on either a gift query or a constituent query.

    * Constituent exports have a Summary information tree of output to choose from, but Gift exports do not


    So:  if Constituent exports are far more flexible than Gift exports, why have gift exports?


    Well: although they may seem similar, they are still different from one another.  Just as with queries, the Constituent Export is centered on the Constituent record and the Gift Export is focused on the Gift.  Although I can't think of any specific examples off-hand, I'm fairly certain there are occasions where this will make a difference.  Certainly, if you choose to output preserving separate tables, it will make a difference as to what the tables look like.


    Generally, as with query, I would say you're usually best to start off with a Constituent export unless you find out it doesn't meet your need. 

     

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