Adding appeal codes to a group
I feel silly asking this because I expect the answer is staring me in the face.
We have our forms from our annual phonathon to process. We track the various options via Appeal - Packages. We have some large stacks that need to have the same Appeal code and package added over and over again.
I don't normally handle data entry, but I was told by our data entry person the "only way" to do it was:
- go to Open a Consituent
- Search by Constituent ID
- Open Constituent
- Go to Appeal tab
- Scroll down to the bottom of the Appeals
- Add an Appeal by clicking at the bottom of the list
- Search for the Appeal using the description field
- Add Appeal
- Choose Package from the drop-down
- Save & close Constituent Record
C'mon!! Isn't there an easier way? I have everyone's Constituent IDs, their first and last names. There has to be a faster way to do this.
I tried figuring out how to do a Constituent Batch, but I must be doing something wrong because it seems to only want to add new records. I want to open existing records (in one fell swoop) and add the same Appeal and Package to all of them.
I have hundreds to do and I kind of want to scream!
Comments
-
Rosie Blankenship:
I feel silly asking this because I expect the answer is staring me in the face.
We have our forms from our annual phonathon to process. We track the various options via Appeal - Packages. We have some large stacks that need to have the same Appeal code and package added over and over again.
I don't normally handle data entry, but I was told by our data entry person the "only way" to do it was:
- go to Open a Consituent
- Search by Constituent ID
- Open Constituent
- Go to Appeal tab
- Scroll down to the bottom of the Appeals
- Add an Appeal by clicking at the bottom of the list
- Search for the Appeal using the description field
- Add Appeal
- Choose Package from the drop-down
- Save & close Constituent Record
C'mon!! Isn't there an easier way? I have everyone's Constituent IDs, their first and last names. There has to be a faster way to do this.
I tried figuring out how to do a Constituent Batch, but I must be doing something wrong because it seems to only want to add new records. I want to open existing records (in one fell swoop) and add the same Appeal and Package to all of them.
I have hundreds to do and I kind of want to scream!
Know the feeling - was screaming at computer yesterday
No, you can't do a constituent batch as its sole purpose is to add new constituents.
Can you query on the records? Ideally what you want is a query of those constituents who recieved appeal, package A and another query of constituents who recieved appeal, package B etc. Then with the query you can go to Configuration > Global add > Add Appeal (package info is part of the appeal info you can add).
Are you adding these as pledges or gifts at this point or just that they received appeal? If pledge or gift can have appeal and package part of batch fields.
If you have their IDs I think you should be able to create a constituent query if you don't have one. Criteria: Constituent ID one of ____. In the One of box, put cursor on top line, hold shift key and go to bottom line. It's sort of like highlighting the boxes even though it doesn't show. Sometimes I miss bottom one and have to do this step twice. If your list is in excel highlight the ID field for all the records to copy it into the query. I believe you can do up to 500 at a time. To do global add, do separate query for each package.
Trying to give you a quick response before your screaming bothers anyone
Post again if something's not clear.0 -
JoAnn Strommen:
Know the feeling - was screaming at computer yesterday
No, you can't do a constituent batch as its sole purpose is to add new constituents.
Can you query on the records? Ideally what you want is a query of those constituents who recieved appeal, package A and another query of constituents who recieved appeal, package B etc. Then with the query you can go to Configuration > Global add > Add Appeal (package info is part of the appeal info you can add).
Are you adding these as pledges or gifts at this point or just that they received appeal? If pledge or gift can have appeal and package part of batch fields.
If you have their IDs I think you should be able to create a constituent query if you don't have one. Criteria: Constituent ID one of ____. In the One of box, put cursor on top line, hold shift key and go to bottom line. It's sort of like highlighting the boxes even though it doesn't show. Sometimes I miss bottom one and have to do this step twice. If your list is in excel highlight the ID field for all the records to copy it into the query. I believe you can do up to 500 at a time. To do global add, do separate query for each package.
Trying to give you a quick response before your screaming bothers anyone
Post again if something's not clear.I can't query the records, but I could create an Excel (or anything) list of them. That's what I keep thinking - it would be so easy to whip through these if I could just create a list of Constituent IDs.
I can try this. Of course, I don't have access to do a Global Add, so I'll have to chat with someone about that.
Ergh. Never easy.
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JoAnn Strommen:
Know the feeling - was screaming at computer yesterday
No, you can't do a constituent batch as its sole purpose is to add new constituents.
Can you query on the records? Ideally what you want is a query of those constituents who recieved appeal, package A and another query of constituents who recieved appeal, package B etc. Then with the query you can go to Configuration > Global add > Add Appeal (package info is part of the appeal info you can add).
Are you adding these as pledges or gifts at this point or just that they received appeal? If pledge or gift can have appeal and package part of batch fields.
If you have their IDs I think you should be able to create a constituent query if you don't have one. Criteria: Constituent ID one of ____. In the One of box, put cursor on top line, hold shift key and go to bottom line. It's sort of like highlighting the boxes even though it doesn't show. Sometimes I miss bottom one and have to do this step twice. If your list is in excel highlight the ID field for all the records to copy it into the query. I believe you can do up to 500 at a time. To do global add, do separate query for each package.
Trying to give you a quick response before your screaming bothers anyone
Post again if something's not clear.Was just re-reading your post. If your data person enters the appeal (Records > Appeal) - it should already be on the list of appeals and one should be able to just select it. I also play with my appeal/fund list when I'm in a heavy data entry period to give them names that will autofill by just hitting first key in the name (like I'll have "14" as beginning of name for this year's appeal. After heavy data entry is done - I'll re-enter the name with year at end per our naming format). Little thing but makes data entry much faster.
PS you can also right click on first row or any other to insert a row into appeal list so you don't have to scroll to the bottom.
Any if you have the constituent ID's you could always do an import and update their records with the appeal info. With all your package info, that might be the easiest but does take a bit of RE knowledge. There are knowledgebase solutions that better explain the steps involved with that.
Here's link to past posts about adding appeals or records to query
http://forums.blackbaud.com/forums/p/14865/123707.aspx#123707
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Rosie Blankenship:
I can't query the records, but I could create an Excel (or anything) list of them. That's what I keep thinking - it would be so easy to whip through these if I could just create a list of Constituent IDs.
I can try this. Of course, I don't have access to do a Global Add, so I'll have to chat with someone about that.
Ergh. Never easy.
Do you mean to create the list of ID's from with in RE or just enter them in excel or something?
With the ID's you do have options of creating the query and doing global add (fastest and easiest to me) or of doing an import - little more time / work but still faster than opening hundreds of records. That will take forever.
See if you can get rights to do global add or have someone do it for you. It's the easiest but you have to have the query.
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JoAnn Strommen:
Do you mean to create the list of ID's from with in RE or just enter them in excel or something?
With the ID's you do have options of creating the query and doing global add (fastest and easiest to me) or of doing an import - little more time / work but still faster than opening hundreds of records. That will take forever.
See if you can get rights to do global add or have someone do it for you. It's the easiest but you have to have the query.
If you have a list of numbers you can quickly create a query using SmartPaste. I use it all the time. You just copy the constituent ids into the query and wa la its done. There are direction how this is used on their website.
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Jenny Physioc:
If you have a list of numbers you can quickly create a query using SmartPaste. I use it all the time. You just copy the constituent ids into the query and wa la its done. There are direction how this is used on their website.
Thank you all for the help. With your input, I think I have figured out what to do here:
- First, type the list of IDs into an Excel file. (They are on paper, not currently in a query or file of their own.)
- Then, create a query following these copy & paste instructions:
https://www.blackbaud.com/kb/index?page=content&id=BB41047&searchid=1372079755124 - Then, take the query, go to Configuration > Global add > Add Appeal (with the correct package)
Sound correct? I am waiting to get Config privileges, then will try it with a small group before I type up the whole stack of IDs.
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Rosie Blankenship:
You could certainly do that. I find it quicker to import appeals. You're already typing a list of ID numbers, name that column ConsID and the second column AppealID (if you use packages, then your third column would be PackageID) - copy and paste your appeal name for each id #, Save your file as a csv Go to Admin in RE and Import - Select appeal import.Thank you all for the help. With your input, I think I have figured out what to do here:
- First, type the list of IDs into an Excel file. (They are on paper, not currently in a query or file of their own.)
- Then, create a query following these copy & paste instructions:
https://www.blackbaud.com/kb/index?page=content&id=BB41047&searchid=1372079755124 - Then, take the query, go to Configuration > Global add > Add Appeal (with the correct package)
Sound correct? I am waiting to get Config privileges, then will try it with a small group before I type up the whole stack of IDs.
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Cathy Owens:
You could certainly do that. I find it quicker to import appeals. You're already typing a list of ID numbers, name that column ConsID and the second column AppealID (if you use packages, then your third column would be PackageID) - copy and paste your appeal name for each id #, Save your file as a csv Go to Admin in RE and Import - Select appeal import.What you listed as steps sounds right.
Not sure how many different packages you have to deal with. Using global add, each package needs to be a separate query as you'll choose the query and when you select what appeal data to add it will be the same for each one.
If you are dealing with a large number of different packages, import could be quicker. Do you have anyexperience with import? In addtion to what Cathy mentioned you will probably want a field with the date.
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JoAnn Strommen:
What you listed as steps sounds right.
Not sure how many different packages you have to deal with. Using global add, each package needs to be a separate query as you'll choose the query and when you select what appeal data to add it will be the same for each one.
If you are dealing with a large number of different packages, import could be quicker. Do you have anyexperience with import? In addtion to what Cathy mentioned you will probably want a field with the date.
I have NO experience with imports in RE (lots in other programs). I am giving this a try today and I have hit a small snag. When finish the import steps, I get an error that says,
The Import ID field is required to Update existing records.
Ok, on the first screen of the Import tool, for the question, "How do you want the system to identify existing Constituents?" I said, "Use Constituent ID." I thought this would take care of the error above, but it does not.
So, further reading led me to the Import Guide, which says,
"To specify in your import file which constituents you are updating, you can use the constituent's Social Security Number, Constituent ID or Import ID to identify the record."
I am using the Constituent ID. So ... what is happening here? Do I need to create an Import ID column and put the Const IDs there?
0 -
Rosie Blankenship:
I have NO experience with imports in RE (lots in other programs). I am giving this a try today and I have hit a small snag. When finish the import steps, I get an error that says,
The Import ID field is required to Update existing records.
Ok, on the first screen of the Import tool, for the question, "How do you want the system to identify existing Constituents?" I said, "Use Constituent ID." I thought this would take care of the error above, but it does not.
So, further reading led me to the Import Guide, which says,
"To specify in your import file which constituents you are updating, you can use the constituent's Social Security Number, Constituent ID or Import ID to identify the record."
I am using the Constituent ID. So ... what is happening here? Do I need to create an Import ID column and put the Const IDs there?
Rosie:
On your import, did you check Use Constituent ID?
0 -
Patti Posey:
Rosie:
On your import, did you check Use Constituent ID?
Yes.
0 -
Rosie Blankenship:
Yes.
Well, it just worked for me. I am not sure why. I think I must have chosen a different Import "Type" on that try. I am not sure what I did, though. It was a test of three records and they worked. I will have to take notes on my next try.
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Rosie Blankenship:
Yes.
Please let me know if I am understanding this incorrectly. You have appeals already loaded on the appeals tab and want to add/update the package for that particular appeal.
When I have done appeal package updates in the past via import, I had to first run an import to create the file. That file will have the Import Id for the appeal code. So, you go to import, constituent, Constituent Appeal. To create the import file, you can click that bullet and the options will allow you to use a query and you can select specific fields to be in the file. Make sure you have the appeal Import ID in there. This will create a file with ALL the appeals on the constituent record. After you have that file, you can go to Excel and filter out only the appeal you are modifying and add the package. After that, go back to the import again and do an update.
Let me know if this helps or not.
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Sara Kramer:
Please let me know if I am understanding this incorrectly. You have appeals already loaded on the appeals tab and want to add/update the package for that particular appeal.
When I have done appeal package updates in the past via import, I had to first run an import to create the file. That file will have the Import Id for the appeal code. So, you go to import, constituent, Constituent Appeal. To create the import file, you can click that bullet and the options will allow you to use a query and you can select specific fields to be in the file. Make sure you have the appeal Import ID in there. This will create a file with ALL the appeals on the constituent record. After you have that file, you can go to Excel and filter out only the appeal you are modifying and add the package. After that, go back to the import again and do an update.
Let me know if this helps or not.
No, the appeals are not already on the Constituent's Appeals tab.
What I am adding to the Constituent's Appeals tab is the Appeal name and Package Name.
The Appeal Record and Packages are already created.
In fact, the "stack" I have to do ALL have the same Appeal + Package.
And there is NOT an existing Query of this "stack." However, they ALL are existing Constituents with Constituent IDs on their forms in my stack!
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Rosie Blankenship:
Well, it just worked for me. I am not sure why. I think I must have chosen a different Import "Type" on that try. I am not sure what I did, though. It was a test of three records and they worked. I will have to take notes on my next try.
Rosie - I see you've been busy this a.m.
Glad your test worked (and glad that you just tried it with a few records to start)
Did the import work for the rest of your records?
0
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