Kheng Chow Consulting LLC
P. 646.522.9346
F. 646.328.3167
info@KhengChowConsulting.com
www.KhengChowConsulting.com
P. 646.522.9346
F. 646.328.3167
info@KhengChowConsulting.com
www.KhengChowConsulting.com
| DataHealth News |
TM
Getting information out of the Raiser’s Edge can be a little bit overwhelming and
frustrating at times. You may find duplicates in your Query results or maybe you just
can’t get the right constituents grouped through the query. Do you find that, no
matter how hard you try, manual work still has to be performed in Excel after you get
the data out of Raiser’s Edge?
With a clear understanding of the Query and Export concepts, you can execute any
type of data extraction with ease. Whenever a user is ready to pull information from
the Raiser’s Edge, two steps are required. The first step is to create a query to
identify the records that you wish to look at. The second step is to use the Export
module to extract the needed information (data field values) from those records
grouped in Query.
The biggest problem is that many users tend to confuse Query for a reporting or
exporting tool when Query is simply a grouping tool. Query is designed to group
select Raiser’s Edge records based on the criteria set by the user. Users should never
export the query results directly from the Query. The Export module is the extraction
tool where users can output data from records that they have successfully grouped in
Query.
Query = what records do I want to look at?
Export = what fields do I want to output from those records grouped in Query?
Before you define the criteria for the group of records desired, a query type has to be
selected. The query type will tell the Raiser’s Edge what records to search through.
You can choose from constituent records, individual records, organization records, gift
records, participation records, action records, or membership records.
• Constituent queries will search both individual and organizational records.
• Individual queries will only search individual constituent records.
• Organizational queries will only search organizational constituent records.
• Gift queries will only search gift records. (NOTE: This may output a donor’s
name multiple times in Export if the donor has multiple gifts that fit the criteria
set in the Query)
• Participation queries will only search event participant records (those that are
linked to a constituent record AND those that are not linked to a constituent
record).
• Action queries will only search action records. (NOTE: This may output a
prospect’s name multiple times in Export if the prospect has multiple actions
that fit the criteria set in the query)
• Membership queries will only search membership records.
Choosing the correct query type is very important because it determines the fields
that will be available for extraction in the Export module. If summary information
like the total number of gifts or total giving over the last 3 fiscal years for each donor
is desired, you need to create a constituent query and constituent export in order to
have those summary formula fields available for export.
After the correct records have been grouped in Query, you can plug this query into an
Export to extract specific data. Exports give you the flexibility to send the data to
different applications like Microsoft Word or Excel through “Export Format”.
TIP: If you have a complex query, try listing the criteria that you need to include in
this list on a piece of paper. On that same piece of paper, list the criteria that you
need to exclude from this list separately. Once you have the criteria clear in your
head, it will be easier to create in query.
Example:
If you need to run a list of donors who live in San Francisco and gave a total of $10K
or more in 2003 but did not give to the Gala in 2004.
INCLUDE EXCLUDE
City = SF Gift appeal Gala 2004
Total gift = 10K or more in 2003 Foundations
Deceased
frustrating at times. You may find duplicates in your Query results or maybe you just
can’t get the right constituents grouped through the query. Do you find that, no
matter how hard you try, manual work still has to be performed in Excel after you get
the data out of Raiser’s Edge?
With a clear understanding of the Query and Export concepts, you can execute any
type of data extraction with ease. Whenever a user is ready to pull information from
the Raiser’s Edge, two steps are required. The first step is to create a query to
identify the records that you wish to look at. The second step is to use the Export
module to extract the needed information (data field values) from those records
grouped in Query.
The biggest problem is that many users tend to confuse Query for a reporting or
exporting tool when Query is simply a grouping tool. Query is designed to group
select Raiser’s Edge records based on the criteria set by the user. Users should never
export the query results directly from the Query. The Export module is the extraction
tool where users can output data from records that they have successfully grouped in
Query.
Query = what records do I want to look at?
Export = what fields do I want to output from those records grouped in Query?
Before you define the criteria for the group of records desired, a query type has to be
selected. The query type will tell the Raiser’s Edge what records to search through.
You can choose from constituent records, individual records, organization records, gift
records, participation records, action records, or membership records.
• Constituent queries will search both individual and organizational records.
• Individual queries will only search individual constituent records.
• Organizational queries will only search organizational constituent records.
• Gift queries will only search gift records. (NOTE: This may output a donor’s
name multiple times in Export if the donor has multiple gifts that fit the criteria
set in the Query)
• Participation queries will only search event participant records (those that are
linked to a constituent record AND those that are not linked to a constituent
record).
• Action queries will only search action records. (NOTE: This may output a
prospect’s name multiple times in Export if the prospect has multiple actions
that fit the criteria set in the query)
• Membership queries will only search membership records.
Choosing the correct query type is very important because it determines the fields
that will be available for extraction in the Export module. If summary information
like the total number of gifts or total giving over the last 3 fiscal years for each donor
is desired, you need to create a constituent query and constituent export in order to
have those summary formula fields available for export.
After the correct records have been grouped in Query, you can plug this query into an
Export to extract specific data. Exports give you the flexibility to send the data to
different applications like Microsoft Word or Excel through “Export Format”.
TIP: If you have a complex query, try listing the criteria that you need to include in
this list on a piece of paper. On that same piece of paper, list the criteria that you
need to exclude from this list separately. Once you have the criteria clear in your
head, it will be easier to create in query.
Example:
If you need to run a list of donors who live in San Francisco and gave a total of $10K
or more in 2003 but did not give to the Gala in 2004.
INCLUDE EXCLUDE
City = SF Gift appeal Gala 2004
Total gift = 10K or more in 2003 Foundations
Deceased
Does pulling information out of Raiser's Edge make you
want to pull your hair out?
want to pull your hair out?
