The Flat Tire and Query

One night, on our drive home, my wife and I passed a car that had pulled off on the side of the road.

We pulled up behind the car to see if we could help.

The driver had gotten a flat tire but had never changed a tire before. Now, I’m no automotive expert (and not particularly handy) but I have changed a few tires in my day. We offered to help, and he popped the car’s trunk.

Our unlucky driver had a spare tire—a good start!

We pulled out the tire and found some tools underneath—another good sign!

Upon closer inspection, the tools were unfamiliar. Instead of the more traditional car jack, there were several flat pieces whose relationship to each other was anything but apparent.

We studied the car’s manual and tried a few different combinations of the bewildering pieces until we finally assembled the least intuitive car jack I had ever seen. Once we figured out how to use the tools we had, we were quickly able to change the tire and send the driver on his way.

Like that car with the flat tire, Raiser’s Edge has all the Query tools you need for expert data segmentation. However, you may not know what you’re working with at first glance. A little instruction and familiarity with the tools available to you will help you get back on the path to reaching your data destination.

If you’re ready to learn more about using Raiser’s Edge Query tools, register for our new class, Raiser’s Edge: Expert Data Segmentation with Query. You’ll learn how to merge queries, include or exclude specific records, troubleshoot unexpected results, and customize processing options. Greater familiarity with your Query tools means you’ll be better prepared for whatever comes your way—except maybe a flat tire!