Deleting unused constituent codes

Sharon Verhasselt

We are cleaning up our database following a split with a sister non-profit. We now each have our own version of RE NXT, with our own constituents. The split went well, however, we are left with constituent codes they established (and ones we do not use). When I attempt to remove the no longer needed codes (having run a query to insure no constituent is still attached to that particular code), I’m unable to delete them because the system says they are actually still in use somewhere. Thoughts on where to find these mystery constituents?

Joe Moretti

@Sharon Verhasselt These constituent Codes are also living in the gift constituent codes as well. So when you change a consituent codes, you will need to change the gift constituent code that is associated with it.

JoAnn Strommen

@Sharon Verhasselt Welcome to the BB Community forums.

As @Joe Moretti posted. Each gift has a gift constituency. It defaults to the primary constituent code so the code may be on hundreds of gifts. I'm sure not what you wanted to hear. Speaking from experience, cleaning those up can be daunting if you chose to do it.
Meanwhile, you can at least mark the codes you are wanting to delete as inactive so they will not be used on constituent records.

Joe Moretti

@Sharon Verhasselt As JoAnn Strommen stated, it is daunting task. You will need to create a gift query that has that constituent code of the one you want to remove and within that query any gift that has that same code. Then do a global change for the gift constituent code to become the code you are keeping. It will take time and you need to be very careful when doing this, but it can be done. I have done this type of clean-up in the past.

Sharon Verhasselt

@JoAnn Strommen

Thanks - you're right - not what I wanted to hear :-)

Sharon Verhasselt

@Joe Moretti

Thanks.

Jennifer Warner

@Sharon Verhasselt
I am doing this right now. I have two queries (one gift and one constituent) that I then use to run two Global Changes (one for gift and one for constituent). It's very simple. Then I can just delete the code from the table.

My one caution is that you consider whether former users didn't record the data where it naturally belongs. I am having to tag gifts with appeals to replace constituency codes used in replacement of them (e.g. Annual Community Appeal Donor as a constituency code from the early 2000s). I am also having to update industries for our organizations and attributes for our individuals (constituency code of legal with no industry on the Org2 tab). I am making these changes as I delete the codes one by one. We started with over 120 constituent codes after multiple data migrations from affiliated foundations. EEK!

Sharon Verhasselt

@Jennifer Warner
Thanks!