Mailing List for Appeals

Kim Russell

Can someone please help me setup a mailing list for appeals. We use physical mail, and having issues with addresseee and salutations, lists vs queries. Queries pull the primary addressee and salutation, but this not available on constituent list. I want to mail to all donors and non donors using the primary addressee and salutation. Also need to exclude do not mail, and deceased spouse name. It is not as easy as I would have expected. I created two queries for donors and non donors, and imported into constituent list.

Dariel Dixon

Why would you not just simply use a query for this @Kim Russell? That seems like the simplest way to resolve this? Why do you have to create a constituent list at all?

Alex Wong

Constituent list on webview is not good for setting up mailing list.

Query on webview will do you well here.

I don't know what you mean by donor / nondonor, are you talking about constituent and non-constituent or simply constituent record that has gift or not have gift. (non constituent wouldn't have addressee/salutation)

John McManus

@Kim Russell you should be able to use lists depending on your criteria but ultimately you'll most likely need to use a query @Dariel Dixon suggested in the export tool in database view to get exactly the output fields you need for a mailing (such as addressees and salutations). @Alex Wong I think she means the latter (constituents who have a gift vs. constituents with no gifts).

Alex Wong

Query in webview is sufficient to do mailing list, don't need Export module in dbview in my opinion, but of cource, that also depends on how Kim's org handle mailing related solicit code, valid address vs not, seasonal address processing, etc.

Austen Brown

I'm with other commentors - start with Query, and utilize the Export tool in DBV to get results out particularly if you are wanting to include any one-to-many fields in the results (e.g., Constituent Codes).

For more detail on why you'd use one or another, check out this recent LinkedIn post. It covers the basics, along with their primary purpose within the system.

John McManus

@Alex Wong I agree if it's a basic mailing but as @Austen Brown points out, Export is the best way to go in the case of one-to-many fields or any other output not available in Lists yet.

Alex Wong

The common misconception is, Query isn't good enough for exporting data, use it as grouping only.

One-to-Many relation field can be handled properly with better knowledge of how the "dup" row happen and how to deal with "fake dup row" in excel. I have handled mailing list using just Query module export, pretty complex criteria too (i.e. giving in last X months, giving to certain appeals, new into database but didn't yet, etc) and haven't need to go to Export module.

Export module has its use case and can do this Query export cannot do, but I just don't like dismissing Query module's export capability. (even Blackbaud advanced query class sometime doesn't do Query module justice)

Bill Connors

The proper way to do a mailing hasn't changed with RE NXT and the web view — mailings should still be done from Mail in the db view and if that just won't get the job done, then Export in the db view. Do not try to do mailings from the web view except to possibly start the list of who's going to receive it there. Query isn't the sole way to do a mailing and should never be used as such IMHO. Although it's hard to read a PPT presentation without the presenter presenting it, and this one is a doozy, I'd recommend taking a look at this: https://billconnors.com/wp-content/uploads/Getting-the-Best-Success-with-Mailings-from-RE-2008.pdf And yes, this is from 2008, but this is still the right way to do a mailing from RE despite RE NXT and the web view.

Ryan Hyde

@Alex Wong while I agree with you in principal that you could use query for the entire process if you have sufficient knowledge of 1.) your data structure, and 2.) exactly how to manipulate query results to avoid duplicate entries, I disagree that it's the right tool for most users. For most users, using a purpose built tool like either Export or Mail in DBV will be easier, and it will avoid any of the common pitfalls by its very nature.

We'll all be very happy when these tools (or some new version of them) come to web view, but for now, DBV is absolutely the way to go, and should be the common case recommendation.

Alex Wong

@Ryan Hyde I do not disagree with you, and Bill Conners point is well taken too as the "Mail" module is the tool built for this purpose.

The only point I'm making is, Query is not only a grouping tool. There are certain exports of information where Query export is better than using Export module. (i.e. pledge installment information in a proper data table format that can be consume by excel or other tools to shows expected revenue over time).

Madeleine Holdsworth

Common mistake to just use the query results. I've built many appeal lists, and always use query and then the export functionality in db view. The cleanest way to produce these lists.

Kim Russell

Thank you! It is frustrating as a new user being told DB is going away, and I have to switch between database view and Webview and the information doesn't refresh across both platforms cleanly.

Madeleine Holdsworth

We all feel your pain! Also, once you've set up the Export for an appeal list, you can just reuse it, changing the query selection when you need to.