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How do you track Constituent source?

Patrick Kelleher-Calnan

In the past I've worked with CRMs (perhaps some higher ed folks remember Hobsons Connect?) that included a Source field for Constituents. If someone first came into our database by filling out a webform that would automatically populate on their record, and if I uploaded a list of prospects that would be a required field. As far as I can tell, RE does not offer any native way to track this other than the Added By field, or a custom field. It is hard to look at RE and answer questions about where our Constituens are coming from. Blackbaud talks about mapping donor journeys, but for many of my Constituents it would be hard to identify where their journey started.

I'm curious if this comes up for anyone else. Do you have ways of identifying where you are getting your new prospects and donors? If a bunch of people sign up for your email list at an event, do you have a way of saving that data to their records? Do you try to understand the journey's of individual donors? How do you use RE or other tools to answer these questions?

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Accepted answers

Dariel Dixon

I believe a custom field is best for this. It also depends on when they enter your database. Do they enter when they first get on the radar of the organization or upon first gift. There are levels of variance of course, but sometimes entering this as a custom field would be easiest. Obviously, depending on the type of organization it might more helpful than other types.

If entering a custom field, be clear to make the field set up not to have duplicates. There are times where after a couple of duplicate merges we had several of these custom fields.

All comments

Dariel Dixon

If entering a custom field, be clear to make the field set up not to have duplicates. There are times where after a couple of duplicate merges we had several of these custom fields.

Patrick Kelleher-Calnan

@Dariel Dixon I was thinking of that. Being consistent about it would probably be the challenge. Most of my Constituents are getting in either from making a first gift or joining the email list.

Jack Briggs

We literally have a "Source" custom field that is compulsory for every record! (Though, as an education institution, approx 95% have the attribute of "[student record system]".)

It's primarily, and increasingly, useful for records created via event registration and JustGiving donors, who are more likely to be members of the public. We need the source attributed for reasons of data protection, too.

Patrick Kelleher-Calnan

@Jack Briggs Thanks! Do you update the field manually with each new record?

Jack Briggs

The source is added through our import routines for common mass entries - new alumni or JG donors, for example - but for ad hoc constituents created automatically via NXT donations or events, I have a maintenance query to sweep any with that attribute missing/blank and add the info.

As it's an attribute, they could be updated via Global Add, too, but the numbers are low enough that a weekly sweep is enough for my needs.

Joe Moretti

I agree with all the folks. We have an attribute of Source Code with a drop-down box to choose from. One of our drop-down are Donor Advised Fund, so we can exclude this from mailings, etc.

Lori Francisco

We track source in the database view via the 'info source' field in 'address', but that's not available in NXT, so we will be forced to create a custom field for this once the database view is no longer available.

Patrick Kelleher-Calnan

Thank you for the responses, all. I will have to consider whether to implement a custom field, sounds like.

JoAnn Strommen

Re source field in address @Lori Francisco

There is an post in the idea bank Reviewed - Voting Open. Great place to keep this needed field.

Address Info Source field needs to be added

Lori Francisco

This is the only field in RE where we track how our constituents come to us, as well as when there is an address update. Important field for the Society.

Lena Payne

We use Constituent codes for this - it would either be Student (which we update to Alumni when they graduate), Friend of … (if they 'joined' as a donor first but didn't study here) and Family /Events Program - through attending events etc