Where should we store the EIN for funders?

Clarissa Rice Hampton · May 19

Our grants team has requested we include funders' EINs on their constituent record in RE to help them distinguish between entities with similar names and to have the information handy for export.

Where is everyone storing an EIN? Did you create a custom field / attribute? My immediate thought was alias, but we already store a zillion other things there (inherited structure) so it would probably be buried. Other ideas?

Tatyana Leifman · May 19

I would store it under Alias with Alias Type= EIN.

It's easy to search on in either dbv or web view, easy to query on and easy to export.

Putting it as a custom field/attribute can also get it buried as various fields are added there but also you have to use a query to search on rather than the search bar/search dialog box

JoAnn Strommen · May 19

It's not something we store. If I were asked to store it and wanted it front and center on a record as well as easy to export I'd consider re-purposing, if not in use, Target or Income fields. Alias would work if you didn't have inherited structure.

Custom field would be an option. We have so much stored there I would probably opt for Note instead. Create type of EIN. Also gives better option for any related info you might want to record.

just some ideas.

Tatyana Leifman · May 19

https://community.blackbaud.com/discussion/comment/313960#Comment_313960

Problem with repurposing fields right now is that the name change doesn't carry over to web view and it's not clear if that ability will be eventually available there or not…

JoAnn Strommen · May 19

@Tanya Fitzgerald I understand that - data entered could be "EIN 12-3456789"

Sara Niemiec · May 20

@Clarissa Rice Hampton, while my first thought is Alias, have you considered using Notes? I don't love the idea, but you can query on and export specific note types. Put the ID number in either the description or the notepad itself? Just make sure that you standardize the format and then document it.

Devan Bessinger · May 20

We keep it in an attribute. Makes it easy to query, export, etc.

Joe Moretti · May 20

Attributes are the way to go, that is the purpose of attributes, to break down further. You create a type of EIN and that is it. Easy to query and report on. I always felt Alias is not the place for items like this and it can get lost in notes. We have a travel department which has its own database and I import those folks into ours and they have a traveler's ID, which I put in attributes. Easy!

Dariel Dixon · May 20

@Clarissa Rice Hampton, you have a lot of options to choose from here. I agree with @Tatyana Leifman's suggestion of an alias, as it makes it searchable in the omnisearch bar. Being able to just type in the EIN would seem to be the best way for your team to access the records and the alias will allow for that. I don't think that Notes or custom fields will be best for that reason, but they may be easier to export. I don't think the numerous other things that are aliases really matter, outside of the clutter on the screen.

Michele Mandala · May 22

Attributes is the easiest.

Where should we store the EIN for funders?

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