Query Basics

The University of Texas System

Laurie Osman, Business Analyst

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What is a Query?

• A Report?• Another Way to Export Data?• A Grouping of Records?

A query in Raiser’s Edge is a grouping of similar records in the database. The query module enables us to group, sort, and output different types of records.

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Query Types and Formats

• A Query Type determines what kind of records you want to group and see in your output

• A Query Format determines if the data will be a snapshot or will refresh over time as the database changes

Constituent

Relationship

AppealGift

Action

ParticipantOrganization

IndividualFundMembershipCampaignJob

Event

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The Criteria Tab

• Define which group(s) of records you want to pull from the database

• Each filter relates to a field in Raiser’s Edge – the key to finding filters is to know which field(s) on the record relate to the information you want to group on

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• Constituent Information: Biographical fields and record properties• Solicit Codes: Codes on the bottom left of the Bio 1 tab. Examples: Do Not

Contact For Visits, Do Not Solicit, Outstanding Pledge• Addresses: Preferred Address fields (There is a sub node of Phones that is

used to filter phone numbers and e-mail addresses)• Actions: Fields on a constituent’s actions record (type, date, solicitor,

status)• Relationships: Assigned Solicitor, Education, Individual, Organization

Relationship fields• Gifts: Fields on a constituent’s gift records (date, amount, type)• Attributes: Information on constituent’s attributes. When querying on

attributes, there’s a sub node of Specific Attribute. From there, choose the attribute you want to filter on

Criteria Nodes (Fields)Frequently Used “Nodes” for Constituent Queries

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Query Criteria TipQuery Favorites

• For query fields/criteria that you use frequently, you can add them to your favorites by Right Clicking on the field and selecting “Add to Favorites”

• The Favorites node appears at the very top of the criteria list and will include all the fields that you have added as favorites

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Query Criteria TipQuery Fields

Allows you to select any field that is currently in your query. Use this to save time when selecting your output fields or sort field(s).

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Query Criteria TipSummary Information

Allows you to select a summary of certain fields (Gift, Honor/Memorial, Action, or Appeal)

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Criteria OperatorsOperator Example

Equals / Does not equal Preferred State equals Texas

Greater than / Greater than or equal to Gift Amount greater than $1,999

Less than / Less than or equal to Gift Amount less than or equal to $100

One of / Not one of Current Membership one of CC, CCEC

Between / Not Between Gift Date between 09/01/12 and 08/31/13

Blank / Not Blank Preferred Email Number not blank

Begins with / Does not begin with Last Name begins with O

Contains / Does not contain Note Description contains solicitation

Ask This operator will ask for operator and value when the query is ran

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Operator Definition Example

AND Records must meet both criteria to be selected. The default combining operator in Query.

Last Gift greater than 9/1/13AND NetCommunity gift equals Yes

OR Records can meet either criterion to be selected. Last Gift greater than 9/1/13OR NetCommunity gift equals Yes

Parentheses ( ) Needed when you have 3 or more rows and you are using both AND & OR

Preferred State equals TexasAND Last Gift greater than 9/1/13OR NetCommunity gift equals YesPreferred State equals TexasAND (Last Gift greater than 9/1/13OR NetCommunity gift equals Yes)

Combining Operators and Parentheses

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Output, Sort and Results Tabs

• Output Tab: Select fields you want to view• Sort Tab: Select field(s) you want to use to sort your data• Results Tab: Preview Results

Note: From the Results Tab you can open any record by double clicking on the row that corresponds to that record.

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Query Tips and TricksDuplicate Records

• When viewing the results in a query, you could see duplicate records if you have one-to-many fields in the output or in your criteria

• If you see duplicates in your query, you can remove them in your export file (excel/access for example) or you can run the query through the Export Module which will automatically de-duplicate your query

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Query Tips and TricksCreating a Copy of an Existing Query

• If you see a query that has all or nearly all the criteria that you need in it, instead of creating a new query from scratch or changing that query (Never change a query that you didn’t create), go to File > Save As and rename the copy of the query for yourself

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Query Tips and TricksQuery Options

Tools Query Options• General Tab: An overview of the basic query information

– Query Type, Format, Name, Category (folder), and Description

• Record Processing Tab: Details on filtering or limiting– Select From Query: Create the current query from records included in a

separate query– Suppress Duplicate Rows: Rows with the same data will be eliminated– Apply Output Limits: Constraints will only be applied when the query is

used as an input query• Available only for Static Queries

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Query Tips and TricksQuery Options

Tools Query Options• Gift Processing Tab: Details on how soft credits and

matching gifts will be handled– This is a very important tab if you are looking at household giving,

including if a donor gave through an organization, etc.

• Advanced Processing Tab: The options on this tab are generally not used very often– Used for SQL coding and multiple attributes

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Query Tips and TricksExporting from a Query

• To export your query results to a file, click on the export icon (looks like a CD) from the query tool bar

• Specify a file type (excel, CSV, access, etc…) and file name (click on the ellipses to specify the name and where you want to save the file)

Remember that the export tool from a query will output your results exact as they appear (including duplicates) if there are any

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Ways to Utilize QueriesQuery Lists

• Link one or many queries to a query list and then you can add or remove specific records

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Ways to Utilize QueriesConstituent Search

• Search Using a Query – allows you to change the output• You could also use this if you only search for

constituents in a certain criteria.

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Ways to Utilize QueriesQuerying with Exports

• You can export gifts using a particular gift query in a constituent export. You can use this to filter down gifts based not only on campaign, fund, or appeal, but on attributes, codes, etc.

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Ways to Utilize QueriesCanned Reports

• Link queries to Canned Reports to filter which records you want to appear in the report

• Under each canned report there is a summary of what the report can run and a link to view samples of the report

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Ways to Utilize QueriesDashboard Panels

• Much like canned reports, dashboard panels can be attached to a query to filter which records to shown

• Some Dashboard panels can be the query results, which allows you to change the columns and sort however you want to!

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Ways to Utilize QueriesClean Up Database

• With the BLANK query operator, you can create dynamic queries (such as Address Line 1 blank).

• Make the output just the Constituent ID.• Then go to the results tab and double click to open the

first record.• Clean up or fix the data, Save and then click the arrow to

go to the next record.

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Ways to Utilize QueriesClean Up Database

• With the BLANK query operator, you can also create Business Rules that will automatically help clean up your database over time

• Create the query and attach it to a Business Rule and then when a user tries to save the Record, it will pop up informing the user to go back and fix the data