Unfriendly Contributor Search

[SBCTrustee]

Hello Everyone,

I just learned that the contribution module has an "unfriendly" contributor name search function. Here is what happened:

My inputers search for a name, when their is no number on special envelopes. If the system says that the contributor is not in the system, searching from the contribution module, then my inputers have been entering the contriutor as a new profile (Family & all). This has resulted in many duplications!!

If a family / member is entered in the membership mopdule but no number has been assigned to him, then the contribution module will report that he is not in the system.

Bad !! Bad!!

One would think that a name search is a name search, apparently not in PC+ V9. I am very unhappy about this!!

We know now that a search for a name in the contribution module is not complete. We now search both in the Membership module & contribution module. Hmm, how about a fix.

The good part about this is that I am in church, & I will pray for us all.

Tom

[tborgal]

If when you find a name that does not exist in the contribution module, click on the new contributor icon in the contribution entry window. When you enter the name of the contributor, if the same name already exists in the membership module you will be told that the name you are inputting already exists and asks if you want to edit the existing entry or add a new entry. If you choose to edit you can then add an envelope number to that name.

[NeilZ]

An additional tip ... just enter the LAST NAME of the contributor, such as JONES, and click the NEXT button. Then you will get the notice that there are a few Joneses in the system.

Click the EDIT button, and you will then get a list of all the JONESES in the system. Your counters than then match the first and last name, and the street address to insure that you have the selected the correct Jones.

Its not an 'unfriendly' search either. The system is searching the database of CONTRIBUTORS. If you have members or visitors who have not been assigned a number, than they won't be listed in that area. The new contributor entry area would flag a person already in the membership database, if the name were entered the same way they are listed in the database. Not always the case. Using the last name only entry, makes this more foolproof.

All it takes after that, is some training.

[SBCTrustee]

Hello Everyone,

I somewhat understand the thinking behind some of your suggestions, but I need to persue this item further, in love.

It sounds like it would be more effecient to by-pass the contribution name search function in the contribution module and go directly to the membership module in the first place.

It is hard to understand why a name search does not already look in the membership data base already. In my opinion, a name search should be a name search from the same data base!! If a membership number is required, then why does not the membership module require one in the first place?

I still think that PC+ V9. is great. I am just rather upset right now!

Tom

[Zaphod]

Technically, it is searching the same database. You only have to enter the person's information once. If you choose to include them in your searches in Contributions, they need to have an envelope number. That way, you limit your search results in Contributions to only your contributors.

Basically, if you specify an envelope number at the time you enter the profile information in Membership, you are including them in the Contributions search. No envelope = not a contributor.

[NeilZ]

Hello Everyone,

I somewhat understand the thinking behind some of your suggestions, but I need to persue this item further, in love.

It sounds like it would be more effecient to by-pass the contribution name search function in the contribution module and go directly to the membership module in the first place.

It is hard to understand why a name search does not already look in the membership data base already. In my opinion, a name search should be a name search from the same data base!! If a membership number is required, then why does not the membership module require one in the first place?

I still think that PC+ V9. is great. I am just rather upset right now!

Tom

You have to realize ... what you're doing in the contributions module is a CONTRIBUTOR search .. not a full database name search. You're looking for those who are already contributors and have envelope numbers assigned.

I believe that there is a join from the contributions module to the personal profiles table to pull up the names of the contributors. All that is being searched in this case is the contribution ENVELOPE numbers, the names are pulled up as they are joined to the number. I would not want this search to have any other names other than those that are currently listed as contributors. The rest of the databases, with hundreds of visitors is totally worthless to me when I'm trying to find an envelope number quickly.

When someone is not found there, they need to be added as a NEW contributor, and that search does access the entire membership module set. From the way the initial search works, I believe it checks the PERSONAL PROFILEs for the name match. Then you have the functionality of editing the existing entry, and adding the envelope number.

To insure that any name currently in the database is found, we do enter only the last name. Thi s turns up the correct name 99% of the time, the other 1% is added to the database. When we started we had a few duplicates, but after sitting with the counters and giving training, this has been drastically reduced.

The main problem we have now are married couples who have separate checking accounts, and the wife's is in her maiden name. When I come across these duplicates, I move the account to the proper location, merge the envelope numbers, then add the maiden name to a name 'conversion list we have on a sheet used by the counters.