DMP 101: Introduction

Learn the basics of DataMiner Platinum, DonorSnap’s query tool for building custom reports. This training walks through building simple donation reports and mailing lists that export to Excel. You can also use these lists for mass emails and generating letters within DonorSnap.

Quick Recap

The trainer introduced and explained the advanced function DataMiner Platinum, focusing on its capabilities and how to customize and filter contact data. She also demonstrated the process of pulling contact data for email communications, generating reports of volunteer activities, and identifying and managing current subscribers or members. Lastly, she addressed the complexities of managing complex queries, the definition and management of ‘active’ and ‘inactive’ statuses, and how to add and customize mail codes in the DonorSnap program.

Meeting Summary

DataMiner Platinum Report Builder Overview

The trainer provided a detailed walkthrough of the DataMiner Platinum report builder in DonorSnap. She highlighted its capabilities, including the creation of custom reports for specific needs, and its importance in processing communication tasks. The trainer also demonstrated how to navigate the database, emphasizing the ability to edit and customize reports, and mentioned that any questions regarding the report’s capabilities are typically addressed via email.

Customizing Contact Data and Reports

The trainer explained how to customize and filter contact data in a system. She demonstrated how to select specific fields, such as first name, last name, email, and status, and how to prioritize them as needed. She also clarified that all reports include inactive contacts by default, but this can be changed by modifying the status field. Additionally, the trainer showed how to create a query for active contacts and how to edit any report at any time.

Contact Data Management and Reporting

The trainer explained the process of pulling contact data for email communications, emphasizing the importance of selecting the right fields for personalized messaging. She demonstrated how to filter the data to include only those contacts whose email addresses are not empty, and how to exclude certain contacts using the ‘Mail Code’ field. The trainer also discussed the need to define what constitutes a ‘board member’ within the database, using the ‘Attributes’ field, and demonstrated how to generate a report of all board members. Lastly, she showed how to exclude board members from a mailing by using the ‘Does Not Equal’ filter.

Volunteer Activity Report Generation Process

The trainer explained the process of generating a report of volunteer activities. She detailed how to navigate the database to obtain specific information such as volunteers’ activities on a particular day. The trainer demonstrated how to filter the data to show only the required information, such as volunteer hours from a specific Sunday. The result was a comprehensive list of all volunteers, including those who were active and inactive, and a separate list of those who had worked at the farm.

Understanding and Customizing Subscriber Reports

The trainer discussed the complexities of identifying and defining current subscribers or members. She highlighted the need to understand what constitutes a member in the database, as it could vary based on factors such as donation history and membership type. The trainer demonstrated how to build a report using the system’s data, emphasizing the ability to customize the report based on various criteria, such as recent membership payments, donation type, and membership expiration dates. She also pointed out that there are two types of reports: one based on recent membership payments and another based on membership expiration dates, underscoring the importance of specifying which report to generate.

Managing Complex Queries and Report Creation

The trainer addressed the intricacies of managing complex queries in their support system, stressing the importance of understanding the required data and building reports and queries for reuse. The trainer also indicated that the following week’s session would delve into more advanced queries and provided resources for those interested in learning more. She guided the team through the use of the help website and the DataMiner Platinum tool, suggesting the team begin with building a local mailing list for Illinois residents and board members. She planned to answer further questions via chat and lead more challenging sessions in the future.

Additional Resources for DataMiner Platinum:

DMP 201: Intermediate Functions
DataMiner Platinum Intermediate Walkthrough