2_Intro

In This Section:

PledgeMaker Overview

PledgeMaker Support info

General Features List

Documentation: Section Contents

Basic PledgeMaker Terms

PledgeMaker is organized around the different types of tasks that users need to perform specifically for the purposes of fundraising. The logical display of menus, screens and associated tools reflects this user-oriented organization. The main areas of user activity in PledgeMaker are:

• Management activities such as creating and defining events, appeals, committees, and contacts

• Import and export of data, general data maintenance and volume data processing

In many organizations, each user specializes in one or two of these tasks. System administration is responsible for setting up logins so that users have access to the areas of PledgeMaker which correspond to their specializations.

Technical support and training are available to help you make the most of your software:

Phone:
800.442.9211 (toll free) or 716.691.2800

Fax:
716.691.2828

Email:
support@softrek.com

Website:
www.softrek.com

Address:
SofTrek Corporation
30 Bryant Woods North
Amherst, New York 14228

Thin-Client Application. PledgeMaker is accessed via an intranet or the Internet through a browser, and the software is run from servers rather than on each workstation. This can reduce and eliminate many of the expenses that would otherwise be associated with software management, and allows for secure, versatile, satellite office access from any computer in the world with an Internet connection.

General Features. Utilities and features available in PledgeMaker include a broad range of functions:

• Record linking for families to members and corporations to corporate contacts

PledgeMaker documentation is divided into sections that relate to specific PledgeMaker screens, modules and functions. These sections contain both an overview of the functionality as well as step-by-step instructions for set up and general procedures. Most sections contain detailed descriptions of individual screens and associated fields, along with illustrations of each screen. Additional technical information, definitions and information which might affect functionality is contained in notes as necessary. Technical documentation may be made available separately for select functions.

The headings for the individual documents are outlined in the mini table of contents included at the beginning of each section, titled “In This Section.” This table of contents immediately follows the section title. The content description acts as both an outline for the section, a quick reference to the contents, and as a navigational device. Occasionally a function, companion module or sub-module will have dedicated documentation. In these instances, the additional documentation is linked at the end of the document.

Below is a list of a number of PledgeMaker terms which may or may not be the same as terms used within a given organization. The user must be familiar with these terms and their meaning in the context of the program in order to make sense of the documentation, interface, database and utilization of the program.

Probably the best way to become familiar with the necessary terms is to note organizational equivalents. Some of the most often used terms are listed below. Additional terms and information can be found in the Glossary.

Prospect: Generally a donor; may also be a record of information of persons related to donors and donations (constituents, members, solicitors, contacts, groups, corporations, families, etc.). The term may also be used as shorthand to refer to PledgeMaker records (Prospect Information).

Screen: Windows, palettes or dialogue boxes that appear on a monitor when the user is using PledgeMaker (e.g., the Prospect Information screen, accessed by selecting Prospect Information from PledgeMaker’s main menu). May be used interchangeably with ‘window.’

History: A screen which lists records as a summary under a particular heading (e.g., the Gift History would be a listing of Gift records associated with a Prospect; a running history of the donations and pledges that the Prospect has made).

Table: The basic database segment. A coded table including data defined by columns and rows. May be used derivatively to refer to a history screen or record as a general heading (e.g., “Prospect table” as reference to the store of Prospect specific data). For more information on databases, see the segment on Database Structure in the Introduction.

Record: A row of data defined by a Prospect (e.g., all information relating to John Doe, including name, address, etc.). This data can be a reference to multiple tables, or a reference to a record within a particular module function (e.g., a Contact record as reference to a single entry in a Prospect’s set of contact records).

Contact: Can be either an action record (e.g., phone call, letter) or a person (e.g., the person involved in the contact record or one who is considered as a liaison).

Field: A screen area which accepts user data input. Sometimes used interchangeably with table column which it fills (e.g., “Zip Code field” as a reference to the Zip Code column in the address table).

Code: An alphabetic, numeric, or alphanumeric representation of data designed with the purpose of classifying information for retrieval (e.g., “ID#” as representation of Prospect identification number).

Module: A component of PledgeMaker dedicated to a specific task in creation of records (e.g., the Gift module allows entry of Gift records).

Interface: Interaction between separate software packages to provide utility (e.g., PledgeMaker interfaces with the Oracle database).

Oracle: The database software used by PledgeMaker as its foundation; the manufacturer of the database software.

PledgeMaker is comprised of both standard and optional modules which enhance functionality of the database.

This section provides high-level summaries of major features. Detailed documentation of each is available separately.

Prospects are generally donors (constituents, members, contacts, families, groups), but can be individual non-donors, organizations, solicitors, internal units or other entities.

The Prospect screen is a hub from which the user can access data related to individual Prospects. Gifts, contacts, interests and much additional information is located in modules and screens that are accessible from the Prospect screen via the navigation panel once the Prospect has been retrieved in a search.

The Alias module provides organizations with the ability to store multiple external aliases for a Prospect. Aliases are intended for use by custom applications, such as eServices, which need to match transactions to Prospects based on something other than a Prospect ID Number. An alias can have a password stored with it. Associating a password with an alias makes it possible to provide password-protected access to personal information via web-based self-service applications.

Alumni is an optional module for education history. An unlimited number of alumni records can be entered, and are accessed by some PledgeMaker reports such as Donor Profile.

The Attachment module is used to append various kinds of files to information in PledgeMaker, including: Prospect, Contact, Gift, Prospect Research, Event, Registration, Elements and Expenses, Legislation, and Political Activity. An unlimited number of attachments can be associated with each type of record. For example, one gift might have several attachments appended to it.

The Committee module is an optional module which is used to record and track committee assignments. Committees and committee positions are defined in Table Maintenance and assigned to individual Prospect records via the Committee module and Committee Add screen. The module allows recording of Committees and Positions, tracking of Sub and Parent

Committees, identification of the organization to which the committee belongs, and maintenance of details about the Prospect's involvement in that committee.

The Contact module allows users to establish and record contacts made with Prospects. Contacts might include (but need not be limited to) meetings, solicitations, telephone calls, emails, faxes, visits and letters. Contacts can serve as a history of communications, as well as an active part of planning.

Contact record entries drive the Reminders list, which can automatically open when entering a PledgeMaker session. Contacts can be sent, with the click of a button, to word processing or e-mail programs providing automated addressing for correspondence. Contacts can be sent to your Microsoft Outlook calendar. They also serve as the tie-in to Contact Tracks which allow an organization to pre-determine a series of actions to take place with relationship to a Prospect.

The Event module is an optional module which is used to record, track and manage events and registrations to events. Events are defined in Event Management. Individual Prospects are registered to events via Event Management, Batch, Lockbox, Auto Update, the API or from their Prospect record. This module is more fully described in the Management section below.

The Financial Summary screen shows Prospect financial activity at a glance. Tabs control access to the sections for Gifts, Modules, Payments and Gift Additional.

The Gift module is used for recording a Prospect's financial contributions. These contributions may be made as donations or pledges. A donation is a fully paid gift accompanied by an immediate payment that covers the entire obligation of the donor. Pledges are a promise of a gift in the future, either as single or multiple payments over a specific period, or a commitment to ongoing gifts for an indefinite period.

The Gift module includes numerous features needed by sophisticated development programs, including:

PledgeMaker allows an unlimited number of interests to be associated with a Prospect. Interests can be used as the basis for mailing selects, to record mail preferences, to store charitable interests, to record an individual's affiliations (e.g., board member or former employee), to track giving clubs and memberships (e.g., Century Club donor or Gold Member). Interests can be viewed in the Attributes/Interests panel on the Prospect Main screen.

Prospect records can be linked in the database to connect two or more Prospect records in groupings. Two link Types can be created on the Links screen, including Family and Corporate links.

Family links are comprised of a central Family record and additional Members. There can be only one Family record per grouping, but there can be as many Members connected to the family as desired. In Family Linking, the Family record is the main record and the Member records are linked to the Family record. If a record has been assigned Family and/or Corporate links, the type of link will display on the main tab of the Prospect Information screen.

Corporate links are comprised of a central Corporation record and additional Contacts. There can be only one Corporation per grouping, but the corporation can contain an indefinite number of Contacts. In Corporate Linking, the main record is the Corporate record and the Contact records are linked to that Corporate record. Each Prospect can have only one Family/Member link and one Corporate/Contact link.

Mail History holds information regarding mailings for use in analysis. Mail History captures more information than Contact, making it more suitable for use in analytic reporting. Mail History records are created from Mailing Tables using Auto Update.

Advantages of using MAIL: maintains Prospect 'snapshot' at time of mailing; keeps mail history separate from personal contact history; handles large volumes; protects records from changes by users; avoids adding direct mail-specific fields to contact.

Matching Gift functionality automates assignment and processing of gifts contributed on behalf of Prospects by matching organizations.

The Work History module serves as the means for associating matching gift organizations and their match plans with the individual Prospects whose dollars will be matched. An individual Prospect can be associated with an unlimited number of matching gift organizations, and when a gift or membership payment that qualifies under one (or more) of the match plans (in an acceptable dollar range, to a defined gift type) is made matching gift pledges will be created for all active matching plans that have been assigned to the individual Prospect.

Membership maintains a history of memberships and membership renewals. Membership information can be added and existing memberships can be renewed using the module on-line or through Batch. Information in the entries can include such things as the type and level of membership, as well as information about terms, acknowledgments, billing, membership cards, payments, premiums, prior memberships, renewal history, tributes and additional user-defined information.

The Memo module is used for storing free-text memos and information for a Prospect. Memos are coded by a Section Code that can serve to sort the memos. The Memo module is designed for entering information that does not have designated fields on other screens. Memo is sometimes used for confidential information because access can be restricted.

PledgeMaker Order Entry is an optional module designed to meet the needs of organizations that accept orders for items. The Order Entry functionality is a core interface for entering item purchases and management of order processing (fulfillment, returns and shipping confirmation) online through Prospect records and through batch entry. The module functions work in conjunction with the Inventory, Invoice, Batch and Credit Card modules.

Planned Giving tracks activities that result from Prospect's financial, estate, or tax planning. Used in conjunction with the Gift, Tracking, Contact and Relationship modules, the Planned Giving module provides a detailed picture of each individual planned gift. The module includes fields for recording and tracking any number of planned giving types, including charitable gift annuities, deferred gift annuities, pooled income funds, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, trust savings accounts, wills/bequests, remainder gifts, and insurance policies.

Political Outreach manages and tracks contacts and interests in federal, state, county and local government activities. It allows users to store activity (e.g., offices held) and voting record histories for specific legislators. Data storage can include:

• Political Outreach builds on information stored in other, standard PledgeMaker modules, such as the Prospect record and Contact module.

With the Political Outreach module, specific information includes Legislative, Political Activity and Voting records. Legislative information describes actual legislation (e.g., details of a bill or political issue); Political Activity describes details of a Prospect's political involvement (e.g., party affiliation, term length, position, etc.); Voting allows tracking of a historical record of Prospect voting on specific issues.

Premium is a feature used to manage items given to Prospects when they donate gifts, sign up for memberships, participate in events, or make payments on pledges. Premiums can be associated with various PledgeMaker codes (like appeals or membership levels) for ease of entry and assigned automatically, or they can be entered individually. Premium items are stored in the PledgeMaker Inventory module where they are managed as any other stocked item. This provides organizations with a means of tracking and managing item availability, costs and purchasing.

Prospect Research maintains records of research performed on existing Prospects. The module facilitates research on existing Prospects by outside vendors (for use with Prospect research services) by allowing export of Prospect records and import of completed research. It also allows manual handling, entry and editing of research records.

The recognition feature is a means of attaching an item/device which serves to recognize a donor for a particular gift (e.g., a plaque dedicating a building wing or a name attached to a scholarship award). The Recognition module records how the donor was recognized, when they were notified of the recognition, where the recognition is located, whether the donor gets a photo, whether the donor is sent a certificate, etc. More than one recognition may be associated with a gift, and more than one honoree associated with recognitions. Available means of recognition can be maintained in the PledgeMaker Inventory module.

The Relationships module is used to record distinct relationships between two Prospects on a one-to-one basis. Relationships can be reciprocal, or one direction. Assigning a reciprocal relationship automatically creates a relationship on the reciprocal party's record. This relationship can be different than the relationship assigned to the current Prospect (e.g., if Husband is assigned to the current Prospect, the reciprocal relationship would be Wife). Any relationship code intended to create reciprocal relationships must be established as such in Table Maintenance before relationship records are created for Prospect. Once relationships are recorded on Prospects, the links offer soft crediting and navigational opportunities.

The Subscription module tracks subscriptions (e.g., to journals and newsletters) requested by and issued to a Prospect. Users can set up an unlimited array of Journals and subscription fees in Table Maintenance. Subscriptions can be renewed, cancelled, and sent to a third party.

The Gift Summary screen shows Prospect gift activity at a glance. Tabs control access to the sections for Gifts, Modules, Payments and Gift Additional.

Ticketing allows ticket information (e.g., for concert halls, theaters or other seating venues) to be imported into PledgeMaker from third-party software or outside vendors via ASCII files. The purpose is to allow for outside ticketing services to complete ticket sale transactions, and Ticket records can then be imported into PledgeMaker and attached to new or existing Prospect records to maintain a history of Prospect ticketing activity. Records can be maintained for subscribers and single ticket buyers. Information about the ticket and event (e.g., price, row, seat, series, performance and date) can be stored with the individual record.

The Tracking module is used to track major gift and grant proposals. Contact records, solicitor/staff assignments and volunteer assignments may be recorded from within the module to keep a detailed running record of internal efforts. Projections (detailed expectations) can be entered along with important dates (e.g., request submissions, deadlines, etc.) and links can be created to gifts generated by the tracking effort. Greetings can be created for communications specific to the tracking record for assigned staff.

The Volunteer module maintains a history of volunteer activity, including the events associated with the volunteer work, number of hours worked, payment received, whether not the Prospect is currently actively volunteering and when that Prospect is available.

Work History links employees to employers, and is central to the setup for automatically creating corporate matching gifts.

PledgeMaker includes predefined reports giving easy access to data views, analysis, groupings, and summaries. Reports have data range and other parameters, and can be restricted based on pre-defined Prospect lists. Reports can be previewed or scheduled to run at a future time, for delivery by email or FTP. Administrative, Analytical, Direct Mail, Gift, Event, Major Donor, Membership, and Operational reports are included.

Project Management is an organization-wide planning utility that integrates several of PledgeMaker's most powerful tools in a sophisticated task management system. The module allows users to build a creative and flexible means of tracking internal activity geared toward the unified fundraising efforts of the organization. It provides a means of linking areas of PledgeMaker (e.g., Appeals, Mailings and Events) to tasks and expenses. This link can serve as a means to unify organization efforts in larger projects and/or global organizational planning. This is combined with the ability to build project-specific task lists allows users to create and maintain complex, adaptable management and projection schemes.

Appeal Management is the area of PledgeMaker used to create, manage and maintain appeals, campaigns and associated codes. Appeals assignment is enforced on all receipt items (e.g., donations, orders, memberships, etc.) to provide the basis for fundraising efforts.

Committee management supports the planning and management of committees, as well as the tracking of the committees on which individuals serve and the positions they hold. Prospects are assigned to committees either in the Committee Management screens or via their Prospect record.

Events supports the planning and management of many types of events, from the very simple to the most complex.

Events can include participatory events (e.g., walks, bike-a-thons), presentations (e.g., dinners), partnership (e.g., third-party collaboration) or drive (e.g., flower sales). Planning and structure can include an unlimited number of linked activities (sub events) with separate fee structures for each, and/or structured packages. Prospects and guests (non-Prospect names) can be added to the registrations and can be assigned to specific groupings and positions. Premiums can be issued based on level of participation, and a balance due is calculated based on the item fees associated with registrant choices. Payments on the balance due for the registration can be accepted once the reservation has been created and saved.

Inventory provides a means of storing, accounting for, and managing purchases of inventoried items. Item Maintenance is an Inventory tool used for listing and categorizing items available, as well as managing replenishments and disbursements. It is used extensively in PledgeMaker to maintain items needed by other modules including Orders, Premiums, Recognitions, Project Management and Tracking.

Mailing Segmentation is separated into two phases: Phase One, which selects names; and Phase Two, which segments names into various Appeals which have been grouped by specific Campaigns.

Phase One selects Prospects from the database and populates the user's Mailing table with a single row of information for each Prospect selected. Selection can be based on any combination of the following criteria: attributes, interests, multi-purpose codes, and zip code ranges.

Additionally, selection criteria can be applied by selecting a Query Builder query, or by directly entering SQL into the Filter field on the Mailing Segmentation parameter screen.

Phase 2 uses Recency/Frequency/Monetary and other criteria associated with individual appeals to segment the names selected in Phase 1. The segmentation assigns an appeal code to each name, and this appeal code determines which Campaign and Package the name will receive. Special features include Test Panels and Giving Windows.

The Units module tracks the activity and success of multiple organizational units (e.g., multiple chapters, locations, radio/TV stations and/or affiliates). The module offers the ability for larger and tier structured organizations to track donor relationships, corresponding goals and achievements for each unit's gifts, memberships and associated payments. The Unit Type structure can contain up to nine levels of hierarchy as well as units that are independent of the hierarchy.

Other Prospect transactions can then be tied to a unit by selecting the unit on transactions (e.g., gift, payment, membership, orders, etc.). Special features in Query Builder, Reports, and Security use unit links.

The Acquisitions feature is a means of assimilating names into the PledgeMaker database based on the success of appeals made with rented lists of names. The Acquisitions feature helps automate acquisition by automatically assigning PledgeMaker ID Numbers to successful acquisitions.

Rented names from a list or lists are assigned a 9 to 14 digit acquisition ID (sometimes called a Finder Number) prior to loading the names into the Acquisitions table. The information is stored in the Acquisition table, rather than creating Prospect records. Mail response devices must of course include the Acquisition ID. When responses (e.g., reply to an appeal) are imported through Lockbox or Batch, the Acquisitions table is checked for matches whenever a 9 to 14 digit ID number is encountered. If a match is found in the Acquisition table, a Prospect record is created without the need to key the name and address.

Accounting interfaces are optional utilities for exporting information from PledgeMaker to accounting packages. Interfaces are available for a number of popular accounting packages. When you run your accounting interface, PledgeMaker finds the transactions which have not previously been exported and creates a file which can then be imported into your accounting package. These transactions are updated with a date showing that they have been sent to accounting. Transactions which have been sent to accounting can no longer be edited.

Auto Update globally updates large numbers of records. The main difference between Auto Update and Lockbox is that Auto Update does not import records. All of the records which are created or updated are assigned the same values.

Following is a list of Auto Update functions: create a Contact record, create a Committee assignment, create a record for Event Registration/Interest/Mail, delete every Prospect selected, Acknowledgement flags sent to Payment/Gifts/Membership, notification party flags for yes to Gifts, update Prospect Units and Attributes, update 'Last Bill Date' for Gifts/Membership, update 'Date Payment Exported to Accounting,' update "Expiration Date" for every Pledge selected, and update "Premium Sent" for Premiums.

Batch processing is a timesaving feature that allows users to enter transactions into the PledgeMaker database in groups without accessing Prospect records individually. Information can be entered using presets and customized defaults, which can reduce or eliminate the need to do repeated entry of similar data - as would be required when completing entries individually.

During set up and processing of batch entries, transactions are grouped/sorted, batch descriptions are created, transactions are entered through batch entry, totals are checked, and finally the data is posted. Posting is the action of committing the data to the database; until data is posted, it resides in a separate area of the database.

Optimally, batches are created from transactions that are grouped for similarity. For example, a batch might include registrations for a specific event, or response to a particular appeal. The transactions are manually totaled (e.g., by dollars and record count). This preparation helps with streamlining entry because default values can be maximized, and it helps with cross-checking for entry accuracy as well. Because of these advantages, it is often convenient to use Batch in any situation where the user will be making multiple entries to ensure that the data entry is accurate and standardized.

PledgeMaker can interface with a variety of credit card processing services. Organizations can establish single or multiple credit card merchant accounts with single or multiple services. Currently supported services include Transfirst, Ticketmaster, and WebAuthorize. PledgeMaker includes a demo feature which simulates credit card processing for use in training and testing. For any service, the processing can occur either interactively or on a scheduled basis. All credit cards are encrypted upon entry into the database and only the last 4 digits of the credit card number are displayed in screens and reports.

PledgeMaker has comprehensive duplicate checking and resolution capabilities. Checking and resolution of duplicates can be either interactive or scheduled and use user-defined duplicate criteria. Import utilities such as Lockbox and Batch (for both Prospects and acquisitions) can be set to check for duplicates as well.

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is a process of transferring money from one bank account to another electronically. The EFT module allows PledgeMaker to manage processing of all pledges drawn directly through Prospect accounts via electronic transfer. Transactions are periodically processed by the user with the EFT utility. This processing will usually occur on a set date (or dates) every month. When the user runs the EFT utility, a batch file of payments is generated to be posted as confirmation of the EFT transfer, along with an ASCII file for the bank that contains all the relevant transaction information. The bank file is transferred to a bank via the internet and sent by the bank to a clearing house where the transactions are confirmed. The clearing house notifies the banks of the debits and credits to each Prospect's bank accounts, and the bank informs the organization (PledgeMaker user) of suspended or failed transactions. Upon confirmation (and/or notification of suspensions) the transactions can be annotated to Prospect records via batch processing. Failed or suspended transactions can be reversed by the user or deleted from the batch before posting.

CASS Standardization uses third party software to validate addresses, standardize spellings and capitalization and enrich address content. CASS (Coding Accuracy and Support System) Certified FirstLogic software checks addresses against the ACE (Address Correction and Encoding) library and uses postal standards to correct and adjust address content. Maintaining address validation through use of FirstLogic can help organizations take advantage of economical mailing options, can help reduce mailing production costs and promote more successful consistent mail delivery, as well as improve Prospect duplicate checking accuracy. PledgeMaker can standardize addresses as they are entered (interactive online) or during a scheduled Batch process.

Lockbox is an optional module which imports data into PledgeMaker. Lockbox can import Gift, Pledge, Order, Contact, Prospect, Address, Phone, E-mail, Unit, Event, Appeal, Fund, Membership, Interest, Ticket, Acquisition, Campaign, Package, Project, Element, List Code, Unit Area, Subscription, Registration Fee, Inventory Item, Component, Inventory Adjustment, Mail, Prospect Research, Registration, Tracking and Work History information. The Lockbox module allows the PledgeMaker user to map how information should be imported using customizable file definitions. With the definition in place, Lockbox can be scheduled to run at a particular time and/or interval using the scheduling screen. External files can be comma or tab delimited, fixed length or XML. It is possible to call a custom procedure to pre-process files before they are imported. Once the files are processed, the batch files can then be viewed in PledgeMaker Batch Entry screens if desired, and/or they can be posted to the database using Batch Posting. Processing automatically renames the processed files so processing occurs only once.

The NCOA module creates an export data file from the PledgeMaker database based on the user's selected criteria. The file, containing the address data in text format, is sent to the NCOA service. The vendor processes the file by checking addresses against a current database to determine if they are in need of revision. A revised list, in the form of a text file, is returned to the user from the vendor and imported to update and make address corrections in the PledgeMaker database. In addition to providing new addresses for any moves, vendors also mark bad addresses and provide a standardized form for each processed address.

Purchase orders are a written order for goods purchased by the organization from an outside vendor. Centralized processing and storage of purchase orders allows the user organization to group purchases made from specific vendors, organizing purchases, and possibly reducing costs. Purchase Orders is closely related to Inventory and Project Management.

Query Builder provides an interface for entering criteria to be used for restricting selections of Prospect, gift, mailing, and payment records. Saved Queries can be used in Mailing Segmentation Selection, Auto Update, Prospect Search, Reports, and other areas.

QuickView screens provide immediate access to the detailed information most important to fundraisers. A Home QuickView screen and a Prospect QuickView screen make it easy for high-level fundraisers to benefit from the up-to-the minute information in PledgeMaker with little training and no wasted effort. These screens, which list contacts, gifts, or other activities, can allow fundraisers to drill into details and add new information, without extra navigation through the system.

Schedulers allow the scheduling of all sorts of PledgeMaker processes, functions and reports to either be run at a later time or on a recurring basis. Schedulers also provide notification of success or failure when a process runs. They are also used to direct how a file or document should be delivered by the database, whether it be via e-mail, ftp or previewed directly to the user’s screen.

Suppression List allows users to maintain and manage a suppression or 'kill' list. The list is a compilation of names the organization does not want to include in acquisitions or other solicitations. The list can be exported using the Mailing Export function, and then used to eliminate unwanted addresses and names from rented mailing lists.

The Tree Maintenance utility allows you to change navigational trees to reflect how you use PledgeMaker. There are many reasons for making these changes. You might hide items which you do not use, move frequently-used items to the top, or add custom reports. You can also make changes which affect only specific Groups, Units, and Users. Items like Security, for example, can be limited to an Administrative group so that other users are not distracted by items they do not use.

PledgeMaker's Security utility provides authorization for login and access to various functions in PledgeMaker. Logins are created for individual users and users can then be assigned to Groups. Groups, in turn, can be associated with stored security procedures which control user/login access.

Privileges can be assigned in two ways: through the Security screens, or via Fine-Grained Access. Only the System Administrator's Master Security login (provided to management at the time of installation) is authorized to add, edit or delete user logins and/or rights. Users are allowed or disallowed access to specific screens and functionality, and can be limited within that functionality to view, add, edit and delete functions within each of these.

A table is the fundamental unit of information storage in a database. Tables consist of columns and rows which help define information. Columns divide the table into sections by general criteria (e.g. ID# or Name), while rows contain information about a specific variable (e.g. an individual Prospect or organization) in relation to the general criteria of the columns. Values entered in PledgeMaker are neatly filed in the intersection of the rows and columns (e.g. the Prospect's Gender). This cross referencing makes it easy to locate data.

Relational Database. PledgeMaker defines and uses relational Oracle tables as the basis for data management. A relational database consists of a collection of interrelated tables. Each table represents a segment of related information (e.g. Prospect Information, Gift and Payments tables as in the example below). This allows the user to store, access and sort information based on a variety of qualifiers. As the table information is relational, additional tables can be incorporated and cross-referenced to extend the utility of the database and records. This flexibility and interrelation allows integration of new features, maintenance of data integrity and speed in data processing.

You can use the PledgeMaker Interface to accomplish the following: data entry, data search, data import, data export, maintenance and customization.

A value entered into the database via a field in the interface screen is filed in a table according to row and column. In this case, the row refers to a Prospect (individual) record, and the column refers to the gender associated with that Prospect. The image below is an example of this.

Below is an example of how a relational database might reference table information. A Prospect may make several different gifts to an organization, and each gift will have a different record of payments. Instead of one massive table holding and repeating information for every prospect/gift/payment combination, several smaller tables sort the information into useful segments (Prospect, Gift and Payment).