Book Image

Using CiviCRM - Second Edition

By : Erik Hommel, Joseph Murray, Brian P Shaughnessy
Book Image

Using CiviCRM - Second Edition

By: Erik Hommel, Joseph Murray, Brian P Shaughnessy

Overview of this book

CiviCRM provides a powerful toolbox of resources to help organizations manage relationships with constituents. It is free, open source, web-based, and geared specifically to meet the constituent relationship management needs of the not-for-profit sector. Beginning with broader questions about how your organization is structured, which existing workflows are critical to your operations, and the overarching purpose of a centralized CRM, the book proceeds step by step through configuring CiviCRM, understanding the choices when setting up the system, importing data, and exploring the breadth of tools available throughout the system. You will see how to best use this software to handle event registrations, accept and track contributions, manage paid and free memberships and subscriptions, segment contacts, send bulk e-mails with open and click-through tracking, manage outreach campaigns, and set up case management workflows that match your organization’s roles and rules. With specific emphasis on helping implementers ask the right questions, consider key principals when setting up the system, and understand usage through case studies and examples, the book comprehensively reviews the functionality of CiviCRM and the opportunities it provides. With this book, you can help your organization better achieve its mission as a charity, industry association, professional society, political advocacy group, community group, government agency, or other similar organization and position yourself to become a power user who efficiently and effectively navigates the system.
Table of Contents (20 chapters)
Using CiviCRM - Second Edition
Credits
About the Authors
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Summary


Let's circle back to the original premise set forth at the beginning of this chapter: a report is primarily about telling a story—it is data with a message.

We began this chapter thinking about what a report truly is, and guarding ourselves against missing the forest while staring at trees. After having reviewed the mechanics of creating and working with reports and outlining the various report templates available, it would be easy to lose sight of this broader context.

The reporting tools covered in this chapter are a means to an end. You will select your report fields, define data filters, and choose your display options with the goal of communicating to other staff, organization leaders, or yourself the story of your constituents. This story takes shape through the lens of activities, contributions, pledges, memberships, events, cases, grants, or other windows into your data.

In this chapter, we set the context for working with reports and understanding the goal of reporting, and...