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Circles

Circles Overview

Circles offer a way to track relationships between a constituent and a group of constituents. For examples, Circles can be created and maintained for constituents who:

• are members of the same extended family.
• work for the same company.
• work for the same department within an organization.
• share a special interest.
• are members of the same social group.
• are alumni from the same class year.
• are recipients of a scholarship from the same endowed fund.
• are members of the same Board of Directors.
• belong to the same association.

Circles is a sub-World of the Profiles World. There are two major components to Circles functionality. One is the Circle itself. A Code and a Name must be created for a Circle, and other Circle definition options can be set as desired. The other component is Membership within the Circle. Once the Circle is defined, constituents can then be assigned as members to it.

To get the overall picture for a single Circle, use Millennium Explorer, Profiles > Circle Definition to access the Circle Search form, and then use the Circle Search form to locate (or create) a Circle. Once located (or created), the details about the Circle and the details about all of the members of that Circle will display.

To get the overall picture for a single constituent's participation in the Circles sub-World, locate the desired constituent, and then use Millennium Explorer, Profiles > Biographical > Circle to access the constituent's standard Profiles World Circle data display. Every Circle that the constituent is a member of is shown as a separate data record in that display.

This topic is a discussion of the Circles sub-World when viewed from the perspective of the Circle. It discusses the creation, maintenance, and display of Circle records, and the display and maintenance of Circle Member records when those records are accessed and maintained from the Circle definition display.

The Circle Membership topic is a discussion of the Circles sub-World as viewed from the perspective of the constituent. It will discuss the creation, maintenance and display of the constituent's Circle Member records when those records are maintained from the constituent's Circle data display.

Circle Set Up

Type

If you intend to assign Types to the Circles that you will be maintaining, then active entries in the Circle Types lookup table must be created before inserting and updating Circles. Examples of common types include Family, Business, Social, Club, Fundraising, Scholarship, Alumni Class.

The Circle Types (circle_types) table is a Profiles lookup table. The Lookup Table Maintenance topic provides the details for creating these entries.

Position

If you intend to assign Circle Members to Positions within a Circle, then active entries in the Circle Position lookup table must be created before inserting and updating Circle Members. Examples of common positions include Elder, Father, Mother, Grandmother, Grandfather for Family Circles, President, Vice-President for Club Circles, Class Agent, Secretary for Alumni Class Circles, various dollar levels for Scholarship circles.

The Circle Position (circle_position) table is a Profiles lookup table. The Lookup Table Maintenance topic provides the details for creating these entries.

Circle Owner

If a Circle is going to have an owner, then the owner must be an Abila Millennium constituent.

Circle Members

Circle Members must be Abila Millennium constituents.

Customize Circle Definition Display and Maintenance Forms

The Circle Definition display and maintenance forms can be changed to add fields that are not included on the standard forms, to remove standard, but not required fields, to change labels, and to change the placement of the fields on the forms. (Refer to the Custom Display Designer topic for complete instructions on customizing display and maintenance forms.)

1. Using Internet Explorer as your browser, log on to the system as a Millennium system administrator.
2. Access the Lookups version of the Custom Display Designer by using Millennium Explorer, Tools>Display Design>Lookups.
3. Click the Lookups menu. Click Circle Definitions menu item.
4. Click Display Type and click on the desired Display Type menu item (for example, Long or Short).
5. Utilize the Custom Display Designer's editing tools to make your customizations.
6. Click Save to save and apply your changes.

Customize Circle Member Display and Maintenance Forms

The Circle Member display and maintenance forms can also be changed to add fields that are not included on the standard forms, to remove standard, but not required fields, to change labels, and to change the placement of the fields on the forms. (Refer to the Custom Display Designer topic for complete instructions on customizing display and maintenance forms.)

1. Using Internet Explorer as your browser, log on to the system as a Millennium system administrator.
2. Access the Profiles version of the Custom Display Designer by using Millennium Explorer, Tools>Display Design>Profiles.
3. Click the Profiles menu. Point to Biographical. Point to Circles. Click Member Of.
4. Click Display Type and click on the desired Display Type menu item (for example, Long or Short).
5. Utilize the Custom Display Designer's editing tools to make your customizations.
6. Click Save to save and apply your changes.

Note: The forms that are used to maintain and display Circle Membership from the individual member Profiles World Biographical > Circle display are customized by using a different Custom Display Designer menu sequence.

Circles Data Display

Once a Circle is accessed, information about the Circle displays under the Circle Definition header. The standard information shown includes the Name, the Code, the Circle Type, to display or not display a summary of Circle Members' gift giving history, to include or not to include the Circle on an individual member's Relation Tree display, and the Circle's Active/Inactive status.

The Circle owner's name, if one is assigned, is a hyperlink. When clicked, the display will switch to the owner's Basic Data page.

If the option to display a summary of the Circle Members' gift giving history is selected, a financial summary line will be shown directly below the Circle information. Two totals are calculated and displayed - one for Giving and one for Outstanding Pledges. The totals will include only transactions from the active Circle Members. Each user can select the options that the system will use when picking the transactions to include in each of the totals.

Information about all of the constituents who have been assigned as members to the Circle will be shown under the Circle Members header. The Circle Member display will be sorted in alphabetical order by member name. The standard information that displays for each Member includes his or her Name, position within the Circle, Join and End Dates, and the Member's Active/Inactive status within the Circle. Each member's name is a hyperlink. When clicked, the display will switch to the display of all of his or her Circle Membership records.

Circle Search Form

Use the Circle Search form to access an existing Circle's information, add members to it, and update or delete it.

The Circle Search form is also used as the starting point for creating a new Circle.

1. Access the Circle Search form by using Millennium Explorer > Profiles > Circle Definition.
2. Enter the code or name of the Circle in the Circle Code/Name field.
3. If you want to access an Inactive Circle, select the Include Inactive Circles in the Search check box.
4. Click the Search button. A list of the Circles that meet the Circle Search criteria will display.
5. If the desired Circle does not appear in the list, click the click here to respecify the query hyperlink to respecify your search criteria.
6. Click the desired Circle's code or name hyperlink. The Circle's details, including linked Members, if any, will display.

Circles Data Maintenance

Create A New Circle record

1. Access the Circle Search form by using Millennium Explorer > Profiles > Circle Definition.
2. Enter the complete name of the Circle in the Circle Code/Name field.
3. Click the Search button.
4. If the Circle Search returns no results, then click the Create a Circle Definition hyperlink to access the Circle Definition insert form. If the Circle Search returns results, click the To create a New Circle Definition, click here hyperlink instead.
5. The Circle Name field will be populated with the value that was used on the Circle Search form. If you want, you may edit the name at this time.
6. Enter the Circle Code. This code can not duplicate a code that has already been assigned to another Circle. And, once the Circle record is created, this code can not be changed.
7. Verify that the Active? check box is selected.

8. If the Circle will be owned, enter the owner's ID number, or the owner's name using standard Name search formatting, in the Circle Owner field .

   Last Name/First Name<space>Middle Name;Suffix

9. Select one of the available Circle Types from the Type list to assign a Type to the Circle.
10. Select the Financials check box if you want to display a summary of all of the active Circle Members' gift giving history.
11. Select the Relation Tree check box if you want the Circle and its active members to display on the Relation Tree display for each Circle Member.
12. Supply information for the other fields, as desired.
13. Click Insert.

If you have entered Circle Owner information, the system will use that information to perform a constituent standard ID Search before creating the Circle record.

• The Search may return one or more constituents who completely or partially match the search criteria. And, a constituent will appear in the search results more than one time if he or she has more than one Lookup Name row. You can click the Sort by ID and Display Unique List hyperlink to remove duplicate rows from the Search Results display. If you re-sort the search results, the multiples will display again. Click the ID number or name of the constituent that you want.
• If one of the listed constituents is not the one that you want, click the respecify the query hyperlink. The ID Search form displays. You may re-specify your search criteria, or click the Cancel hyperlink to end the search.
• If the search does not return any constituent who matches the criteria, the ID Search form displays. You may re-specify your search criteria, or click the Cancel hyperlink to end the search.

Canceling the Circle ID Search will not cancel the creation of the Circle record.

Tip: The system will not restrict you from creating more than one Circle with the same name. If you want to avoid duplicate Circle names, verify that your Circle's name is not already in use by selecting the Include Inactive Circles in the Search check box when using the Circle Search form.

Update an Existing Circle record

1. Access the display for the Circle by using the Circle Search form.
2. Point to the Edit Button located to the left of the Circle's name. Click the Update/Delete menu item.
3. Make changes as necessary.

4. Click Update.

   If your changes include updating Circle Owner information, the system will perform a constituent standard ID Search before updating the Circle record.

   • The Search may return one or more constituents who completely or partially match the search criteria. And, a constituent will appear in the search results more than one time if he or she has more than one Lookup Name row. You can click the Sort by ID and Display Unique List hyperlink to remove duplicate rows from the Search Results display. If you re-sort the search results, the multiples will display again. Click the ID number or name of the constituent that you want.
   • If one of the listed constituents is not the one that you want, click the respecify the query hyperlink. The ID Search form displays. You may re-specify your search criteria, or click the Cancel hyperlink to end the search.
   • If the search does not return any constituent who matches the criteria, the ID Search form displays. You may re-specify your search criteria, or click the Cancel hyperlink to end the search.

Delete an Existing Circle record

1. Access the display for the Circle by using the Circle Search form.
2. Point to the Edit Button located to the left of the Circle's name. Click the Update/Delete menu item.

3. Click Delete.

   If a Circle has Members, you will be asked to confirm the Delete. Click OK to continue the delete process, or click Cancel to halt it.

Note: When you delete a Circle that has members, the system will delete all of the Circle member records from the circles data table, and then delete the Circle record from the circle_definition table.

Circle Members Data Maintenance

All Circle Membership maintenance tasks can be performed from the display of the Circle. This eliminates the need for the user to locate and display the data for each and every constituent who is or will be a Circle Member.

Add a Member to a Circle

1. Access the Circle's detail display by using the Circle Search form.

2. Access the Circle Members Insert form.

   Point to the Edit button located to the left of the Circle's name. Click the Insert Member menu item.

   Or

   Point to or click the Circle Members header Edit button . Click the Insert Member menu item.

3. Enter the constituent's ID number or name in the ID field using standard Name search formatting.

   Last Name/First Name<space>Middle Name;Suffix

4. Select one of the available items from the Position list box to assign the member a position within the Circle.
5. Assign a Join Date if desired.
6. Supply information for the other fields, as desired.

7. Click Insert. The system will use the ID field information to perform a constituent standard ID Search before creating the Circle Member record.

   • The Search may return one or more constituents who completely or partially match the search criteria. And, a constituent will appear in the search results more than one time if he or she has more than one Lookup Name row. You can click the Sort by ID and Display Unique List hyperlink to remove duplicate rows from the Search Results display. If you re-sort the search results, the multiples will display again. Click the ID number or name of the constituent that you want.
   • If one of the listed constituents is not the one that you want, click the respecify the query hyperlink. The ID Search form displays. You may re-specify your search criteria, or click the Cancel hyperlink to end the search.
   • If the search does not return any constituent who matches the criteria, the ID Search form displays. You may re-specify your search criteria, or click the Cancel hyperlink to end the search.

   Canceling the Circle ID Search will not cancel the creation of the Circle record.

Note: Constituents who are already members of the Circle will not be listed in the ID Search Results.

Update an Existing Circle Member record

1. Access the Circle's detail display by using the Circle Search form.
2. Point to the Edit button located to the left of the Circle Member's name. Click the Update/Delete menu item.
3. Make changes as necessary. If you enter an End Date, the system will automatically clear the Active flag and mark the Circle Member record as inactive.
4. Click Update.

Delete an Existing Circle Member record

1. Access the Circle's detail display by using the Circle Search form.
2. Point to the Edit button located to the left of the Circle Member's name. Click the Update/Delete menu item.

3. Click Delete.

   You will be asked to confirm the Delete. Click OK to continue the Delete process, or click Cancel to halt it.

Circle Financial Data

If the option to display a summary of the Circle Members' gift giving history is selected, the system calculates two totals and displays them below the information about the Circle. Outstanding Pledges is the total balance remaining on the pledges, sustainer pledges, expectancies, and match pledges that have been made by the Circle Members. Donations that have been made by Circle Members are used in the Giving total. Each user can select the options that the system will use when selecting which transactions to include in these totals. At the user's discretion, these totals can include the donations and outstanding pledge balances for all Giving Campaigns, or donations and outstanding balances for only one. These options are the same options that the system uses when calculating Giving Trends for a single constituent. The Giving Trends topic provides complete information about the various options.

To display the Giving and Outstanding Pledge totals, select the Financials check box when creating a new Circle or updating an existing one.

To set the options that the system will use when calculating the Giving and Outstanding Pledges totals:

1. Access the Circle's detail display by using the Circle Search form.
2. Point to the Edit button located to the left of the Financial Summary line.
3. Click Options. The Giving Tree/Trends Options form displays.
4. In the Campaigns list, click the name of the desired campaign. To use the transactions from all campaigns in the totals, select ALL.

5. Select the other options as desired. Click OK.

   Or

   Click Cancel to discard your changes.

Circle Definition Field Descriptions

Information about Circles is stored in the circle_definition lookup table. The following fields are included. The field labels and the non-displaying designations that are listed are those that the system uses by default. All custom fields are non-displaying by default. If you want to override these default settings, you must customize your display definition.

Note: Custom fields are included in the data table, and are available for any purpose that you want to define. These fields are not shown on the standard Display or standard Data Maintenance forms. If you want to make use of one or more of the custom fields, use the Custom Display Designer to edit the standard Display and Data Maintenance forms.

Indices - Circle Definition

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