[Shanna G.]

Hi All!

I'm just full of questions

Anywho, what criteria do you use to determine if a constituent is inactive?

Also, for former employees specifically, I'm inclined to make them inactive at the time of separation unless I know they're interested in getting mailings from or being contacted by us. Do you think that's appropriate?

Thanks

[Anne Marie]

Hi

I assume you mean the Is Inactive checkbox on Bio 1? We use it sparingly - i.e. when there is virtually no hope of ever getting another gift from a person due to their being incapacitated etc.

As for former employees - I suppose that you could make them inactive if they flat out told you they would never respond to a mailing, but I wouldn't assume that just because they left. Maybe if they were canned or something...........

[andrea.bbbs]

Hi Shanna,

I mark a constituent Inactive if I get mail returned and I can't find a forwarding address. Anybody is a potential donor, especially including employees who have moved on - unless of course the moving on was not by choice. If that is the case, they might not feel all that warm and fuzzy about being kept in touch.

[Melissa Siobhan]

I only use it if the donor requested that they never be contacted again.

If there is returned mail then I use the has no valid address checkbox. This way if we find a new address we know it is safe to mail to them again.

Former employees would be potential donors in our book so unless they ask not to be mailed to we would.

Inactive is a permanent code for us.

[Shanna G.]

Thanks all

[sagespot]

As much of our database are alums of the college, we never mark them as inactive - instead using the "no valid address" and/or a solicit code dictating "no solicitation" or "no telephone" based upon each individual.

As for the "friends" of the college in our database we use the "inactive" only if they have not given in 10 years.

[Melody Penner]

We use the inactive switch much the same way as Melissa, only if the consituent wants no contact from us at all. We use the no valid address check box for returned mail. We have solicit codes for those who do not want solicitations or certain mailings. Since we are a Univeristy, we still want to maintain contact. Even if an alumni does not want to be solicited for donations they may still want to be invited to reunions or receive a faculty newsletter.