In 'Donor Management', filters and groups operate in similar ways.
This article will explain the key differences and how they work together so you can make the best decisions on how and when to use them.
Filters are dynamic, groups are static
The results of a saved filter may change or update based on the most recent information.
For example, using a saved filter to identify everyone who donated during the current calendar year in August will yield different results than when you searched using the same filter in April.
However, if you create a group that includes everyone who donated during the current calendar year in April, and you review the same group in August, the group will have the same number of contact records.
Filters include contact and giving records, while groups only include contact records
You can use a filter with both types of records – 'Contacts' or 'Giving'. Groups, however, can only contain contact records.
In other words, you can create a group of contact records but, not a group of donation records (that is a campaign or designation).
Using filters and groups together
There are several ways you can use groups and filters together to help manage your contact records more succinctly.
1) Creating a Filter Based on a Group
You can create a filter based on a group by selecting 'Name' under 'Groups' as the 'Contact type' when adding your filter’s conditions.
2) Using a Filter to Update a Group
You can also use a filter to update a group. Since filters are dynamic, you can use a filter to update the corresponding group's contact records – making the group’s information more current.
To do so, select all the results of a filter you have run, by clicking the checkbox next to the 'Select All' field.
Click the 'Bulk Actions' button and select 'Add to Group' from the drop-down list of options.
A pop-up window will appear - use the drop-down to select the group you want to update.
3) Creating a New Group Based on a Filter
Creating a new group based on a custom filter is similar to using a custom filter to update an existing group.
After performing a search using your custom filter, check the box next to 'Select All' to select all results it returned with.
Click the 'Bulk Actions' button and select 'Create New Group' from the drop-down list of options.
A pop-up window will appear, prompting you to create a new group.
After clicking the 'Add Group' button, 'Donor Management' will automatically add the results of your custom filter to your brand-new group!
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