What Are Classification Codes?
Classification Codes are the dropdown options you see throughout Argenta. Department names, staff member levels, event types, donation categories, contact types. All of those come from classification codes. They keep your data consistent across the system so everyone on your team uses the same terminology.
Where to Find Classification Codes
From the main menu, click Classification Codes. This opens a master list of every classification code category in your system. Each category contains the individual codes you and your team use daily.
Adding a New Classification Code
- Go to Classification Codes from the main menu.
- Click the category you want to add a code to (for example, "Department Types" or "Event Types").
- You will see the list of existing codes for that category.
- Click Add New.
- Type the name for your new code.
- Click Add This Classification Code.
Your new code will appear in the list and be available in dropdowns throughout Argenta immediately.
Editing a Classification Code
You cannot directly rename a classification code. This is by design. Once a code has been used on records throughout the system, renaming it could damage your reporting and historical data.
If you need to change a code name, here is the safe approach:
- Create a new classification code with the name you want.
- Find all the records currently using the old code.
- Update each record to use the new code.
- Delete the old code once nothing references it.
Deleting a Classification Code
You can only delete a classification code if it is not in use anywhere in your system. To delete one:
- Go to Classification Codes and click into the relevant category.
- Find the code you want to remove.
- Click the Delete icon next to it.
If the code is currently assigned to any record, Argenta will not let you delete it. You will need to reassign those records first.
Common Classification Code Categories
There are dozens of categories. Some of the most frequently used:
- Department Types - organizational departments (e.g., Development Team, Account Services)
- Staff Member Levels - seniority tiers for staff positions
- Event Types - categories for your events
- Contact Types - types of communication (phone, email, in-person, etc.)
- Donation Categories - how you categorize gifts
- Fund Categories - groupings for your funds
Tips
- Plan codes before you start entering data. It is much easier to set up the right codes from the beginning than to fix them later.
- Keep names consistent. Decide on a naming convention and stick to it (e.g., always "Development Team," not sometimes "Dev Team").
- Review codes annually. Remove unused codes to keep your dropdowns clean.
- Remember: classification codes power your reports. Clean codes mean clean data, which means accurate reporting.