Knowledge Base Article

Add Constituent - Household

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A Constituent is any individual, household, or organization affiliated with your nonprofit. Board Members, Clients, Donors, Grant Applicants, Grantors, Leads, Material  Recipients, Members, Partners, Parents, Participants, Staff Members, Vendors and Volunteers are created as constituents, then assigned to a relationship group based on their interaction with your nonprofit. 

To get started, choose Constituents > Constituents (All) - from the Argenta dashboard on the left-hand side of the screen:

 
 
This will open all your organizations Active Constituents screen. From here, select the "Add New" button:
 
 
This opens the "What type of Constituent would you like to create?" screen:
 
Once you select A Household  the Constituent Workspace screen opens:
 
 
Here is where you will begin entering the details about your new household. Please notice that there are 15 tabs of information on the Constituent Workspace. This article will cover each tab and field. Lets go tab-by-tab and field-by-field:
 
***It is important to note that only fields marked with astericks are mandatory! There are many fields of information that you are free to use or not use, based on your organizations needs.
 
1. Constituent Details tab:
 
 
This tab is where you will fill in the details about the household. The fields you can enter here are:
  1. Record Level Permissions - Set As View Only - Placing a checkmark in this box restricts this record to view-only access unless the user is the user who created the record, the user is a master admin, or the user is given specific permission to modify this record on the Record Permissions tab of this record. Permissions also work by assigning a department, district and/or precinct. If you have users in your system who are restricted by these permissions, they will only be able to see records in the departments/districts/precincts you have granted them access to.
  2. Record Level Permissions - Lock This Record - Placing a checkmark in this box locks this record so that users cannot view or update the record unless the user is the user who created the record, the user is a master admin, or the user is given specific permission to access this record on the Record Permissions tab of this record. Permissions also work by assigning a department, district and/or precinct. If you have users in your system who are restricted by these permissions, they will only be able to see records in the departments/districts/precincts you have granted them access to.
  3. Constituent Status - Select the appropriate status for this household. Your options are: Active or Inactive.
  4. Do Not Solicit - Enter a checkmark here if the household wishes to be opted out of all your mailing lists.
  5. Constituent VIP? - If this household is a VIP then mark "Yes", if they are not leave this as "No." This is a filter field and information only.
  6. Potential Ambassador? - If this household is a potential ambassador mark "Yes", if they are not leave it as "No." This is a filter field, information only, and does appear in a few reports.
  7. Chapter - If this household is tied to a specific chapter within your organization, select it from the drop-down list. Remember expenses, funds, permissions, etc. can be tied to chapters for tracking and reporting.
  8. Division - If this household is tied to a specific division within your organization, select it from the drop-down list.  Remember expenses, funds, permissions, etc. can be tied to division for reporting and tracking.
  9. Department - If this household is tied to a specific department within your organization, select it from the drop-down list.  Remember expenses, funds, permissions, etc. can be tied to departments for reporting and tracking.
  10. Acquisition Source - Select the acquisition source, the way in which you received this household, from the drop-down list. 
  11. Household Name - Enter the name of the household here.
  12. Constituent's Description - You may enter a description of the household here.
  13. Short Salutation - Enter a short salutation here. This is used for mail room items. When you choose to do a mailing list or email list, you can choose the salutation you want to go on the emails/letters. By entering a short salutation here, when you choose to send an item with this salutation, this is how the item will be addressed. ie. Williams Family.
  14. Formal Salutation - Enter a formal salutation here. This is used for mail room items. When you choose to do a mailing list or email list, you can choose the salutation you want to go on the emails/letters. By entering a formal salutation here, when you choose to send an item with this salutation, this is how the item will be addressed. ie. The Williams Family.
  15. Envelope Salutation - Enter an envelope salutation here. This is used for mail room items. When you choose to do a mailing list this is how the labels and list will be addressed. ie. The Williams.
Once these details have been entered, click the "Save All Changes" button to save your changes before moving on.
 
2. Address & Location tab:
 
 
This tab is where you will enter all the addresses for the household. Here you can enter these fields:
  1. Do Not Send Mail - Place a checkmark here if the household does not want to receive mail from your organization. Anytime a US mailing list is created that this household would be attached to, this household will be removed from the list as they do not wish to receive mail.
  2. County - Select the county for the household from the drop-down list. 
  3. District - If this household is tied to a specific district, select it from the drop-down list. Remember expenses, funds, permissions, etc. can be tied to districts for reporting and tracking.
  4. Precinct - If this household is tied to a specific precinct, select it from the drop-down list. Remember expenses, funds, permissions, etc. can be tied to precincts for reporting and tracking.
  5. Which Is The Physical Address - Select the physical address for the household from the drop-down list. This list is tied to the address areas listed below. Whichever address area you use below for the households physical address, select the address area here to set this as the constituents physical address. 
  6. Country of Residence - Select the households country of residence from the drop-down list.
  7. Mailing Address Line One - Enter the mailing address here. If you only need one line for the address, use just this field.
  8. Mailing Address Line Two - When you need more than one line for the address, use this second line as a continuation of the address. ie. suite #, apartment #, building #, etc.
  9. Mailing Address Line Three - If you need an additional line to get the households full address in, use this third line. 
  10. City - Enter the households mailing city here.
  11. State - Select the households mailing state from the drop-down list.
  12. Postal Code - Enter the households mailing postal code here.
  13. Mailing Country - Select the households mailing country from the drop-down list.
  14. Alternative Format for International Addresses - If your household has an international address, use this box to enter the international format or code here.
  15. Billing Address - New Address -Use this option to designate this address area as a new address for the household. If this is a different address than the mailing or alternative, you will select this option. 
  16. Same As Mailing Address - Use this option to designate the billing address is the same as the mailing address that you entered above. 
  17. Same As Alternative Address - Use this option to designate the billing address is the same as the alternative address that you entered below. 
  18. Billing Address Line One - Enter the households billing address here. If you only need one line for the address, use just this field.
  19. Billing Address Line Two - When you need more than one line for the address, use this second line as a continuation of the address. ie. suite #, apartment #, building #, etc.
  20. Billing Address Line Three - If you need an additional line to get the households full address in, use this third line.
  21. City - Enter the households billing city here. 
  22. State - Select the households billing state from the drop-down list.
  23. Postal Code - Enter the households billing postal code here.
  24. Billing Country - Select the households billing country from the drop-down list.
  25. Alternative Format for International Addresses - If your household has an international address, use this box to enter the international format or code here.
  26. Shipping Address - New Address - Use this option to designate this address area as a new address for the household. If this is a different address than the mailing, alternative or billing, you will select this option.
  27. Same As Mailing Address - Use this option to designate the shipping address is the same as the mailing address that you entered above.
  28. Same As Alternative Address - Use this option to designate the shipping address is the same as the alternative address that you entered below. 
  29. Same As Billing Address - Use this option to designate the shipping address is the same as the billing address that you entered above. 
  30. Shipping Address Line One - Enter the households billing address here. If you only need one line for the address, use just this field.
  31. Shipping Address Line Two - When you need more than one line for the address, use this second line as a continuation of the address. ie. suite #, apartment #, building #, etc.
  32. Shipping Address Line Three - If you need an additional line to get the households full address in, use this third line.
  33. City - Enter the households shipping city here.
  34. State - Select the households shipping state from the drop-down list.
  35. Postal Code - Enter the households shipping postal code here.
  36. Shipping Country - Select the households shipping country from the drop-down list.
  37. Alternative Format for International Addresses - If your household has an international address, use this box to enter the international format or code here.
  38. Alt. Address Line One - Enter the households alternative address here. If you need one line for the address, use just this field.
  39. Alt. Address Line Two - When you need more than one line for the address, use this second line as a continuation of the address. ie. suite #, apartment #, building #, etc.
  40. Alt. Address Line Three - If you need an additional line to get the households full address in, use this third line.
  41. City - Enter the households alternative city here.
  42. State - Select the households alternative state from the drop-down list.
  43. Postal Code - Enter the households alternative postal code here.
  44. Alt. Address Country - Select the households alternative country from the drop-down list.
  45. Alternative Format for International Addresses - If your household has an international address, use this box to enter the international format or code here.
Once all of these details have been entered, click the "Save All Changes" button to save your changes before moving on.
 
3. Contact Info tab:
 
 
This tab is where you will enter the households contact information. Here you can enter these fields:
  1. Do Not Email - Place a checkmark in this box to ensure the household will not receive any email communication from you. By selecting this, anytime you create an email distribution list that the household would be on, the household will be removed from the list as they do not wish to receive emails from your organization.
  2. Primary Email Address - Enter the households primary email address in this field.
  3. Secondary Email Address - If the household has a second email, you can enter a secondary email here.
  4. Do Not Call - Place a checkmark in this box if the household wishes not to receive phone calls from your organization. This marks the record as do not call and will come up as such on any constituent list you create.
  5. Cell Phone - Enter the households cell phone number here.
  6. Home Phone - Enter the households home phone number here.
  7. Work Phone - Enter the households work phone number here.
  8. Extension - Enter the households extension for their work number here, if applicable.
  9. Cell Phone Provider - Select the households cell phone provider from the drop-down list.
  10. Other Phone - If the household has another phone number, you can list that here.
  11. Fax Number - Enter the households fax number here.
  12. Do Not Text - Place a checkmark in this box if the household wishes not to receive texts from your organization. By default, Argenta marks this box so that your households are opted out of receiving text messages. To allow text messages, simply unselect this box. It is important to note that by placing a checkmark in this box, it will not stop text messages from going to your household if you choose to use the below field. It only removes them from a text messaging lists if created in the mail room. You guarantee that you are aware that, among other requirements, the TCPA and CTIA rules require prior express written consent from a consumer before you can send them marketing text messages and such consent must be unambiguous (i.e. the consumer must receive a clear and conspicuous legal disclosure). Furthermore, damages for each message sent in violation of the TCPA is $500 and can be $1500 if the violation is proven to be “willful and knowing.” If for any reason Devscape Software suspects that your constituents received text messages contrary to any governing rules, it reserves the right to request a written explanation from you, the client, including the method of collecting the constituent’s phone numbers and a guarantee signed by you that all the people on your subscriber list agreed to receive text messages from you of the type that you had sent. Devscape Software reserves the right to take any action it thinks appropriate in the case of non-compliance, including but not limited to cancellation of your account.
  13. Send Constituent A Text Message - Use this, if you would like to send a text message to the household. If you select the text, "Send Constituent A Text Message" the Send A Text Message box will open. Here you will enter the message you wish to text to the household and click the "Send Text Message" button to send the message. This immediately texts your message to the household. Even if the household is marked as do not text, you will be able to send a message from this area to your household. Please be respectful of your households wishes.
  14. Preferred Method of Contact - Select the households preferred method of contact here. 
  15. Preferred  Phone - Select the households preferred phone here.
  16. Best Time To Contact - You can enter the best time to contact the household here. 
Once all of these details have been entered, click the "Save All Changes" button before moving on.
 
4. Communication tab:
 
 
This tab is where you will enter the details about your households communication preferences. Here you can enter these fields:
  1. Primary Website - Enter the households primary website here, if applicable.
  2. Secondary Website - If your household has a second website you can enter that here.
  3. Types of Communication This Constituent Would Like To Receive - Enter the types of communication your household would like to receive from your organization here.
  4. Add A Social Media Account - You can add all of the households social media accounts here. Click the "Add A Social Media Account" button and a social media account will be added. From here you need to enter the social media platform and the profile URL/address for the new account. Make sure to click the Save  icon to save your account.
Once all of these details have been entered, click the "Save Changes" button before moving on.
  
5. Household Info tab:
 
 
This tab is where you will enter the household details. Here you can enter these fields:
  1. Total Household Members - Enter the total household members for the household here. Number only in this field.
  2. Is Female Head of Household - Select "Yes" if a female is the head of this household, or "No" if a female is not the head of the household.
  3. Housing Type - Select a housing type from the drop-down list. If an applicable housing type is not listed, you can add a new one by clicking the Add New  button.
  4. Housing Category - Select a housing category from the drop-down list. If an applicable housing type is not listed, you can add a new one by clicking the Add New  button.
  5. Reduced Rent Through HUD or Section 8 - If this household has reduced rent through HUD or section 8 housing, select "Yes" if they do not, select "No."
  6. Monthly Housing Cost - Enter the households monthly housing cost here. Numbers only in this field.
  7. Gross Monthly Income - Enter the households monthly income here. Numbers only in this field.
Once you have entered these details, click the "Save All Changes" button before moving on.
  
6. Other Related Info tab:
 
 
This tab contains other related information for the household. From here you can enter these fields:
  1. Denomination - Select the households denomination from the drop-down list.
  2. Parking Instructions - Enter any parking instructions for this household here.
  3. Has This Constituent Been Relocated? - If the household has been relocated, select "Yes." If they have not been relocated, select "No."
  4. Relocation Date - If the household was relocated, enter the relocation date here. You can manually type in a date, or use the calendar selector.
  5. Relocation From - Enter the city, state, or country the household was relocated from here.
  6. FEMA # - Enter the households FEMA number here.
  7. Assistance Received in the Past? - If the household has received any assistance in the past, enter those details here.
  8. Current Assistance Received - If the household is currently receiving assistance, enter those details here.
Once this information has been entered, click the "Save All Changes" button before moving on. 
 
7. Family Members List tab:
 
 
On this tab you can build a list of the family members in this household. Please note that if you add family members on this tab, you are not creating them as Constituents in your system. Adding them here merely adds them to the household record as a family members for reference. To add a family member to this household record click the "Add A New Family Member" button. This opens the "Add A New Family Member" screen where you can enter the details about the family member:
 
 
From here you can enter these fields:
  1. Family Member First Name - Enter the family members first name here.
  2. Family Member Last Name - Enter the family members last name here.
  3. Relationship To Constituent - Enter a relationship type to the constituent here. ie. Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, etc.
  4. Date of Birth - Enter the family members date of birth here. 
  5. Sex - By default, the sex is set to Unknown. You can change this to "M" for a male or "F" for female.
  6. US Citizen - If the family member is a US citizen select "Yes," otherwise select "No."
  7. Veteran - If the family member is a veteran, select "Yes," otherwise select "No."
  8. Race - Select the race for this family member from the drop-down list.
  9. Marital Status - Select the family members marital status from the drop-down list.
  10. Highest Level of Education - Select the family members highest level of education from the drop-down list.
  11. Employment Status - Select the family members employment status from the drop-down list.
  12. Special Needs/Disabled - If this family member has special needs or is disabled select "Yes," otherwise select "No."
  13. Special Needs/Disabled Description - If the family member has special needs or is disabled you can state the needs or disabilities here.
Once all of these details have been entered, click the "Add This Family Member" button to add the family member. You will now see the family member listed on this tab.
 
8. Contact Log tab:
 
 
This tab shows you all the contacts you have logged for this household. To add a new contact to this household, click the "Add New" button. This opens the Add Contact Log Items screen. For help adding a new contact log item please see our other KB Article - Add Contact to Contact Log.
  
9. Email Log tab:
 
 
This tab shows you all the emails that have been sent to this household from the system. Because this is a brand-new household there will be nothing shown on this tab, until you send a system-generated email to the household.
  
10. Engagement tab:
 
 
This tab shows you all the engagements logged for this household. Because this is a brand-new household there are no engagements listed yet. 
  
11. All Related Notes tab:
 
 
This tab shows you all the related notes that have been entered for this household. You can add a new note by clicking the "Add New" button.  For help adding a related note to this household please see our other KB Article - Add A Note To The Notes Section.
 
12. All Related Files tab:
 
 
This tab shows you the related files that are attached to this household. You can add a new file by browsing or using the drag-and-drop box. For help adding a file to this household please see our other KB article - Add Related Files.
 
13. Recognitions tab:
 
 
This tab shows you the households' recognitions and awards. You can add a recognition or award to this household by selecting the "Add New" button. This opens the Assign Recognition To Constituent panel:
 
 
From here you will enter a date for the award/recognition. You can manually type in a date or use the calendar selector. Next, click the Lookup icon to search for and select an award/recognition to assign to this household. Lastly, click the "Assign" button to assign the award/recognition to the household. Your new award/recognition will be listed in this tab.
  
14. Constituent Household Members tab:
 
 
On this tab is where you will associate current constituents in your system to this household. The family member must already be entered into your system as a constituent to be associated here. To add a new family member click the Lookup  icon to search for and select a constituent. Once the constituent has been selected and is shown click the Add To Household  icon to associate the constituent to this household.
 
15. Record Permissions tab:
 
 

This tab controls the record permissions for the household's record.

15. A. View Only Access:

Sometimes you want users to be able to view a record but block them from modifying that record. Individual records can be set to View Only so only master admins and users who are listed here, can edit them. To grant users permission to modify this record simply add them here. Select a user from the "Select A User To Add" drop-down menu then click the "Add Selected User" button to add the user to the view-only access permissions.

15. B. Locked Record Access:

Individual records can be locked so only master admins and users who are listed here can view or edit them. To grant users permission for this record simply add them here. Select a user from the "Select A User To Add" drop-down menu, then click the "Add Selected User" button to add a user to the locked record access permissions.