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Author: Joel Kristenson

Last Updated: 2016-02-18

Overview

This article will walk you through the steps to create an attribute folder and attribute items within that folder.

This is one of the most heavily used parts of the application for both political and nonprofit organizations.  Here are just a few ways you can utilize the tool to categorize records in your Trail Blazer database:

- Track who’s received direct mail campaigns i.e. year-end tax receipts, pledge drives, event invites, Christmas cards, etc.

- Track which way a voter is going to vote (supports, doesn’t support, undecided) AND what topics they’re most concerned with (the economy, infrastructure, global warming, war, education…)

- Create sub-categories for any type of contact you want to track i.e. church, hospital, school, association, pastor, client, volunteer, etc.

- Create categorize for you newsletter lists (monthly e-newsletter, yearly direct mail newsletter, quarterly e-newsletter)

Tip: The Not folder and Source come standard with each Trail Blazer database.  If you assign a record to any attribute item within the Not folder i.e. “Do Not Contact”, these records will not appear in any of your standard queries.  It effectively ‘hides’ the voter/donor record.

Steps

Navigate to the Contacts (Voters/Donors) list.

Click on the Attribute tab, and then click the [Magnify] button to enlarge the screen.

To begin creating a new Attribute Folder right-click on top-most folder called “Attributes” and select Insert folder…  (If you’re working on a Mac and don’t have a mouse, you’ll need to click two-fingers on the d-pad in order to pull up the right-click context menu.)

Give the folder a name, in this example I called mine “Preferred Contact Method”, then click [OK].

The image below displays my new folder nested in the Attribute Tree.  These changes will affect all other database users in real-time.

Right-click on the new folder you created, and select Insert Item (attribute)…

Tip: If you want to add multiple items without the form closing, check the box that says “Keep this form open so that additional attributes can be created.”

Give the attribute item(s) a name, and click [OK] to save.  In my example I created multiple items related to contact preferences.

When you are finished adding all of the attribute items for the attribute folder click the [Cancel] button to close the open window and view the Attribute Tree.

Your Attribute Tree should now be displaying the new folder and attribute items.  It should look similar to the image below.

Because the attribute system automatically syncs throughout your Trail Blazer database, you can view the same changes from other search windows and from within a contact (voter/donor) record.

Tip: To view more attribute properties, delete an attribute, or to rename it you can right-click the attribute item.  If an attribute is assigned to a record(s) you will not be able to delete until it has been un-assigned.  Example:

Take a look at the related resources below for links to other related articles and videos on how to utilize attributes for other purposes.

Resources

Article: How to Un-assign an Attribute in Mass

Article: How to Mass Update a List of Contacts with an Attribute Item

Article: Delete an Attribute Folder and an Attribute Item

Article: Copying Attributes From One Database To Another

Article: How to Merge Attributes

Article: “I Can’t See my Attribute Checkboxes” – How to Adjust the DPI Screen Resolution of your Machine so that Checkboxes Display Correctly

Article: How to Use the NOT Attribute and Query for Records Tagged with It

Article: Walk List – Selectable Format

Video: Attributes – Adding New

Video: Attributes – Delete

Video: Attributes – Assign en masse

Video: Not Attribute

Video: Attributes – Add attribute dates and notes to your list

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