Giving Tree and Dues Tree
The Giving Tree and Dues Tree provide the ability to produce and view a graphical display of an individual constituent's entire set of Gift transactions or Dues transactions. This kind of display is sometimes described as a hyperbolic tree or star chart.
These trees are constructed showing the total of the constituent's giving transactions in a box in the center of the display area. From that total box, branches are arranged, spoke-fashion. Each branch has a series of boxes, called 'nodes' and from each node, the tree may continue to branch. These nodes categorize transactions into discrete groupings. Each node is individually totaled. The outer-most or terminal node represents an individual transaction. The amount of that transaction is shown in the box, and additional information from the transaction may also be shown.
Each user may control certain aspects of the configuration of the Tree by specifying any of several variables. These user options may be changed at any time and the tree will be re-drawn dynamically. The data used for the Tree is subject to the security settings for the user.
Note: An Administrator can remove both the Giving and Dues Trees from the Millennium Explorer if not used. See Table Options for more information.
Configure the Giving/Dues Tree
There are two sets of variables that each user may specify when configuring the Giving Tree or Dues Tree. These variables control the 'what' and the 'how' of the Tree display. These settings are all applied to the set of data to which you have been given security access, only.
The Giving Tree/Trends Options allow you to make certain specifications on what kinds of transactions to include in and exclude from the Tree. This includes such as paid or unpaid pledges, matching transactions, and joint transactions. These are the settings that are also used by the Giving or Dues Trends display. You can access the Tree/Trends Options page from either the Trends displays or the Tree displays.
The Tree Settings allow you to specify how the information will be arranged in the display of the Tree. You may control the spacing and the layout of the information from the transactions.
Giving Tree/Trend Options
To alter the definition that the system will use to make the calculations for the Giving or Dues Tree, point to the Edit Button located in the section header and click on Options. The Giving Tree/Trends Options page will display. The options that you set here allows the system determine what Transactions to include and exclude from the calculations. The calculations will be made using transactions with Types of gift, bequest, pledge payment, or cumulative transaction and may include other Types, depending on the options you choose. In all cases, the calculations will be made using the Amount field (in the case of Pledges, this field is labeled, Balance).
Campaign
A pull down list box will be provided so that you may choose a single Campaign on which you want to have the Giving or Dues Tree focus, or so that you may choose the item, ALL which will indicate to the system that you want to have the Giving or Dues Tree constructed using Giving or Dues transactions to all Campaigns, combined. All calculations will still be made in accordance with the other options that you select.
Include Spouse
A check box is shown that allows you to indicate to the system whether or not to consider the spouse's transactions for inclusion in the calculation of amounts for the Giving or Dues Tree display. If this option is activated, all of the spouse's transactions are considered, regardless of whether they are jointly owned by the spouses or not. In order to be included, the spouse transactions must conform to the other options that are set for the Tree display (pledges, credits, potentials).
These relationship types are included:
- spouse - sp
- spouse no mail - spnm
- life partner-lp
- life partner no mail-lpnm
- deceased spouse-dsp
- surviving spouse-ssp
A constituent's deceased spouse's transactions will only be included if there is no other existing spouse relationship.
Include Joint
A check box is shown that allows you to indicate to the system whether or not to include the full amount of transactions that are jointly owned. If the Joint option is activated, the system will consider all joint transactions for inclusion in the constituent's Tree display. These joint transactions may be jointly owned by the constituent's spouse or any other constituent. If the Include Spouse option is also activated at the same time as the Include Joint option, the system will not include the spouse joint transactions twice, but will adjust accordingly. In order to be included, the joint transactions must conform to the other options that are set for the Tree display (pledges, credits, potentials).
Include Pledges
A check box is shown that allows you to indicate to the system whether or not to include transactions with a Type of pledge, expectancy, or match pledge. Obviously, these transactions represent a commitment to the institution, but have not yet been realized as actual donations. Payments that have already been received against any pledges are automatically included in the calculations for the Tree display. This option allows you to include or exclude the balance of pledges made. Since the amount field in such transactions is reduced as pledges are paid off, there is no duplication by including such transactions.
Include Credits
A check box is shown that allows you to indicate to the system whether or not to include transactions with a Type of credit, pledge credit, or match credit (for corporation or foundation constituents).
Include Matching Due
A check box is shown that allows you to indicate to the system whether or not to include the balance amount(s) from any linked matching pledges (mp) that are linked to the constituent's transactions. Be aware that in this context, 'due' simply means that the match pledge is unpaid, not that a payment is currently due or overdue. Match pledges must be linked to the primary constituent's transactions in order to be considered for inclusion in the Tree calculations. Even if the spouse or joint transactions are included in the Tree calculations, matching pledges linked to the spouse or joint transactions are not.
Include Matching Paid
A check box is shown that allows you to indicate to the system whether or not to include the paid amount(s) from any linked matching pledges (mp) that are linked to the constituent's transactions. Match pledges must be linked to the primary constituent's transactions in order to be considered for inclusion in the Tree calculations. Even if the spouse or joint transactions are included in the Tree calculations, matching pledges linked to the spouse or joint transactions are not.
Include Potentials with Matching Due Potentials
A check box is shown that allows you to indicate to the system whether or not to include transactions with a Type of pledge potential, or match pledge potential in the calculations for the Tree display.
Tree Settings
In addition to the user options for the type of transactions that should be considered in the construction of the tree, you may also exercise some control over the appearance of the tree. These settings are defined via a pop-up form or dialog which is activated by clicking the Tree Settings button in the upper right corner of the display. When that form is presented, you will see two radio-type buttons labeled Tree Layout and Node Layout. The large list boxes will be activated for use by one or the other of these two options, according to which of the radio buttons you choose.
Tree Node Layout
When the Tree Node Layout radio button is activated, the list boxes and control buttons on the form are available for use to define the layout of the Giving or Dues Tree. The list box at the left displays the system-defined set of data fields that may be used as nodes in the Tree. You may select up to five of those fields by either double-clicking the name or by highlighting and then clicking the Add button in the middle section. When you do so, the field name will move to the list box on the right. When there are two or more fields shown on the right, you may highlight one of them and click on the Up or Down button at the right to move the field name up or down in the list.
The first column name in the Display Field(s) list at the right will become the first node in the tree, shown closest to the center of the tree. For example, if the Campaign is the first column name in the list, then the first set of nodes will show one node box for each of the Campaigns that are represented in that constituent's data. The box for that node will show the field name and a sum of the amounts for all transactions to that Campaign. (Remember that the set of transactions to be included in this calculation is defined by the user options for the Giving and Dues Trees and the Giving and Dues Trends.)
Each branch of the tree will include one node for each of the fields that are defined for display in the tree. Thus, if the layout specifies three field names, the tree will show a center box for the total, with one branch for each of the different kinds of data found for the first column's node. Each node will likewise continue branching for each of the kinds of data found for the second column and then the third. Finally, each branch will end with a box representing the individual transactions, showing the amount of each.
Terminal Node Layout
When the Terminal Node Layout radio button is activated within the Tree Settings pop-up dialog, the list of Available Fields changes to the system-defined set of field names which you may use for the terminal nodes of the tree. You may choose up to two additional fields to display along with the amount of the transaction. To do so, you may either double-click on a field name in the Available Fields list or highlight a field name and then click the Add button to move it to the list on the right. You may reverse that action one field name at a time by double clicking in the list at the right, or by highlighting one and clicking the Remove button. You may move all of the optional field names back to the Available Fields list by clicking the Remove All button. The Amount field name will remain, since it is not optional.
Expansion
In the Tree Settings pop-up dialog, the Expansion item allows you to drag the horizontal elevator to the left or right to spread or compress the branches of the tree. Note that this does not collapse or expand a branch, removing nodes from the display or bringing them back into the display. It only spreads the display over a greater or lesser amount of space. This may result in some nodes falling off the edges of the display area, but they may be viewed if you drag the tree so that area is moved into view.
Elements of the Giving Tree Display
Headers
When the tree is shown, the non-scrolling region at the top of the display area shows the constituent header, just as it does when any other data is displayed. This includes the name, id number, constituent type, preferred year, title bar text, etc.
Below the constituent header and within the scrolling region of the display, is the Giving Tree header. The context menu is accessible via a right click on the header. Below that, you will see a list of the Options that are in effect for the Trees and the Trends. This describes the kinds of transactions that are included in the Tree display.
Tree Settings
Within the display area but in the upper right corner, you will see a button for the Tree Settings. For more information on the purpose and use of these settings, see Tree Settings.
Moving the Tree
The Tree may be moved within the display area to afford you a better view of certain branches, if desired. Note that the display area may extend below the current screen, requiring that you use the browser or window elevator to view the remainder of the tree.
You may move the tree by holding the left mouse button down and dragging the display. The mouse pointer may be placed at any point in the display when you do so - on a node, a box, or just in the background field. The entire tree will move within the display area in accordance with the new position of the point from which you started dragging.
You may also move the tree by single-clicking any point in the display field. That point will automatically move to the center of the display field. You may click on any node, box or any point in the background field. The entire tree will move accordingly.
Nodes
Giving Tree Nodes are the boxes that radiate in branches from the center of the tree. There are three kinds of nodes in a Giving Tree. The center node always shows the Total Amount for all of the transactions that are to be included (based on the Trends/Tree Options you have selected). The intermediate nodes are controlled entirely by the Tree Settings you have specified, and the terminal nodes for each branch always show the amount of the individual transactions that make up the branch, as well as some additional information which you may specify.
Center Node (Total Amount)
When the tree is first presented, the constituent's Total Amount node is shown in the center of the display, in a color that is unique within the tree. You may use the mouse and drag that box to another location in the display field. If you do so, all other boxes will also move to maintain their relative positions. If the Total Amount box has been positioned elsewhere, you may re-center it within the display area by double-clicking the box.
The Total Amount is calculated in accordance with the Trends/Tree Options that you have in effect. For example, if you have the Campaigns focused on a single Campaign, the Total Amount will include only those transactions that were made in response to that Campaign.
Intermediate Nodes
Along the branches between the central and the terminal nodes, the intermediate nodes are defined by your choices in the Tree Layout options, accessed via the Tree Settings button in the display area. The same kind of nodes will appear in the same order along each of the branches. Each node will display one distinct piece of data that is represented in the constituent's transaction, and if multiple transactions are found to have that piece of data, a total amount will be calculated for each.
For example, if you were to choose Campaign and Campaign Year fields from the set that are shown in the left hand box of the Tree Node Layout window, then every branch will contain a central, two intermediate, and a terminal node, and they will be in the order that you specify in Tree Layout. The first node (moving out from the center) of every branch will show the name of a Campaign that is represented in the constituent's giving data. If that happened to be the two Campaigns, Annual Fund and Capital Fund (for instance), then the tree would have two branches off of the center node. Each of those two nodes will show the name of one of the Campaigns and a sum of the amounts of the transactions that have that Campaign. The sum of those two nodes should equal the Total Amount shown in the center.
Moving out, each main branch will branch again, off of the two Campaign nodes into nodes and sub-branches for the various Campaign Years represented in the data. Using our example above, if the Annual Fund had transactions in the Campaign Years 1999, and 2000, then there will be two sub-branches off of the Campaign node, and their nodes would show the year and a total amount for each year (for that Campaign). Again, the sum of those two nodes should equal the Annual Fund node. And if the Capital Campaign had transactions in 2003 only, then there would be only one branch from the Capital Campaign node and it would show the sum of those transactions.
If the settings specify that a node be generated for data that is not present in a transaction, the system will still construct a node, but will label the data for it 'Unknown'.
Therefore,the number and kind of nodes between the central Total Amount node and the terminal node on every branch is consistent for every branch within the tree, and is entirely dependent on the settings you specify.
When a constituent has an extensive giving history, the tree can be quite complex, and therefore, tooltip-type information boxes are shown when you pass the mouse pointer over any individual node. For the intermediate, user-defined nodes, the tooltip will show the name of the data field for that node. For the terminal node, it will show the total and the data from the previous node.
You may use the mouse to drag any node box to any position within the display field. When you do so, the entire tree will move along with it, to maintain the relative positions. You may also drag a node box out of the display field. When you do so, the lines that connect that box to the next level will display as open-ended lines. If you move the mouse over the lines, a small red box will appear, which represents the box that is not in view. You may drag that red box back into the display area. You may double-click on any node box to place that box in the center of the display field, and the system will adjust all other elements of the tree accordingly.
Terminal Nodes
Each branch of the tree ends with distinctly-colored terminal nodes, which show the individual amounts of the transactions that make up the previous node of the tree. In addition to the amount, the terminal node may show the data from one or two additional fields from the transaction, as you have specified in the Terminal Node Layout dialog window accessed via the Tree Settings button. When you pass the mouse pointer over a node, the box is brought to the front of the display and shown in its entirety. In addition, when you let the mouse pointer hover over the box, another tooltip type of box will appear, showing the process date for the transaction. When you move the pointer away, the date disappears and the node returns to its former size and position.
Terminal nodes may display any two data fields in addition to the amount: Effective Date, Method of Tender, Campaign, Campaign Year, Solicitation, Account Number, Gift Type, Account Name.
Control Icons on Nodes (Boxes)
Each box, whether a node label or an amount, has a plus/minus control icon in the lower right corner, if there are additional branches extending out from that box. If you click on the minus icon, all of that branch, from that point outward is removed from the display. Those boxes are visibly 'collapsed into' the box. The control icon will then show as a plus sign. If you click on a plus icon, all of the elements of the branch that had been suppressed from view are re-displayed, in an action that is equally dramatic as the collapsing action.
At the outermost level of the tree, there are no control icons on the amount boxes because there is no additional information to be expanded or collapsed.