Do you want to segment your constituents for a targeted email or direct mail campaign within your local region? Maybe you have news that is only relevant to the constituents in a certain geographic area that isn’t relevant to constituents outside that area. A good way to segment your constituents in eTapestry for this purpose is to create a query of constituent accounts with postal code criteria.

First determine which postal code or codes you would like to segment. Once that is decided, the first step is to create the query.

1. Select “Query” from the eTapestry database.
2. Select a query category. You may already have a query category where you want to create and store this query, or you may need to create a new query category.
3. Select “New Query” from the “Tasks” list in the upper left.
4. Create the new query by giving it a name and description. Maybe, “All Constituents with Postal Code XXXXX”.
5. Set the Starting Criteria. Most likely the criteria will be “Base” and “All Constituents.”
6. Select the Data Return Type. This will be dependent on the type of information needed for the report. For a report with addresses and other persona information select Accounts. For a report on gifts to the organization or contacts/notes select Journal Entries.
7. Select the Match Type. If you are using one postal code as a single criterion in the query, Match Type won’t affect the query. This will change with multiple criteria in addition to postal code.
8. Select the Persona Options. Unless different requirements are needed select “Any Persona.”
9. Select the Type. Leave the type as dynamic if you want to return to this query later and use updated information from your database (i.e. if you add a new account). Use static if you want to keep this query saved as a snapshot in time; it will not update as you update your database.
10. After all of the standard query information is complete, select the criteria for the query. The criterion in this case is postal code. Either search for postal code using the magnifying glass to the right or select “Account” from the drop-down to find postal code. There are two good criteria for postal code queries. They are “Postal Code” and “Postal Code Radius.” “Postal Code” is a criterion for a specific postal code or group of specific postal codes. Add additional postal codes using the plus sign next to the field box. “Postal Code Radius” is a great feature. Select a specific postal code for a query and add all postal codes in a radius of distance around the selected postal code by adding a distance (in miles) as the radius. This criterion can expand query results from a local postal code starting point.
11. Select “Preview” from the “Tasks” drop-down in the upper left and click the “Save And” button. Preview the query to see if the query set-up generated the appropriate list of accounts (or journal entries if journal entries are required).
12. From the preview screen select Run Report. Select the report needed to view the results of the query. The “System” report category contains stock reports to match most “Accounts” data return type queries for direct mail, email, and phone lists.

The report will generate the information needed to take action, create a direct mail, email, or call list, and engage your targeted constituent list.