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Understanding Data Populations: A Critical First Step in Submitting a Data Request
When submitting a data request one of the most important things to consider is the population of your request. The population determines what type of records we will pull from Advance and how the data will be structured in your final output.
Our data is highly relational, and the same information can look very different depending on the population selected. Taking time to define the correct population upfront helps ensure your data is accurate, usable, and delivered efficiently.
Why Population Matters
Advancement data is highly relational. A single donor can make multiple gifts, and a single gift can be split across multiple allocations.
Because of these relationships:
- Choosing the wrong population can result in duplicate records, missing data, or unexpected counts.
- Analysts must must design queries differently depending on the population, which affects both query complexity and delivery time.
- Clear population definitions reduce the need for follow-up questions and rework.
Before submitting your request, ask yourself:
“What should one row of my data represent?”
That answer determines the population.
Primary Data Populations
1. Constituent-Based Requests (People Population)
Choose a constituent population when your primary goal is to get a list of people or organizations in Advance.
Common use cases:
- Mailing lists and email outreach
- Event invitations
- Prospect or donor lists
- Alumni, parent, or friend populations
What one row represents:
➡️ One constituent record in Advance
Key considerations:
- Each constituent appears only once, even if they have made multiple gifts
- Gift information is usually summarized (e.g., lifetime giving, last gift date, largest gift)
- Best choice for communications and constituent-level analysis
Example requests:
“I need a list of constituents who have made a gift in the last three fiscal years, including lifetime giving, preferred mailing address, and prospect manager.”
“I need a list of people who attended this specific event last year. Please include the year of their first Drexel degree and preferred email address
2. Gift-Based Requests (Gift Population)
Choose a gift population when your focus is on individual gift transactions recorded in Advance.
Common use cases:
- Gift audits or reconciliation
- Analyzing gift activity by date, amount, or type
- Campaign, appeal, or solicitation analysis
What one row represents:
➡️ One gift/pledge transaction
Key considerations:
- A single constituent may appear multiple times if they made multiple gifts
- Be clear about which gift types to include (e.g., outright gifts, pledges, pledge payments, matching gifts, soft credits, etc.)
- Ideal for financial and transactional reporting, not for mailing lists
Example request:
“I need all outright gifts and pledge payments made in FY25, including gift date, gift amount, appeal, and primary donor.”
3. Allocation-Based Requests (Fund / Allocation Population)
Choose an allocation population when your primary focus is where the gift was designated.
In Advance, a single gift can be split across multiple allocations (funds), each with its own allocated amount.
Common use cases:
- Fund or allocation reporting
- Stewardship and fund usage reports
- Departmental or scholarship support analysis
What one row represents:
➡️ One allocation
Key considerations:
- A single gift may produce multiple rows if it was split across funds
- Allocation totals may differ from gift totals if only certain funds are included
- Essential for accurate fund-level reporting
Example request:
“I need a list of all allocations for the College of Engineering including NGC and Cash totals for the last 5 years.”
Choosing the Right Population: Quick Reference
Ask yourself:
- Do I want one row per constituent? → Constituent population
- Do I want one row per gift transaction? → Gift population
- Do I want one row per allocation or fund designation? → Allocation population
If you are unsure, describe your business question rather than guessing. We can help determine the appropriate population based on your goal.
Final Tip
There is no single “correct” population in Advance, only the population that best answers your question. Spending a few minutes defining your population before submitting your request will lead to clearer results, faster turnaround, and fewer follow-up questions.
If you are ever unsure, include your objective in plain language or contact us for guidance. We are happy to help refine your request.