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Adding Context to an Organization's Acquired Data
Introduction
ID Flags are used in the PDI system to record information related to individuals in your account database. Any piece of information you can think of can be entered as a flag. Common examples of flags would be "Strong Support", “Moved”, "Yard Sign", and “Volunteer Prospect”.
ID Flags consist of a ten-character code and a longer description field to explain the flag code in more detail. Other software applications may refer to this type of data as a tag, response code, activist code, answer to survey question, or label.
The method for saving flags in PDI is unique. Other systems use the code and description fields to not only detail flag values, such as "Strong Support", but also reference the candidate name, survey question, and method of contact. By adding this extra information in the flag description field, account administrators are required to create a copy of every flag for each candidate, survey question, and contact method. The result is a lot of unnecessary flags that clutter your flag option list and a data structure that does not promote standardization or optimal use.
In the PDI program, flag codes and descriptions have a generic meaning and do not reference a survey question, candidate, issue, or method for acquiring the flag. The program saves Candidates, Issues, Survey Questions, and Acquisition Types in separate fields, which allows organizations to assemble and reuse the original flag in various combinations that unclutter your flag options and promote more efficient data standardization and utilization.
By spending five minutes configuring your flag data, the program will automatically apply the correct Candidate, Issue, Survey Question, and Acquisition Type to your flags without any additional work by canvassers or data entry staff.
Our method of constructing flag data from multiple fields has been successfully used by thousands of organizations since 2010.
- The Flags sub-tab can be accessed by clicking on the Admin section in the navigation menu, clicking Flags & Surveys, and clicking the Flags sub-tab.
ID Flag Associations
ID Flag Associations allows you to add context to your ID Flags, so the PDI program knows how to properly process the flag you have created. You can use Flag Associations to link ID Flags with support levels, which allows you to track an individual's latest support status, divide support statuses by election cycle, and take advantage of our various support counts throughout the program (Daily Statistics and Key Support Statistics). Below are a list of our various flag association categories.
If you choose to associate the ID Flag with None, the ID Flag will function as a standard flag and will not feature any special properties.
If you choose to associate the ID Flag with a Support Level, the system will track the individual's support history and support status, as well as associating the flag with a specific election cycle. (The associated election cycle is set in the Account Settings page.) ID Flags with this association can be used to make support survey questions.
How to Create Custom ID Flags
Click the blue Add New button on the right-hand side of the Flags page.
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Flag Value: Assign a name to your ID Flag. This is how you will reference your ID Flag throughout the program, and will also be the default way your ID Flag will display on Paper Canvassing Tools.
- Note: Flag values can be any combination of characters, but it is best that you choose a flag value that makes it easy for your canvassers to mark the correct answer.
- Description: Write a description for your ID Flag. This is the default way your ID Flag will display on Electronic Canvassing Tools.
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Associate with: Use the drop-down menu to select a category to associate with your ID Flag.
- If you choose to associate the ID Flag with None, the ID Flag will function as a standard flag and will not feature any special properties.
- If you choose to associate the ID Flag with a Support Level, the system will track the individual's support history and support status, as well as associating the flag with a specific election cycle.
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(Optional) Click the Show Advanced Options link.
- Activate the Is Default checkbox to automatically share the ID Flag with any newly created sub-account.
- Activate the Consider a "Contact" check box if you want to consider any individual who has received this flag from your campaign as having been contacted.
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(Optional) Click the Padlock icon to require authorization for this ID Flag.
- Activate the Req. Auth checkbox.
- Click Save.
- Click Save, or Save and Add New if you want to add another ID Flag.
Managing ID Flags
Deactivating an ID Flag
There are two ways to deactivate an ID Flag. You can deactivate an ID Flag individually, or deactivate multiple ID Flags simultaneously.
Deactivating an Individual ID Flag
Click on the Flag Value in the list of ID Flags.
Activate the Deactivate Flag ID checkbox.
Click Save.
Deactivating Multiple ID Flags
Click on the Show Admin Options link next to the Add New button.
Activate the checkboxes of the ID Flags you want to deactivate.
Click the Deactivate Selected Items link at the top, then click Yes.
You can also use this method to deactivate a single ID Flag by only activating one checkbox.
Reactivating an ID Flag
Click on the Show Admin Options link next to the Add New button.
Activate the Show Inactive Items checkbox.
Click on the name of the ID Flag you would like to reactivate. Then, deactivate the Deactivate Flag ID checkbox.
Click Save.
Copying an ID Flag from a Parent Account
Click on the Show Admin Options link next to the Add New button.
Click the Copy Selected Items from Parent Account link. A menu will appear with ID Flags that are available for you to import into your organization account.
Activate the checkboxes of the ID Flags you want to import and click Save.
Adding Context to an Organization's Acquired Data
In addition to Flag Values and Flag Associations, organizations may want to know additional information about the transaction responsible for acquiring the data. PDI structures proprietary data using the following data elements:
- Candidate / Issue - The candidate or issue associated with the ID Flag.
- Acquisition Type - The method used to acquire the flag.
- ID Flags (Survey Answers) - The flag value and its Flag Association.
- Survey Questions - The survey question that holds the flag.
- Canvasser - The canvasser that collected the flag.
- User - The individual who entered the flag into the PDI system.
- Date - The date the flag was acquired.
By using these elements, organizations can build a data structure that is effective at both the single account level and the overall multi-layered organizational level. The system creates a Parent / Child relationship between accounts used by an organization. The ability for Parent Accounts to pass cataloged information to Child Accounts makes it possible for an entire organization to have consistent naming conventions and classification standards at every account level.