ARRM FAQ’S FOR ADVANCEMENT TRAINING & SUPPORT
How do I get my committee coded in Advance? How do I update that list?

Form: Intranet > Data & Technology > Advance > Forms > Constituency Group Code
Request
o
Included in the form:
o
Upon submitting the form, an email confirmation is sent containing a link to securely
upload entity list files if any.
How does Updates find out if someone has died?

Next of kin responds to solicitations or other mailings.

Staff including ARRM notify via updates@uw.edu.

We subscribe to an obituary database for area newspapers and use it for verification research.
And how do they let fundraisers know?

Relationship managers of the deceased are emailed by Updates staff (if the relationship
manager was not already the source of information).

In the future when “Newsfeed” is available, then notification of deceased entities will be
more accessible.
Related to deceased entities: Where are obituaries stored and how can I see them?

We do not store an obituary in Biographical data; if an obituary is the source of information,
that fact is recorded as a code, but not the actual obituary.
o
If an obituary is needed for research and one exists, Updates staff can research and
possibly find it for you, especially if local to region. Send request to updates@uw.edu.
What do I do if my alum is Lost in Advance but I want to invite them to event? Can you find them?

Entities are LOST because we don’t have their street address, but they might have an email
and/or phone number. They can be included in report output and contacted those ways if the
report request specifies email and phone for LOST entities.

Updates staff can search for individuals if requested. This would be best done where the
individual is likely high net worth or for some other reason has come to the special attention
of UA staff. We don’t have enough resources to look for every lost alumnus/a for a potential
class year for example, or every lost donor.
o
Ability to find LOST entities varies depending on the information already on the
record, and what part of the world in which we are searching.
o
Most problematic: Active military personnel, residents of foreign countries (Canada is
not as hard), and requests for phone updates. We just don’t have a good mechanism
to reliably search for phone numbers.

Whom do I tell when I learn a donor got married/divorced/had a baby?

Reportal > Forms & Updates > Bio Update Form.

Advance > look up entity > Entity Update > enter new info. in Comment.

updates@uw.edu

Only tell us about these new relationships if you have a name – there is nowhere to put a
child, spouse, or former spouse of unknown identity.
Whom do I tell when a donor gets a new job, address, etc.?

Reportal > Forms & Updates > Bio Update Form.

Advance > look up entity > Entity Update > enter new info. in Comment.

updates@uw.edu
Should I (researcher) send questions or requests regarding bio updates (marriage, divorce, death),
duplicates, or degree confirmations via Advance update form, send an email to updates@uw.edu, or
send email directly to Lisa Marker?

Never send service requests or questions directly to an individual.

In order of preference:
o
Perform update yourself – you have to type in the new information somewhere –
might as well be right into Advance.

We will be happy to arrange Bio Maintenance training for you, either for the
first time or as a refresher!
o
Reportal > Forms & Updates > Bio Update Form. (This queues it up as a Mirror job
which Updates staff work on daily and removes their needing to hand key in the
information.)

o
Advance > look up entity > Entity Update > enter new info. in Comment.
o
updates@uw.edu
Note: For the three D’s – Deceased. Degrees and Duplicates – always just send right to
updates@uw.edu.
I think I found a duplicate entity record in Advance, can you help?

Send updates@uw.edu any notice of two or more IDs, along with their names, that you think
are or might be duplicates. They will research and either consolidate them into one record, or
else disambiguate them to be sure people can tell they are different people.
What is the turn-around time on update requests?

We group requests into batches of like types and levels of urgency:
o
“Sensitive Updates” – same day. Include deceased entities, divorces, deduplications, or other highly time-sensitive needs based on staff request, most often
from ARRM or relationship managers (when identified as particularly sensitive).
o
“Updates” – as soon as possible, usually one to three days.
o
“Student Calling Program” – within a couple of weeks. Includes bio updates
gathered by student callers that can’t be input by HYDRA (names, employment,
spouse/partner, deceased info.)
o
“Duplicates” – Done as able, some every day. Consists of reported duplicates that
are not otherwise identified as “Sensitive.”
o
“Project” – Done as able, some every day. Consists of any very large group of
updates submitted by one person unless otherwise identified as “Sensitive.”
o
“POBs” – Done as able, usually by students. Consists of PO returned mail with no
forwarding address.
o
“Proactive Deceasing” – No longer done. We do continue to batch these to track
the workload we are unable to pursue.
How long does it usually take for updates to complete an update request?

Each request can take from a few seconds where the entity identified and the needed
update is clear, to days if extended research is needed. Here are some examples:
o
Very quick (~60 seconds): Exact name and Entity ID are supplied, with a new
preferred email address.
o
Quite quick (up to ~10 minutes): Entity is clearly identified, and new Business
address is provided. This takes longer to analyze what might have to happen with
the previous business association if there was an Employment record. Does the
new address represent a new job or a new address in the same job? If the new
business address is far away from the home address, does this mean that the
person has moved residence, too? Research and analysis are needed.
o
Quite a while (up to ~90 minutes): Potentially duplicate records identified where
considerable research is needed to know if they are the same person or different
people whose addresses, etc., have been mixed up with each other over time.
o
Even longer (up to two weeks): Ambiguous degree information is presented or
asked about where the degree in question exists (or perhaps did not exist) prior to
SDB. Trips to the Registrar’s are made only on Wednesdays, so the chance to do
the microfiche research could take up to a week, and then depending on what is
learned, the solution might be clear or it might take further consultation before
implementation.
How will I know if my updates are done – will someone contact me?

Requests for new entities or resolution of duplicates will result in a response – the new ID or
“keeper” duplicate ID, will be communicated.

Relationship managers of newly deceased people will be notified if they weren’t the original
requester.

Otherwise, Updaters only contact people when the update is done if specifically requested;
there is not enough time to reply to everyone.
If someone is Lost but has a business address, can they be changed to Active?

No. The policy is that if we lose someone from their Preferred Business address but they have
a home address, we will switch their Home to preferred, but not the other way around.
When is it appropriate for the business address to be the preferred address?

When it is the first address that the entity has supplied to us (via gift, event registration,
etc.).

When they request it to be where they get their UW mail.
What should you do if you have been told someone is an alum but they aren’t in Advance?

Send information given to you to updates@uw.edu and Updaters will research.

Especially helpful is entity’s name at graduation, perceived graduation year, school, major,
etc.
o
If our sources (Commencement booklets, Registrar’s Office, SDB) do not agree that
entity has an actual degree, we will still record all the relevant school/dept/major
information with “Attended” in place of the degree.
I think this person is an alum, can you confirm?

Send notice of this to updates@uw.edu and they will research. Also include all the specific
reasons you think he or she might be an alumnus/a.
And what if they graduated long enough ago that they aren’t in the SDB?

Updaters make weekly trips to the Registrar’s to research degree information on microfiche
from prior to 1982, aka the days of yore.
And if the updates team has to confirm this at the registrar how long does that normally take?

They usually visit the Registrar’s on Wednesdays.