System Configuration: Custom Datasets

Custom datasets allow organizations to obtain additional information from volunteers and/or partner organizations (for VACs) through the creation of customized fields. While our volunteer management database provides basic prefabricated fields such as name, address, and gender, this feature allows your organization to add custom datasets requesting unique information (e.g., a volunteer’s employment history, an organization’s employee count). These fields will appear during the sign-up process when a volunteer or organization creates an account with your organization, or on an application form when a volunteer applies to an opportunity.

• If your organization requires volunteers to fill out an application form, you can use the custom dataset feature to digitally reproduce the form on our volunteer management database.
  

1. From the Main Menu, click System Configurations.
2. Click Custom Datasets.
   
3. At the bottom right corner of the screen, click Add New Dataset.
   
   
4. Enter a Data Set Name and a Description, if desired.
5. If the dataset is applicable on volunteer sign-up, select the “Volunteer” check box.
   If the dataset is applicable on team sign-up, select the “Team” check box.
   If the dataset is applicable to volunteers applying to an opportunity, select the “Opportunity” check box.
   Note: This dataset will not automatically appear when a volunteer or team applies for an opportunity, but will be available when designing application forms for opportunities.
   If the dataset is applicable on organization sign-up, select the “Organization” check box.
   
6. Select the Layout Type between One Column or Two Column.
7. Click Save. Additional fields will appear.
   
   
8. To add a new field to this dataset, enter a Field name.
9. Select a Field Type. The descriptions below explain what each field type allows the user to do.
   • Text: Provide short text answers (one line)
   • Multiline Text: Provide long text answers (multiple lines)
   • Number: Enter numbers only
   • Yes or No: Select from “Yes” and “No” radio buttons
   • Yes/No/NA: Select from “Yes”, “No” and “NA” radio buttons
   • Yes or No with Agree: Select from “Yes” and “No” with agree buttons
   • Phone: Enter phone number
   • Email: Enter email address
   • Url: Enter url
   • Date: Select date from a calendar
   • Date & Time: Select date and time from a calendar
   • Dropdown (single choice): Select one of multiple choices in a dropdown format
   • Radio Button (single choice): Select one of multiple choices in a radio button format
   • Checkbox (multiple choice): Select multiple choices by checking boxes
   • Picture: Upload a picture from computer
   • Document: Upload a document from computer
   • Accept or Decline: Select from “Accept” and “Decline” buttons
10. The Dropdown, Radio Button, and Checkbox field types require that you provide additional options for the user to choose from. To add an option, enter your text in the Options field and click the add icon. Click the add icon to add another option. Click the remove icon to remove an option.
11. Select whether the field is Required and/or for Staff Use Only, if applicable.
    Note: Any fields marked as “Staff Use Only” will not be visible to volunteers.
12. Click Save Field.
    
13. To edit a field you added, click Edit next to the desired field.
    Note: You may only edit the field name and Required/Staff Use Only options.
14. Continue adding fields until your dataset is complete.
15. Click the up and down arrows to the left of each field name to arrange the order of the fields.
16. When done, click Save.
    
    
17. To edit a custom dataset: Access your custom datasets and click Edit next to the desired dataset. Follow steps 4-16 above to make edits.
18. To delete a custom dataset: Access your custom datasets and click Delete in the dropdown menu of the desired dataset, then click OK.