How to Build and Utilize Query Built Segments 

Building a Query Built Custom Segment

Defining Your Conditions

Reviewing Your Segment

Troubleshooting Segment Filters

Missing Affiliation Options in Dropdown Menus

Common variations of this question:

• Why don't I see affiliation options in the dropdown?
• The donor affiliation filter is empty
• How do I filter by student or faculty status?

Common causes and solutions:

1. Data not imported: Affiliation data must be imported through the School Level Data Importer first

- Ensure your CSV includes affiliation fields like "student", "faculty", "staff", "alumni"

- Upload constituent data with proper affiliation coding

2. Segment not properly configured:

- Start with campaign donors first, then apply filters

- Ensure you're using the correct segment type (custom vs. campaign-based)

3. Timing issues:

- Allow time for data processing after uploads

- Refresh your browser and try building the segment again

4. Contact support: If affiliation options still don't appear after data upload, contact support with the specific segment link for troubleshooting

Pro tip: Test your segments with a small group first to ensure filters are working correctly before sending to larger audiences.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: When filtering for campaign donors, do offline gifts count? 

A: No, offline gifts do not count in filters for online gifts to campaigns and giving forms. The campaign gift filter is looking at online gifts only. 

Working with Custom Fields in Segments

How Custom Fields Appear in GC Outreach

When you import custom fields through the School Level Data Importer, these fields are available for segmentation in GC Outreach but may not be visible in individual constituent records.

Where to Find Custom Field Data

Custom fields imported via the Data Importer can be found in:

• GC Outreach segments: Use custom fields as filtering conditions
• GC Gift Officer: Custom fields are visible in donor management tools
• Segment results: When you build segments using custom fields, the data will populate correctly

Verifying Custom Field Imports

To confirm your custom fields imported successfully:

1. Go to GC Outreach > Segments

2. Create a new segment using your custom field as a condition

3. If the segment populates with results, your custom field data imported correctly

4. The field data is working even if not visible in individual records

Example: Sports Interest Fields

If you imported a "Cheerleading" interest field:

• Create a segment with condition: "Custom Field: Cheerleading = Yes"
• The segment will show all constituents with that interest
• This confirms the data imported successfully

Troubleshooting Custom Field Issues

If custom fields aren't working in segments:

• Check your import file column headers match exactly
• Verify the import completed without errors
• Ensure you're using the correct field name in segment conditions
• Contact support if segments aren't populating as expected

Common variations of this question

• Where do custom fields show up after import?
• Can't see imported custom data in constituent records
• How to verify custom field imports worked
• Using imported custom fields in segments

Excluding Campaign Donors with Dynamic Segments

How to Email Only Non-Donors During Active Campaigns

For campaigns like Giving Day, you can automatically exclude people who have already donated so you only contact those who haven't given yet.

Step 1: Start with your full constituent base

1. Go to GC Outreach > Segments > Custom Segments
2. Click "Build New Segment"
3. Start with a condition that includes all your target constituents

Step 2: Add exclusion filter for campaign donors

1. Add a new condition group
2. Select "Given to Campaign/Giving Form" from the Online Giving category
3. Choose "The person must not have given to a specific campaign / giving form"
4. Select your campaign from the dropdown

Step 3: Make the segment dynamic

1. In segment settings, set List Type to "Dynamic"
2. This ensures the segment automatically updates as new people donate
3. When you send emails, recent donors will be automatically excluded

Step 4: Use for ongoing communications

• Schedule multiple outreach emails using this same segment
• Each send will automatically exclude new donors who gave since the last email

  Additional Considerations for dynamic segments

  • Automatic refresh at send time: Dynamic segments refresh in real time when an email is sent, so any online donation made just before sending will automatically trigger exclusion from the outreach list.

  • Online gifts vs. offline donations: Exclusion filters apply only to online donations. Offline contributions are not considered, meaning constituents with offline gifts will still appear in the segment.

  • Data matching requirements:

    • For email outreach, the donor’s email in the gift record must exactly match the email in the outreach list for exclusion to occur.
    • For text outreach, exclusion depends on matching phone numbers between the gift record and the recipient list.

  Following these guidelines helps ensure your dynamic segments work as expected without manual refreshes.

  Excluding Campaign Donors with Dynamic Segments: Best Practices

  Dynamic segments automatically refresh to exclude online donors, making them ideal for ongoing fundraising communications.

  How dynamic segments exclude donors

  • The segment refreshes automatically, including right before sending.
  • New donations prompt immediate removal from the segment.
  • This approach works well for multi-day campaigns and recurring outreach.

  Matching rules and scope

  Contact matching:

  • For email outreach, exclusion applies only when the donor’s gift email matches the recipient’s email.
  • For text outreach, exclusion applies when the donor’s gift phone matches the recipient’s phone number.

  Exclusion criteria:

  • Only online gifts are considered for exclusion.
  • Constituents with only offline donations remain in the segment.

  Best practices for campaign communications

  • Use dynamic segments for rolling campaigns or recurring communications.
  • Test your segment with a small group to confirm the exclusion logic.
  • Monitor segment size to verify that exclusions are occurring as expected.
  • Preview recipient lists and spot-check recent donor records before major sends.

  Building an effective exclusion segment

  1. Start with your full constituent base – include all target recipients.
  2. Add an exclusion filter – apply the condition "The person must not have given to a specific campaign/giving form."
  3. Set the segment type to dynamic – this enables automatic updates as new donations are received.
  4. Reuse the segment for ongoing communications such as nurture series or multi-day campaigns.
• Perfect for multi-day campaigns or ongoing appeals

Dynamic vs. Static Segments for Donor Exclusion

Dynamic segments: Automatically update to exclude new donors (recommended for active campaigns)

Static segments: Capture donors at a point in time (manual refresh needed)

Best Practices

• Test your segment first with a small group
• Verify the exclusion logic is working correctly
• Use dynamic segments for active campaigns
• Monitor segment size to ensure expected exclusions

  Dynamic segments and scheduled sends: what updates when

  • Dynamic segments refresh at send time, not when outreach is scheduled. For example, if you schedule an email for tomorrow at noon, the segment re‑evaluates right before sending.
  • Any gifts made between scheduling and sending are reflected in the exclusions. All dynamic segment conditions, not just donor exclusions, update with the most current data.
  • Because processing occurs at send time, the recipient count may differ from the originally scheduled count.

  Gift matching and exclusions

  • Exclusion behavior is determined by matching email addresses. Joint gifts may be treated differently than individual gifts if the gift record’s email does not match the outreach list.
  • Donor exclusions rely on matching the email address in the gift record with the email address of the segment member.