A Group is a static collection of constituents you gather together based on certain criteria, such as fundraising levels or attendance at the same fundraising event. Use that categorization to organize and communicate to those constituents.

A Smart Group is a dynamic collection of constituents you identify by first defining an Advanced Query, such as new CRM constituents who need to be added to Engage for a newsletter. When new constituents meet the criteria of a Smart Group, they are added to the Smart Group automatically when Salsa CRM updates (which happens at 7 AM in your time zone).

Add, edit, delete, and hide Groups—including Smart Groups—through the Group node in the Configuration Explorer.

1. Click Manage > Configuration.
2. Click the Groups tab at the left of the window.

Create a New Group or Smart Group

1. Click the Add button on the Navigation Bar at the top of the screen.
   
2. Select the Group menu item. The Create Group window appears.
3. Enter the new Group name in the text box.
4. If you wish to integrate your Group with Salsa Engage or make a Smart Group, check the appropriate box (as described below).
5. Click OK.

Edit a Group or Smart Group

If you need to hide a Group, sync a Group with Engage, or turn a Group into a Smart Group...

1. Go to Salsa CRM > Manage > Configuration > Groups.
2. Under Constituent Groups, do either of the following:
   • Click once on the Group name, then click Edit.
   • Double-click on the Group name.
3. Make your change.
4. Click OK.

Integrating Groups with Salsa Engage

The Synchronize with Salsa Engage Group checkbox creates a Group of the same name in Salsa Engage. When a Group listed in Salsa CRM is integrated with Salsa Engage, the Salsa logo appears to the left of the Group name in Salsa CRM.

If you have created a Group that is synchronized to Engage and have added constituents, but the Group hasn’t synchronized with Salsa Engage in over 1 hour, you may need to re-request the synchronization:

1. Go to Salsa CRM > Manage > Configuration > Groups.
2. Under Constituent Groups, do either of the following:
   • Click once on the Group name, then click Edit.
   • Double-click on the Group name.
3. Click the checkbox next to Synchronize with Salsa Engage to toggle it off.
   
4. Click OK.
5. Under Constituent Groups, do either of the following:
   • Click once on the Group name, then click Edit.
   • Double-click on the Group name.
6. Click the checkbox next to Synchronize with Salsa Engage to toggle it on.
7. Click OK.

Smart Groups

The Smart Group checkbox creates a Group which reflects the results of an Advanced Query, updating once a day at 7 AM in the time zone of the organization.

1. Go to Salsa CRM > Manage > Configuration > Groups.
2. Under Constituent Groups, do either of the following:
   • Click once on the Group name, then click Edit.
   • Double-click on the Group name.
3. Click the checkbox next to Smart Group.
4. A list of available queries will open; queries that are already assigned to a Smart Group are excluded from the list. To appear in this list, your Saved Query Definition must include a Constituent Number field.
5. Select an available query to assign to this Smart Group
6. Click OK.

If the Group is already a Smart Group, it will remain a Smart Group. If it is not a Smart Group, it will be converted into a Smart Group and be updated once a day at 7 AM.

Alternately, to create a Smart Group, you can do so in the last step of the Advanced Query Wizard: Global Update... > Create a Smart Group.

Syncing Smart Groups to Engage

If you need the Smart Group to sync with Salsa Engage, check both checkboxes. Then, the Smart Group will add all constituents in the query every twelve hours.

Hide Groups

Sometimes you may need to keep older Groups from showing up in the main Constituent search screen or when configuring Groups. All other places that display Group filters will still display the hidden and non-hidden Groups. For example, you will still be able to filter on hidden Groups in the Advanced Query Wizard or the Donor Detail report, to add records to Engage.

To hide a Group or Smart Group...

1. Go to Salsa CRM > Manage > Configuration > Groups.
2. Under Constituent Groups, do either of the following:
   • Click once on the Group name, and then click Edit.
   • Double-click on the Group name.
3. Click Hide this Group.
4. Click OK.