Using Graduate Data Fields

Using Graduate Data Fields


Overview

Graduate Data Fields, or GDFs, are the data types that MarchingOrder will use to create your MarchingOrder Director software and any accompanying materials. Common examples include Full Name, Degree, Major and Honors. These fields are managed in the Data Fields module in the left-hand menu column on the MarchingOrder Assistant website. 

MarchingOrder requires certain standard GDFs for all ceremonies. Additional GDFs can be created and managed by the ceremony coordinators using this menu. 

Each GDF corresponds to a column header on your graduate import template, which you will use to import your list of graduates into the MarchingOrder site at the start of your ceremony term. The values included in that template will be used by MarchingOrder to create your graduate records, printed materials and display and audio files.




GDF list in excel

Customizations Using Data Fields

Data fields can also be used to organize and filter your graduates for strategic communications and to personalize their graduation experience by inserting things like Name or Major into their registration form, onto guest tickets and into emails.  

Using Graduate Data Fields on the Registration Form

To allow graduates to review the data you have on file, follow these steps to display certain GDFs on the registration form. Then graduates can confirm that the existing data is accurate, or take action to have it updated. 
  1. Select Add Question on the registration form.
  2. Select Single Line Text and insert a description of the data in the Question Field.
  3. In the Pre-populated With section, select the GDF that corresponds with what was entered in the Question Field.
  4. Click the Graduate Can Edit/Graduate Cannot Edit button until it says Graduate Cannot Edit.
Important: We do not recommend giving graduates the ability to directly edit data. Instead, we recommend you offer a contact email or other action where they can request a change to be made and a ceremony coordinator can review the change before editing MarchingOrder data.In Pre-Populated With, choose the appropriate GDF from the drop down menu. 
This will now present the data to the graduate on their registration form, alongside instructions for how to take action if any is necessary.
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Using Graduate Data Fields on Guest Tickets and GradPass

  1. In both the guest ticket and GradPass toolbar you can select the Insert Placeholder dropdown.
  2. Scroll down and select the GDF you want to insert.

Using Graduate Data Fields in Emails

  1. In the email template toolbar select the Insert Placeholder dropdown.
  2. Scroll down and select the GDF you want to add into the email.
Placeholder