Introduction
Connection Views enable program admins to easily monitor partnership and circle activity on an ongoing basis and take targeted actions to ensure a high level of engagement. Custom Connection Views can be created by applying filters such as whether or not tasks were completed by specific dates, and/or informational filters based on user profile field entries or survey responses. A custom Connection View becomes a live dashboard report, enabling easy oversight and the ability to address partnership connections or roles that meet specific filters.
Please note: This is for Admins of programs with ongoing connections, both 1:1, Groups and Circles.
Why it matters: Strong connections between participants are the most important aspect of any mentoring program. Our data shows a high increase in program engagement and satisfaction when targeted communications are used to address connections with specific needs. The ability to efficiently identify and effectively address specific partnership connections becomes even more critical as the number of connections within a program increases.
The Connection Views feature enables you to:
Apply filters based on your criteria for viewing partnership activity; name and save your view(s).
Export reports on connection views.
Pin connection views to your Home dashboard and set alerts for ongoing monitoring.
Send targeted communications to selected connections.
Apply modifications, create new views and delete as needed.
Video Demo (6:00)
Viewing Connections
Step 1: Navigate to Connections
Navigation Option 1: Manage > Matching > Connections*
* The term 'Connections' may have been customized for your program, e.g., Mentoring Connections, Mentoring Relationships, etc. If so, your custom term will replace the term 'Connections' on your Matching tile.
Navigation Option 2: Home > under 'Current Status' header > Ongoing Connections
By default, the Connections page will display in grid view as shown below.
The grid view shows an expanded window into each connection so you can monitor at the individual partnership level. The details will depend on whether you are using features such as Goals and Meetings.
Viewing options:
Clicking on the upper right list view icon will change the view to a list of connections in table format.
Clicking on 'Visit Connection' (or custom term) will open the connection to view all aspects of the connection activity from the user's point of view: Tasks, Messages, Goals, etc.
Taking action on individual connections:
Step 2: Select your Filters
Once your Connections appear, you will see your filters at the top of the page:
Select from these optional filters to create your view:
State: Ongoing, Closed, Drafted; select one
Connection Name: Enter name if you are looking for a single, specific connection.
Status: Not Started, Started and currently Inactive, Started and currently Active; select all that apply.
Connection Plan: Select the template to view only partnerships utilizing that template.
Task Status*: All Connections, Connections with overdue tasks, Connections without any overdue tasks, Custom. Selecting 'Custom' allows you to apply a specific set of filters:
Connection Plan Template
A specific task
Status of task: Completed, Not Completed, Overdue
The + More Filters button allows you to add these additional filters to specific connections:
Started on: Last 7 Days, Last 30 Days, Custom (select your own date range)
Closes on: Next 7 Days, Next 30 Days, Custom (select your own date range)
Mentor (name)
Mentee (name)
Mentor profile fields (select all that apply)
Mentee profile fields (select all that apply)
Closed on (date)
Closure Reason (reasons that can be customized in Program Settings, e.g., 'Connection ended')
* For a connection to be 'Active', at least one user in that connection needs to do any of the following activities:
Visit their mentoring area
Add/Update any task, goal, or milestone
Exchange messages
Add private notes
Set up or RSVP to a meeting
Respond to a survey task in the Connection Plan
As you make your selections, your connection view will update and a numbered badge will indicate which filters you've selected:
Step 3: Create View
Prior to saving your filtered view, an ‘unsaved’ indicator appears beside your ‘Save As’ button. Click on + Save As on the far right of the page and complete the Create View dialog box, entering in your Connection View name and description.
Once saved, access your new view from the 'Connections' dropdown at the top left of the page.
Click on the star to make it a favorite your Connection View.
Please note: If your current view is selected, you will not also find it in the dropdown list.
Some suggested Connection Views to create using your date range filters to track activity and nudge your users:
Connections that started 7 or more days ago and are still inactive; Action: Set up a campaign to email them instructions and a subsequent reminder to help them get started.
Connections that are closing in the next 7 days and the closure survey has not been completed; Action: Send an email reminder to persuade users to complete this survey - they're feedback matters!
Connections closed in the last 30 days with closure reason, 'Accomplished goals of connection.' Action: Send a congratulatory email and/or award certificates!
How to Pin Your Views to the Home Dashboard
Navigate to your Home dashboard from your menu bar.
Scroll down to the card titled, 'How active are your connections?'
Click on the gear icon, then click on the button + Add new metric and select your newly created view/report from the dropdown.
Upon selection from the dropdown, a new dialog box will open and allow you to save your view to your dashboard connections card under 'Other engagement metrics' as well as set alerts.
Add Metric (your custom Connection View):
Add thresholds for your Connection View alerts:
Creating Connection View Alerts
Once the threshold that you've set for your metric is reached, you will receive an alert - both via email and on your Home dashboard card titled, 'How active are your connections?'. The alert on the card will be a yellow badge with a number on it indicating how many connections have reached the threshold that you have set for the alert.
Taking Action On Connection Views
Monitoring ongoing engagement and taking action as needed is a highly recommended best practice for any program. Creating custom views will allow you to easily monitor progress and send communications to increase engagement or communicate other types of information that may be needed by only a subset of participant connections.
Below are some typical use cases:
New partnerships: Monitor the activity of new partnerships to be sure they are getting started, e.g., logging in, setting up meetings, completing initial tasks on the connection plan, etc.
Low activity partnerships: Send communications to reiterate next steps on the connection plan, where to find platform instructions and best practices, etc.
Completion of mandatory tasks: Identify partnerships that have not completed certain tasks necessary for moving forward.
Recognize high-performing partnerships: Acknowledge and reward high activity partnerships through communications. In addition, identify those that may be willing to provide testimonials and best practices for your program community. A couple of great ways to share participant tips, best practices and testimonial videos are through the Announcements and Community features on the platform.
Partnerships in a specific connection plan: Target communications to partnerships using a specific connection plan template, e.g., sending topical notifications that support specific development goals.
Once your customized Connection Views are created, you can selected these users to target communications via email notifications or Email Campaigns, designed to roll out subsequent, follow-up communications as needed for that particular group of users.
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