The NeedConnect application is used to identify users with needs and users who can help provide assistance. Approved Providers can manage their assigned Needs and claim new Needs from the Connect Board. See the Quick Start for how they work together.

Providers

Providers must be approved by Need Type. Providers can access the Connect Board whenever they meet the following criteria: 

• An approved Need Type Provider of a Need Type whose associated Need Campaign record has Is_Default is set to "True."

Provider Fields

• Contact_ID: The Contact associated with this Provider.

Need Type Provider Fields

• Need_Type_ID: Identifies which Need Type a Provider has expressed they can help with. 
• Other_Need: Provides additional information if "Other" was selected in the Connect Form. 
• Provider_ID: The Provider who has expressed they can help with this Need. 
• Approved: Indicates whether this Provider has been approved to help with this Need Type. Approved Providers will see Needs of this Need Type on the Connect Board.

New Need Type Provider Notification (Optional)

Once a Provider and Need Type Provider record is created, we recommend notifying your staff using an Item Notification to expedite the approval process. See NeedConnect Item Notifications for more information. Alternatively, if only one staff member is doing all the approving, you can create a process to assign a task to that specific person.

Approving Need Type Providers

1. Determine your criteria for approving Providers.
2. From the Need Type Provider page, choose the Approve Providers view.
3. Review the desired information about the Provider.
4. Click Edit (or select to Mass Assign multiple records) to Approved = True or False as appropriate.
5. Click Submit to submit the records to the Process that will notify Providers they have been assigned.
6. Click Save.

"Other" Type Providers

If a Provider offers to help with a Need type that was not pre-defined, Staff should review:

Providers offering to help with a Need Type of "Other" (write in, not selected from pre-defined Need Types) must be manually assigned to a Need as "Other" Need types do not appear on the Connect Board to be claimed.

1. From the Need Type Provider page, choose the Other Types Not Approved view.
2. Review the Other Notes to determine if:
   • Is this help that is appropriate? (might need to remove or follow up)
   • Is this really an existing Need Type? (need to change Need Type)
   • Is there a trend? (need a new Need Type)
3. Click Edit.
4. Set Approved to "True."
5. Click Save.

The Need will now show on the Connect Board for the Provider under "My Assignments" with Need details and Contact information. 

See: Need Management

Automated Provider Emails

Providers who have been approved as a Need Type Provider are sent a Provider Invite email including link to the Connect Board by the NeedConnect Provider Invitation Process.

Providers who claim a Need will automatically be sent a Provider Assignment email including link to the Connect Board.

Providers who have been assigned to a Need will need to be manually sent sent a Provider Assignment email including link to the Connect Board.

See: Email Templates