We often use comments to record the source of the email address. For example, if a constituent provides a new email address when signing up for the annual gala, we'll put: Source: Gala, or if a phone number of found through Nexis Public Records, we'll add: Source: Nexis. This is helpful to development officers if a constituent has a question about where we got their contact information from.

We use it on email ("phone") to track source of the email e.g. direct contact, out of office. Absolute necessity!

{"children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"We have a large number of records (married couples) with shared email addresses. This isn't an issue if only one constituent is included in an a list, but it can be an issue when both are on a list. Our email system only allows an email address to appear on a blast list once, so when both constituents are on a list, we use the email comments to determine which constitent should stay and which should be removed (based on a set of rules we've established). Utilizing these comment fields saves literal hours of least cleanup work. "}]}]}

Comment fields may seem extraneous but they're part and parcel for us to be able to make notes that regular database fields cannot accommodate. I often use the fields to do things like: clarify whose phone number is whose; when certain emails should be used over others; if I have to reorder or change the type of something, I can use the comment field to indicate last time it was actually changed so that we can keep a more accurate record of which number is oldest in our system; and it helps us with these extra bits of notes across the database (phone/email/link fields, sure, but also relationships, gifts, and solicitors. I LOVE the idea of an indicator of the note signatures and dates, but just making sure those comment fields exist at all (and are editable) in NXT is important, especially considering all the lost data those fields contain.

This would be extremely helpful. At the very least, tracking metadata for when things are changed and by whom is essential for data hygeine; sometimes this is available in database view but almost never in NXT. A comment field like this would go a long way.

This functionality (at least the minimum of being able to make manual comments) is essential for tracking data-integrity. Data loses much of its value when you can't confirm its source.

{"children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"text":"It's especially important when subscribing to data finders. I've had Email Finder come back with at least 35% of the emails \"found\" already in our db. Whenever we use EmailFinder or Phone Finder we add a note/code in the comment field to identify emails that aren't actually new"}]}]}

I agree with everyone. My team uses it all the time when prospecting. We will set the # or email as inactive so that it doesn't get pulled into blasts, and then add the comment that Prospect Research found and added the info. Without the ability to see this comment, the info just looks inactive. Adding a note or action about updating contact information is too time-consuming and unnecessary, and the chances of someone remembering to look there for that info is slim.

Other valuable uses for the phone comments field is coding like "Eblasts Bounce but personal email go through", and when it's assistant email we always add the name of the assistant. This is a great tool for doing an e-vite for Administrative Assistant Day event data pulls. We always hold an event on that day for the admins of our major donors, for example.

This is HUGE for data administration. Big reason why my office hasn't adopted NXT fully. Not sustainable on admin side yet - at least with multiple staff running data updates

Currently, in the database, the DNC, Type, Number, Primary, Inactive, Comments and Date Last Changed. are available for all phone types. However, in NXT, it seems that comments and the "date last changed" fields are not visible. Will this functionality be available in a future update?

+1 this is well used in database view for context on phone number source.

+1 on use of this to note why changes were made or context notes. Need this moved to web view.

YES! The automatic "signature" as an audit trail would definitely be helpful.

Comments & audit trail example of need: Too often I run across actions from fundraisers that say "tried to call, phone disconnected" or something similar but there are one or more active phone numbers on the record so I have no idea when/by whom the current phone number was added, if any of the active numbers were on the record at the time of that attempted phone call, etc. Comments and some automated signature/last modified info would be helpful.

Ues comments on phone and emails all the time - helps to see what's going on and when as date updates with any changes to check boxes.

Bruh yes.

Very important to have for source information.

No “Comment” for Phone or Emails is a critical issue and needs to be implemented. We need to be able to have these fields as they are very helpful for determining primary emails and context on how data is managed.

This is important for tracking the source of the phone number, email address, etc. It is also a place to add a name for phone/email types like "Assistant email," which many organizations use to easily communicate with the correct person when scheduling meetings, etc. I'm sure organizations have also repurposed this field for specific things that are vital to their record keeping and/or reporting.

We use these comments for the "why" when phone numbers/emails are marked inactive, primary, etc. (For example, I might inactivate and mark a phone number as DNC and comment "no longer at business"). These are helpful for context and attached directly to the data point, rather than requiring a seperate note/action/etc.