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Comprehensive Guide to Profile Data Collection

Discover how to optimize volunteer profiles, set up custom fields and qualifications, manage committees, and collect key volunteer data to support reporting, activity assignments, and effective program management in Better Impact.

Updated this week

Keywords: Creating Content; Qualifications; Custom Fields; Data Collection; Committees

Overview

Profile customization in Better Impact allows administrators to collect detailed volunteer data, manage qualifications, and organize committees efficiently.

Custom fields are used to capture additional information about volunteers, such as skills, interests, or personal details, helping with reporting and classification.

Qualifications are used to assign volunteers to specific activities or shifts, ensuring the right people are matched to the right roles.

By setting permissions and display options correctly, administrators can control who sees or edits this information, keeping volunteer data accurate, secure, and up to date.

Before you begin customizing profiles in Better Impact, it’s important to understand how each element works together. The tools in this section - custom fields, qualifications, and committees - allow you to collect relevant volunteer information, ensure proper role assignments, and maintain organized, accurate records. The following sections will guide you through choosing the right field types, setting permissions, and building a structure that supports your organization’s data and reporting needs.
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Custom Fields vs Qualifications

Before creating a new field or qualification, it’s important to understand what each is designed for and when to use them.

Custom Fields are used to collect and organize information about volunteers that isn’t part of the standard profile. They help you record additional data such as interests, language skills, emergency contact details, or internal notes. Custom fields are for information and reporting purposes only — they do not control which activities or shifts a volunteer can be assigned to.

Qualifications, on the other hand, are used to track a volunteer’s eligibility for specific roles or activities. They may represent training, certifications, or other criteria that must be met before participating in certain assignments. If "if qualified" is selected, volunteers can only be assigned to an activity if they hold the required qualification(s).

Ask yourself...

If yes, use...

Do I need to be able to enter specific text into the field?

Custom Field

Do I need to make a value mandatory on an application form?

Custom Field or Qualification

Do I need this field to be a prerequisite or requirement for performing an activity?

Qualification

Do I need this field to determine whether an activity is visible to a volunteer?

Qualification

Does this certification or training have an expiration date?

Qualification

Do I want to collect extra data about volunteers for reporting or classification?

Custom Field

Use the table below to help determine which option fits your needs:

If you want to...

Use a Custom Field

Use a Qualification

Collect additional volunteer information (e.g., hobbies, interests, languages)

✅

Store compliance or certification data that affects eligibility for activities

✅

Include fields on volunteer profiles or dashboards for visibility or self-update

✅

Automatically restrict or match volunteers to activities

✅

Create data points for reporting and filtering volunteers

✅

✅

Set expiry dates for renewals (e.g., background checks, first aid certificates)

✅

To store documents or have users sign documents

✅

By identifying the purpose of your data before creating a field or qualification, you’ll ensure your setup supports accurate reporting, efficient role assignment, and easy profile management.

Feature Comparison Table

Attribute

Custom Field

Qualification

Data input permitted?

Yes (Short Text, Long Text, Number, and Date fields)

No (select from a predefined list)

Data selection permitted?

Yes (Yes/No, Droplist, or Checkbox fields)

Yes (via droplist)

Data upload permitted?

Yes (File fields)

No

Expiration date supported?

No

Optional

Visible on application form?

Optional (choose which forms)

Optional (choose which forms)

Required on application form?

Optional

Optional

Hidden from volunteers?

Optional

Optional

Read-only to volunteers?

Optional

Optional

Approval required for data entry/updates?

Optional

Optional

Can be grouped into categories?

Optional

No

Setting Permissions and Display Options

Once you’ve decided whether to create a Custom Field or a Qualification, the next step is to control who can see or edit that information and where it appears.

Setting permissions and display options properly ensures that sensitive data is protected while keeping relevant information accessible to the right people.
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Permissions Options

These settings determine what a volunteer or administrator can do with a Custom Field or Qualification.

Option

Who can edit or view

When to use it

Private

Only administrators can enter, modify, and view this information.

Use for internal admin notes, background checks, or other confidential data.

Read Only

Data is entered by an administrator and visible to the volunteer, but cannot be edited by them.

Use when volunteers need to see the information (e.g., qualification status) but should not change it.

Read/Write with Approval

Volunteers can enter or update the information, but changes require admin approval.

Ideal for qualifications or data that must be verified before being accepted, such as training completion.

Read/Write without Approval

Volunteers can enter or update the information, and changes are applied immediately.

Use for general profile details that do not require verification, such as interests or availability.

Display Options

These settings determine where the Custom Field or Qualification will appear for volunteers and administrators.

For each option, you can choose if the field is required or not.

Note

If "required" is selected for the My Impact Page, when volunteers go to the Additional Info menu, they will be required to update the required information before moving to another page.

It's not possible to set different visibility options for the same Custom Field or Qualification.

Location

Description

When to use it

MyImpactPage.com

Controls whether the field appears on a volunteer’s profile page.

Use for data that volunteers should maintain themselves, such as contact preferences or interests.

Application Forms

Choose which application form the Custom Field or Qualification will appear on.

Use for information you want to collect from new applicants during signup.

Profile Dashboard (Custom Fields only)

Determines whether the field appears in the dashboard section of a volunteer’s profile for administrators.

Use for information that administrators need to access quickly, such as notes or program-specific classifications.

Important

If you do not see these features under the Configuration menu, it is because you don't have access to it - you may have a Limited Admin Role applied to your admin profile, or this feature is managed at the Enterprise level.

Please contact a full admin of your account to help you with that.

When Custom Fields and Qualifications are managed from the Enterprise, the Enterprise Admin can select which sub-accounts can view and use them. However, the permissions and display settings set at the Enterprise level will apply consistently across all selected sub-accounts.

Example: If a Custom Field is created at the Enterprise account and linked to Volunteer Application Form 1, that field will appear on Form 1 for every sub-account it is visible to.
There is no way to make visibility, permissions, or display settings different for each sub-account — all share the same configuration defined by the Enterprise.

Custom Fields

Custom Fields let you capture additional information about volunteers that isn’t included in the standard profile. They can be text fields, checkboxes, date fields, or file uploads, depending on what type of data you want to collect.

Use them to track volunteer information, internal classifications, or other organization-specific details for reporting or communication purposes.

Custom fields allow you to tailor your data collection to align with the specific needs of your organization. This means you can record information beyond standard details like name or address, enabling better tracking and organization.

By using these fields, you can systematically organize additional data such as emergency contact information, t-shirt sizes, or other identifiers in a way that meets specific organizational demands.

Tips

While it is not possible to create new volunteer categories or add additional volunteer statuses, administrators can use Custom Fields (or Qualifications) to effectively group and categorize volunteers.

For example, you can create a Custom Field to track attributes such as “Team,” “Location,” or “Program Area.” Once the field is set up, you can use filters and reports to view or communicate with specific groups of volunteers that share the same value.

This approach provides flexibility in organizing your volunteer data while maintaining consistency across your account structure.

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Since Qualifications and Activities are not available in Member Impact, you can use Custom Fields instead.

Custom Field Headers

Custom Field Headers can be used to group similar custom fields. Grouping can help organize the fields, making it easier for users to navigate through the application, and help administrators quickly find specific information within profiles

  1. Go to Configuration > Profile Customization > Custom Fields

  2. Mouse over the Options icon in the “Custom Field” bar and click on “+ New Header” (or click the [+ New Header] button at the bottom of the page)

  3. Enter a Header name (maximum 200 characters)

  4. Select the Module(s) that will be used in the header. A header must share the same module(s) of any Custom Fields that will go under it. For example, a header with only the volunteer module selected can only contain Custom Fields that have the Volunteer module selected.

  5. Optional: Enter a Description. This information will be visible to people when completing an application form and to users when editing their profile.

  6. Click the [Save] button

Adding New Custom Fields

  1. Go to Configuration > Profile Customization > Custom Fields

  2. Mouse over the Options icon in the “Custom Field” bar and click on “+ New Custom Field” (or click the [+ New Custom Field] button at the bottom of the page)

  3. Enter a Custom Field name (maximum 200 characters)

  4. Select the Header for the Custom Field from the drop-down list

  5. Modules: Select the module(s) that will need the Custom Field

  6. Permissions: Select what the volunteer can do with the Custom Field:

    • Private: Only entered, modified and visible to an administrator

    • Read only: Data entered by an administrator; can be seen by the volunteer but not edited

    • Read/write with approval: Data entered by the volunteer requires approval by an administrator

    • Read/write without approval: Data entered by the volunteer does not require approval

  7. Display:

    • MyImpactPage.com: The volunteer’s profile page, and whether or not the field is required when a volunteer edits their profile.

    • Application Forms: The application forms on which this Custom Field will appear and whether or not a value is required by those filling in an application.

    • Profile Dashboard: Select if this custom field should be displayed to administrators when viewing the dashboard section of a profile.

  8. Type: Select the desired type of field to create.

    • Please note: you cannot change the type after you have saved the created field.

    • See this section for more information about each type.

Custom Field Types

Field Type

Description

Example Use

Yes/No

A simple choice of “Yes” or “No.” Ideal for questions with only two possible answers, such as Has driver’s licence? or Completed orientation?

Has Driver’s Licence?

Available on Weekends?

Date

Accepts valid date values only. Useful for tracking items such as Start Date, Last Training Date, or Renewal Date.

Date Joined

Training Completion Date

Number

Accepts numeric values with optional decimals (no leading zero). Recommended only for information that requires mathematical calculation.

Note: For telephone numbers, ID numbers, or other numeric identifiers, use Short Text instead.

Years of Experience

Number of Events Attended

Short Text

A single line of text, up to 250 characters. Can include letters, numbers (including leading zeros), or symbols. Suitable for short answers like Preferred Name or Membership ID.

Preferred Name

Uniform Size

Allergies

Long Text

A larger text area for longer written entries or paragraph-style responses, such as Notes from Interview or Volunteer Feedback.

Additional Skills

Volunteer Feedback

Notes from Interview

Drop Down

Displays a custom list of choices in alphabetical order. Use this for standardized responses such as T-shirt Size, Preferred Location, or Department.

Preferred Location

T-shirt Size

Department

File

Note: 4MB size limit

Allows an administrator or volunteer to upload a document or image. Common uses include Photo ID, Proof of Certification, or Volunteer Agreement.

Photo ID

Proof of Vaccination

Volunteer Agreement Form

Checkbox

Displays a single checkbox that can be checked or unchecked to indicate a simple status (e.g., Completed Induction).

Languages Spoken

Areas of Interest

Availability Days

Signed Document

A fillable document that can be customized and completed or signed electronically. Useful for collecting signed agreements or acknowledgements, such as Confidentiality Agreement or Code of Conduct.

Code of Conduct

Confidentiality Agreement

Volunteer Handbook Acknowledgement

Choosing the Right Field Type

When deciding which field type to use, consider:

  • The kind of data you need (text, date, list, file, etc.)

  • Who will enter it (administrator or volunteer)

  • How you’ll use it (reporting, display, document tracking, etc.)

If you plan to use the information only for reference or reporting, a Custom Field is ideal.
If the data will determine eligibility or assignment to activities, use a Qualification instead.

Signed Document Custom Fields

Signed Document Custom Fields allow you to upload a document and indicate where users are required to provide an eSignature or additional information. This feature functions very similarly to a fillable PDF but users will not be required to download the document or have a specific program downloaded on their device to be able to fill it in. Users will be able to sign the document while staying on MyImpactPage.com or the MyImpactApp.

When a Signed Document Custom Field is set to display on MyImpactPage, select for this field to be required and set the permission to R/W+ . Using one of these permissions will ensure that a user cannot delete a completed signed document custom field.

Information that users enter into the document cannot be searched or reported on in Better Impact. You will be able to search and find which users have completed the document, but the information entered cannot be extracted from the documents.

  • All documents must have at least one required signature field.

  • If you include Field Indicators, these will not disappear once the volunteer completes the field.

  • There is no way to convert your current file type custom fields to Signed Document Custom Fields.

  • Administrators cannot sign the document on behalf of a user

  • Updating a Signed Document Custom Field does not affect users who have previously completed it.

  • Changes are Automatically Saved.

Volunteers can find documents to sign under My Profile > Additional info on the app and the browser.

Once they sign it, you can review the signed document on their profile, on the Custom Fields tab.

Create a New Signed Document Custom Field

  1. Navigate through Configuration >> Custom Fields and select to create a new Custom Field.

  2. In the Custom Field settings, select “Signed Document” as the field type.

  3. Select “Upload and Modify a File”.

  4. To choose a file to upload, navigate through Menu >> Open File. Select the file from your computer.

    • Valid file types include .doc, .docx, .pdf

Your document should now be visible on your screen.

If the file you choose to upload is already configured to be a fillable document, you may find that the Signed Document Custom Field feature does not interpret these fields correctly, leading to errors when users attempt to sign the document. We recommend using a document that does not already have the fillable fields configured to avoid these issues.

From here, you can begin to indicate where on the document you require a signature or other information to be entered.

The first menu bar along your screen will let you toggle between the ‘Fill and Sign’ and ‘Forms’ view. ‘Fill and Sign’ will allow you to preview the file and sign any spaces where an admin signature may be needed. The ‘Forms’ view is where you will configure the fillable fields for the document.

The second menu bar will display the various field types that can be applied to the document. The remainder of this help article will cover signature fields and text fields. Please see our Advanced Use article for more details on the other options and advanced settings.

Require a Signature

Select [Forms] along the top of the document

  1. Select the “signature” field from the bar along the second header. Then use your cursor to draw a box where you require the signature.

  2. You can adjust the size and placement by dragging and dropping the box

  3. After creating your signature box, the “Signature Field Annotation” menu will appear, allowing you to customize the following.

    • Field Name – what information you are requesting

    • Properties

      • Read Only – select if users should not be able to edit this field

      • Required – select if users are required to fill this field in

      • Multi-line – for answers that require more than one line

      • Include Field Indicators – add flags to your document to mark where input is required

    • Field Size – update to adjust the size of the signature box

  4. Changes are saved automatically.

Require Text or Date

  1. Repeat the same process as above this time selecting the “text field” option.

    1. Make sure you select “text field” and NOT free text

  2. Draw a box with your mouse where you require the text be entered.

  3. The “Edit Form Fields” menu will appear allowing you to customize the following.

    • Field Name – what information you are requesting

    • Examples: Volunteer Name, Date

    • Default Value

      • If requesting a date, insert the date format you prefer such as, mm/dd/yyyy

      • If requesting a name of other text, indicate here what should be inserted

    • Properties

      • Read Only – select if users should not be able to edit this field

      • Required – select users are required to fill this field in

      • Multi-line – for answers that require more than one line

      • Include Field Indicators – add flags to your document to mark where input is required

    • Field Size – update to adjust the size of the signature box

  4. Changes are saved automatically.

Advanced Use

Panel

Thumbnails

Easily preview all pages within the document

  • Rotate Page

  • Delete Page

  • More Options

    • Move pages

      • Move to Top

      • Move to Bottom

    • Page Orientation

      • Rotate Clockwise

      • Rotate Counterclockwise

    • Page Manipulation

      • Insert

      • Replace

      • Extract

      • Delete

Outlines

Create an outline for the document

  • Add Outline

    • Rename

    • Set destination

    • Delete

Index Panel

See a list of fields present in the Document

View Controls


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Page Transition

  • Continuous Page

  • Page by Page

Page Orientation

  • Rotate Clockwise

  • Rotate Counterclockwise

Page Layout

  • Single Page

  • Double Page

  • Cover Facing Page

Enter Full Screen / Exit Full Screen

Other

Pan – use your cursor to manipulate the document and move through it

Select – use your cursor to select elements in the document

Fill and Sign

  • Free Text

  • Signature

  • Cross

  • Tick

  • Dot

  • Undo – Redo

  • Erase

  • Search – search the document

Forms - Field Types

  • Signature Field – used for collecting signatures

  • Text Field – used for creating fields that you require a user to complete or for adding text to the document that cannot be changed by the user

  • Free Text Field – can be utilized by either administrator to add text/ comments to the document

  • Checkbox Field – create a box for users to check off when completing the document

  • Radio Button Field – create a radio button for users to select when completing the document

  • Edit Form Fields - edit the fields created

  • Style - Edit the form field style and colour

  • Index Panel - See a list of fields present in the Document

Edit Signed Document Custom Field

  1. Navigate through Configuration >> Custom Fields

  2. Use the options icon next to the field to select “Update Document to Sign”

  3. Select “Edit”

  4. Make your changes as desired

  5. Select [Done]

  6. Confirm your changes by ticking the check box

  7. Select [Save]

Managing Custom Fields - Edit, Delete, Copy, View, Move

Important

Once a Custom Field has been created, a Custom Field type is the only setting that cannot be changed.

Edit One Custom Field

  1. Go to Configuration > Profile Customization > Custom Fields

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Custom Field you want to change

  3. Click on “Edit”

  4. Make the desired change(s)

  5. Click the [Save] button

Edit Multiple Custom Fields

  1. Go to Configuration > Profile Customization > Custom Fields

  2. Check the box beside each Custom Field you want to change (you can also check the “Select All” box at the bottom)

  3. Select what you would like to change from the drop list:

    • Update Permissions (Private, Read Only, Read/Write without approval, Read/Write with approval)

    • Update Display and Requirement Settings (MyImpactPage.com, Application Forms)

  4. Make the desired changes

  5. Check the box to confirm your changes

  6. Click the [Update…..] button to save your changes

Note

When bulk updating the Display Settings of multiple Custom Fields, you will not see an option to select "Profile Dashboard".

Custom Fields can only be selected to appear on the "Profile Dashboard" when editing them individually.

Delete Custom Fields

  1. Go to Configuration > Profile Customization > Custom Fields

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Custom Field

  3. Click on “Delete”

  4. Click the [Delete] button to confirm

Note

It's not possible to delete Custom Fields in bulk - you'll need to do it individually.

Copy Custom Fields

  1. Go to Configuration > Profile Customization > Custom Fields

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Custom Field

  3. Click on “Copy”

  4. Enter a name for the new (copied) field

  5. Click the [Copy] button

View Custom Fields

  1. Go to Configuration > Profile Customization > Custom Fields

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Custom Field

  3. Click on “View”

  4. Click the [Close] button

Move Custom Fields

With your mouse (or trackpad), click and hold the [Move] button to the right of a Custom Field (or header), to move it to a new location.

Release the mouse button when you have placed it in the desired location.

Tip

You can filter the list of Custom Fields by Module, Permissions, Type and Header. If you change the display order of a Custom Field when filters are set (filters may hide some Custom Fields), it will be placed below or above any hidden Custom Fields in that new location.

Modify Custom Field or Header Module

  1. Go to Configuration > Profile Customization > Custom Fields

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Custom Field/Header

  3. Click on “Modify Modules”

  4. Make the desired change (The options available will depend on associations and current data entered for Custom Fields. Please carefully read the dialogue box for full details. When modifying a Custom Field, the associated Header will control the available options. If needed, please modify the Header first.)

    • If you are removing a module, confirm your selection by selecting the [Remove Module] button

  5. Click the [Close] button

Custom Fields on User Dashboard

Administrators can now view select Custom Fields on the Dashboard tab of a user’s profile, allowing for easier access to important information, eliminating the need to scroll through the Custom Fields section of the profile.
​
This feature only applies to users belonging to the Volunteer or Donor module. Once a user is moved to the status of Archived, the Custom Fields associated with that module will no longer display on the user’s dashboard.
​
This feature does not apply to Client or Member profiles, as there is no dashboard feature for these profiles.

Configure which Custom Fields display on user dashboards

  1. Navigate through Configuration >> Custom Fields.

  2. Select ‘Edit’ using the options icon to the left of the desired Custom Field

  3. Under Display, select ‘Profile Dashboard’.

  4. Select [Save].

It is not possible to apply this change in bulk to multiple Custom Fields at once.

Notes

It is not possible to edit fields from the Profile Dashboard. Custom Fields will continue to be edited from the Custom Field tab of the user’s profile. Only Custom Fields that are filled in will display on the dashboard; if the field is empty, it will not display.
​
Text will be cut off at 100 characters, administrators can hover their cursor over the text to see the full text if it is longer than 100 characters. Dates will also be displayed in their shortened format (i.e. mm/dd/yyyy). To see the long date format, hover your cursor over the short date.
​
If the number of fields set to display here exceeds the size of the display box, a scrollbar will appear.
​
For Enterprise accounts, this feature will only be accessible when viewing a profile within a sub account.

Which administrators have access to viewing these custom fields on the user dashboard?

This will be determined by the selections you make on the User Profile Dashboard Setting Page found under Configuration >> Organization Settings.

These settings can be used to determine which administrators have access to viewing Custom Field information and other module specific information on user dashboards.

For example, some administrators are unable to see Custom Fields due to the limited administrator role applied to their profile. To allow them the ability to view the select Custom Fields configured to display on the dashboard you can disable "Enforce Visibility Permissions for Custom Fields".

Enforce Module Permissions for General Information

This setting controls the visibility of information that is module-specific in the top section of a profile’s dashboard.

Module specific information includes items such as:

  • Next shift

  • Most recent contribution

  • Total hours logged

  • Total donations

For example, if a person is a Donor and a Volunteer, and an administrator viewing the profile is only a Volunteer administrator and this is checked, they will not see the basic Donor information that is displayed in the dashboard. If it is left unchecked, they will see the Donor information, even though they are not a Donor administrator.

This setting is related to the module access the limited administrator has.

Enforce Module Permissions for Custom Fields

This setting controls the visibility of the Custom Fields shown in the dashboard.

For example, if a person is a Donor and a Volunteer, and the administrator viewing the profile is only a Donor administrator and this is checked, only the custom fields that are specific to the donor module will be displayed. If it is unchecked, both Volunteer and Donor custom fields will be displayed to the limited administrator.

This setting is related to the module access the limited administrator has.

Enforce Visibility Permissions for Custom Fields

This setting controls the visibility of the Custom Field section in the dashboard.

If unchecked, a limited administrator who does not have the capability to view custom fields will still see the custom fields that are displayed on the dashboard. If this setting is checked, only administrators who have the capability to view custom fields will see the section.

This setting is related to the capabilities and access that the administrator has been granted according to their limited admin role.

Qualifications

Qualifications are powerful tools in Volunteer Impact, not only do they track information about your volunteers, but they can help you control what opportunities a volunteer is able to see and sign-up for. Because of this unique ability, qualifications are intended to be applied both to activities, in order to set minimum requirements and to volunteer profiles, to track their achievements for those requirements.

Qualifications in this context also work independently of statuses, ensuring they serve as consistent identifiers for activities and attributes without maintaining historical status timelines. This distinction makes qualifications a more reliable tool for identifying specific volunteer attributes while managing access to activities.

Qualifications are only available on the Volunteer Module.

Notes

  • Criminal record checks could be set up as either custom fields or qualifications. If they are set up as qualifications, this would allow you to add an expiry date to help manage when volunteer checks are expiring or have expired.

  • If you need to upload a file regarding the Criminal Record Check, you'd need to create a Custom Field. Custom Fields don't have expiry dates.

  • As a general rule, files cannot be attached to Qualifications; those must be uploaded to a file-type Custom Field only.

  • For Member Impact, Qualifications are not available; you should use Custom Fields instead.

Adding New Qualifications

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Click the [+] button in the “Qualification” header bar (or click the [+ New Qualification] button at the bottom of the page)

  3. Enter a Qualification name (maximum 200 characters)

  4. Permissions: Select what the volunteer can do with the Qualification:

    • Private: Only entered, modified and visible to an administrator

    • Read only: Data entered by an administrator; can be seen by the volunteer but not edited

    • Read/write with approval: Data entered by the volunteer requires approval by an administrator

    • Read/write without approval: Data entered by the volunteer does not require approval

  5. Display:

    • MyImpactPage.com: The volunteer’s profile page, and whether or not the field is required when a volunteer edits their profile.

    • Application Forms: The application forms on which this Qualification will appear and whether or not a value is required by those filling in an application.

  6. Type:

    • Exact Match: Items will appear in alphabetical order. Activities can be created to require volunteers have a specific level (item) for the Qualification.

    • Ranked: Items will appear in the specific order you arrange them. When arranging the items, the answer with the least value needs to be at the top of the list while the answer with the greatest value should be at the bottom. Activities can be created to require volunteers have at least a minimum level/ranking (item) for the Qualification.

  7. Expiry Setting:

    • If selected, a valid date must be entered any time a value is selected for the Qualification. This is useful for trainings or certifications that expire (e.g. First Aid).

  8. Create the Items to appear in the drop-down list for the Qualification. You have the option of adding:

    • an Individual Item: enter one item in the “Items” field, then click [Add Item],

    • or Multiple Items: click [Add Multiple Items], then enter your list of items or paste from Excel or Word, then click [Add Multiple Items]

      • Items have a 100 character limit

  9. Optional: Enter a Description (visible to volunteers)

  10. Click the [Save] button

Qualification Settings - Type

When adding or editing a Qualification, you can configure how it is used and displayed.

Type

  • Exact Match: Items appear in alphabetical order. Activities can be set to require that a volunteer has a specific level (item) of the Qualification.

  • Ranked: Items appear in the specific order you define. The lowest value should be placed at the top and the highest value at the bottom. Activities can then be set to require that a volunteer has at least a minimum ranking for the Qualification.

For more about Display and Privacy settings see the section above.

💡Best Practices

  • Use Private or Read only for sensitive or compliance-related Qualifications (e.g., background checks, vaccination records).

  • Choose Read/write with approval when volunteers should update their own records, but oversight is required (e.g., certifications, training completions).

  • Use Exact Match for Qualifications with defined options that don’t have a hierarchy (e.g., CPR Level A, B, or C).

  • Use Ranked for Qualifications with progressive levels (e.g., Beginner → Intermediate → Advanced).

  • Only make fields required on MyImpactPage.com or application forms if they are essential to a volunteer’s ability to participate. This reduces friction for new applicants.

Managing Qualifications - Edit, Delete, Copy, Move and View

Editing Qualifications

Editing One Qualification

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification you want to change

  3. Click on “Edit”

  4. Make the desired change(s)

  5. Optional: If you need to reorder the items in the list, click on the item and click the [Move Item Up] or [Move Item Down] button.

  6. Click the [Save] button

Editing Multiple Qualifications

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Check the box beside each Qualification you want to change (you can also check the “Select All” box at the bottom)

  3. Scroll to the bottom and select what you would like to change from the drop list:

    • Update Permissions (Private, Read Only, Read/Write without approval, Read/Write with approval)

    • Update Display and Requirement Settings (MyImpactPage.com, Application Forms)

  4. Make the desired changes

  5. Check the box to confirm your changes

  6. Click the [Update…..] button to save your changes

Delete Qualifications

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification

  3. Click on “Delete”

  4. Click the [Delete] button to confirm

Notes

If there are profiles with data for the Qualification you’d like to delete, you’ll be told how many profiles would be affected. If you proceed with deleting the field, all associated data will be permanently deleted as well.

It's not possible to delete Qualifications in bulk.

Copy Qualifications

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification

  3. Click on “Copy”

  4. Enter a name for the new (copied) qualification

  5. Click the [Copy] button

View Qualifications

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification

  3. Click on “View”

  4. Click the [Close] button

Move Qualifications

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Click and hold the [Move] button to the right of a Qualification, with your mouse, to move it to a new location.

  3. Release the mouse button when you have placed it in the desired location.

View Qualification Associated eLearning Modules

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification

  3. Click on “View Associated eLearning Modules”

Note

It's not possible to report on Qualification - Associated eLearning Modules.

View Qualification Associated Activities

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification

  3. Click on “View Associated Activities”

Note

It's not possible to report on Qualification - Associated Activities.

Qualification Categories - New Feature!

Categories make it easier to organize and manage your qualifications. You can group related qualifications together, making it simpler to find and assign them to volunteers.

Add a New Qualification Category

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications

  2. Click the [+ New Category] button at the top of the page.

  3. Enter a Category Name (maximum 100 characters).

  4. (Optional) Add a Description

    • This will help other administrators understand the purpose of the category

    • The description is also visible to the volunteers by clicking on the information button

  5. Click [Save].

Assign Qualifications to a Category

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the qualification you’d like to assign.

  3. Select Edit.

  4. Use the Category dropdown to choose an existing category (or create a new one).

  5. Click [Save].

Tip

You can also drag and drop a Qualification into a different category to assign it - use the blue arrows on the right.

Edit a Category

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the category you want to edit.

  3. Select Edit.

  4. Update the name or description as needed.

  5. Click [Save].

Delete a Category

Important

Deleting a category does not delete the qualifications inside it. They will simply return to “Uncategorized.”

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the category.

  3. Select Delete.

  4. Click [Delete] to confirm.

Tips and Best Practice

Group by purpose: Create categories for compliance, skills, training, or certifications.

Use descriptions: Descriptions help other administrators understand what each category is for. Descriptions are also visible to volunteers and can be used to share additional information to help them fill out the Qualification or explain why the information is needed.

Regular review: Periodically review categories to ensure they still match your organizational needs.

Visibility: Qualifications will now appear under their respective category wherever they are displayed in the system.

Qualification Expiry Dates

Important

  • If the qualification is associated with an eLearning module, you may receive an error message preventing you from editing the expiry date requirement. The easiest solution is to temporarily associate the eLearning module with a different qualification, proceed with changing the expiry requirement and then re-associate the qualification with the eLearning module.

  • We recomend adding the expiry date when first creating the Qualification.

  • If the Qualification is already associated with one or more profiles, you'll need to set a date along with the requirement - this will make it so all profiles that already have the Qualification show the same expiry date.

  • You'll then be able to change this date individually on it bulk.

Add Expiration Date Requirement

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification you want to change

  3. Click on “Add Expiry Date Requirement”

  4. Add the new expiry date to apply to all users who have this qualification set in their profile

  5. Confirm that you wish to make this change (if currently associated with volunteer profiles)

  6. Click the [Add Expiry Date Requirement] button

Remove an Expiry Date Requirement

  1. Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.

  2. Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification you want to change

  3. Click on “Remove Expiry Date Requirement”

  4. Confirm that you wish to make this change

  5. Click the [Remove Expiry Date Requirement] button

Committees

Committees in Better Impact allow you to group volunteers, staff, or administrators who collaborate within a specific function, project, or area of responsibility.
They can represent advisory boards, working groups, or any internal team that requires shared communication or record-keeping within the system.

By managing committees, you can:

  • Track which volunteers belong to particular groups.

  • Send targeted emails to committee members.

  • Record participation for meetings or special projects.

Committees are managed at the sub-account level, not the Enterprise.

Notes

When a volunteer sends an email to a committee:

  • They cannot see the names or email addresses of other committee members before sending.

  • Recipients will see the name and email address of the sender.

  • Other committee members who receive the email will also be able to see the sender’s email address.

  • The committee’s name appears in the “From” field of the email.

Tip: If using committees for communication, consider informing volunteers that sending an email will reveal their email address to other members of the committee.

Create a Committee

  1. Go to: Configuration > Profile Customization > Committees

  2. Click on [New Committee] button at the bottom of the page or click on the [+] button to the left of the Committee list heading

  3. Enter a Committee or group name (maximum 200 characters)

  4. Optional: Enter a Description (visible only to administrators)

  5. Optional: Enter Notes (visible only to administrators)

  6. Optional: Check the “Allowed to email” checkbox if you want members of the committee to be able to send emails to the committee members. If enabled, a volunteer can send a one-way email to the other committee members from their CONTACT tab in MyImpactPage.com without knowing the names and email addresses of the other members.

  7. Click the [Save] button

Edit Committee

  1. Go to: Configuration > Profile Customization > Committees

  2. Mouse over the Options icon to the left of the committee name

  3. Click on “Edit”

  4. Make any changes necessary

  5. Click the [Save] button

View Committee Information

  1. Go to: Configuration > Profile Customization > Committees

  2. Mouse over the Options icon to the left of the committee name

  3. Click on “View”

  4. Click the [Close] button when finished

Delete Committee

  1. Go to: Configuration > Profile Customization > Committees

  2. Mouse over the Options icon to the left of the committee name

  3. Click on “Delete”

    • A dialogue will warn you how many people are on that committee

    • Click the [Delete] button to confirm

Add/ Remove Committee Members

Add/Remove One Volunteer

  1. Click the person icon at the top of the screen and type the person’s name into the Quick Search bar.

  2. Click on the person’s name from the list that appears.

  3. Click on the “Committees” tab

  4. Check/uncheck the relevant checkbox(es)

  5. Click the [Save] button

Add/Remove Multiple Volunteers

  1. Go to: People, then click on “Bulk Committee Management” found in the sidebar under Volunteers

  2. Search for the desired profiles to change

  3. Once the search is completed, select the Committee from the dropdown list

  4. Select the desired action from the Action dropdown list

    • Add to Committee

    • Remove from Committee

  5. Click the [Update] button

  6. In the pop-up box, check to confirm you are certain of the action, and then click the [Add to Committee] (or [Remove from Committee]) button.

Best Practices

  • Review Custom Fields and Qualifications regularly to ensure relevance and accuracy.

  • Keep field and qualification names short, consistent, and self-explanatory.

  • Use approval-required settings only when necessary to reduce admin workload.

  • Encourage volunteers to update their profiles at least once per year.

  • Use reports to identify missing, expired, or incomplete data early.

  • Limit committee membership to only those who need access, for clearer communication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What’s the difference between a Custom Field and a Qualification?
A: Custom Fields collect general information about volunteers for reporting or reference purposes. Qualifications, on the other hand, determine eligibility — volunteers must hold the required qualifications to be assigned to certain activities or roles.

Q: Can Custom Fields control which activities a volunteer can sign up for?
A: No. Custom Fields are used for data collection and reporting only. Only Qualifications can be linked to activities to restrict or allow participation.

Q: When should I use a “Signed Document” Custom Field instead of uploading a file?
A: Use a Signed Document when you need the volunteer to electronically sign or acknowledge a document directly within Better Impact. Use a File field if you only need to store a copy of a document (like a scanned certificate or ID).

Q: Can volunteers edit their own Custom Field or Qualification data?
A: Yes, depending on the Permission Settings you select. You can make a field private, read-only, or editable by volunteers (with or without admin approval).

Q: What happens when a Qualification expires?
A: The qualification is automatically marked as Expired. Volunteers with expired qualifications can no longer be assigned to activities that require that qualification until it’s renewed.

Q: Can I report on Custom Fields and Qualifications?
A: Yes. Both appear as filters and columns in reports. You can, for example, generate a report of all volunteers with a specific qualification or view how many selected a particular value in a custom field.

Q: What’s the best way to organize a large number of Custom Fields?
A: Use clear, descriptive names and group related fields together. Periodically review and deactivate fields you no longer use to keep your configuration tidy and efficient.

Q: Are Committees the same as Teams or Groups?
A: Not exactly. Committees are flexible groupings for administrative or communication purposes - ideal for boards, event planning groups, or internal working committees. They don’t affect activity scheduling or eligibility.

Q: Can a volunteer belong to more than one committee?
A: Yes. A volunteer can be a member of multiple committees if they participate in several projects or groups within your account.

Q: Can administrators receive communication sent to a committee?
A: Yes. Administrators who are added as committee members will receive any committee-wide communications, such as emails or messages sent to that group. This is helpful for ensuring coordinators or supervisors stay informed about committee-related updates or discussions.

Q: How often should I review my Custom Fields and Qualifications?
A: It’s good practice to review them quarterly or annually, especially before new reporting periods or recruitment cycles. This helps ensure data accuracy and that your fields still meet your organization’s needs.

Related Articles
Comprehensive Guide to Background Checks
Comprehensive Guide to Activities
Comprehensive Guide to eLearning Modules
Comprehensive Guide to User Profiles
Comprehensive Guide to Volunteer Recognition
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