Keywords: Qualifications; Qualification Categories; Background Checks
Overview
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.
Important
If you do not see this feature 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.
Note
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. See this article instead - Custom Fields don't have expiry dates.
Adding New Qualifications
Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.
Click the [+] button in the “Qualification” header bar (or click the [+ New Qualification] button at the bottom of the page)
Enter a Qualification name (maximum 200 characters)
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
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.
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.
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).
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
Optional: Enter a Description (visible to volunteers)
Click the [Save] button
More About Qualification Settings
Permissions, Display and Type
When adding or editing a Qualification, you can configure how it is used and displayed.
The following settings determine how volunteers and administrators interact with the Qualification:
Permissions
Private: The Qualification can only be entered, modified, and viewed by an administrator.
Read only: Data is entered by an administrator and can be viewed by the volunteer but not edited.
Read/write with approval: Volunteers can enter or update the Qualification, but any changes require approval from an administrator.
Read/write without approval: Volunteers can enter or update the Qualification, and changes do not require administrator approval.
Display
MyImpactPage.com: Determines whether the Qualification appears on the volunteer's portal, and whether it is required when they edit their profile.
If required, when a volunteer goes to the Qualification menu, they won't be able to leave until they update the missing Qualification.
Application Forms: Controls whether the Qualification appears on application forms, and if it is required for applicants to complete.
Vol 1, 2 and 3
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.
💡 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 One Qualification
Edit One Qualification
Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.
Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification you want to change
Click on “Edit”
Make the desired change(s)
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.
Click the [Save] button
Edit Multiple Qualifications
Edit Multiple Qualifications
Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.
Check the box beside each Qualification you want to change (you can also check the “Select All” box at the bottom)
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)
Make the desired changes
Check the box to confirm your changes
Click the [Update…..] button to save your changes
Move Qualification
Move Qualification
Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.
Click and hold the [Move] button to the right of a Qualification, with your mouse, to move it to a new location.
Release the mouse button when you have placed it in the desired location.
Delete Qualification
Delete Qualification
Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.
Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification
Click on “Delete”
Click the [Delete] button to confirm
Note: 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.
Copy Qualification
Copy Qualification
Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.
Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification
Click on “Copy”
Enter a name for the new (copied) qualification
Click the [Copy] button
View Qualification
View Qualification
Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.
Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification
Click on “View”
Click the [Close] button
View Qualification Associated eLearning Modules
View Qualification Associated eLearning Modules
Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.
Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification
Click on “View Associated eLearning Modules”
View Qualification Associated Activities
View Qualification Associated Activities
Go to: Configuration >> Profile Customization >> Qualifications.
Mouse over the Options icon beside the Qualification
Click on “View Associated Activities”