Call lists vs calling sessions
Why SupporterBase has both, how they fit together, and when to use each
Call lists do what they have always done, and calling sessions add a richer workspace on top.
Two related tools
Think of the call list as the guest list: calling from it directly is fine for a quick pass, and a session is the structured way to work the list when you care about tracking what happened.
| Tool | What it is |
|---|---|
| Call list | A roster that answers "who should we be calling?" Click Start calling this list, work through supporters, log outcomes, the way you always have. |
| Calling session | A named workspace built on top of a call list, inheriting the roster and adding progress tracking, stats, skip controls, cycles, and pause/resume. |
What sessions add
A session inherits the roster from its call list and carries the tracking a bare list has no room for.
| Feature | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Progress tracking | Holds its place across pauses and resumes |
| Stats and badges | Available at a glance, without opening Analytics |
| Full supporter view | Notes, tags, history and RSVP while you're on the call |
| Five skip types | Reasons and automatic return behaviour |
| Cycles | A second or third pass through the queue |
| Per-caller sessions | Two leaders can work the same list at once, each with their own queue and stats |
How the pieces fit
A call list sits at the top of the tree, and everything below it belongs to one caller working that list.
- Call list (who to call)
- Calling session (one instance of working the list)
- Cycle (one pass through the queue)
- Phone calls
- Contacts (logged outcomes)
- Cycle (one pass through the queue)
- Calling session (one instance of working the list)
Each caller gets one session per call list, so three leaders working the same list have three sessions on it, and a session itself can hold many cycles.
When to use each
| Situation | What you reach for |
|---|---|
| Defining a group of people to call, set up once and used many times | A call list |
| The first time you work a list | Create calling session. Returning to the same list afterwards picks your session back up, one session per caller per list |
| You have been through everyone once and want another pass | Start calling cycle inside the session |
Example
Your group is running a volunteer recruitment event:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Build the list | You build a call list called "Event reminders" using the filter "RSVP'd yes but not yet contacted" |
| Tuesday night | You start a session, work through 20 supporters, skip five for "today", and pause at 9pm |
| Wednesday morning | You resume, and the five "today" skips are back in the queue |
| End of the queue | You click Start calling cycle to retry the no-answers |
| Done | The session has two cycles of stats, and the call list is untouched, ready for next week |
If the call list changes mid-session
Call lists are live, and sessions stay in sync with them.
- Add supporters to the list and they appear in active sessions.
- Remove them and they're removed from sessions too.
- Delete the list and in-flight sessions are archived.
Further reading
Call lists
Create and manage the rosters that feed calling sessions.
Calling sessions
Run a session, work its cycles, and skip supporters.
First calling session tutorial
Create a calling session, work the queue, and start a second cycle.
Statuses and skip types
Every supporter and session status, and what sets each one.