Integrating NGP VAN with CallHub

In this article, we will discuss the steps to integrate CallHub with NGP VAN. The integration between CallHub & NGP VAN allows CallHub customers to import VAN lists in CallHub, import events, survey questions, and activist codes. This way, you can collect event RSVPs, canvass responses, and tag people matching specific criteria, and everything will be sync back to VAN except Read-Only fields. 

Note: The new NGPVAN integration works with both VAN products (NGPVAN and EveryAction). 

The setup page for NGPVAN integration is available under the Integration section. You can navigate it to get logged in to your CallHub account > Integrations > NGPVan. A couple of elements to keep in mind.

• If you do not have a VAN APIs key or Application Name to set up the integration with CallHub, you may request it by sending an email to [email protected] 
• You can connect to CallHub using My Voter or My Campaign mode.
• With "My Voter" mode, you will be able to import only Survey responses and Activist codes.
• With "My Campaign" mode, you will be able to import Survey responses, Events, and Activist codes.

API keys used for connection should have permissions to import data from NGPVan to CallHub. In this case, you need to raise a support request with VAN (email: [email protected]) to enable their API Keys with CallHub permissions.

Connecting to NGP VAN

Please navigate to your CallHub account and click on Integrations from the menu on the top of your page. Then, under the NGP VAN integration section, click on the "Connect" button. The screenshots are below for your quick reference.

Note: You will need to submit a support ticket with VAN if you do not have an API key for VAN handy. 

You need to provide an API key and the application name of your NGPVan account. Then, you can choose the connection mode (My Voter or My Campaign) per your requirement.

Now that your CallHub account is connected to VAN, you need to map the custom fields you wish to import from NGPVan.

Note: A few fields are Read-only, implying that they can be imported into CallHub, but the system cannot sync back data into NGPVan. This includes Congressional District, State House, State Senate, Polling Location, Polling Address, and Polling City. 

Click on "Save and import Lists" to sync Events, Survey questions, and Activist codes.

You can select the list and click "Import" to download the NGP VAN list in CallHub. 

Note: If you have a Saved list on your VAN instance and cannot see it on your CallHub account, please check for the permissions for the saved folder on VAN. You may navigate to folder> Select folder > Edit folder > Permissions and grant permissions, and the saved lists will be visible on CallHub.

Happy campaigning!

 

NGP VAN Integration with Campaign Modules

Call Center Campaigns

Collect Canvass Responses and Update Activist Codes:

When you create a Call Center Campaign, you can add one or more Survey Questions from VAN and ask volunteers (call center agents) to collect Canvass Responses during the calls when they call voters (VAN Contacts). Responses to the survey questions will flow back to VAN, and you can view them in the contact's "Survey Responses" section. You can also mark Activist Codes to VAN contacts in an automated manner based on the survey response. For instance, if the answer to the below survey question is "YES," the activist code "Member" will automatically be added to the VAN contact.

You can also choose to add Activist Codes to the VAN Contacts when configuring the Call Center Campaign.

Tagging contacts based on responses:
The "Tags available to agents" option lets you configure activist codes that agents can use to mark contacts based on the conversation explicitly. These have to be done manually by the agents. "Choose VAN activist code to tag all contacted people" - This option will automatically tag contacts in VAN when call center agents save notes for a conversation.

Collect event RSVP's
In the campaign creation flow, to collect event RSVPs in CallHub, browse to the "Script" section. Here click on "Question" and click on "RSVP." Refer to the below screenshot for details

Please select the appropriate VAN Event from the dropdown and add it to your script. To mark event RSVP in VAN, agents have to keep responses for all three questions. For example, what shift is a volunteer RSVPing to, What role will the volunteer perform at the event, and what's the RSVP status such as Confirmed or Declined? Until the agent doesn't answer all these questions, CallHub will not mark RSVP in an automated way.

SMS Broadcasting Campaign

You may add Activist Codes for Sent and Received Messages. When you create an SMS Campaign, you can select an imported Activist Code.

Activist Code can be configured for VAN Contacts contacted via SMS text message and VAN Contacts that responded to your SMS Broadcast campaign.

Voice Broadcasting Campaign

When you create a Voice Broadcast Campaign, you can select an imported Activist Code. Contacts from VAN contacted via this Voice Broadcast campaign will be marked with the chosen Activist Code back in VAN.

Note: By connecting VAN to CallHub in My Voter mode, the event data cannot be synced or used in your campaigns.

Once you have run the campaign, the details will sync back to VAN, and the details of the sync will be available in the "Activity" of the contact.

Additionally, the event RSVPs, the survey responses, and Activist codes will be available in the "All Details" of the contact.