Referrals & partners
Referrals that come back closed
Referral tracking software for nonprofits tends to stop at "sent." Need Navigator follows through: the printed referral carries a QR (quick-response) code the receiving provider scans — no login, no account — to record who received the client and how it went, closing the loop with a timestamp. Behind it sits a real partner directory, a portal partners can log into, and an opt-in network for agencies that both run Need Navigator.
What the referral & partner tools do
Send it anywhere the client needs to go
Refer to an internal program or staff member, or to an external organization and contact from your directory. Referrals can be spawned straight from a visit or a task, so follow-through starts where the conversation happened.
A QR code closes the loop
Every printed referral carries a QR code. The receiving provider scans it — no login, no account — records who received the client and their feedback, and the referral completes with a timestamp.
A conversation attached to every referral
A message thread rides along with each referral, and messages appear for other participants in real time — so the follow-up conversation lives with the referral instead of scattering across inboxes.
Reasons your agency defines — with automations
Referral reasons are your vocabulary, not ours, and each reason can carry automations — for example, sending a templated email the moment a referral is created.
A partner directory with real depth
Organizations carry a type, parent/child hierarchy, a funder flag, and per-organization service listings: areas served, hours, services offered, eligibility notes, and languages spoken. Search spans names, phone numbers, types, and contacts.
Partner contacts on the care team
A contact at a partner organization can sit on a client's care team as a first-class member, with a role, program, and start and end dates — so the record shows everyone who is actually helping, not just your own staff.
A portal partners log into
Where an agency turns it on, partner contacts get their own logins to manage their class offerings and events, record attendance and register walk-ins, submit needs against resources you flag for portal use, and post to task lists that accept portal posts. Every write is attributed to the acting contact and validated against their organization.
An opt-in network between agencies
Agencies that both run Need Navigator can opt in to work together: search and link shared clients, send referrals system-to-system, and hold shared live message threads — each agency keeping its own private database. It is a capability you can adopt, never a network you are placed into.
Questions agencies ask
What does the receiving provider need to close a referral?
Just a phone camera. The printed referral carries a QR (quick-response) code; scanning it opens a simple page where the provider records who received the client and their feedback — no login and no account required. The referral completes with a timestamp.
Do partner organizations need Need Navigator to receive referrals?
No. You can refer to any organization and contact in your directory, and the printed QR-code loop closure asks nothing of the partner but a scan. If a partner agency also runs Need Navigator, the two of you can additionally opt in to the Need Navigator Network and send referrals directly system-to-system.
What can a partner do in the partner portal?
Where an agency has the portal configured, partner contacts sign in with their own credentials to manage their class offerings and events, record attendance and register walk-ins, submit needs against resources flagged for portal use, and post to task lists marked as accepting portal posts. Every write is attributed to the acting contact, validated against their organization, and subject to the same rules as staff actions.
Is the Need Navigator Network something we are automatically part of?
No — it is an opt-in capability, not an active exchange. Two agencies that both run Need Navigator choose to connect, with token-secured server-to-server connections and per-connection permissions for sending messages, sending referrals, and viewing or searching individuals. Each agency keeps its own private database throughout.
Can we report on referral outcomes?
Yes. Loop-closure timestamps and provider feedback are recorded on each referral, and referrals are one of the eleven record types in the report builder — choose your columns, stack condition filters, and export to Excel. Those breakdowns support your funder reporting.
Watch a loop close
In a demo we will create a referral, print it, scan the code from a phone, and watch the closure land — feedback, timestamp, and all. Bring the partner you refer to most.