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Group Datatables (m_group)
Group datatables attach custom data to group records in Fineract. Groups are used primarily in solidarity lending and center-based models, where clients are organized into small groups that share accountability for repayments. The data needs at the group level are different from those at the individual client level - they tend to be operational (meeting records, repayment summaries) or assessment-based (group quality ratings, formation history).
All examples below use apptableName: "m_group".
Group Meeting Records (One-to-Many)
Meeting attendance and collections are the operational heartbeat of group lending programs. Each meeting is a separate event, so this is always multiRow: true.
Use case: Recording attendance, repayment collections, and issues raised at each group meeting, for portfolio monitoring and officer accountability.
Example fields:
| Field name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Meeting_Date | Date | |
Members_Present | Number | Count of members who attended |
Total_Members | Number | Total group membership at time of meeting |
Repayment_Due | Decimal | Total amount due from group for the period |
Repayment_Collected | Decimal | Amount actually collected at the meeting |
Savings_Collected | Decimal | Voluntary or compulsory savings collected |
Issues_Raised | Boolean | Whether any repayment or member issue was raised |
Issues_Description | Text | Free-text description of issues |
Facilitating_Officer | String (100) | Loan officer or field agent who ran the meeting |
With this data, a field manager can calculate attendance rates, collection efficiency, and delinquency patterns at the group level without any additional systems.
Group Profile and Formation Details
A one-to-one datatable capturing how and when the group was formed, its governance structure, and its meeting logistics.
Use case: Recording group formation details for quality assessment, audit trails, and officer performance tracking.
Example fields:
| Field name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Formation_Date | Date | |
Meeting_Day | Dropdown | Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday |
Meeting_Frequency | Dropdown | Weekly / Bi-weekly / Monthly |
Meeting_Location | String (200) | Description or address of regular meeting place |
Group_Leader_Name | String (150) | |
Group_Treasurer_Name | String (150) | |
Formation_Officer | String (100) | Officer responsible for group formation |
Group_Methodology | Dropdown | Grameen / Village Banking / ROSCA / Solidarity / Other |
This supports operational reporting on group quality and helps track which officer formed each group - useful for performance evaluation and portfolio ownership clarity.
Group Quality Assessment (One-to-Many)
Institutions that perform periodic group health assessments can record each assessment as a row, preserving the full history of ratings over time. Use multiRow: true.
Use case: Tracking group performance ratings across assessment cycles for portfolio risk management and officer coaching.
Example fields:
| Field name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment_Date | Date | |
Assessing_Officer | String (100) | |
Cohesion_Rating | Dropdown | Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor |
Repayment_Discipline | Dropdown | Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor |
Leadership_Effectiveness | Dropdown | Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor |
Meeting_Regularity | Dropdown | Always / Usually / Sometimes / Rarely |
Overall_Rating | Number | Composite score 1-10 |
Recommended_Action | Dropdown | No action / Monitor / Intervention / Dissolution |
Notes | Text |
Portfolio managers can query current overall ratings across groups to identify which groups need intervention, and track whether ratings improve after officer coaching.
Internal Savings Tracking
Some group methodologies include an internal savings fund or ROSCA (rotating savings and credit association) component managed at the group level. A one-to-many datatable captures the state of the fund at each meeting or cycle.
Use case: Recording internal group savings balances and distributions for institutions using group-managed savings alongside formal loan products.
Example fields:
| Field name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Cycle_Date | Date | |
Opening_Balance | Decimal | |
Contributions_This_Period | Decimal | Total member contributions |
Internal_Loans_Issued | Decimal | Amount lent to members from the fund |
Repayments_Received | Decimal | Repayments on internal loans |
Distributions | Decimal | Payouts to members (e.g. end-of-cycle dividends) |
Closing_Balance | Decimal | |
Recorded_By | String (100) |
Group Graduation Tracking
Institutions with tiered products or graduation programs track whether a group is eligible to move to a higher loan cycle or access individual loan products.
Use case: Recording group progression through lending cycles for product eligibility and portfolio lifecycle management.
Example fields:
| Field name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Current_Cycle | Number | Current lending cycle number (1, 2, 3...) |
Cycle_Start_Date | Date | |
Eligible_for_Individual | Boolean | Group or members eligible for individual loan products |
Graduation_Date | Date | Date the group transitioned to individual products |
Dropout_Rate | Decimal | Percentage of original members who have left |
Notes | Text |