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3 April, 2008
This is our last weekly issue of The User's Edge. Look for our first
monthly latter in April.
Many organisations match their employees' donations, and, in The Raiser's Edge, it's easy to add matching gift companies and gifts.
Adding Matching Gift Companies:
- Add an organisation record for the matching gift company (if one doesn't already exist).
- If the organisation matches all of its employees' gifts, add the matching gift information on the organisation record's Org 1 tab.
- If the organisation matches some, but not all, employees' gifts, add the matching gift information on the General 2 tab of the organisation relationship record on the individual's constituent record.
- Mark the Organisation matches gifts checkbox.
- Factor represents the ratio of the matching gift amount to
the amount of the matched gift (e.g., "2.00" indicates the company
matches a £100 gift with a £200 matching gift pledge).
- Enter the financial year start date, as needed.
- In the fields provided, enter any limits that apply to the company's matching gift policy.
- Save the changes.
- Now the company appears in the search results when you search for matching gift companies.
Adding Matching Gift Pledges:
Note: If the individual and organisation are linked as relationships and the Organisation matches gifts checkbox is marked on the General 2 tab of the organisation relationship record, a matching gift pledge is generated automatically each time you add a gift on the individual's constituent record.
If the records are not linked, follow these steps:
- Select the gift record's Matching Gifts tab.
- Click New Matching Gift.
- Click the binoculars and search for the matching gift company. This search is limited only to organisations for which the Org 1 tab's Organisation matches gifts checkbox is marked.
- The gift details default based on the information on the organisation's Org 1 tab and the individual's gift — adjust as needed.
- When you save the matching gift, it appears as an MG Pledge on the organisation's Gifts tab; a reference to the MG Pledge also appears on the individual's Gifts tab.
- When you receive payment from the organisation, add a gift on the organisation's Gifts tab and apply it toward the outstanding matching pledge balance.
You can find this information in Knowledgebase (BB46624) when searching by How to add a matching gift company and a matching gift pledge.
When you include pledges in reports, make sure you understand how the balances are calculated. Balances are determined by two checkboxes on the Gift Types tab that you may have overlooked.
Marking Use gift balance instead of gift amount enables the second checkbox. If you back date your reports, or if you filter them based on a particular campaign, fund, or appeal, marking the Calculate gift balance based on date range, campaign, fund, and appeal checkbox provides more accurate results.
- Scenario 1: You run the Pledge Status Report for fiscal year 2007, which ended on June 30. Let's say Suzie made her final pledge payment after the fiscal year ended. To calculate Suzie's pledge balance as of the report's end date, mark the checkbox. Otherwise, the report calculates her pledge balance as of today's date, which is £0.
- Scenario 2: On the report's Filters tab, you include only a particular campaign, fund, or appeal. To calculate pledge balances using the same filter, mark the checkbox. Otherwise, the report calculates pledge balances by including all payments, even if they were to a different campaign, fund, or appeal than the pledge.
You can find this information in Knowledgebase (BB10957) when searching by What is the option to Calculate gift balance based on date range, campaign, fund and appeal.
More Raiser's Edge Quick Tips...
- How to import constituent name, address, and phone numbers:
BB5765
- How to add attributes: BB515
- How to query on constituents' total giving within a date range:
BB339158
- Why are there duplicates in the query results and how to remove
them: BB61118
- How to prepare donor acknowledgement letters (thank you letters):
BB519
If you have a question that you think may not be a support issue or
just want to ask how others use theirs, such as events or appeals why
not ask on the Forums.
Have a question for your peers? Post it on the Forums.
You can read the answers online, or if you prefer to receive postings
via email, just mark a checkbox in your forum preferences. Want to know
more? Review Forum
Guidelines.
In Knowledgebase,
we document every software question our customers ask and the answers
we give. To find the answer to a question or issue, search Knowledgebase
by entering the exact text of error messages (such as "Error: An import
file is required before continuing") and beginning your how-to questions
with "How to" (such as "How to add attributes").
Want a quick overview of how to use Knowledgebase or have other questions?
Visit Knowledgebase
Help and watch
our new Knowledgebase demonstration (WMV 3.8MB) to learn how to
find answers to your software questions.
Please note that when watching the Knowledgebase demonstration that
the location of the knowledgebase for UK users is on www.blackbaud.co.uk
Planning ahead is the key to preventing data loss. We strongly recommend you ensure your data's safety by making database backups daily, testing the backups frequently, and storing the backups in off-site locations safe from fire, flood, and theft.
If you need a push to get your plan in place, review the following articles on Microsoft's website:
Also review How to back up the database (BB52243) and
What are the recommended backup procedures? (BB291), which includes several data loss stories clients have shared.
Visit our Web site at www.blackbaud.co.uk:
- Select Knowledgebase
from the Support menu to find answers to how-to questions
and resolutions for error messages.
- Select FAQ's
from the Support menu to find answers to the most common questions.
- Select Forums
from the Support menu to discuss best practices with your
peers and review Client Documents they've shared.
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- Review the patch
readme for the issues resolved. We recommend installing a patch
only when it resolves an issue that affects your organisation.
- Review the outstanding
issues list for the issues we're evaluating.
- Download
and install cumulative patch 4, released 14 February, 2008.
Note: The patch readme and outstanding issues list
are updated one business day after the patch release.
If you are not using version 7.83.1622 (select Help,
About The Raiser's Edge from the menu bar to find your version), download
and install The Raiser's Edge 7.83, released 3 December, 2007.
Important Notes:
We have previously announced the following compatibility issues. Review
the referenced Knowledgebase solutions for details:
- The Raiser's Edge 7.81 revision 10 or higher (SQL) is compatible
with Microsoft Vista, including Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise
32-bit and 64-bit versions (BB263240).
- The Raiser's Edge 7.83 is compatible with Microsoft Office 2007
(BB315290).
- The Raiser's Edge 7.83 is compatible with SQL Server 2005 Service
Pack 2 (BB204458)
and SQL Server 2000 Enterprise or Standard Edition Service Pack 4
(BB96666).
The AddressAccelerator and PostalSaver Q2, April - June, updates are now
released and available for download.
For more information about these services, review What
is AddressAccelerator and how to use it? (BB81717) and What
is the PostalSaver module? (BB77871)
Based on feedback from a recent newsletter survey, we learned that a majority of our customers feel we send The User's Edge too often. Beginning in April, we will send The User's Edge monthly. We will continue to send special issues to notify you of product releases or critical issues.
We're also considering giving our newsletters a fresh look. If you have any
suggestions or would like to share issues of your favourite newsletters,
email usersedge@blackbaud.com.
Want to learn tips and tricks for using The Raiser's Edge more efficiently? Check
out The
User's Edge Blog. Join product experts and consultants in their discussions
and comment on their blog's. If you use The Raiser's Edge, these blog's
are for you!
You can view the product blog's by clicking Blog's in the Popular tags
box on the main forums page, or by going to http://www.blackbaud.com/theusersedge.
Calling All Speakers
We're searching for top-notch speakers for our 2008 annual
conferences.
If you're interested, please send an e-mail to usersedge@blackbaud.co.uk
Blackbaud
Online Training
Online training offers you the benefit
of learning from the comfort of your own office. You incur no travel
costs and spend no time away from the office!
Begin with instructor-led
classes to perfect your software skills and supplement your learning
with the eLearning
Library, our online collection of self-paced lessons that guide
you through concepts and tasks in The Raiser’s Edge.
Training
Courses
Classroom Training Dates for 2008
Our London and Glasgow training centres
are fitted with state-of-the-art computer projection equipment so everyone
can view the step-by-step demonstrations of software features. Each
individual benefits from their own computer workstations for hands-on
training.
At Classroom Training, you are removed
from the day-to-day distractions and interruptions common in most office
settings. Here, you can focus all of your energy on learning.
Classroom Training provides you the opportunity
to exchange ideas with other software users. You will learn alongside
your peers who are facing the same challenges you are. Hearing how others
are using their Blackbaud products, or planning to use them, is a valuable
benefit of the learning process. Just listening to questions being asked
by fellow users pays immense dividends.
If you would like some more details on the training courses,
please e-mail Solutions@blackbaud.co.uk
Spaces on the following courses in our
London and Glasgow training venues are available now.
For further information
on courses for The Raiser's Edge Version 6, please contact your account
manager or email solutions@blackbaud.co.uk
You may also want to check http://training.blackbaud.co.uk
Web
Seminars
We offer a variety of one-hour web seminars
for you to learn more about specific topics. There is no cost to attend;
simply register
online.
Forthcoming Webinars
Introduction to The Help Resources—
Thursday,10 April at 11:00 a.m.
This session highlights the benefits of making better use of the 'help'
resources for your award winning fundraising solution, The Raiser’s
Edge. Learn how these resources will provide your organisation with
enhanced efficiency.
If you would like to attend simply
register
online but if you are unable to attend email us at usersedge@blackbaud.co.uk
and we will send you details covered in the webinar.
Please check Web
Seminars regularly for further details. If you have any suggestions
for webinar topics, please email solutions@blackbaud.co.uk
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