Best Of
Re: Adding Total Credits to a Transcript
@Mary Cummings it's not an option in the new builder. I've used a work around for a few schools. If you're not utilizing GPA Equiv 1 or GPA Equiv 2 in the grade translation tables, you can plug in a 1 for every grade on the translation table. Then set up the following cumulative GPA formula: sum((GPA equivalent 1) * Credits Earned) OR sum((GPA equivalent 2) * Credits Earned)
You can create a section on the transcript and set this to display the cumulative GPA “Credit Accumulation”. I've attached an image of the GPA breakdown to give you a visual:
Blackbaud CRM 4.0 SP42 is Now Available!
We have now released version 4.0 SP42 (4.0.186.4207), and it is available for download here.
If Blackbaud hosts your database, please use the CRM Cloud Portal to self-deploy the hotfix to your lower environments. To deploy to production, file a request with Support.
This service pack contains:
- Blackbaud Enterprise Fundraising CRM
- This service pack lays the foundation for the Blackbaud CRM SKY User Experience (Blackbaud Cloud Operations only)
- Blackbaud CRM now prevents internet browsers from attempting to autocomplete certain fields of potentially sensitive data
- Fixes to Blackbaud CRM Luminate Online Connector anonymous donation processing
- For security reasons, we no longer allow the option to "Add" a proxy or "Revoke PAT" during "Run as user"
- Blackbaud Internet Solutions
- Fix to gender selection when the entered value is not one of male, female and unknown
- Some emails sent by admin, via Blackbaud Internet Solutions, were not recorded in Blackbaud CRM
For more information and to review the list of all defect fixes, please review the patch report here.
Re: Connect RE in NXT
Stephen, as we get closer to GA, I’m trying to get a sense of what training, documentation, and FAQs will be available in advance—especially for those of us who are primarily Raiser’s Edge users—so we can prepare for the rollout and think through any downstream implications on the RE side.
I’m particularly interested in understanding whether workflows like Address Finder, Address Accelerator, or merging duplicate records will need to change, what the effect would be on records in CORE, and whether there are areas where we should be paying closer attention as we plan for the transition.
Could you share what resources will be available ahead of GA, and whether there will be RE‑specific guidance to help us anticipate any operational impacts?
One additional question that came up: does GA for the Common Records Engine automatically mean the sunsetting of Connect RE, or should we expect a more gradual decommissioning process?
(And for anyone who may not know—GA = General Availability.)
Re: Power BI Desktop Custom Connector Error The required client_id parameter was not provided
It's linked and don't I feel stupid. I followed all the steps 4 times and each time I forgot to save the text file. Thank you for your assistance.
Re: Getting existing transactions
Hi @Alex Wong - We need to invite you to the preview. @Mina Mistry can you add Alex?
Re: Can we see who added a constituent in NXT
I just added an idea about this. Vote here:
Re: Batch Happens: High-Speed Gift Entry in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT®
In database batch entry, we have access to the Gift Note fields. We use these instead of custom fields when it comes to InKind entry. It would be helpful to have access to gift note entry both within the web batch grid, and in NXT gift records themselves. Unless I'm missing it, it appears as if gift notes can only be entered via the database view.
Re: NXT online gift batch question
usually
no split = you can change directly
split gift = you need to click into a pop up window that allow multiple to be entered, that's why it's blue and clickable
Impersonation task
Good afternoon!
We're working on a review of our roles with the impersonation task and are running into a slight issue with our admissions process. We cloned the platform manager to give certain admin roles a limited impersonation task. We are now rolling back this task and redirecting admin to other pathways to view the information they need.
However, our admissions team indicates that they need to be able to impersonate candidates/candidate families in order to help with the application/checklist process, in case something goes wrong. I am not seeing any other way for them to be able to see what the family might be seeing in case of a mistake or empty field in the system. Is there a task or workflow that would enable the staff to see this information without the impersonation task?
Thanks,
Diana
Re: Calculating Membership Renewal Rates
Hi there — great question, and you’re definitely not alone in wrestling with this. Renewal and retention metrics can get tricky in Altru, especially once you move beyond a simple “expired vs. renewed” view and start accounting for late renewals and rejoin behavior.
A few approaches that tend to work well across organizations:
Renewal window -
Most teams I work with define a renewal window rather than relying strictly on the expiration date alone. A common practice is:
- A grace period of 30–90 days post-expiration to count late renewals, and
- A longer lookback (often up to 12 months) to separately identify rejoins versus true renewals.
The key is consistency — whatever window you choose, apply it the same way year over year so trends are meaningful.
Fields and actions to rely on -
Instead of using just the membership expiration date, many organizations lean on:
- Membership transaction date for the actual renewal action
- Membership status and action (renewed vs. joined) to distinguish renewals from reactivations
- Prior expiration date when building queries to tie the renewal back to the correct term
This helps avoid inflating renewal rates by accidentally counting rejoins or upgrades as on-time renewals.
Renewal vs. retention
Yes — most teams do calculate these differently:
- Renewal rate typically looks at expiring members who renewed within the defined window
- Retention rate is usually broader and answers: “Of the members we had at the start of the period, how many are still members at the end?” (regardless of when they renewed)
That distinction becomes especially important when reporting to leadership or comparing membership health year over year.
If you’re interested in going deeper, in 2025, Blackbaud did a session on Membership by the Numbers: Unlocking the Power of Membership Metrics. This session walks through these definitions, sample frameworks, and common pitfalls we see when measuring renewal and retention in Altru, along with ways to align metrics to your membership strategy.
You’re on the right track by testing multiple approaches — that trial-and-error phase is very normal. I’m excited to see what others in the community share as well, since there’s often more than one “right” answer depending on your programs and audience.
