Best Of
Re: Accessing SKY API via Python for Database Export
@Crystal Bruce please move to SKY Developer forum.
@Jax Murphy great job in creating this and sharing it. I am assuming that this is a one-off run from your local computer that is not scheduled to refresh automatically. Looking forward to see additional sharing on auto-refresh
Re: Thank yous, receipts, and acknowledgements
We utilize the initial confirmation as the receipt and acknowledgment, including the relevant tax language.
This approach is taken because we do not maintain separate records for couples, and we want to minimize the risk of the gift being made by one spouse but the receipt being issued to the other, which could lead to insult.
We typically follow up with additional communication—such as a phone call or incorporating the acknowledgment into our other records—only if the donation exceeds a certain threshold or if the gift is directed to a fund different from the one indicated on the provided form. These details are usually noted in the comments.
Re: Thank yous, receipts, and acknowledgements
Thank you so much, this is very helpful!
Re: Creating Admin User for a Vendor?
Since it sounds like you're uncomfortable with this request, ask them to tell you the exact permissions they need the account to have. They should be accommodating of your request - if they're not, then that's a red flag.
Re: Blackaud support
This has been our experience over the last few years as well. Every single support case requires a lengthy, annoying conversation with an AI chatbot, and often times I'm met with "I need to do some more research, I will reach back out." I personally know former members of the BB Support team and they were incredible, knowledgeable professionals who could assist with a huge range of issues. Now, I'm lucky if I get routed to the appropriate KB article, and luckier still if that article is up to date. We pay, respectfully, out the nose for our BB ecosystem and it's getting harder and harder to argue in favor of keeping this suite, in no small part because of how bad support is now.
Re: Gift notification to the Fundraiser on the record
@Rachel Kave Try using what @Jessie Salpeter posted here. You can then adjust the flow to get the fundraiser on the gift vs. the assigned solicitor on the donor's record.
Re: August 2025 Monthly Challenge
I love the draft feature. I don't know how many times I've started a post or a reply and gotten interrupted and then lost my train of thought and never went back. This is great addition!!
Re: Is there a report by account that shows the description field?
@Katherine Ramos
Your information helped understand better, and actually I improve my GL detail report from Database view. But even when filling up the description in the body of invoices still not shown in report of GL. Thanks a lot, Also my reference, notes, and more description of the body of my journal is not showing in my GL report I built with all those to be displayed in more columns. Only shows the Journal reference which goes on top of the new journal you are entering
Re: Flows Disappear When Imported into Power Automate
Gotcha…it only seems to be a "problem" for the instructor who has a virtual room full of students waiting to see the results :-)
Re: Thank yous, receipts, and acknowledgements
When people give online, they are used to getting a confirmation email, so use that space to make it a good interaction. For this automatic email reply when they do an NXT form I:
- Redirect them back to our website instead of the default content. Land them on a page that has some impact stories, newsletter, whatever works for you.
- The thank you email that goes out automatically: I keep it short, but ensure that it includes basic transaction info, a short thank you statement that is relevant to the specific form they used, who they can reach out to if they have questions, and letting them know what to expect next, whether that is follow up information on event tickets or your tax receipt will follow, etc.
- Ensure you cc yourself on the notification (even if you filter notifications to a sub-category in your inbox)
Once you approve the batch in NXT, the Email and Receipt goes out. I like a short heartfelt thanks, affirm their giving decision by letting them know the impact it has, give them an opportunity to engage with a real person by name and direct phone number. Same basics as the initial email, but a little bit more detail. I aim to do this as soon as you can within your team's process rules.
After that? Do you want to subscribe them to an email welcome series - there are some great articles on here about how to do that. Do you follow up on some or all gifts with a phone call? Use a workflow to automate adding an action to assign that call to happen.
There are a million different opinions on content, timing, etc, but we all know retaining donors is the hard part so it's worth taking the time to get this right.
