There’s A Chill In The Air—is Your Database Ready For Year-end? 3991

There’s A Chill In The Air—is Your Database Ready For Year-end?

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All things autumn are popping up everywhere. Boxes of decorations are being uncovered in attics and basements across the land. A cold breeze begins to fill the air—at least for some us. And what does this all mean? The end of the year is near, and it’s time to get your Raiser’s Edge database in order!

There’s a lot of data analysis to do to wrap-up your year-end information. Data for your annual report, donor statements, donor wall, and maybe even your annual audit needs to be pulled at record pace. It’s important to keep your records up-to-date. Consider what data cleanup tasks you could start performing now. Be sure your data comes out exactly how you want it.

When cleaning your constituent records for data processing, be sure to address these three important questions:

     1. Are addressees and salutations up-to-date?
Calendar
What could go wrong with donor recognition—maybe not including a spouse? Name formats are a big deal, especially when we’re talking about donor recognition. Make sure you have all name formats you need listed on your records.

      2.  Are addresses updated?

Does your organization run any address cleanup data analysis tasks? Maybe you have a specific address standard you need to follow to be sure you are mailing at the lowest rate. Complete these tasks before year-end.

       3. Which records are inactive?

When was the last time you reviewed your inactive records list? Should those records still be inactive? Is there something you need to do to reactivate records? Are there records that should be marked inactive that aren’t? Be sure to address these issues.

Your year-end campaign relies heavily on clean data. Start your cleanup plan now. Grab your pumpkin latte and get to work!
Interested in learning more about preparing your Raiser’s Edge database for year-end? Sign up today for our newest education offering, Raiser’s Edge Workshop: Database Preparation for Year-End. In this instructor-led workshop, you’ll learn all about database preparation for year-end reporting and maintenance. You’ll also discuss best practices policies and create a workbook to start an action plan immediately.
 
 
 
News Raiser's Edge® Blog 09/21/2017 10:18am EDT

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