Analytics In Raiser’s Edge NXT: The Best Reporting Tool

As a Strategic Consultant with Blackbaud, I work with hundreds of organizations to create action plans for using their modeling and wealth data in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT and ResearchPoint. I often get asked, “What the best tool is to report on analytics?” The short answer is that it depends on the configuration of your Ratings and your goal or purpose.

I would like to share the best tips and tricks to help you act on your analytics using the List, Query, and Export tools.

Step 1: Know Your Analytics
First, review the ratings available in the Ratings tile or tab in Raiser’s Edge NXT. To learn more about which analytics services are part of your subscription, please refer to this Knowledgebase article. Reach out to your database administrator, Blackbaud Account Executive, or Blackbaud Customer Success Manager if you are still unsure of your organization's analytics subscription(s).

You may have access to one or more of the following:

• The Raiser’s Edge NXT Analytics: Wealth Rating or Liquidity Index (for Canadian clients), Donor Type, Next Ask Amount, and Online Ask Amount
• WealthPoint® - Public-record wealth screening data conducted within the ResearchPoint prospect research database
• Affluence Insight™ models: Wealth attributes (Discretionary Spending, Income, Investments, Net Worth) and donor category (Wealth Segmentation)
• ProspectPoint™ custom predictive models: For example, Annual Giving Likelihood (AGL), Major Giving Likelihood (MGL), Planned Giving Likelihood (PGL), and Target Gift Range (TGR)
• Blackbaud Advanced Direct Marketing Analytics: Includes philanthropic and channel scores (e.g. direct mail vs. online vs. phone), donor persona, & a direct marking gift array
• The Grateful Patient Solution or The Enhanced Grateful Patient Solution: Includes a set of ratings on wealth and philanthropy for your patient prospects

Step 2: Understand Your Ratings Configuration
Next, you will need to understand how your Ratings are configured. The greatest challenges in grouping and reporting on the analytics relate to how the ratings were configured and appended to your database, which will vary by organization. For example:

Method	Rating Source	ProspectPoint Likelihood Rating(s) Data Type	ProspectPoint Target Gift Range Rating Data Type	Affluence Insight Wealth Attributes Rating(s) Data Types	Affluence Insight Wealth Segmentation Rating Data Type
Synced Using the ResearchPoint Integration before May 2023	Blackbaud Analytics - WP	Text	Text	Currency (except Text if synced before 2018)	Text
Synced Using the Enhanced ResearchPoint Integration after May 2023	Various unique sources	Number	Text	Currency	Text
Imported Using the Target Analytics Admin Import Tool	Blackbaud Analytics' Custom Modeling Service	Number	Table	N/A	N/A
Import	Configured by organization	Configured by organization	Configured by organization	Configured by organization	Configured by organization

I commonly see users have difficulty grouping and reporting on Ratings when they are setup as text data type fields. This was a driving force behind the Raiser's Edge-ResearchPoint integration enhancements releasing in Q2 2023.

To confirm your Ratings configuration, your database administrator should check the Ratings table in Configuration > Tables to confirm if your Ratings are text, table, number, and/or currency fields. This may play a role when deciding which tool is best for your particular goal. For example, if you have a Major Giving Likelihood score formatted as a text field, you will not see the operator of "greater than or equal to" in web view Lists.


Step 3: Determine Your Goal and the Best Tool(s) to Use
You always need to know your “end game” before you start building a List, Query, or Export. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What are you trying to accomplish? What is your goal?
• How will the information be used? Is this for an email, direct mailing, prospect identification or qualification, prospect analysis, portfolio review, etc.?
• What information and data (i.e. which columns) do you need to view?
• Who needs to view this data and how do they need to view it?

The answers to these questions will help you determine which Raiser’s Edge NXT tool(s) will best meet your needs. Every tool has its benefits and challenges. You will need to choose between:

• Lists: best for basic list-building and analysis
• Query + Lists: best for more complex list-building and analysis by starting with static query to group records with complex Ratings criteria then create a new List based on the query
• Query: best for complex criteria and more column options to display
• Query + Export: best for advanced data analysis and extraction with one-to-many fields

Tool(s)	Benefits	Challenges
Lists	User-friendly and visually appealing results Ratings appear in unique columns Download as a spreadsheet	Limited columns to display Limited filters, especially when Ratings are configured as text data type fields or if you need complex criteria with AND/OR/parentheses Possible spreadsheet cleanup in Ratings columns
Query + Lists	Include complex criteria by starting with a static Query then view in Lists with user-friendly and visually appealing results Ratings appear in unique columns Download as a spreadsheet	Limited columns to display Possible spreadsheet cleanup
Query	Robust criteria, regardless of Ratings data type configuration Ratings appear in unique columns without cleanup Download as a spreadsheet	Columns limited to one-to-one fields Not as visually appealing results as Lists
Query + Export	Robust criteria with Query Include one-to-many fields in output of Export Download as a spreadsheet	Before Q2 2023: Less control over Ratings columns than Lists and Query when Ratings have the same Source which may lead to significant spreadsheet cleanup to display Ratings in unique columns After Q2 2023: Use the descriptive Ratings Sources to display a specific rating in unique columns

If you don’t know where to start, I would recommend beginning in Raiser’s Edge NXT Lists. If the filters and column options meet your needs, then you are all set! If they do not, remember you can use a Query to start a new List or just use the Query and/or Export tool(s).

To help you visualize the results of each of these options, here are some examples of how Ratings data displays in Lists, Query, and Export.
Step 4: Take Action
Start creating your Lists, Queries, and/or Exports to meet your goals! Use the following blog posts in the series to assist with your Querying, List-building, and Exporting:

• For ProspectPoint models
  • "Analytics in RE NXT: Basic Lists With ProspectPoint Models"
  • "Analytics in RE NXT: Basic Queries With ProspectPoint Models"
  • "Analytics in RE NXT: Export With ProspectPoint Models"
• For Affluence Insight models
  • "Analytics in RE NXT: Getting Started With Affluence Insight"
  • "Analytics in RE NXT: Basic Lists With Affluence Insight"
  • "Analytics in RE NXT: Queries With Affluence Insight"
  • "Analytics in RE NXT: Export With Affluence Insight"

As you can see, the answer to the question about the best tool to use to group or report on Ratings can be a complex one. Now that you understand the benefits and challenges inherit with each of these tools, you have the knowledge to make your own decisions on the best tool for your grouping and reporting needs!

Please share your examples of when you use each of these tools for grouping and reporting on Ratings in Raiser’s Edge NXT in the comments below!

Additional Resources:
Want to learn more? Check out the following resources:

• "Data Intelligence: Where Do My Results Go in Raiser’s Edge NXT” webinar available on-demand (August 2022 release date)
• Blackbaud University's Blackbaud Target Analytics learning path, specifically the Basics of Affluence Insight the Basics of Modeling, and the Basics of Advanced Direct Marketing Analytics on-demand eLearning trainings