How to Handle Data Requests Without Breaking a Sweat

This blog was written by Blackbaud Community All-Star Marie Stark. Here are her tips for handling data requests!If your job is like mine, you will get emails requesting reports and lists, or people will stop you in the hallway with requests like, "Can you send me a list of our top donors for the last five years?" My best tip for streamlining your response to these requisitions: Have a request form or process in place.



Insist on a form, not an email. Tell people your manager will not allow you to work on a report without a formal request being submitted (that worked for me). Some organizations have developed an online system but that is not a requirement. The reason for this is to have a standard procedure and avoid having to redo a report multiple times because the requirements were not clear. Once you receive the form you can contact the submitter for any clarifications, but at least you will have a starting point. I create a folder with a descriptive name for each report request and save the results.



Ask what type of information they need and ask them to be specific!

• What type of Salutations?
• Giving: Is it cumulative or a single gift?
• What gift types: GIK? Pledges or pledge payments? Pledge balance?
• What period of time: YTD, five years, lifetime?
• Individuals or companies?
• If an Organization, do you need contacts?
• Is it related to an Event?
• Include records with No valid address, request no email, do not contact, deceased?
• Time frame: Try to set reasonable expectations like five working days (this is not always possible, but it is best to establish a timeline for when the report is needed).
• What else is requested: ratings, attributes, board members?

After you receive that information, determine the best way to accomplish the request.

• Create a query and export the results? (This is not usually recommended.)
• Create an Export to Excel using the export module?
• Standard reports that the users can run themselves?
• Custom Crystal reports? (Yes, I still use this.)
• NXT list where you can share the link?
• NXT dashboard where they can change the filters? Are the fields available?

Be sure to maintain templates for commonly requested exports where you can simply adjust the dates and change the query. Include all the fields that potentially may be requested:

• Salutations
• Total giving
• Address, phones, emails
• Constituencies such as Board Member

It's also important to maintain a log of all requests:

• Date received
• Requested by
• Approved by
• Purpose
• Description
• Query Name
• Export Name
• Report Type
• Date Completed
• Notes

Why do this? Because a year or two from now, someone will send an email: "Remember that report you did that showed____? Can you send that again? Or, can you send me a list that shows___?" And you can say, "Sure, I already have a template for that! No problem!" If you have documented and saved your requests, you will be able to respond more quickly and efficiently to whatever is thrown your way.







Marie Stark worked in the private sector for a number of years doing customer support, software quality assurance, and Crystal reports programming. She moved to the nonprofit sector about 15 years ago. She has worked as a Data Analyst at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation for over 11 years. She previously worked at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden as Database Coordinator. She is skilled in data analysis and reporting. She also works with third-party products such Omatic and Papersave. Marie is a bCRE-Pro and Community All-Star. She was a community blogger at bbcon 2018 and a session speaker at bbcon 2024.