Best Practices: Event Preparedness for Blackbaud Altru®

The big gala is in just a few weeks! RSVPs are rolling in. You’ve finalized the menu and ordered 10% extra to account for unexpected guests. In the event that the weather forecast is not so great, you have a tent on standby. Just in case the auctioneer gets laryngitis again like last year, your Board Chair has agreed to serve as the backup emcee. You are ready and you have a plan for last minute crises.

Your technology preparation for a big event should be no less thorough. How will you check guests in if the power goes out? Do you know how to ensure any gifts are processed correctly? Here are a few best practices to help you get ready for the big day.

1. Learn how to process transactions in the Blackbaud Merchant Services™ Web Portal (Virtual Terminal) in case you are unable to access Altru or have an issue with your payment terminal: How to charge credit cards through the Blackbaud Merchant Services™ Web Portal (Virtual Terminal).

1. If you use Blackbaud Merchant Services™ Virtual Terminal to sell tickets, you can use the steps in this Knowledgebase article to add those tickets to Altru after the fact: I need to sell a ticket to a past event

2. Familiarize yourself with Mobile Check In so you can mark attendees as present on your mobile device (iPhone, Android, tablet, etc.): How to use mobile check in.

3. Pull all reports a day or two ahead of major events and update regularly.

4. Use OData to pull your attendee list from Query into Excel to access the most up-to-date attendee information: How do I connect OData to Excel?

5. Print a couple copies of your attendee list should you need to shift to manual check in.

6. To find out about planned maintenance during your event, you can contact Support in advance.

7. For tips and tricks on special events setup best practices, be sure to check out our webinar: Blackbaud Altru®: Special Events Best Practices

Do you have any other tips or tricks to prepare for major events? Let us know in the comments!