
When to use the Blackbaud Community
Published
How to decide when to post a question for the Community or when to reach out to Support?
Search for the answer:
Take 10 minutes to search using global search then product-specific search , finally search Knowledgebase.
Still can't find your answer ? Here are a few basic guidelines to help you decide to post in Community or scroll to the bottom of any Community page and click the Blackbaud Customer Support link:
1. Can I still work within my Blackbaud product?
2. Do I know how to do this?
3. Are there a lot of potential ways to tackle this project?
4. Are you looking for feedback?
5. Do you want to talk to someone like you?
Search for the answer:
Take 10 minutes to search using global search then product-specific search , finally search Knowledgebase.
Still can't find your answer ? Here are a few basic guidelines to help you decide to post in Community or scroll to the bottom of any Community page and click the Blackbaud Customer Support link:
1. Can I still work within my Blackbaud product?
This might seem like a no-brainer, but the first question to ask yourself when deciding between posting in Community and contacting support is "can I still work within my Blackbaud product"? If the answer is yes, I recommend asking your question in the Community first. That way you can continue working while the awesome members of the Community respond with their ideas, tips, tricks, and feedback. If the answer is no and you are hosted by Blackbaud, I recommend checking the hosting status pages (linked from community) first and then making your decision from what you learn there. If the answer is no and you are not hosted by Blackbaud, I suggest contacting your IT team first and then working with them to determine if you need to engage support.
2. Do I know how to do this?
The second question should be "do I know how to do this?" If you think you know how to do something, but aren't getting the result you expected and you have some time before you need to deliver the result, I'd recommend asking the Community first. Community members are pretty great at helping troubleshoot tricky situations. If you aren't getting the result you expected and you're on a tight deadline, you might consider contacting support.
3. Are there a lot of potential ways to tackle this project?
This third question comes from the unique scenarios that may arise, based on how your organization works. These idiosyncrasies sometimes cause unexpected results. In these cases, the Community should be your first stop. The volume of users in the site means that there is most likely someone else who has encountered something similar and can help you work through those unexpected surprises. Plus, you'll get the perspective of other users who may have approached the same goals in many different ways. With more information, you can determine what will work best for you and your organization.
4. Are you looking for feedback?
Do you have an idea that you would like feedback on? This is a purely Community-type question. Post it and then sit back and watch the ideas and feedback roll in!
5. Do you want to talk to someone like you?
And finally, if you are hoping to connect with other people who have similar work experiences to your own, the Community is the place to be! The Community is the best place to build out a network of peers to help you succeed!
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Community News
08/31/2017 8:30am EDT
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I'd add that if you post in the Community when your question should probably have gone to Support, someone will tell you/suggest that! (Or if you don't get an answer that suits your needs.)
One general tip...just as in RE where you search the database for a name before adding a new Constituent Record, it's good practice do a quick search before posting. Particularly general or best practice questions. Even if what you find is old, adding a comment will "reactivate" the post so others will read it and add new answers.