Action Lists

Mark Guncheon

Without using a static query, how do you compile a list of constituents you'd like to feature in an action list? I don't want to use any action filters to create this list. We have our donors coded with attributes showing which market they are in or associated with but those aren't in the action filters.

Heather MacKenzie

I'm also not immediately seeing any other options for how to do this. What's the end goal of having this list? Maybe knowing that will spark some inspiration.

Mark Guncheon

I'll get a request for all donors in a particular market (we are in more than 10) and as part of that request, they'll want to know of any actions on their records for the past year or so. I can't run that report in NXT without creating a static query which could be out of date as soon as I have saved it and run it. It's not a complex request. It's very simple but it's not possible as far as I can tell. It's frustrating because I know we are to use NXT whenever possible because it is so expensive. And because our gift officers are using it.

Faith Murray

Mark Guncheon‍, you are right - it does not look like it is possible to create an Action List in NXT that auto-refreshes itself based off a Constituent criteria or is built off a dynamic query. Therefore, if this is something you deem truly important, you would have to think outside the box.


A possibly oddball workaround (that I have not tried) would be to use the filter fields that are currently available in NXT to accommodate your market segments. There are currently only five filters available: Fundraiser, and Action Date, Type, Category, and Status. Of these five filters, the one that could be manipulated would be the Fundraiser field. If your markets are pretty much unchanging, it would be possible to create a Fundraiser constituent record (in DB view only) for each market, and then assign that market record as a secondary Fundraiser onto any action belonging to a constituent in that market. Then, any Action lists in NXT could be filtered to include Actions with that fundraiser record. Many people already do something similar by using constituent records for Funds, Tributes, and Scholarships that then get linked under a donor's Relationships. This would in essence be using relationships to link markets.


This would require bending the use of the Fundraiser record, and would require new data entry policies in place for anyone who creates Action records. It would also require updating future actions of donors whose market might change. You would be have to decide if the hassle of implementation is worth the benefits of easier Actions lists.

Elaine Tucker

Mark Guncheon‍ is this something that could be done through Power Automate? I just learned how to do a gift digest notification, (and haven't looked at all the fields available in PA) but it seems like it should be somehting you can query on and then report out on using PA. https://kb.blackbaud.com/knowledgebase/articles/Article/193849

Mark Guncheon

I like how you think (outside the box, too), Faith. If we only had NXT to accomplish this, I would approach the powers that be about your idea. However, I can do what I need to get done in the dataview so It is not worth changing our policies and procedures for this. We will just have to wait for Blackbaud to work/update this part of NXT.