Webview vs Database View

Alicia Van Straten

As many of you know the reporting/lists/query options are different in Webview vs Database view. I have shared posts from here to my team letting them know that the information isn't always what they think it is in webview as pulling lists seems to be wonky in that it gives different information all the time. My Director is asking me is this really true, that pulling queries/lists is better done in database view. Is there a comparison guide somewhere that I can share with her? Thank you in advance!

Alex Wong

@Alicia Van Straten
with database view query and export, you have complete control over how you want to report: write off being taken out or not, soft credit to receipieent using grid amount or full amount or to both direct and soft credit, etc.

with webview, your control is a LOT less. You are basically subject to how Blackbaud believe the reporting of the numbers should be done and it may not align with how you have been reporting before moving to nxt using webview.

So the answer is: it depends. It depends if the way you been pulling donor giving information in database view aligns with Blackbaud definition. If it does, then they will match perfectly, if not, then it will be off by whatever the definition differs.

For my org, our definition of donor giving differs from Blackbauds, so we do not tell our staff to look at the giving summary in the constituent tile, rather, ,we build custom tile that has our org's definition of giving details.

Dariel Dixon

@Alicia Van Straten You'll never find an official guide that breaks down the differences between queries and lists, but you just need to look at the options available. In NXT, you only have 4 types of lists available. There is no way to create a list for relationships, funds, campaigns or appeals with any real sense of control in NXT.

Just the vast options that are available in DB query versus the limited options of NXT lists should be proof enough.

Christine Robertson

@Alicia Van Straten As much as I encourage my clients to use webview, I generally defer to database view for anything that I need to be able to verify (financial totals or reports, mailing lists, etc.). The ability to control your criteria and set specific sort options alone make query a much more powerful tool. I like that webview makes the process easier and I think it will continue to become more over time, but there are so many fields that aren't available there (Fund Type, Fund Category, etc.) and so many Blackbaud prescribed settings to be aware of that I default back to the query option.

Jeannie Goings

@Alicia Van Straten I always explained that NXT will get you in the ballpark, but if you want to know who's on first and what's on second, you will need to used dbv.

Elaine Tucker

@Jeannie Goings this is a great analogy! I'm going to “steal” it ?