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Shocked At How Slow and General "Bad" NXT Data Input Is`

Tom Klimchak

So, we're trying.. we're REALLY trying to use NXT for basic data input but we're finding it's just remarkably slow, counter-intuitive and filled with needless mini windows that just slow everything down.

We just imported about 1,000 new alumni records and we go through them and “clean up” the import a bit. Things like adding another year to the Title 2 field ('22 '25M) sort of thing. In database view this is easy… Apparently I have to go to a TABLE and add it manually THEN go back to the NXT Constituent record? Hellish.)

Removing old email addresses and phone numbers - since I don't have the dates they were added (or the comments?) I have no idea which ones are good or old. Perfect! I love having less information for making decisions.

Lots more scrolling around the screen, lots more expanding a menu just to see basic info and then clicking to another menu to enter stuff. I could easily see a process that takes 3 hours in database view balloon to 6 or 9 hours with NXT, if it could even be accomplished at this point.

We are becoming less and less pleased with Blackbaud and their push to simplify everything to the point where it's almost pointless to use but easier for them to maintain.

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Comments

JoAnn Strommen

@Tom Klimchak Feel your pain, at least to a degree-not updating/reviewing 1000 records. Trying to use web view as well but also frustrated by as you said the ‘mini’ windows. May serve wonderfully for development staff but not for database administration.

Covered for another staff member to register people for an event. Same thing with clicks and mini windows for fees and each guest. Same issues with lack of fields to see/add comments for emails phone.
Will keep your experience in mind when I get our May grad list to import.

Dariel Dixon

@Tom Klimchak:
Things like adding another year to the Title 2 field ('22 '25M) sort of thing. In database view this is easy… Apparently I have to go to a TABLE and add it manually THEN go back to the NXT Constituent record? Hellish.)

@Tom Klimchak, explain this for me for a bit? What was the old process like? Were they custom fields or new addressee types? If it was the latter, didn't you always have to add the addressee type to the table?

Not to say that there's not a learning curve to NXT.

Karen Diener

@Tom Klimchak I can relate to this. I haven't carefully kept track, but it does feel like it is a lot more “clicky” and it takes longer to get to the data you want. If it is readily available. All of these steps add up to make processes longer.

I really appreciate that, rather than railing about how much you dislike it, you start by saying “we are really trying”. Trying is necessary, as is being willing to revise internal processes. But doing those things and still struggling is a big concern.

Alex Wong

@Dariel Dixon
what Tom is talking about has to do with “new table entries”. In DB view, if you “type” a new table entries (I.e. Title), and you have right to add table entries, RE dbview prompt you if you want to add a new entry and add it if you allow. Definitely an inconvenience to must first go to table section of webview, look for the table, then add the entry

@Tom Klimchak from a web tech perspective, this can be done, BB didn't think about it. Definitely an Idea Bank idea to get vote on

Dariel Dixon

@Alex Wong:
what Tom is talking about has to do with “new table entries”. In DB view, if you “type” a new table entries (I.e. Title), and you have right to add table entries, RE dbview prompt you if you want to add a new entry and add it if you allow. Definitely an inconvenience to must first go to table section of webview, look for the table, then add the entry

I gotcha. Yes, you can shortcut table entry if you have the appropriate rights. I never think about the fact that there is no shortcut for table entry in NXT. I agree with the concept that it is an inconvenience for sure. I'd vote for that idea in the idea bank for sure.

That said, the date added/last changed for emails and phone numbers as well as the comments need to move over immediately @Tom Klimchak. I think that Blackbaud is aware that these changes are creating a lot of challenges, but I don't think they realize how much it's upsetting the apple cart here, as well as their customers.

Debbie DeGrave

@Tom Klimchak
Have to agree data entry in NXT web view is remarkably slow. Counter-Intuitive really states my opinion as well. Scrolling and scrolling, pop-ups. Yikes. Somebody said ‘May serve wonderfully for development staff but not for database administration." It is so great for our relationship managers to have information at their fingertips via web view, but the data entry and administration teams have been let down by Blackbaud. Like you we are pushing ahead using web view, but it’s a struggle. I live in hope that our concerns will be addressed and that I can remain a champion of Raiser's Edge.

Petra Hall

@Tom Klimchak And let's not forget that fields required in the database view are not required in RE NXT. This means someone has to review gift entry on a regular basis for key fields such as appeal!

Suzie Capps

@Debbie DeGrave:
@Tom Klimchak
Have to agree data entry in NXT web view is remarkably slow. Counter-Intuitive really states my opinion as well. Scrolling and scrolling, pop-ups. Yikes. Somebody said ‘May serve wonderfully for development staff but not for database administration." It is so great for our relationship managers to have information at their fingertips via web view, but the data entry and administration teams have been let down by Blackbaud. Like you we are pushing ahead using web view, but it’s a struggle. I live in hope that our concerns will be addressed and that I can remain a champion of Raiser's Edge.

Agree with this entirely.

Katherine Flowers

@Tom Klimchak
Our organization transitioned to RENXT about 3 years ago. I have been astounded at the way our fundraisers have become so engaged with it! But it is another story with our operations/admin group: we almost never leave database view! I agree with what you said about the NXT (web view) being cumbersome; it's like navigating with one hand tied behind your back. Even viewing constituent info is harder: in fact, looking at the gift history on a constituent record makes me dizzy. I just want to see everything on one page, at one time. I don't want to open cutesy boxes, and I don't need a dozen filter options at the top - causing me to worry that I have accidentally filtered something out!

In fact, each time Blackbaud rolls out another capability for NXT web view, it makes me really nervous that they are closer to doing away with the database view completely. If anyone knows if/when that is going to happen, please let me know so I can brace for impact!

Marcie Eastwood

@Katherine Flowers According to an email we received: “We anticipate completing the transition to a single, unified view for Raiser’s Edge NXT by the end of 2026 and will then remove access to database view in the first half of 2027. ” My org will need to look for something else if the database view does end in 2027. We are driven by the data entry side (not by fundraising dashboards) and it will take far more time in NXT to do the data entry work we do in the database currently. Very disappointed in how time consuming NXT is for data & gift entry.

Katherine Flowers

@Marcie Eastwood
Thank you so much for that info Marcie! I was really afraid it was coming sooner than that!

Rachel Cavalier

There's an idea about the date last changed on phone numbers that we can vote on - although does web view still change the last changed date on all of the phone numbers to the current date when you only edit one of them?

JoAnn Strommen

@Rachel Cavalier Voted. Yes we use the comment and date fields for reference often.

I have not experienced it changing on all. Does change if uncheck primary box. We have experienced multiple times and had cases with support that the date does not update when changing/updating records. This caused issues from us.

Derek Smith

@Marcie Eastwood
Do you know what other program would actually achieve what Raiser's Edge used to I've heard a lot about virtuous, but I'm uncertain. Blackbaud keeps removing features and abilities. I've gone through hoops finding work arounds to their removal of Office, then the removal of Crystal Reports. but this latest move seems to make everything into something almost unusable. at least at any sort of level of efficiency. I mean they removed Batch Templates of all things. I'm concerned if we will even have the Global Change/Import in NXT. This is just bad planning and bad business practices.

Suzie MacMillan

@Derek Smith out of everything available, I have Virtuous on my radar, it seems so far to be the best option

Derek Smith

@Suzie MacMillan
Do you know if anyone has reported on how easy the transition is? I recently merged Raiser's Edge databases, and I know enough about exporting and importing to move mass amounts of data at a time, but I'm wondering what anyone else has experienced in the process. I will probably have to scour reddit eventually to see if I can find anything.

Dariel Dixon

I mean they removed Batch Templates of all things. I'm concerned if we will even have the Global Change/Import in NXT.

@Derek Smith: I'm not familiar with this change. Can you explain what change you're talking about? I haven't heard of any batch changes. From the last town hall, high speed batch and batch defaults in NXT are scheduled for Q3 2025 - Q1 2026 and global delete functionality sometime after that. Please share what you've seen to dispute that information.

Derek Smith

@Dariel Dixon
Internally I was instructed to convert our processes to NXT instead of Database view. It was my own findings of trying to get the thing to work that all the items were missing. At the time I did not know that the Batch was incomplete at this time. I do wonder if since the latest update was pushing back to conversion from end of 2025 to 2026, and since this process has been going on for more that 10 years it seems, I'm actually hopeful they give up on sunsetting the Database view it would save a lot of headaches.

Rose Dixon

@Derek Smith Removing and saying “add it to the idea bank.” I still don't see actions in the events piece of web view which we use for all 400+ events we track annually. They better keep the database view as long as it takes to get all the standard features in DB view to be available in web view. These aren't IDEAS, they are standard features we have had in db view.

Dariel Dixon

@Derek Smith I like to think of NXT as a “work-in-progress” at best. I don't know if anyone would refer to it as fully armed and operational, but it does work for some things and is the future. I would also invite people to try new functionality, but not necessarily migrate full operations from database view until you can achieve the level of performance that you need. Things are changing extremely fast, and this process will take a lot of time. I think everyone would rather they get it right than to rush this process…

Derek Smith

@Rose Dixon
I mean it wouldn't be the first time we lost functionality. They took away the letter process forever ago, and the ability to (in Blackbaud) create custom reports. I mean the standard report on NXT can't access the preexisting custom reports. I programed my reports in Crystal itself, if my organization had paid for Blackbaud to create the report for me and then didn't have it in the system I would be livid. Right now we must sit and wonder what Blackbaud believes is an acceptable loss and what is a vital feature. The community is at the mercy of the developers, and if anyone else has called support to get an idea on the timeline the developers have they understand the headache from both the support staff and the user. They are being intentionally vague which is frustrating to anyone who really wants to make plans.

Sunshine Reinken Watson

@Tom Klimchak
I agree it is much slower, and while I think that part of it is getting into a rhythm of doing it in web view, nothing beats the shortcuts and tabbing into open fields input you can do in database view.

Suzie MacMillan

@Derek Smith unfortunately no, I've only been doing some research since the announcement of ending the database view because if they don't make a ton of changes/additions to NXT we'll be forced to migrate, but I haven't looked into in depth yet.

Derek Smith

@Dariel Dixon
I wouldn't mind ignoring a work- in progress, if they weren't destroying a “Working Process” Database view is fine and its functionality had no issue till the development team started dismantling it. I just think Blackbaud is thinking with marketing, NXT is flashy and has lots of little animations, while database view is old, boring, and works. As a data entry guy, I like old, boring, and works. I have 8 years of experience working with this software and there have been at least 3 major downgrades or loss of function, and only one improvement. Unless the announcement comes that after like 10 years of “We will be converting to web exclusively” I cringe with every announcement because inevitably I have to find the new work around to continue to use a piece of software that more and more is working less. Maybe I will be surprised, and they will pull a homerun out, but my experience has made me skeptical of their “Improvements”. Part of me is majorly concerned that Blackbaud wants to make the Sales Force of nonprofit CRM.

Derek Smith

@Sunshine Reinken Watson I mean I have to hope it is incomplete because not being able to use a template, so you aren't repeatedly redoing campaign bothers me. I know you can copy but it doesn't copy everything just like a template does in Database view.

I mean I keep getting told that the batch isn't there yet, if that is true keep it in beta till it's at 100%. Keeps feeling like an excuse that they hold up the Work-in-Progress sign like a cross to a vampire. It shouldn't be a get out of jail free card. Their work in progress isn't working so they honestly should go one of two ways.

Take it down till it works.
Take the criticism that it is broken and give a reasonable timetable for its correction.

If you gave me a car with one wheel. I don't care if the other 3 are made of gold, I can't drive to work today, so you didn't give me a car.

Rose Dixon

@Dariel Dixon Fast? We converted 10 years ago and have had both db view and web view for those 10 years. You can't edit a gift note in web view! Can't adjust gifts in web view. No actions in events in web view. I tried using the queries in web view for my audits, half of them I had to run in db view because I got error messages or “no data” but ran as usual in db view. They now say they are doing away with query in db view in January 2026! We are still very busy with year end gifts and statements then.

Alex Wong

@Dariel Dixon
I think you should give up trying to convince. Let this thread be what the original post meant it for.

Those of us that see a light at the end of the tunnel (and it isn't as dark of a tunnel in our eyes) doesn't have to be in a convincing mode to those that feel otherwise. That's their account manager's job. I think those that tried to list out some of the goods of webview have stopped doing so for the same reason.

Amelia Ketzle

@Derek Smith Is there a Reddit sub for Blackbaud/NXT? ?

Barbara Ulargiu

@Tom Klimchak
I agree with all of your points. It slows me down, it's not compact (endless scrolling), and it lacks information at a glance that I really need. How is it difficult to allow all the organisation relationship fields in the web view so colleagues only trained on web view can add the amount of details I can on the database view? We need to have industry and profession, not just organisation name and position. This is just one example. I dread the day I will lose the database view.

Sunshine Reinken Watson

I added a radical idea for this in the idea bank. Please vote and comment: Provide an Open-Field, Tab- and Shortcut-Friendly Option for Data Entry in Web View