Raiser’s Edge and Raiser’s Edge NXT are powerful tools for fundraising and donor management. But to get the most out of them, it’s important to ensure your data is as clean as possible. Read on for tips and a handy maintenance worksheet from Erin Fleischmann, Strategic Consultant with Cathexis Partners.One way to continually
keep your data clean and ready to use is to create a spreadsheet to keep track of data maintenance tasks. In the spreadsheet, create columns for:
- Frequency of the data maintenance tasks (for example, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually)
- Data maintenance tasks (for example, looking for and correcting records with blank addresses, incorrect ZIP codes, phone numbers with incorrect formats)
- Each month of the year
Here’s how that spreadsheet might look (click to enlarge the image):
Use the “months” columns to indicate when you’ve completed each task.
Here’s a
handy template that you can use as a starting point for your own spreadsheet.
Once you have this spreadsheet in place, create queries in Raiser’s Edge for each of your maintenance tasks. It can be helpful to create a “Maintenance” folder to house all of your maintenance queries in one place.
And here’s one last tip: As you name your maintenance queries, include an indicator at the front of each query for the frequency at which they should be run. This approach makes it easier to find the right queries when it’s time to run them. For example:
- “D –” at the front of a query name can indicate daily maintenance
- “M –” can indicate monthly maintenance
- “Q –” can indicate quarterly maintenance
- “A –” can indicate annual maintenance
Here’s how that might look:
Having donor data that’s clean, accurate, and ready to use is critical to getting the most out of your Raiser’s Edge and Raiser’s Edge NXT software. Of course, maintaining a high level of data health and hygiene might seem like a tall order. And while it’s true that it does take ongoing work, it’s well worth it, and it doesn’t have to be a daunting challenge.
To learn more tips about how to analyze, use, and clean your nonprofit’s data, read the guide,
How to Use Data to Take Your Fundraising to New Heights.
And, if you’d like help with your organization’s data maintenance and reporting, Cathexis Partners (a certified Blackbaud Solution Provider) is ready to assist with training or ongoing support.
Contact us for more details.
by Erin Fleischmann, Strategic Consultant, Cathexis Partners
Erin has more than a decade of experience in nonprofit technology, including everything from system implementations and project management to strategy and leveraging technology. Prior to joining Cathexis Partners, Erin worked for several nonprofits.
