Batch Consider not functioning properly

Question

We had an unfortunate experience during our current grant cycle, which we haven't experienced before, but I believe is due to a change that Blackbaud made since our last grant cycle (in early February).

When we batch considered applications from Pending (we have 85 applications this quarter, so it's helpful to batch them), the organization fields did not properly update in our Blueprint fields, and in fact populated with old data from previous application responses over the past 5-10 years in some cases. Very strange!

We are working with support, and ended up having to delete all of the requests and reconsider one by one, as well as -re-upload the documents again. Not a good use of our time at all, so I just wanted to warn others about this experience. I'll update if I hear anything else from support. (Current response from BB is: There is some issue with batch consideration where the org record fields are not updated consistently when you select "Update the existing record with selected fields from the application.)

Audrey Kidwell · Answer

@Kayte Wisor Thanks for the update.

Kayte Wisor · Answer

@Audrey Kidwell @Jen Hammerstrom

An update from Support on this one below.

"This is a follow up to an issue with updating organization fields.

An issue was identified that affected updating existing organization record fields when considering multiple applications at one time.  Previously, when multiple applications were considered and each had the "Update the existing record with selected fields from the application" option selected, that option did not carry over to all the applications within the consideration batch.

This meant that the first application in the batch that had the "Update the existing record with selected fields from the application" option selected first would update organization fields as expected; however, other applications would not update their existing organization records even though the "Update the existing record with selected fields from the application" option showed as selected in those applications.

This issue is resolved now.  In testing, if I select "Update the existing record with selected fields from the application" on the first application in a batch, that same selection applies to subsequent applications in that batch and works as described at the end of this article:  https://kb.blackbaud.com/knowledgebase/articles/Article/207349.

Note this applies to every organization field in your form except these fields:

Name

Mailing Address

Phone

Extension

Fax

Email

WWW Address

These fields will update only by clicking the "Select fields to update" button in each application, then checking the appropriate field to update with that application.

So when selecting "Update the existing record with selected fields from the application":

1 - If you do not click "Select fields to update", whatever custom organization fields/organization standard fields are in the application form will update the same fields in the organization record.

2 - If you click "Select fields to update" then select any of the standard fields mentioned above, those fields along with whatever custom organization fields/organization standard fields are in the application form will update the same fields in the organization record."

Jen Hammerstrom · Answer

@Kayte Wisor @Audrey Kidwell

We have been experiencing this issue since early March.

At this point I do not use the option to update fields during the "consider" process, I am now checking each application and manually updating as needed. When support asked me the other day if I was still experiencing issues, I replied with, "Until I know this is fixed, I am doing everything manually." Far from ideal, but, for me, it is faster to check each manually as I go.