Attachments in NXT

Jack Briggs

Is there a way to search attachments in NXT? I'm trying to figure out how many we have. I've tried a constituent query with a lot of 'not blank' criteria, and am getting nowhere. Hoping there's a trick I'm missing!

Alex Wong

@Jack Briggs assuming you are talking about Attachment upload on the webview of RE NXT, they do not appear as Media in database view and therefore not queryable currently using Query module.

Attachments added in the NXT web view do not appear in the database view

Joe Moretti

You are really not going to find out the number of attachments, only records that have attachments. Is there any reason, why you want to know the number of attachments to begin with?

If you are looking for a specific type that is in someone's record, you can choose the Attachement/Media types you have created, but you are never going to find out the number of attachments in the system.

Jack Briggs

@Joe Moretti The number of records with attachments is fine! Do you have a query that works for this in NXT?

Joe Moretti

Just create a Constituent Query with Media, like below. Media is the term in Database View, Attachement is the term in RE NXT, but you will not find the term Attachment in query. Then just use any of the various media below that is NOT BLANK. You can use Date, Author, etc.

Jack Briggs

@Joe Moretti That's what I tried in the first instance (the 'not blank') but I get zero results, which I know isn't true. Ah well! Thanks for your help :)

Joe Moretti

Unless for some reason, you do not have a date in the media tab. Might try the "type'. I do not get zero when I do it.

Joe Moretti

After reading Alex''s comment, it made me realized, if you enter all your attachments through RE NXT as opposed to Database View, they will never be seen in Database View. Attachments should only be added in Database View, since they will be seen in RE NXT, but not the other way around.

Jack Briggs

@Alex Wong Thanks for this definitive answer!

JoAnn Strommen

@Jack Briggs did you get a query to pull results for you? As @Joe Moretti described, I have several queries pulling media/attachment info. Mine are mostly by type type but I test with media type not blank and I got results.

Regarding attaching in webview vs db view. We have been doing all attachments in db view but recently switched to allowing uploading in webview. There are only a couple of us who daily use db view and we know we may need to look in NXT to see. This is actually fine as it's so much easier to upload and to view.

Yes, we are concerned with BB statements that media in NXT can be lost in a crash but if db is sunsetting there's really not an option other than paper files. 🤔

Alex Wong

while I understand and totally agree with the various statements by Joe and JoAnn regarding what's not possible today with RE NXT, I like to be optimistic and utilize technology when they are better for the org, and I understand that "better" may mean different things to different org.

• "backup and restore" is not able to handle webview only attachment right now
  • it's bad, but I also do not think Blackbaud is not aware it is bad. So I cannot imagine a case when data will be completely lost, it is likely just hasn't been designed to be easily customer requestable yet.
• webview attachment can't be queried. This is the case now, I know data can be obtains via SKY API, so meaning it is totally do-able, just Blackbaud hasn't gotten to it yet on webview. stick to IdeaBank and keep voting it up.
• database view gift record has no attachment ability, so pledge agreement, receipt copy can't be "attached" on database view, this is where webview do shine: gift record attachment.

Jack Briggs

We removed all the RE7 attachments (via Blackbaud's Media Extraction service) and moved the relevant documents to SharePoint, because the lack of encryption meant storing stuff on RE7 isn't suitable for purpose. We haven't added attachments on RENXT for many years but stuff remains on there that should ideally also be moved to SharePoint (if it isn't there already - lots of historical duplication!). A recent internal audit has queried whether we need to do the Media Extraction exercise again for the NXT files, despite encryption, hence me trying to scope out the document numbers.

For our purposes, SharePoint is much better for storing gift documentation.

Jaclyn Whitelock

Just dropping a link to the IdeaBank idea for this one: https://renxt.ideas.aha.io/ideas/RE7-I-7610

Being able to query on attachments added in webview is definitely something that is needed.