migrate from Raiser's Edge 7 to Raiser's Edge NXT

@Jessica Kyle
Migration from RE to RE NXT isn't too big of a challenge as “RE” still exists as part of “RE NXT”.

First importance is understanding that. RE NXT consist of two “parts”. A webview (that is accessing through a browser) and a database view (dbview). webview is this new thing that no one knows about yet, while dbview is the exact same as RE7 that you are used to.

When we did the migration at the beginning of 2022, we had planned for it for ~6 months. We also did a restructuring of Gift substype, Campaign and Fund at the same time, which made the migration also slightly more involve. So the “actual migration” took ~3-5 (I forgot exactly now) business day, this is due to we needing to spend time after Blackbaud does the migration for my CRM team to go in and make the configuration changes and record level changes to the restructuring. If you simply migrating to RE NXT. you will have less headache.

Challenges:

• terminology change from dbview to webview (i.e. Gift Type changes: Cash is One-time gift; Solicitor is Fundraiser; Proposal is Opportunity, Attribute is Custom Fields)
• Lack of full batching functionality on webview
• Limitation in reports and dashboard (even in insight designer)

Best Practice:

• Get yourselves familiar with RE NXT webview as best as you can, so you can answer to the rest of the org's question on it.
• Good thing is, until they are familiar with webview, they can always work in the way they used to in dbview
• Specific webview functionality that is particularly useful to learn first: constituent page's tile; gift page's tile, work center, query on the webview (this is very recent, so it takes care of a lot of lack of reporting ability on webview)

@Rose Dixon
The biggest part of the plan relates to our gift structure change in gift subtype, campaign, and fund, which we had a big migration plan for. We did have a migration plan as well, though I don't recall where I may have left it.

You are correct, currently gift entry in webview is not good. The promise from Blackbaud last PUB is Q2 we will see enhancement that will make webview gift batching much better, comparable to dbview grid and all.

As well as now that Query in webview is available, you can do better reporting on webview now compare to when we migrated back in 2022.

There are still definitely things you need to use dbview for (import, global change, Export module, etc), but that's where you have to find the “balance” and discover where webview is better and prush that to your other users.

@Rose Dixon, I know that @Austen Brown developed a fantastic terminology sheet that should be really helpful to you. Tagging her so that she can provide the most up to date link/document from @Prenger Solutions.

@Rose Dixon
Few things I want to point out where you and your user can start to do in webview

• table entry management (can only be done in webview now), it works better than in dbview
• Query in webview, while small bits still missing, but in general works better than dbview (i.e. allows for one-of operator of up to 2000, whereas dbview only allow up to 500)
• Event management - if not seated event, is handled much better than in dbview
• move management - fundraiser to work on their assigned constituent
• browser based access = fundraiser can easily access donor info on mobile device while out meeting with donor
• geo/map based filtering in cosntituent list
• donation management using RE NXT donation form is good and bad at the same time.. that's a longer discussion