This document provides tips and tricks for using The Raiser's Edge software. It discusses using action tracks to define and assign processes, taking advantage of defaults to save time, and automating tasks using RE:Queue such as emailing information to staff on the road. It also covers integrating The Raiser's Edge with Microsoft Exchange and handheld devices, encouraging staff adoption through custom views, and using pivot reports and charts to analyze wealthpoint data.

1. WELCOME
TIPS & TRICKS
IN THE RAISER’S EDGE
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2. RE/WEALTHPOINT INTEGRATION
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3. RE/WEALTHPOINT INTEGRATION
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4. ACTION TRACKS: DEFINE, THEN ASSIGN
• Use Action Tracks to develop a plan that only requires data entry
• Define the process, then Assign to records
- Let your desired process determine the rules
- Use Action queries to “explain” the rules to The Raiser’s Edge
- Useful for Event planning and Appeal execution as well!
Screenshot from Tools menu, Action Tracks,
Define Action Tracks4

5. DEFAULTS SAVE TIME!
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6. AUTOMATE OTHER THINGS…
• How do you get information to people on the road?
- E-mail?
- Voicemail?
- Web Access?
• The Raiser’s Edge can automate itself using RE:Queue
- Possibly the cheapest module
- Very easy to forget that you have it
- Check RE:Admin to see if you do
• Use it for:
- Automatically E-mailing information
- Exporting data to a network folder
- Sending correspondence
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7. CONSIDER THIS (COMMON?) EXAMPLE:
• You are traveling to another city
- You want to visit a couple of key prospects
- You need information to review before the meetings
- You want to quickly follow up with them afterwards
• Automate each of these data
- Receive today’s appointment profiles by E-mail
- Mark activities as completed (remotely) or appoint someone else to do it
- Schedule follow-up correspondence to occur based on action details
• The process:
- Create a query of constituents who have an appointment scheduled for
“today” (or this week)
- Create a queue that E-mails a profile
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8. RE:QUEUE
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9. UNDER THE HOOD
• Create a query of constituents who have an appointment scheduled
for “today” (or this week)
• Create a queue that E-mails a profile for anyone in the query
- You will need Microsoft Exchange for execution
- For best results, use ADOBE PDF as the format
• Create a separate queue for correspondence follow-up
- This could print to an office printer for another staff to pick up and mail
- Little data entry has to be required
- Use Follow-up Letters to customize the letters based on details from the
Action
• Consider using Action Attributes to further personalize the messages
• Combine this with Action Tracks to automatically schedule a follow-up
activity
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10. CONSIDER EXCHANGE INTEGRATION WITH HANDHELD
• If you have a handheld, make sure you understand all of the features it
offers
- With Outlook, you can access contacts brought from The Raiser’s Edge
- View appointments made through Actions on your calendar
• Most allow you to open attachments (like the attachments that
Raiser’s Edge is sending you via RE:Queue)
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11. ENCOURAGE STAFF ADOPTION WITH CUSTOM VIEWS
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12. START WITH A BLANK SCREEN
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13. DRAG & DROP THE FIELDS YOU WANT
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14. SWITCHING INTO A CUSTOM VIEW
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15. USING FRAMES
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16. ROLLUP LINKS
• These work like grids, but require the user to click on the link to
expand for details
• Add a rollup link first, then drag the fields you want to appear in the
grid
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17. ARE PIVOT REPORTS RIGHT FOR ME?
• They are right for everyone!
• Unlike the opposite sex, Pivot Reports are:
- Always flexible
- Easy to work with
- Simple to understand
- Great for commitment-phobes
• A simple 3 step process makes pivot reports a reality
for you
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18. STEP 1: USE QUERY OUTPUT
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19. STEP 2: IN REPORTS, CREATE A PIVOT REPORT
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20. STEP 3: DRAG & DROP REPORTING!
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21. GROUPING BASED ON WEALTHPOINT DATA
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22. GROUPS BASED ON PROSPECT RATINGS
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23. COMMANDS AND OPTIONS…
Change the name of
fields and colums
Change the way
numbers are
formatted
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24. TIP: USE GIFT DATE BREAKDOWN
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25. USE PERCENT OF ROW TOTAL
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26. SWITCH TO PERCENT OF COLUMN
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27. TIP: USE THE FIELDS AND TOTALS THE REPORT GIVES
YOU
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28. CREATE YOUR OWN TOTAL!
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29. CHART THE DATA AUTOMATICALLY
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30. BONUS SECTION! BBNC TRICKS:
AUTOMATE GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
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31. BBNC TRICKS: USING SCHEDULED EMAIL
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32. BBNC TRICKS: CUT DOWN ON TOTAL EMAILS WITH
CONDITIONAL CONTENT (BASED ON QUERIES)
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