How to Effectively Organize and Utilize Action Records in Raiser’s Edge NXT

Let's discuss action records within Raiser’s Edge NXT (RENXT).  A fundraiser needs to manage and track interactions on the constituent records.  This blog addresses some available features, including using a few Blackbaud Marketplace apps that could improve your processes. 

1. RENXT allows you to create and download a .ics file to add the actions to your calendar.  

2. The action list can be very effective for your fundraisers. You can create the list, set the criteria to this week, month, or year, and use this list for the moves management tracking. This will help your leadership see what the gift officers are doing and stay on top of their tasks with responsibilities and appointments. With RENXT, you can create an action list with a fuzzy day that you do not have to change, and it refreshes periodically. You can have completed or pending actions included. In addition, you can share the list URL through an email or create a recurring meeting every week and send the list to your fundraisers for review and update.   All they have to do is click on the link that redirects them back to RENXT to update the actions list.   The action list can be a dynamic report for your fundraisers to update while in the field by accessing it through their smartphone or laptop.   Your fundraiser can update the actions on the road by voice dictating their action notes using a talk-to-text feature on the action record.

3. Using the Workflow Designer, you can create actions through Moves Management and bring the automation into RENXT. The tool can create automation workflows with conditional logic to help you reach your donors effectively.  

Marketplace Apps for Recording Actions with Raiser’s Edge NXT (RENXT)

Here are a few Marketplace apps that can create action records in RENXT, such as One to Many, Call Box, Blackbaud for Gmail, and Blackbaud for Outlook.  Note: you must be an environment admin to connect an application.  

One to Many

Using the One to Many tile, you can add the details of the action you want to record, add the constituents who need to be included, and then press Add Action to Constituents. The action will be added to all constituents with a click. For example, if you have a list of donors you regularly engage with, such as Board Members, or identified constituent codes that you want to update together when an action has been taken.  You can do that with One to Many, select the list, and select Add Action to Constituents, which gets added to all records simultaneously.  

Blackbaud for Gmail

Blackbaud for Gmail RENXT add-on allows fundraisers to add constituent actions from within Gmail while reading or composing emails. As a result, fundraisers can seamlessly add constituent actions, increasing fundraiser engagement with RENXT.  

Fundraisers can directly view valuable constituent information, such as contact information, details related to their giving history, and current prospect status, within Gmail while reading and composing emails.  The email content is automatically attached to the action that was created. Standard fields default to include interaction direction and completed date and the body of your email is automatically copied into the action notes, with no manual intervention required while allowing editing options as needed.  

Blackbaud for Outlook

Like Blackbaud for Gmail features, you can add constituent email actions in RENXT from within Outlook.  You can directly view constituent information such as contact information, giving history, and current prospect status within Outlook.  The email content is automatically attached to the created action record.  The installation is relatively simple: go to your Outlook application and go to Store.  Search and select the application and click the button to turn it off.  Activate the add-in to On, and you will see the Blackbaud logo at the top right of Outlook.  If you want to add an email as an action to a constituent record, choose the email and click on the Blackbaud logo.  It’s that simple.   

Call Box

With this app, you can make phone calls directly from RENXT. You place a call from a constituent page, take call notes, and log an action record. Call Box automatically creates an action for you and prompts you to add notes.