2012a is here!

Kate Merriman

The following new features and functionality have been added to Common Ground for version 2012a, which is now available. You can read about improvements to existing Common Ground functionality in "What's Improved in Common Ground 2012a" in Forums in Resource Center tab within Common Ground.

 

This version or later is required in order for a new Common Ground client to choose IATS as their payment processor.  We do not currently have the ability to switch clients currently using PayPal or Network for Good to IATS.



Click here to watch our What’s New in Common Ground 2012a recorded demonstration.





Events Management



Events Management in Common Ground has undergone significant improvements, including the following:

•Event Setup Wizard guides you through the event set up process

•Event Group Manager allows for management of any type of group associated with your event (tables, teams, or custom types)

•Table Seating to better manage attendee placement

•Event Cloning to save time creating recurring events

•Improved Check-in Manager to quickly sign in attendees

•Ability to associate Volunteer Jobs with Events

•Easy one-off / Onsite Ticket Sale (and Credit Card Processing, if you have Common Ground Fundraising)

•Common Ground Fundraising Form Enhancements

•Ability to create an online event registration form for any type of event

•Ability to add attendee custom fields to event registration forms

•Event details (date, location, etc) updated in Common Ground are dynamically reflected in online forms



Consult the new Events Management User Guide or attend an Events Management training workshop for details on these and other Events enhancements.



Virtual Terminal



Common Ground Fundraising subscribers using PayPal or IATS now have access to a Virtual Terminal, which will allow processing of credit cards directly in Common Ground for donations, recurring gifts, and event registrations. When processing gifts with Virtual Terminal, CVV is not required, and the usual processing fees apply. * This functionality is not compatible with Network for Good and is unavailable in Batch Gift Entry at this time.



For additional details, see the new Virtual Terminal User Guide.

Matching Gifts



The ability to manage Matching Gifts has been added, including the following features:

•New fields on account record to track Employer Matching Policy Data

•Easy mapping to HEP data import available

•Donor can select Matching Employer on donation form

•Donations with a Matching Employer are automatically marked as Potential Matching Gift

•New Matching Gift Record tracks employer donation

•Ability to reconcile Matching Gift and Donations with easy search from Matching Gift record



For additional details, see the new Matching Gifts User Guide.



Supporter Sharing



Common Ground Social subscribers can now optionally enable a pop-up box on all their forms which will allow supporters to broadcast their support to their social networks on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, encouraging their friends, family, and colleagues to donate, volunteer, sign-up, or register for an event.



And More!

•System Administrators can now explicitly exclude any donation or event registration payment from giving summaries by checking the “Omit from Giving Summary” check box on the record. Using workflow rules, Administrators could also set up criteria for automatically checking this box, thus systematically excluding certain classes of donations from giving summaries.

•System Administrators now have the option to automatically log some of the email messages sent by Common Ground Fundraising.