Entering new constituents in RE - forms or no forms

Diane Zempel

Currently, everyone in the foundation has the ability to add new individuals and organizations in RE. Yea, everyone is participating, Boo, no one is entering it the same. 1) I'm revamping security rights so only a select few will have the ability to do this (standard work in hand) 2) I'm thinking of creating (or 'borrowing) an existing form.


How do you obtain the new record information to enter into the database? Do you have electronic forms for staff to fill out? Paper forms? Another method to the madness? 


Also, what's your standard for getting new records into the database. We need to be efficient, with a process. I don't want staff dropping what their doing to enter people. 


All suggestions welcome and if you have a form you'd like to share, I'd be forever grateful.


 

Kate Henselmans

Diane Zempel:

Currently, everyone in the foundation has the ability to add new individuals and organizations in RE. Yea, everyone is participating, Boo, no one is entering it the same. 1) I'm revamping security rights so only a select few will have the ability to do this (standard work in hand) 2) I'm thinking of creating (or 'borrowing) an existing form.


How do you obtain the new record information to enter into the database? Do you have electronic forms for staff to fill out? Paper forms? Another method to the madness? 


Also, what's your standard for getting new records into the database. We need to be efficient, with a process. I don't want staff dropping what their doing to enter people. 


All suggestions welcome and if you have a form you'd like to share, I'd be forever grateful.


 

Hi Diane,

Yes - it's something I keep insisting on in our organization.  All fundraisers think it is creating extra work to give the "database team" edits and new donor information but it really allows for consistency.  We have set up a dedicated email where everybody can send their edits.  We're not using a form - they can forward an email with the signature of the new donor or just list all information they know.  We do have forms for gifts as the gift coding is so specific and important.  

Jenna Anderson 2

Diane Zempel:

Currently, everyone in the foundation has the ability to add new individuals and organizations in RE. Yea, everyone is participating, Boo, no one is entering it the same. 1) I'm revamping security rights so only a select few will have the ability to do this (standard work in hand) 2) I'm thinking of creating (or 'borrowing) an existing form.


How do you obtain the new record information to enter into the database? Do you have electronic forms for staff to fill out? Paper forms? Another method to the madness? 


Also, what's your standard for getting new records into the database. We need to be efficient, with a process. I don't want staff dropping what their doing to enter people. 


All suggestions welcome and if you have a form you'd like to share, I'd be forever grateful.


 

Diane,


We also have an informal system for adding new donors into RE. There is no form and usually comes from an email. What you might consider doing, other than restricting the number of people who can add to the database, is setting up a 'Constituent Batch' template, which could help you ensure the same information is being entered across the board. Here is an article on how to set up Template Batches (We use these for gifts as do a lot of other organizations probably): https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/37594 and then here is a link to an article on constituent batches: https://kb.blackbaud.com/articles/Article/47993. 

Crystal Bruce

Diane Zempel:

Currently, everyone in the foundation has the ability to add new individuals and organizations in RE. Yea, everyone is participating, Boo, no one is entering it the same. 1) I'm revamping security rights so only a select few will have the ability to do this (standard work in hand) 2) I'm thinking of creating (or 'borrowing) an existing form.


How do you obtain the new record information to enter into the database? Do you have electronic forms for staff to fill out? Paper forms? Another method to the madness? 


Also, what's your standard for getting new records into the database. We need to be efficient, with a process. I don't want staff dropping what their doing to enter people. 


All suggestions welcome and if you have a form you'd like to share, I'd be forever grateful.


 

Discussion moved to Raiser's Edge Community. Thanks!

Diane Zempel

Hi Kate,


I created an Action Type called Record Adjustment, so if the staff needs anything changed or added they need to create a Record Adjustment Action within the record they need updated. Weekly, I run a query to see what RA Actions are pending and update the records accordingly. That's worked really well as the updates are consistent and the source of the requested changed lives in the record.  It's capturing the new record info that we're missing. The Foundation is really email heavy so am trying to avoid receiving the new info in that manor. Chances of it getting lost are higher.

Diane Zempel

Thank you

Dariel Dixon 2

Diane Zempel:

Currently, everyone in the foundation has the ability to add new individuals and organizations in RE. Yea, everyone is participating, Boo, no one is entering it the same. 1) I'm revamping security rights so only a select few will have the ability to do this (standard work in hand) 2) I'm thinking of creating (or 'borrowing) an existing form.


How do you obtain the new record information to enter into the database? Do you have electronic forms for staff to fill out? Paper forms? Another method to the madness? 


Also, what's your standard for getting new records into the database. We need to be efficient, with a process. I don't want staff dropping what their doing to enter people. 


All suggestions welcome and if you have a form you'd like to share, I'd be forever grateful.


 

I truly think proper training and documentation is the key here.  No one wants the database to be the wild wild west of data entry.  At one point, I had created a document that pretty much spelled out how to enter a constituent.  I sat down with everyone in the department and we went through it.  I don't have it anymore though. It was really elementary, but it pretty much had to be to not overlook anything.  But, it took me a couple of hours to create with screenshots, and it saved me a world of headaches.  


I don't think anyone does the wrong thing intentionally, but sometimes we need to not only tell them the right way, but why that way may be better in the long run.