Brand new to Online Express

Options
Amy DePuy
Amy DePuy
Eighth Anniversary 10 Comments Photogenic Energizer Level 1
in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®: General Discussion
Hi everyone! I'm brand new to Blackbaud and Online Express. I've been with my institution for nearly 10 years (6 years in admissions and 4 years in marketing), but I only just started working with Advancement marketing this past January.


My institution has been using Raiser's Edge for years and we are in the process of upgrading to NXT and Online Express.


My first question... where do you suggest I start? Is there a good beginners guide or video I can watch for Online Express?


My second question... can Online Express automate emails within segmented email campaigns? I've been told by our Advancement Services Department that they do not think it has that capability. I'm really hoping the capability is there because we could benefit from the structure and more intentional strategy.
Tagged:

Comments

  • Mary Jo Jesmer
    Mary Jo Jesmer
    Ninth Anniversary Photogenic First Comment Facilitator Level 1

    Online Express is driven by the list that you associate with the email that you are sending. The "list" is basically a query. There are videos that you can watch within Online Express that are very helpful in setting up online giving, events, emails.

    Amy DePuy    :

    Hi everyone! I'm brand new to Blackbaud and Online Express. I've been with my institution for nearly 10 years (6 years in admissions and 4 years in marketing), but I only just started working with Advancement marketing this past January.


    My institution has been using Raiser's Edge for years and we are in the process of upgrading to NXT and Online Express.


    My first question... where do you suggest I start? Is there a good beginners guide or video I can watch for Online Express?


    My second question... can Online Express automate emails within segmented email campaigns? I've been told by our Advancement Services Department that they do not think it has that capability. I'm really hoping the capability is there because we could benefit from the structure and more intentional strategy.

     

  • Amy DePuy
    Amy DePuy
    Eighth Anniversary 10 Comments Photogenic Energizer Level 1
    Thanks Mary! Do you know if you can set a certain parameter within Online Express for it to automatically pull a new query from NXT when someone new comes into a certain segment or does that have to be done manually? For example, if a new donor is added to NXT is there automation that we can set-up between NXT and Online Express that sends them the new donor email within a certain time of them entering the system as a new donor?
  • Grace Tate
    Grace Tate
    Ninth Anniversary 25 Likes 10 Comments Photogenic

    Amy DePuy:

    Thanks Mary! Do you know if you can set a certain parameter within Online Express for it to automatically pull a new query from NXT when someone new comes into a certain segment or does that have to be done manually? For example, if a new donor is added to NXT is there automation that we can set-up between NXT and Online Express that sends them the new donor email within a certain time of them entering the system as a new donor?

    Hi Amy,


    Welcome to our Online Express Community and Blackbaud as a whole. My name is Grace Tate and I'm one of the onboarding and adoption program managers for Online Express alongside Tiffany Getch (who you will also see posting here in the community). 


    To answer your question above there is not currently functionality to automate email sends that are triggered based on an action. For this scenario we'd recommend just having a standard email and choosing a time that works best for your organization (i.e. once a week or once a month) to send out your first "Welcome" email. You can "Copy" emails from Online Express so you wouldn't have to rebuild the email each time. For more information on Welcome Emails I recommend checking out a blog post we published last week about this topic which you can access here.


    On a different note, we have TONS of resources to help get you ramped up with Online Express. You've already found our community which includes weekly blog posts, discussion boards, and our "Getting Started" page. In addition to our Commnuity space, we also have a Success Program that puts on weekly webinars free of charge that discuss functionality and best practices for Online Express. I'd also recommend checking out our FAQ page dedicated to Online Express. 


    Hopefully you'll find these resources will help build a strong foundation to get you up and running with Online Express! If you have questions, let us know. We are happy to help where we can!


    Best,

    Grace

  • Amy DePuy
    Amy DePuy
    Eighth Anniversary 10 Comments Photogenic Energizer Level 1
    Thanks so much Grace! This is very helpful!
  • Alison Lampkin
    Alison Lampkin
    Tenth Anniversary Photogenic First Comment Facilitator Level 1

    Hi Amy - I am also need to Online Express, but have worked with RE 8 years and we also had I-modules to do our email marketing and emails to constitudents. My question for you is why types of emails are you going to be doing? As Marketing you will help Advancement? I work in a small office with our VP, Director of Marketing, Accountant and an Admin for the Advancement and Foundation.

    I take care of all the emails  and mailings that go out to alumni and constituents, our marketing team takes care of emails to our students. I also handle all annual fundraising.  You just to make sure marketing and advancement marketing aren't duplicating information.

     The BB training are easy to understand and I would definitely look into those especially while things are quiet and you can thenn come up with a marketing strategy, or at least that is my plan, if I can get RE NXT and Financial Edge up and running, along with the REAlum Module.

    Good Luck to you.

    Amy DePuy    :

    Hi everyone! I'm brand new to Blackbaud and Online Express. I've been with my institution for nearly 10 years (6 years in admissions and 4 years in marketing), but I only just started working with Advancement marketing this past January.


    My institution has been using Raiser's Edge for years and we are in the process of upgrading to NXT and Online Express.


    My first question... where do you suggest I start? Is there a good beginners guide or video I can watch for Online Express?


    My second question... can Online Express automate emails within segmented email campaigns? I've been told by our Advancement Services Department that they do not think it has that capability. I'm really hoping the capability is there because we could benefit from the structure and more intentional strategy.

     

  • Amy DePuy
    Amy DePuy
    Eighth Anniversary 10 Comments Photogenic Energizer Level 1
    Thanks Alison! I work in the Marketing/Communication Office on campus and serve as the Advancement liaison, of sorts. That being said, I don't actually work in the Advancement Office. I merely pop over for needed meetings and other marketing-related initiatives. Right now we are sending all of our emails through MyEmma, so this will be quite a switch for us. We have a conference call training with Online Express this week. I'm excited to dig deeper to discover the things we can do with this new product. I'm also signed up for two BB webinars this week. All the learning is happening :)
  • Mary Jo Jesmer
    Mary Jo Jesmer
    Ninth Anniversary Photogenic First Comment Facilitator Level 1

    Amy DePuy:

    We do not yet have NXT, so I can't answer your question.

     

Categories