Leaving My Organization - How to Prepare RE for Transition

Angela Bertrand 2 · August 2018

Hi Everyone! I'm leaving my role as Raiser's Edge admin at my organization on August 15 (Anyone need a job in Seattle? Keep an eye out at on the Solid Ground website! Comes with FIVE WEEKS of vacation

)

My question is this: What should I do to prepare?

We have a contract employee coming to back-fill the data entry, but I still want to make sure to leave my permanent replacement in a good place. I have a policy and procedure manual, a list of regular duties, and a list of all of our account reps. But this still leaves me with some lingering questions:

- How do I transition the supervisor role?
- What would you have liked to see when you started your position? What was the most helpful thing?
- How do I prepare Raiser's Edge for that switch?
- No one else knows how to create new users... Is there anything I can prepare to have them ready to go or do I just need to make my director a how-to guide?
- Are there any guides on transitioning the administrator role out there?

Any other thoughts/ideas/questions would be great as well! It's still two weeks away and I'm trying to make the most of it.

Claudia Sauers · August 2018

We have a contract employee coming to back-fill the data entry, but I still want to make sure to leave my permanent replacement in a good place. I have a policy and procedure manual, a list of regular duties, and a list of all of our account reps. But this still leaves me with some lingering questions:

- How do I transition the supervisor role?

- What would you have liked to see when you started your position? What was the most helpful thing?

- How do I prepare Raiser's Edge for that switch?

- No one else knows how to create new users... Is there anything I can prepare to have them ready to go or do I just need to make my director a how-to guide?

- Are there any guides on transitioning the administrator role out there?
Any other thoughts/ideas/questions would be great as well! It's still two weeks away and I'm trying to make the most of it.

I would leave a list of any of the "oddities" of your system, think long and hard, we all have those *things* that we do a little funny because of something that started years before we did (at least I hope we all have them or it's just me HAH)

Make a list of things that need to happen in your absence and are the most important things to get the new hire up to speed on once the permanent transition occurs.

In regards to making users, you could make a how to guide, but if you don't anticipate needing many new users and are for example only anticipating needing the one for your replacement, I would make a generic user name with the appropriate rights and leave the credentials with your boss. That way when they start they can just change the name rather than having to create it.

Also remember the new you might change things up and disregard what you leave, do what you can!

Michael Langley 2 · August 2018

Angela Bertrand:

Hi Everyone! I'm leaving my role as Raiser's Edge admin at my organization on August 15 (Anyone need a job in Seattle? Keep an eye out at on the Solid Ground website! Comes with FIVE WEEKS of vacation )

My question is this: What should I do to prepare?

We have a contract employee coming to back-fill the data entry, but I still want to make sure to leave my permanent replacement in a good place. I have a policy and procedure manual, a list of regular duties, and a list of all of our account reps. But this still leaves me with some lingering questions:

- How do I transition the supervisor role?

- What would you have liked to see when you started your position? What was the most helpful thing?

- How do I prepare Raiser's Edge for that switch?

- No one else knows how to create new users... Is there anything I can prepare to have them ready to go or do I just need to make my director a how-to guide?

- Are there any guides on transitioning the administrator role out there?
Any other thoughts/ideas/questions would be great as well! It's still two weeks away and I'm trying to make the most of it.

I would take a look at your policies and procedures and refresh as needed. Enough so that the new admin understands the way things are organized. I agree with what Claudia wrote, they may change a great deal of what you leave them. I probably would. I would also mention any big projects you might have planned and never got around to. I would also go over some of the basics, do you follow USPS rules for addresses, how do you use your solicit codes, etc...

By the way, you're already doing more than most of the predecessors I've had by posting this.

Jen Claudy · August 2018

Just sent you a PM.

Whether or not you are moving on to a new position still using Blackbaud products, I recommend that you update the email address on your Blackbaud.com account to a personal email address. This should allow you to retain your existing Community account. Then you'll have it still there next time you have a job with a BB product and not need to start fresh.

Angela Bertrand 2 · August 2018

Great tips, everyone!

I set up a generic username and am sharing that so the new employee can make their own account (Thanks, Claudia!)
I read through all of my policies and procedures and updated them as necessary - and then did a cross-check against a list of my core duties to find gaps (I've got 7 more to write) (Thanks, Michael!)
I changed my Blackbaud community account email to my personal email - I never would have thought of that! (Thanks, Jen!)

If you think of anything else, please let me know! When I started both this position and my last one I came into orgs that had no idea what I should do or how I should do it and really don't want that to happen to whomever follows me.

Thanks!

Leaving My Organization - How to Prepare RE for Transition

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