Tracking Changes in Organization Name after a Merge, etc.

Autumn Hubbard · August 2015

Hi all,

What are your policies on tracking changes to an organization after a merge, buy-out, etc.? Do you just change the name within the ORG 1 tab, and leave a note regarding the history? Or, mark the former organization as inactive and start a new record for the newly formed organization?

As a specific example, we have two foundations in our database which have now merged into one, new foundation. I don't want to lose the documented history we have with each one, but also want our database to be as clean as possible and not have three organizations pulling from the same address. I am thinking of marking the first two as inactive, merging them into the new foundation (without deleting the source ones), and soft crediting them for the former gifts. That way the history would be on both records, but they wouldn't pull into mailings since they are marked as inactive.

Suggestions?

JoAnn Strommen · August 2015

I think what you propose is a good option.

A merge vs. a buy-out can be different things. When we have had one corp completely buy out one of our we usually just create a new record. Our rational is that there are new 'powers that be' controlling the money and it's essentially like working with a new donor in most cases. We have merged records when say two local accounting or law firms have merged. Will still have some of same people controlling the money.

Just my thoughts...

Beth Muckler · August 2015

That's exactly what I'd do... as well as making copious notes about the merge of the organizations!

Nicole S · August 2015

If I have a merge or name change for an organization, I always add the previous name as an alias.

Tracking Changes in Organization Name after a Merge, etc.

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