Item: Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT
Rating: 8
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

NXT provides a user-friendly interface with my organization's donor data. The back-end team uses RE for mass uploads of data, but I use NXT to look up donor information and to update my interactions with donors.

I've worked with donor databases for over 20 years, including bespoke systems and Blackbaud's more basic product, eTapestry. NXT is intuitive and easy to work with, and puts the data I need at my fingertips. There is LOT of information about each donor and each gift.

Whenever I have to go into RE - to generate complicated reports, for example - I am reminded how simple and easy NXT is to use.

Pros and Cons

Puts donor details into a single, easily comprehended page view
Allows us to sort & select donors based on various criteria
Generates individualized dashboards
Tracks interactions with donors and actions on their accounts

It's not easy to generate complex reports in NXT, which we do in RE instead
Increased details about certain actions would be helpful; eg, add space for details on why an address or email was changed, not just the date
Clunky handling of households, like spouses.
Currently unable to append individual name to phone / email, when multiple emails for a couple.

Most Important Features

Ease of use & access to data

Return on Investment

NXT was already in place when I joined the team, so I have no insight on this

Data Intelligence

NXT provides insights into the overall functioning of the development efforts as well as individual portfolio performance. The dashboard and reports are very useful.

Training Types Used

Online Training

Online Training

Flexibility, accessibility online, overall strength of the content. Blackbaud is a known quantity and respected in the field, which creates confidence in their product, including training.

Product interface is intuitive enough for people to start using NXT with minimal training, at least for the most basic functions.

Alternatives Considered

Blackbaud eTapestry

NXT has a similar, accessible interface and intuitive process to eTapestry, but offers more advanced and robust options. (As an eTap user, though, I held RE in a bit of awe as the more advanced, expensive option. Now using NXT, I do see the advantages but they're not as extreme as I imagined earlier.

I prefer NXT to my previous experience with bespoke databases built within Access, because it's more sophisticated.

Key Insights

Do you think Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT's feature set?

Did Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT go as expected?

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

Would you buy Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Microsoft Excel

Likelihood to Recommend

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge (RE) NXT is great for the traveling member of a team to be able to sign on and access donor details, or for senior personnel who are working with donors. As noted, our back end team uses RE to upload mass record updates and generate complicated reports.

Support Rating

Blackbaud doesn't seem to be fully behind NXT / RE. We have outages of service several times a year, which is frustrating.

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT Customer Support Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Good followup Knowledgeable team Problems get solved Kept well informed Quick Initial Response	Need to explain problems multiple times

NXT - an intuitive & accessible donor database / CRM

Overall Satisfaction with Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT