The transition from Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge database view to NXT has introduced valuable features that enhance efficiency and save time for nonprofit organizations. However, the premature launch of features like recurring gifts and pledges in NXT, before full functionality was available, has created significant challenges. For instance, while new pledges can be created in NXT, the inability to edit them forces organizations to develop temporary procedures that impact donors. Similarly, the introduction of recurring gifts with end dates—essentially functioning as pledges—preceded the actual pledge functionality by months, requiring further procedural adjustments. These constant revisions, driven by incomplete feature rollouts, risk eroding donor trust as they experience inconsistent processes. To maintain confidence and stability, I propose that Blackbaud fully tests and vets features, ensuring complete functionality before launching, to minimize disruptions and protect the donor experience.
Please understand that when our organization receives news that a new feature is available, our users test it. More often than not, they found that the new feature is missing key capabilities. For example, users can't post more than 500 gifts per day. The Gift Batch Grid in Web View was changing the pledge gift dates to the day before the first installment date. We need to be advised of features not available. Plus, It doesn't appear that some releases were tested because the errors are so basic. I now have a team that doesn't trust Web View and that is reluctant to do anything in Web View. Please only launch new features once they're fully developed and tested.