Permit the creation of a Custom Field Table FIRST
Currently you have "Tables" in Web View and "Attributes" in database view.
Should I wish to build out a table prior to creating an attribute; I cannot do so. For when I create a table in Web View it defaults to a 'gift table' which is not the intent I have for the attribute I wish to create.
Therefore, I must go into database view, go to Attributes > Constituent > create my constituent category > then {Add new table} - Name Said Table.
Then - GO BACK into Web View, and populate the entries for that table.
Previously, I could create a table, establish its identity (constituent, gift etc). populate it, and then connect it to the attribute I created last. This functionality is no longer possible now with the separation of these instances.
Concern: As I work primarily in NXT and am training others to do the same, having to 'start' a process in Database view in order for this to work correctly is counter intuitive.
As of July 17 2025 this is your stance: (sorry, I disagree with "simplify the user experience when you remove so many of our streamlined functions with no timeline of their availability)
At this time, it’s not possible to add tables to Custom Fields in Raiser’s Edge NXT. Unfortunately, there is no current workaround, and we don’t have information on whether this functionality will be introduced in the future.
RENXT is designed as a hard-coded system, which helps streamline and simplify the user experience while still allowing for ongoing innovation. Because of this structure, certain features from previous versions may not yet be available or customizable in the same way.
If this functionality is important to your workflow, we highly recommend submitting your suggestion to the Blackbaud Ideas Community. This is the best way to share feedback directly with the product team, and it allows other users to vote on ideas they’d also like to see implemented.
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Nicole Barry
- Jul 17 2025
- Already exists
Related ideas
I just tested this and the table created from Custom Fields in web view is identical to the one you'd create from Attributes in database view. There should't be any need to go to database view for any part of the table creation process.
I now understand what you mean about the tables created in Tables referencing currency, but that's copied directly from how database view Tables worked as well. So I can understand the desire for greater flexibility in table data formats. I'd recommend creating a new idea for that topic, since that's separate from the original idea here.
But it doesn't function the way I would think. If we have a gift custom field and create a table in WebView it assigns a dollar amount. Not all gift tables are associated with a dollar amount. In order to avoid this you have to create the table in the attribute in database view and then go to WebView to add the fields to the table.
Hi all, thanks for the conversation and apologies for the confusion in support cases. I'll share this with colleagues in support to ensure we're coaching on the correct capabilities. As a couple folks have mentioned, this is possible today, whether you create the custom field or the table first.
In Custom fields, after selecting Table as the data type, you can select the "New" option within the table selection field.
In Tables, you'd create a "Donor table", which can then be selected for whichever type of custom field you're using. I suspect part of the confusion is the use of the term "Donor table" when it's not actually restricted to only donors/constituents. We'll keep this in mind as an area to improve documentation and see how we can make this clearer.
This is crazy. I just created this new gift custom field and table and now support is saying that I have to start all over again and create the attribute in Database view and then the table in Unified View.
UPDATE. I located the place where a new attributes table can be found. I wish this were in the product documentation. As part of the process of creating a new custom field, when I click inside the field for "Table name" (for the new custom field), I get two options: Show all or use the button to ADD NEW. I can add an empty attributes table there and then go into Settings, Tables, to add values to the table. The ability to add a new Attributes table should be located under Settings, Tables, just as it already is for creating a new Donor table. Please!
I've tried to create a new table in NXT and it only allows creating a Donor Table (with a unique dollar amount for each table entry), not a simple Attribute Table. I can create a new custom field in NXT with a table data type, but it requires me to select an existing table to reference. Where/how can I create an attributes table?
Update despite the response from Customer Service, there was already an update to this feature which was released. If you go to Settings > Custom Fields you can create tables in any sector of RE for use.
It would be extremely beneficial if the support reps would be able to convey this information to us. I was lucky that a member of the Facebook community pointed it out.
The customer service response received was still sub-par. To tell us it is not possible to add and there is no work around when there actually was - and to further state, it is our job to add the ideas to the community - when the idea was a functionality you already had in built into database view.