The Raiser's Edge by Blackbaud

Pros

The updates make it more useful to more of our staff, especially when on the road. Being able to access more and do more from webview is definitely handy.

Cons

I have no cons at this point. I am happy to see that it is slowly adding more and more features and making integration much smoother.

If you're reading software reviews trying to figure out what donor management software you need -- you probably don't need Raiser's Edge.

Pros

Really powerful donor management software for large organizations or organizations that want lots of customization and add-ons such as wealth screening.

Cons

For a small non-profit, it is overkill. It's expensive and we didn't need much of what it offered. When we did need something that was different than their base offering, it would have been cost prohibitive for them to implement it for us. Their support isn't great, long waits and not super nice staff.

We are still fairly new to NXT. I am the database coordinator so a lot of the functions do not really pertain to me. I love the dashboard and I love the info you can pull up on a constituent. Very impressive.
I would love a better tutorial or a class on everything it can offer.
I do hope once we get a designated fundraiser that they will utilize NXT. It is a great tool for when you are out fundraising.

Pros

Ease of use - Once you start looking around there is a lot you can do and it is fairly easy to find the info you need.
Great for Fundraisers on the go
Lots of info
Great Dashboard

Cons

Takes getting used to - especially if you are used to the database
Lots of features - but we need a better way to learn all it can offer

As of the writing of the review, NXT is really only geared for fundraisers (gift officers, solicitors, etc.) and other "front-office" staff. Back-office folks - administrative, support, programs - are left either straddling both or staying put in RE7/the database view. To me, the cost justification would likely be dictated by how large of a "sales" staff an organization has; more fundraisers (including board or committee members) would translate to a stronger justification to buy.

Pros

- Slick, modern interface that really encapsulates the new SaaS business model into which Blackbaud is evolving
- Mobility, ease of accessing data from almost any device
- Potential for nifty applications with the SKY API & UX platforms

Cons

- Searching is currently only optimized for constituents; getting to the detailed info of funds, appeals, campaigns, memberships, volunteer jobs, etc. is either non-existent or only achievable via work-around.
- No event, volunteer, or membership management
- Lack of dynamic querying from Lists
- New features are released with (seemingly) little warning and adapting to some of them can throw off any given day or week

It is a great piece of software that has helped me in my work. I would definitely consider moving from RE7 to NXT if you haven't done so already!

Pros

It is so easy to use in the web view, and it is very easy to read and understand the various charts and graphs that analyse your fundraising. Also, you have the best of both worlds - web view and database view, which is the same view as RE7.

Cons

My only gripe is that not every function of the database view is available in the web view yet. However, from watching various webinars and listening to talks at conferences, the future looks great - more functionality in the web view.

Pros

Our gift officers love this product, and the ease of use has really increased their documentation in constituent records.

Cons

There is a lot of functionality that DBAs need that you cannot access in NXT yet. I anticipate this will get better with every release, but for now I spent the majority of my time in the legacy Raiser's Edge system.

Pros

It's beautiful, truly. The built-in graphs are a data-nerd's dream. Every tab offers something new and you're always saying, "I didn't know it could do that". I especially love the interface it allows for constituents to interact, report, and track their fundraising efforts. Just amazing.

Cons

This is a tough one! I can't think of anything negative to say about it. I really like this product and every day I look forward working with it.

Pros

Raiser's Edge NXT is clean, neat and easy on the eyes. Everything is in one place and is extremely easy to use.

Cons

There's not too much bad I can say about Raiser's Edge NXT except that in creating lists I wish we had more filters and options to choose from.

I'm speaking to RE7, i.e. the database view specifically, which many nonprofits use exclusively but those who purchase the NXT bundle also have access to the full database view as well. I've been using RE7 for 12 years and overall I love it, especially in combination with the NXT web view.

Pros

There is so much you can do with Raiser's Edge, it's a robust and powerful tool. It works "out of the box" without need for programming or customization per se (other than settings and configuration etc.) so you don't need to be a coder to set up and use. I particularly love queries to pull together lists of donors who meet certain criteria, which can then be used for mailing lists, reports, exports, etc. The acknowledgement letters are incredibly valuable, allowing variable data and personalized language, e.g. when a gift is designated to a particular program we pull in a paragraph about that program without our gift entry staff having to do any manual or extra work.

Cons

Can be a bit clunky, and not always intuitive (NXT web view is a huge improvement in those areas). The reports aren't pretty (again NXT is astronomically better there) and sometimes there isn't a report that will work for our needs so I have to set up with queries and exports. There is almost always a way to do what I need to do, but I sometimes have to go through some complicated digital acrobatics to get there.

Pros

Gives access with ease to anyone who needs a information from your database. Very easy to lock down sections and very intuitive!

Cons

If you have already had RE7, terminology takes some getting used to. Also, waiting for all features to open up so DB Administrators can stay in the NXT view rather than the Database View throughout the day.

Pros

The NXT version of RE is the much needed facelift that the standard RE needed. It is fabulous front facing interface and easy to use for almost all employees in the organization. The reporting in NXT is great.

Cons

There are some limitations on what can be viewed in both RE NEXT and standard RE. It does seem to be something they are working on.

This is a great product for those who have teams where technology may not be a strong suit or entering into the full RE database is challenging. Our team is on the road often and they are able to quickly add contact reports and get simple constituent profiles on the go. As a database manager, NXT is not sophisticated enough for me to use solely, but I do utilize it occasionally so I am up to speed on the functionality.

Pros

Ease of use, integration with The Raiser's Edge database, easy to access via mobile devices, has a pleasant look and feel to the application. Overall, an excellent product!

Cons

Attachments do not integrate with RE when loaded through NXT, and there is no way to pull a report or query of attachments made in NXT. A little more integration development so the two systems can talk to one another is probably needed.

Pros

Of the Blackbaud products I have used, RaizersEdge is by far my favorite, but unfortunately did not suit my organization's needs at the time.

Cons

It was not as robust as I would have liked it to be and did not have an option for a log in portal like NeonCRM.

Pros

This is a great tool for gift officers and has many powerful analytical tools, but many features are still in the database view.

Cons

The interface is often slow. New features are being added constantly, which is good, but it is often difficult to keep up with.

Overall a great product!

Pros

What I like about this product is it gives our Solicitors many options in how they manage their portfolios. They customize their page to their preferences.

Cons

The drawback to the system is there is so many things that you can do within the system that learning it all takes awhile and creates a big learning curve.

Pros

This software allows for quick ease of access and convenience; keeping track of accounts and records that can easily be referred to when needed

Cons

For larger companies holding much more information could slow the software down, but overall, the software is easy to use and adds a much needed aspect in record keeping

Needs a lot upgrades!

Pros

Very easy to learn, it has block query building so no need to know coding, very simple interface. Admins assume good control of who accesses what, and the chat support is the best you could find. They are always responsive, and they try their best to provide you with a solution.

Cons

Integration problem between other platforms, including Blackbauds own. For example, gifts entered in the financial edge, should be badge entered in RE, whereas any change on either side should reflect on the other side automatically. It also has a lot of limitations on query building with query blocks, and building reports is not the easiest thing as it should be.

Pros

It's extremely simple to use, and builds on our own existing RE database- it makes navigating for the occasional user a lot easier, plus it's a lot prettier to look at!

Cons

This product doesn't function at the same high level as the database version, but it certainly doesn't stop it from coming in handy to those who don't often use RE in our organization.

Pros

It is very easy to use and a non-expert can navigate NXT and retrieve accurate information and reports and even uncover new prospects. It's as easy as browsing for items and making purchases on Amazon. If you can do that, you can use Raiser's Edge NXT.

Cons

Initially getting setup has a lot of steps if you were not previously hosted by Blackbaud. There are usernames and passwords for Blackbaud's site, the hosting portal and Raiser's Edge, which confused some of my users and unnecessarily scared them away from trying to use the product. Now they understand it better and are happy with the functionality.

Wouldn't use any other system.

Pros

So many wonderful features, which outweigh the fact that it's a complicated system that could take a lifetime to master!

Cons

It's a complicated system that feels like it will take a lifetime to master, but it really is the gold standard in donor management software.