LESSons:Together,we’re better! Let’s get social:) #blkbre

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Do you ever wish you could just  talk to another  Raiser’s Edge or Financial Edge user about a particular issue or problem you’re having? Do you ever wonder how other organizations are using the system, or if you’re using it as efficiently as you could be? Did you just figure out some little cool trick that you’re dying to tell somebody about? You’re not alone!

Now, you can interact with others like you, thanks to forums and user groups popping-up all over the web and social media sites. In addition to the ones sponsored by Blackbaud, there are several other independent user groups out there to help.

Look for independent user groups on:

  • LinkedIn– there is one, general group, as well as several region-based groups. Don’t see one for your city? Start one-and invite me to join!
  • Yahoo! Groups-again, there’s a general user’s group and several around the country
  • Facebook– Dave Berger over at Archmere Academy does the selfless, and usually thankless, job of maintaining this page to help other Raiser’s Edge users connect and stay up to date on news and issues about the software.

Most of these tend to be about Raiser’s Edge. I guess fund raisers are more social than accountants wink

Finally, check out  www.blackbus.org., for users of all Blackbaud products. “The Bus”, as it is affectionately known, is an independent forum and an all around friendly community of like minded folks all over the map.

And of course, don’t forget about all the Help functions available elsewhere.

So, if you want to be a part of a community where you don’t  feel silly throwing out words like Constituent and Config, find or start a group you like and start posting!

Do you know of any others you’d like to tell us about? Leave us a comment!

Keeping you on the Leading Edge,

LESSons:It’s a date!

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Did you know you can enter dates into the Raiser’s Edge or the Financial Edge without ever leaving your keyboard? In all date fields in both systems, the following keyboard shortcuts will enter a date:

  • F3 will enter today’s date
  • F7 will open a calendar. Once you are in the calendar, you can scroll from month to month by clicking on the month name. You can also scroll year to year by clicking right beside the year field.
  • In addition, if the date you need to enter is in the current month and year, all you have to enter is the day number! So, if it’s April 2012, and you want the date to be April 20, 1208, then in any date field, simply enter “20”. When you use your tab key to move to the next field, the system will automatically complete it with “04/20/2012”! (Based on your system’s clock).

How cool is that?

The ABC’s of the Financial Edge:A is for Account Codes

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In the Financial Edge, A is for Account Codes!  Why can’t I get this new General Ledger account setup??

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Lessons from LESS: Show your true colors!

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Did you know you can make the  Raiser’s Edge or Financial Edge reflect your own personal flair for color? Both systems include a variety of user specific Legends (Tools, User Options, Color, Legends) that let you display different items in different colors. For example, you can make Debits and Credits display in different colors in Financial Edge. Or in Accounts Payable, you can set alternating rows to display in different colors in the Check Register In the Raiser’s Edge, you can make Cash gifts display in green, while Pledges display in red. This option is not only fun, but it’s useful for helping you quickly identify items on a record. And don’t worry, these settings are for your eyes only; you’re not affecting any system settings. It’s all about your viewing pleasure