I’m a big fan of using what you know to figure out what you don’t know. Likewise, I’m big on things that work the same way or mean the same thing everywhere you see them, especially in the Raiser’s Edge. (There’s that consistency thing againJ). So, you can only imagine my utter delight with and total affection for the Sigma button in the Raiser’s Edge.
If you remember waaayyyyyy back to your Accounting 101 days, you’ll recall that the Greek letter Sigma is universally recognized as a Sum function. Even if you never took accounting, you’re probably familiar with it in Excel, where it also means AutoSum. It should come as no surprise then, that in the Raiser’s Edge, when you see the Sigma on the toolbar, it represents the opportunity to produce some kind of Summary for the record you are currently viewing. How cool is that?
It’s available on all top level records in the standard version of the Raiser’s Edge. Time out, Miss Sandy, you promised when we started this way back on A that you wouldn’t do Geek speak, so please explain what a top level record is. It’s simply a record that can survive on its own without being attached to or supported by another record. Top level records in the Raiser’s Edge are:
- Constituent
- Campaign
- Fund
- Appeal
- Event (optional module)
- Job (optional module)
The Giving Summaries have all the usual suspects available for filtering like dates, gift types, and Campaign, Fund, or Appeal (on the Constituent Summary). Additional Participant filters are also available on the Event Summary, if you have the optional Event Management module.
All of the Summaries display metrics that development professionals love, like:
- First, Latest, Greatest gift
- Total number of Gifts (Number of Donors on the fundraising summaries)
- Total given
- Average, Median, and Mode gift
- Top Donors by Count or Percentage
In addition, the Appeal Summary can display a Cost Analysis view that displays:
- Total Cost
- # Solicited
- Cost per Solicitation
- Cost per Response
- Cost per Dollar Raised
Development types love this stuff!!! Of course, it can only produce these metrics if you’ve entered data on the Attributes/Expenses tab of the Appeal. Even the Raiser’s Edge can’t divide by zero, little lamb 😉
The Giving Summary can break down Total Given by:
- Campaign, Fund or Appeal
- Calendar or Fiscal year
- Gift type
- Solicitor
Additional Summaries available include:
- Honor/Memorial Summary (on the Constituent record with the optional Tribute module)
- Solicitor Performance Summary (Constituent)
- Goal Summary (Campaign, Fund, and Appeal)
The Campaign, Fund, and Appeal Summaries even include a thermometer!!! Who doesn’t LOVE a thermometer???
AND all of these fields are queryable!!!
See why I get so excited about the Sigma button??
Keeping you on the Leading Edge,
Blackbaud Certified Raiser’s Edge Professional
PS All of these are also available under View on the Menu bar if you’re not a Toolbar kind of person 😉
