My boss and I just pulled this prank on our development team (7 other RE users in all, 2 that use remote access).  We changed all of the RE login passwords and sent out an email explaining that our "system crashed" when we tried to do an import file and that the IT department lost our RE backup.  We kept this up for about an hour before finally giving in.  I even went as far as to create a phony blackbaud case support email from a previous case I had kept.  I pasted the email string below for anyone who wants to do this too! The blackbaud case is at the very bottom. Happy April Fools!

Good morning team -

Not so great news this morning. If you've tried to access Raiser's Edge this morning, you'll find that you're unable to get in.

We tried importing in the spring appeal lists this morning and in the process of doing so received a "system error" message and then the screen locked out. Victoria contacted Blackbaud immediately afterwards and this is the response that we received. It appears that we have wiped out our database. Fortunately we do have Raiser's Edge on backup, but this may take some time to re-upload all the information, as Tim is heading out to a Web 2.0 conference today.

Please cross your fingers that we have not lost all of our data and that we will be able to get into Raiser's Edge within the next few days.

Loving Raiser's Edge (not really...),
******

    


---------- Forwarded message ----------


Ok, Blackbaud tried to trouble shoot, but the rep couldn't pinpoint the problem.  He took it to his "team" and this is the email they just sent me.  I'm really worried.  As it stands all of our information is gone.  They suggest importing documents such as our mail lists, etc. At least Accounting has all the gift information.  We've lost the notes completely.  Should we contact our RE consultant and see if she has a backup?

You are mean!

All we did was replace family pictures on people's desks with photos of senior management team members or George W. Bush.

Those are good!  I emailed our management team and told them we were going live with our new Knowledgebase today because the developers had suddenly fixed the outstanding issues. I got a few panicky emails and phone calls (we haven't finished testing the system or training our staff), so I fessed up after only about 5 minutes. 

Carolyn, you are such a softie - 5 minutes?  LOL

One of our team members is out today so she still has yet to see the pictures we put on her desk. 

Something like this actually happened to me once... not fun!

 :) I reused last years april fools day joke on a different coworker.  Last year I made a screen saver app and set it as the vista background.  it pulls the web cam video feed and displays specified text. In this case, "I can see you and your computer is mine"

 I had a brilliant idea for this year but never put it into effect: I was going to write a faux Trustee decision regarding new contribution recognition levels and "naming" opportunities which would say that donors could have staff cubicles named after them for contributions of certain amounts.  The bigger the cubicle, the bigger the contribution necessary for naming rights.  Oh well, maybe next year.

I changed the word "gift" in RE7 Admin to be displayed as "Pork Pie"

"Pork Pies added today"

"Constituent or Pork Pie query?"

"Total Pork Pie amount"

 It was funny. Well - at least I thought so...

[Background: There was a cult 80s film made in New Zealand called "Goodbye Pork Pie" - about two guys road tripping across the country in a yellow Mini. This month, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film, a bunch of Mini enthusiasts re-enacted the road trip while fundraising for us. They've raised over $116k to date - whoop whoop!]