I am looking for a statement about what Raisers Edge should really be used for.  We have a committee forming a new development plan.  None of these people have used Raisers Edge to any extent.  Most of the people on the committee are finance people.  They want to restructure Raiser's Edge to reflect the accounting in the finance office.  I have been told that I should close Raiser's Edge at the end of each fiscal year.  I have been told that adding pledge payments from the previous fiscal year is actually "cooking the books".  I have explained many times that Raiser's Edge is a fundraising package not a financial package. I don't think they understand what that means.  Does anyone have any ideas as to how to handle this problem?

http://www.blackbaud.com/products/fundraising/raisersedge.aspx Try this link on the BB website

One way to help discuss this with them is to make an analogy to CRM. Raiser's Edge is basically a Donor Relations software that is designed around stewarding donors and capturing the intent of their gifts. It is donor-centric

Blackbauds Financial Edge is accounting software - the fact that it even exists should be proof enough for these peole that Raiser's Edge is not financial software. It is dollar-centric

The one area of overlap that you can work with a financial department on is the ID code on your Funds - this should relate to the general ledger numbers their financial software uses for each fund.

As to the paying of pledges over multiple years - it sounds as if your accounting folks are not qualified to be accountants. Accrual accounting is the standard and that is basic accounting 101 in my book. Perhaps they are unsure as to what the different gift types in RE are used for and the language needs to be clarified? Pledge is the revenue gift and the date is is made is the fiscal year it belongs to. pay-cash gifts are the payments made against the pledge and these gifts are NOT revenue generating gifts - they are cash-flow gifts and can be made according to the payment schedule you devise with the donor. Multi-year pledges in Campaign Years is business standard in this industry. (Most Capital Campaigns ask for Pledges that commit the donor to make payments for 3-5 years)

Perhaps you need to get the Board involved or your auditors if the committe seems to be one-sided. The practices we are talking about are not just for non-profits - they are standard business practices in for profits as well. I can't imagine your financial folks don't understand 'aging' reports used in a standard retail environment - the theory behind these is basically the same as behind pledges.

Another item to add - someone just emailed me that maybe I should have said Raiser's Edge is FUND-centric as opposed to DONOR-Centric. I disagree and here is why: One big distinction that your accounting folks should be aware of is that the Raiser's Edge does not manage funds. It does not track expenses against them, and therefore the 'balance' of what is left in these funds is something that it is not designed to do. If I were you I would create a list of Functions/Tasks that Raiser's Edge software is designed to do versus what Functions/Tasks are need to be accomplished by a financial software so that you have a 'visual' aid.