We upgraded to RE 7.7 last week. We are having trouble deciding how to use the new notepad function in actions.

There are two main questions:

1)What notepad types did you create, that are different then the action type, category or status? We have complaints that we are duplicating our efforts.

2)We are having issues deciding what notes to write in action notes, and what to write in regular notes. I have my own thoughts on this, but would like to know what others are doing.

Thanks!!!
Katie Kupiecki
Manager of Development Information Systems
Aquinas College

My office was frustrated by the shift in action notes structure with 7.7. It does feel like duplication of efforts. In addition, our experience is that there is usually only one note per action. As a result, we have created one notepad "type" of General, which we use for everything. I encourage users to put historical and/or unchanging information in general notes, such as "Two children named Mattie and Lilly, and a dog. Moved to PDX in '90" and to put more contact and context-specific information in action notes, such as "Phone call, thanked for gift. Loves the Library. Reading "War and Peace" currently." Action notes are used specifically for the content of contact (i.e. text of a letter or email) while general notes are for information/history that other staff should know before they contact the donor. Hope that helps. Faith Danforth Development Database Manager The Library Foundation Portland, Oregon