Exporting Historic Data from Raiser's Edge

Everything you need to know to get all information out of Raiser's Edge!

Updated over a week ago

The Data Imports team strongly recommends that you export or download all data from your former donor management system, whether or not you ultimately decide to send your files to the team for assistance in the importing process. This allows you to have a complete archive of your former system, in the event that a field is overlooked during the import process.

To export your contact and donations from Raiser's Edge (RE), you will need to use both the "RE Query" and "RE Export" functions to build specific queries, and then be able download those queries. You'll also need these functions to build exports separately, and be able to download outputs from those exports.

In this guide, we'll go through exporting the following types of information, which are the most commonly used modules in Raiser's Edge:

  • Constituent name and contact information

  • Constituency codes, relationships, and attributes

  • Gift and pledge information

  • Pledge installment and payment information

  • Soft credit and tribute information

Whether from the "Export" or "Query" section, exports should be saved as .CSV files - this allows RE to export all columns in a single file.

For each different export, we have provided general instructions and a list of fields. Please do not add more fields than our Imports Team has suggested, as this can result in extremely large and - unmanageable - export files.

Areas

In Raiser's Edge, on the left are the main sections. The two sections mentioned in this guide are:

  • Query

  • Export

There are a list of folders to the right of these sections when chosen. In the folders, it listed to the right the Queries or Exports (depending on the section you are in).

When in the Query or Export detailed section there are 2-4 tabs. Those being:

  • General OR Criteria

  • Output

  • Sort Results

Most of this guide will operate in the Output tab when in the Query or Export details.

Preparing for Export

We recommend that you take the following steps to setup for the export process:

In the Query section of RE, create a Query Folder titled Donor Management (located in "Organize Categories"). This is useful for storing all the reports you’ll need in one place.

Then, create a query with all the constituents that you wish to export.

Next, select the new category/folder, and create a "Constituent" type query.

We strongly recommend that you export your entire database including inactive and deceased constituents. We also recommend you choose to create this query as a “Static” query rather than a “Dynamic”, as it may speed up your export process.

Leave the "Criteria" tab empty, but be sure to leave the options turned on to include “inactive,” “deceased,” and “no valid address” constituents.

Define the “Output” tab of this query to include the following fields. Be sure to include these from the Constituent Information, not from the spouse or any related constituents:

  • System Record ID (also known as CnBio_System_ID)

  • Constituent ID (also known as CnBio_ID)

  • Import ID

  • Sort Name

  • Key Indicator

  • Last Name

  • First Name

  • Organization Name

Finally, run the query and save it with an easy-to-remember title (such as Donor Management Export) - then, export the results into a .CSV file. Please be sure the column headers are retained and reflect the actual field names - this export may take some time.

NOTE: This query will continue to be used throughout this entire guide.

Name and Address

To start, you will click on the Export section from within RE and then follow the New Export button.

Next, choose to export selected constituents and select the query that you saved in the previous step (i.e. Bonterra-all records), then hit Next.

This should take you to a screen where you can define the Output of the export. Please include the following fields from the appropriate section:

1. Constituent Information section (expand this area to see the list of available fields):

  • System Record ID (also known as CnBio_System_ID)

  • Constituent ID (also known as CnBio_ID)

  • Key Indicator

  • Inactive?

  • Organization Name

  • Last Name

  • First Name

  • Middle Name

  • Maiden Name

  • Nickname

  • Title 1

  • Title 2

  • Suffix 1

  • Suffix 2

  • Gender

  • Birth date

  • Deceased?

  • Deceased Date

  • Anonymous?

  • Spouse ID

  • Marital status

2. Addressee/Salutation section:

  • Primary Addressee

  • Primary Salutation

3. Address > Preferred Address section:

  • Address Line 1

  • Address Line 2

  • City

  • State

  • ZIP

  • Country

  • Type

  • Seasonal From

  • Seasonal To

4. Spouse > Biographical section (expand section to see fields):

  • System Record ID (also known as CnBio_System_ID)

  • Constituent ID (also known as CnBio_ID)

  • Last Name

  • First Name

  • Gender

  • Any contact information, such as Phone, Email, etc.

Phones and Emails

1In the Query section of RE (leave the Export section), create a new Constituent Query.

In the Tools Menu, there should be a “Query Options” section, which opens some advanced options for your query. Select the tab labeled “Record Processing” and choose the “select from query” box, then find the “Bonterra-all records” query you built in the setup phase.

In the criteria section, choose the “Phone number” field and choose the “not blank” option. This should limit your output to constituents who have values in the phone number field.

You will need to look for this field underneath the "Preferred Address" heading. Also, Raiser's Edge stores email addresses in phone number fields so this is the process you use to export both phone numbers and email addresses.

In the Output section, choose the following fields:

  • Constituent ID (also known as CnBio_ID)

  • System Record ID (also known as CnBio_System_ID)

  • Phone Number

  • Phone Type

Save (File > Save As) and run the query. It will be normal to see the System Record ID repeat in rows as every time there is a phone number it will create a row.

Output the query to a CSV file.

Constituency Codes

Repeat the steps outlined above for phone numbers, until you reach the criteria section.

Leave the criteria section blank as most installations of RE require assigning at least one constituency code.

In the Output section, choose the following fields:

  • System Record ID (also known as CnBio_System_ID)

  • Constituency (may be labeled Constituent Code Description)

Save and run the query. As with phone numbers, it will be normal to see a row for every constituent code (the System Record ID should repeat).

Output the query into a .CSV file.

Attributes

Repeat the steps outlined above for phone numbers, until you reach the criteria section.

In the Output section, choose the following fields:


From the Constituent Information section (expand this area to see the list of available fields):

  • System Record ID (also known as CnBio_System_ID)

  • Attributes section (expand); for each type of attribute you wish to export (be sure to exclude inactive and unused attributes; trying to export them all when few are actually used/useful causes delays and may incur additional charges) choose the following field:

  • Description

Relationships

To export these items, you will need to use the RE Export section (not an output from a query as above).

To get there, you will click on the Export tab from within RE, and then click the New Export button.

For consistency, please use the “Selected Records” choice and choose the Query you built in the setup phase.

For both relationships and attributes you will be asked how many want to export per constituent. We recommend choosing a reasonable value. The max is 99, but usually something around 10 or 20 is plenty.

Also, it is vital that you do not add extra fields from what we describe as each time you do so the number of columns grows exponentially. The "number" option will be listed within the field list.

With your first newly created Export (see above) add the following fields to the Output area:

Constituent Information section (expand the area to see the list of available fields):

  • System Record ID (also known as CnBio_System_ID)

Relationships section (expand the area to see the list of available fields); for each type of relationship you wish to export (typically most just export the “Individuals”) choose the following fields:

First, type in "20."

  • Constituent ID (sometimes Bio ID or just ID)

  • Reciprocal

  • Relationship

  • Is Constituent? 

  • Is Head of Household?

  • Include First Name, Last Name, and any other contact fields that you may have used for non-account relationships (these non-account relationships are denoted by Is Constituent? = No)

Gifts and Pledges

As with the previous export, to start this process, first click on the RE Export section, and create a New Export. Here, instead of Constituents, you'll instead want to export Gifts.

Fields to export:

1. From the Constituent Information section (expand this area to see the list of available fields):

  • System Record ID (also known as CnBio_System_ID)

2. From the general gift area (usually falls under the name you give your Export in the output area), choose the following fields:

  • System Record ID (also known as Gf_Gift_ID)

  • Anonymous?

  • Fund

  • Appeal 

  • Campaign

  • Check Date

  • Check Number

  • Currency Amount

  • Date 1st Pay

  • Gift Amount

  • Gift Date

  • Gift Subtype

  • Gift Type

  • Tribute Type (this field may not exist)

  • Tribute Description (this field may not exist)

  • Installment Frequency

  • Pay Method

  • Reference

Pledge Installments and Payments

Again, start this process by clicking on the Export section from within RE, and then click the New Export button. This will also be a Gift record export.

We recommend exporting 20 installments and 5 payments per installment. This of course depends on your records, but this should cover most cases with a bit of room. The "number" option will be listed within the field list.

Fields to export:

1. From the General Gift area (usually falls under the name you give your Export in the output area), choose the following fields:

  • System Record ID (this refers to the main gift’s System Record ID)

2. From the Constituent Information area:

  • System Record ID (and/or possibly their Constituent or Bio ID)

3. From the Installments area:

First, type in "20."

  • System Record ID (refers to the installment’s System Record ID)

  • Amount

  • Balance

  • Date

  • From Installments > Payments:

    • Type in "5."

    • Amount

    • From Installments > Payments > Payment Gift:

      • System Record ID (refers to the payment’s System Record ID)

  • From Installments > Write-offs:

    • Amount

Soft Credits and Tributes

To start, you will click on the Export section from within RE, and then click the New Export button. This will also be a Gift record export.

Here we recommend exporting 10-20 Soft Credits and 10-20 Tributes per Gift. The "number" option will be listed within the field list.

Fields to export:

1. From the General Gift area (usually falls under the name you give your Export in the output area), choose the following field:

  • System Record ID (this refers to the main gift’s System Record ID)

2. From the Constituent Information area:

  • System Record ID (and/or possibly their Constituent or Bio ID)

3. From the Soft Credits area:

First, type in "20."

  • System Record ID

  • Constituent ID (allows connection to a constituent)

  • Amount

4. From the Tributes area: (this field may not exist)

Type in "20."

  • Tribute > Tribute Constituent Record:

  • System Record ID

  • Constituent ID

  • Tribute Type

  • Tribute Description

  • Tribute

  • Name

If the Tributes section does not exist, please look under Attributes, and search for "Honor/Memorial," then choose "Description."

If you are still having trouble with exporting from Raiser's Edge, you may want to reach out to their support team for more assistance.

Once you do have these two exported files, you can send them to our Data Import Team, for assistance in importing them into your new Donor Management software! 

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