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Generating Tax Receipts

in Blackbaud's Raiser's Edge NXT

Kristi Millar

Updated Process to Address Blackbaud Changes to Office Integrations

On February 28, 2022 Blackbaud is implementing changes to how Microsoft Office integrations work within their products. You can read more about the upcoming change

here.⁠

⁠

These changes will impact several processes within RE/RE NXT but we felt that it was of primary importance to provide our clients with some guidance around how to generate tax receipts well in advance of these upcoming changes. It is important to note that if your organization makes use of the Custom Data File option in Mail to generate tax receipts then you will no longer be able to generate tax receipts using your current process as of February 28, 2022.

This guide details our recommended process for preparing for the changes and the updated business process for generating and replacing tax receipts in RE/RE NXT.

Preparation

The updated process will require that the user extract the required data from RE/RE NXT and then perform a Mail Merge locally to generate the letters/receipts. These are the steps you should follow to ensure that you are prepared and can make a seamless transition to the new process starting March 1, 2022:

Your organization must have a license for Microsoft Office to follow this process. If your organization does not have a license you can obtain one at a reduced rate for charities here:

http://nonprofit.microsoft.com/⁠

Decide on a secure, shared location for storing your completed receipts/supporting data. You will complete the merge locally but we recommend planning ahead for a location (on your shared drive etc.) to save/store your completed documents

Export your existing Word documents from the receipt parameter file(s) in Mail. This can be completed following these steps:

https://cms.blackbaudcdn.net/media/docs/default-source/blackbaud-university/how_to_retrieve_letter-templates_mail.pdf?sfvrsn=3cdd1389_2⁠

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Note that we recommend you include one record rather than All Records (as pictured) to limit processing time. If your parameter file is Conditional you may need to do this step for each condition to extract all of your letters

This document(s) will serve as the template for your merges going forward so we recommend saving a copy on your shared drive in case you need it

Generating Tax Receipts

The updated process for creating tax receipts still relies on your parameter file(s) in Mail, the primary difference is that the merge will be completed manually locally rather than being generated from RE/RE NXT. We recommend that you practice these steps as a component of preparation to ensure that any issues can be resolved prior to March 1, 2022.

Open the parameter file in Mail and follow your organization’s process for including the constituents you are generating tax receipts for (i.e. adding your Batch Query etc.)

Instead of clicking the Merge button click the Export button

Select csv as the file type, indicate a location, and name the file then export

When prompted click “No” to mark the gifts as receipted

Open the resulting file and review for any required edits or errors. If there are any, update as required in RE/RE NXT and re-export the file selecting “Yes” to mark the gifts as receipted. If there are none re-export the file and click “Yes” to mark the gifts as receipted

these steps⁠

to complete a Simple Merge and

these steps⁠

for a Conditional Merge using several documents

Remember to Save As rather than Save once you are finished. We recommend a meaningful naming convention (i.e. date and Batch number etc.) to support any future need to locate a receipt

Reprinting Tax Receipts

If the tax receipt has not been issued to the donor (has not left the building) and there is a need to reprint them (i.e. you spilled coffee on them) you can simply reprint the final merged document you saved.

Replacing Receipts

If the donor has received the receipt and requires a new one (i.e. they lost it or you discovered an error after it was sent etc.) follow these steps to replace it:

Open the Constituent record and the Gift you need to reissue the receipt for

Follow your organization’s process for recording the original receipt number as a Gift Note if required

Click on Gift in the gift’s toolbar and select Reprint Receipt

Complete the required fields and select the parameter file you use to replace receipts

Select Export instead of Merge

Select csv as the file type, indicate a location, and name the file then export

Open the resulting file and confirm that the data is correct

Click yes to update the receipt history on the gift when prompted

Follow the merge instructions to create the receipt