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Migrating from Raiser’s Edge to Salesforce

May 12, 2023 by Domino Media

Raiser’s Edge and Salesforce are two of the most popular software systems used by non-profit organizations for managing donor and fundraising data. While Raiser’s Edge has been a longtime favorite, Salesforce has emerged as a strong competitor in recent years due to its powerful tools and customization options. In this blog post, we’ll explore the process of migrating from Raiser’s Edge to Salesforce, including the benefits and challenges of making the switch.

Benefits of Migrating to Salesforce

There are several benefits to migrating from Raiser’s Edge to Salesforce. One of the most significant advantages is the ability to customize Salesforce to meet the specific needs of your organization. Salesforce offers a vast array of features and integrations that can be tailored to fit your unique requirements, which can result in a more efficient and effective fundraising process.

Another advantage of Salesforce is its user-friendly interface. Many users find Salesforce to be easier to navigate and more intuitive than Raiser’s Edge, which can help reduce training time and improve productivity. Additionally, Salesforce offers robust reporting and analytics tools that can provide valuable insights into donor behavior and campaign performance.

Challenges of Migrating to Salesforce

Despite the many benefits of Salesforce, there are also some challenges associated with migrating from Raiser’s Edge. One of the biggest obstacles is the complexity of the migration process itself. Moving from one software system to another requires careful planning and execution to ensure that data is transferred accurately and without loss.

Another challenge is the potential for user resistance. Some staff members may be hesitant to switch to a new system, particularly if they are accustomed to using Raiser’s Edge. To overcome this challenge, it’s essential to provide thorough training and support to help staff members feel confident and comfortable using Salesforce.

Tips for a Successful Migration

To ensure a successful migration from Raiser’s Edge to Salesforce, it’s important to follow a few key steps:

  1. Define your goals and requirements: Before beginning the migration process, it’s important to define your goals and requirements for the new system. This will help ensure that Salesforce is configured to meet your organization’s specific needs.
  2. Develop a migration plan: A well-designed migration plan is critical to the success of the process. This should include a detailed timeline, data mapping, and testing procedures.
  3. Clean up your data: To ensure accurate data transfer, it’s important to clean up your existing data before migrating to Salesforce. This includes removing duplicate records, standardizing data formats, and ensuring that all data is up-to-date and relevant.
  4. Provide thorough training: To help staff members feel confident and comfortable using Salesforce, it’s important to provide thorough training and support. This can include in-person training sessions, online resources, and ongoing support from a dedicated Salesforce administrator.
  5. Test and refine: Once the migration is complete, it’s essential to test the new system thoroughly and refine as needed. This may involve adjusting configurations, updating data, and fine-tuning processes to ensure that everything is working as expected.

Conclusion

Migrating from Raiser’s Edge to Salesforce can be a complex process, but with careful planning and execution, it can result in a more efficient and effective fundraising process. By defining your goals and requirements, developing a migration plan, cleaning up your data, providing thorough training, and testing and refining the new system, you can ensure a successful transition to Salesforce and take your fundraising efforts to the next level.