Product Update Briefing

As Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT shifts to a total web solution, we're moving features from database view exclusively to web view. As this shift progresses, we'll remove access to these features in database view.

To reduce the risk of service interruptions, gather feedback, and scale as needed, we're releasing these updates in waves instead of deploying everything at once.

For each feature area, we've listed "wave" dates to indicate when a feature area will begin to turn off in database view. If your organization is included in a wave, you will no longer have access to that specific feature beginning on the date listed. It's important to know that you may receive the updates immediately or in a future release. To review feature areas and dates, see Total Web Solution.

Add, edit, and delete invoices for receivables from Receivables, Invoices and view their record pages.

To view an invoice, select it in the ID column.

The page opens for you to view important data such as the summary, line items for the invoice, and the history.

To increase the total amount the client owes for billing items such as a flat fee (for example, a shipping charge), select Add line item. For details, see Invoice Line Items in Receivables.

Tip: When you save a line item, you can select to add another line item for the invoice or copy it.

Note: In a future release, we'll offer the ability to edit and delete invoices with line items.

For details, see Invoices.

Add, edit, void, and delete deposits from Receivables, Deposits. When you add a new deposit, under the new Deposit type section, select Receivables.

The remaining steps to add and manage a deposit for receivables is the same as a deposit in Treasury. For details, see Deposits.

Note: The receivable payments associated with these deposits are in database view. In a future release, we'll offer full support for adding payments in web view.

Add, edit, void, and delete payments from a deposit in Receivables and view their record pages.

Note: In a future release, we'll offer support for third-party billing and applying payments to outstanding invoices.

To view a payment from Receivables, Payments, select it under Payment ID.

The page opens for you to include important data such as status, payment method, and details for the associated deposit. You can also split a receivable and misc payment.

To void a payment, open one with a Posted status and select Void.

After you confirm to void the payment, determine if you want to add a bank adjustment to decrease the balance or reduce the deposit amount. Enter the void and post dates, then select Void again to complete the changes.

For details, see Payments.

Add, edit, reverse, and delete credits from Receivables, Credits and view their record pages. To view a credit, select it under Credit ID.

Note: You can also manage credits with Product billing items.

Note: In a future release, we'll offer support for third-party billing and applying payments to outstanding invoices.

The page opens for you to view important data such as status, description, and post info.

You can also view distributions and applications for the credit.

Reverse credits

To reverse a credit, open one with a Posted status and select Delete.

Tip: You can't delete a credit with unposted adjustments.

After you confirm to delete the credit, enter a reversal date for the journal entry that automatically generates the next time you post.

Adjust credits

To adjust a credit, open one with a Posted status and select Adjust.

Enter adjustment details, such as the new date and reason, then save.

For details, see Credits.

When you add Credits and their distributions in the web view, you can also apply them to charges for a client.

Add, edit, and delete billing items from Receivables, Billing items and view record pages for flat rate, variable rate or quantity, and product billing items.

You can also manage and filter finance charge, refund, and sales tax billing item types. For details, see Billing Item Types

Tip: Variable rate billing items were previously called per usage in the database view.

To view the record for a flat rate, variable rate, or product billing item, select it in the Name column.

The page opens for you to view important data such as the description, status, comments, and history.

For details, see Billing Items.

Add, edit, and delete clients from Receivables, Clients and view their record pages.

To add a new client, select New, Individual client or Organization client. Enter client details such as status, address and contact info, as well as data entry and billing item defaults.

To view a client record, select it under Client. From the client record, you can review transaction activity and manage details related to the client including notes, actions, and custom fields.

Tip: From a client record, you can also determine who receives statements (or copies) and add automatic payments for clients. For details, see Statements and Automatic payments.

For details, see Clients.

View refund records from Receivables, Clients. To view a refund, open the client's record and select Activity.

Note: In a future release, you'll be able to add and edit refunds.

To view the refund record, select View from a row's menu. The Overview, Distributions, and Applications tabs display for you to view and edit additional info.

For details, see Refunds.

Add, edit, reverse, and delete charges from Receivables, Charges and view their record pages. To view a charge, select it in the Charge ID column.

Note: You can also manage charges with Product billing items.

The page opens for you to view important data such as charge details and billing info, payments and credits, payers, and distributions.

Reverse charges

To reverse a charge, open one with a Posted status and select Delete.

Tip: You can't delete a charge with unposted adjustments.

After you confirm to delete the credit, enter a reversal date for the journal entry that automatically generates the next time you post.

Adjust charges

To adjust a charge, open one with a Posted status and select Adjust.

Enter adjustment details, such as the new date and reason, then save.

For details, see Charges.

From Receivables, Communications, view, add, edit, rename, and generate statements. Under Statements, search and sort the list to quickly locate the statement you want. To edit, select the statement's name or choose Edit from the statement's menu.

Statements are records of charge and payment activity you create for multiple clients at once. You can send statements to the client who received the goods or services as well as the client's payers. Clients can also receive copies of other client’s statements.

Tip: To customize statements, you can now include logos when setting your parameters.

For details, see Receivables Communications.

From Receivables, Settings, select Configuration, General to add contact info such as address and phone.

From Receivables, Settings, select Configuration, Aging info to track receivables invoices and determine if they are current or overdue (and by how many days).

For details, see Aging Info.

From Receivables, Settings, select Configuration, Statement info to view and edit custom transaction references to use on statements. Here, you define reference info for all receivables transaction types, such as payments and credits.

For details, see Statement Info.

From Receivables, Settings, select Configuration, Payment terms to define terms for invoices so you can offer your clients discounts if they make early payments. For example, if you offer a 3/5 net 30 discount, clients receive a 3% discount if they pay within 5 days.

For details, see Receivables Settings.

From Receivables, Settings, select Configuration, Addressee and salutations to define the way client addressee info and salutations display on statements, invoices, and other correspondence.

For details, see Receivables Settings.

From Receivables, Settings, you can select Configuration, Default accounts to designate specific accounts to use in distributions. Since the accounts you select impact your records and distributions, evaluate each setting closely.

For details, see Receivables Default Accounts.

Under Receivables, Settings, work with all business rules for receivables.

Receivables business rules help you customize standard procedures and requirements to suit your organization.

For details, see Receivables Settings.

Under Reporting, add and run the Client account activity report to review transactions for specific clients.

For details, see Client Account Activity Report.

Under Reporting, add and run the Service and sales analysis report. This provides transaction information for clients and products.

For details, see Service and Sales Analysis Report.

Under Reporting, add and run the Account distribution report. Use this report to view debit and credit amounts created by receivables transactions and adjustments.

For details, see Account Distribution Report for Receivables.

From Reporting, add and run the Aged accounts receivable report. Use this report to view balances distributed in aging periods which will help determine past due and current balances for clients.

For details, see Aged Accounts Receivable Report.

From Reporting, add and run the Open items report. Use this report to view open transactions (including charges) based on a selected date. Determine if transactions posted properly and which subsidiary ledger transactions are causing a difference in your general ledger balance.

For details, see Open Items Report.

A journal reference is a user-defined, alphanumeric code added to each journal entry transaction during batch creation. They help you track details and compare transactions with source documents.

From General ledger, Settings, Posting info, customize these journal references using prefixes for adjustments and reversals, journal values for transactions, as well as field and length details.

For details, see Posting Info.

From General ledger, Post subledgers, add post parameters and post transactions for receivables.

When you add a post parameter, under Subledger, select "Receivables". You can then specify a journal code to assign to transactions.

To post receivables transactions, select Receivables.

Note: Receivables transactions will post from database view. In a future release, we'll offer full support for adding and managing receivables in web view.

The remaining steps for adding parameters and posting transactions remains the same as it is for other subledgers. For more details, see Post Subledgers.

From Receivables, Query, add and manage queries.

For details, see Query.

Add custom fields for receivables from Control panel, Fields and tables. When you add a custom field, under Subledger, select "Receivables" to make the field available for use in all relevant areas.

Note: In database view, custom fields are called attributes.

For details, see Custom Fields.

From Control panel, Record security, work with bank security groups, manage user security for those groups, and confirm access. Previously, you worked with these settings from Administration, Set up system security in database view.

For details, see Record Security.

From Control panel, Record security, User security, allow users to select and use specific signatures, and grant or prevent access to accounts and projects. Previously, you worked with these settings from Administration, Set up system security in database view.

For details, see Record Security.

Provide users the ability to view data, but not modify it. In Control panel, Record security, from the menu of a user, select Assign view-only access.

A view-only user can also be restricted by group rights. For example, if you add a view-only user to a group with rights only to Accounts Payable, they will only be able to see data in Accounts Payable and no other functionality.

However, adding a view-only user to a security group that has add, edit, or delete rights to records will not increase the user's rights.

For details, see Record Security.

To help admins understand changes to roles in their organization and the impact to users, admins can now view role history. From Security, Audit history, Role history, admins can see the details of task and permission changes for each role change.

For details, see User and Role Audit History.

Add and edit supported queries in web view to search for records that meet certain criteria. To navigate to Query, select it from the following:

• General ledger

• Payables

• Receivables

• Treasury

• Fixed assets

For more information, see Query.

Activate reminders for generating invoices and designate how many days in advance to display the reminders.

From Payables, Settings, under Business rules, select Recurring invoices. Select When invoices need to be generated, then specify the number of days and whether or not to exclude "Do not post" as a post status.

Establish duplicate payment criteria to identify and warn users when duplicate payments exist in Treasury.

From Treasury, Settings, under Business rules, select Payments. Select the payment field, enter the character length to compare payments, and select Check for duplicate payments.

You can also select whether to warn users that duplicate payments exist and prevent them from saving these payments.

From General ledger, Settings, International addresses, add, edit, and delete countries; specify abbreviation and address formats; and choose to synchronize address fields.

For details, see International Addresses.

Under Pay invoices on a bank account record, select Format settings to manage EFT settings.

For details, see EFT Settings.

Electronic signatures are images you can use on checks, purchase orders, and receipts.

Depending on user permissions, you can add, edit, and delete signatures from the Settings page in Treasury and Payables.

For details, see Manage Signatures.

• Under Pay invoices on a bank account record, select Format settings to associate logos with checks.

  For details, see Format Check Settings.

• From Treasury, Settings, add, edit, and delete check logos.

  For details, see Manage Logos.

From Payables, add and manage recurring invoices. Recurring invoices are templates from which you create regular invoices quickly and easily according to a schedule. They're helpful for tracking recurring revenues such as monthly rental income, planned giving donations, and grant reimbursement requests.

For details, see Recurring Invoices for Payables.

From Payables, Settings, you can manage payables business rules. Business rules help you customize standard procedures and requirements to suit your organization.

For details, see Payables Business Rules.

From Payables, Settings, you can manage payables configuration settings. These settings help you define settings and features. For example, you can adjust settings to increase the efficiency of your record keeping and improve data entry.

For details, see Payables Configuration.

From Payables, Purchase orders, add and manage purchase orders.

Purchase orders are used to track and manage orders to outside organizations.

Tip: You can also add and manage from a vendor record.

For details, see Purchase Orders.

From Payables, add purchase orders from approved purchase requests.

For details, see Add purchase orders.

From Payables, Receipts, add and manage purchase order receipts.

When you create a receipt for a purchase order, you automatically generate the entries required to reverse encumbrance transactions posted from a purchase order. A receipt also acts as a template you can use for creating invoices for items you have received.

From a purchase order record, review receipt details under Receipts  or from the Receipts tab.

For details, see Purchase Order Receipts.

From Payables, Settings, Configuration, add and work with default flat amount line items.

Add default flat amount line items (formerly miscellaneous line items), such as freight charges and local sales taxes, to quickly select them when creating purchase orders.

For details, see Flat amount line items.

From Payables, when you create bulk purchase orders from approved requisitions, the Vendor column is editable so you can select and change the vendor. This is helpful when you want to associate a particular vendor with a purchase request line item.

For details, see Add purchase orders.

Purchase order forms include order details for goods or services provided by a vendor. You can work with these forms in several ways:

• From Payables, Communications, under Purchase order forms, select Add.

  When you add or edit, select options and enter details to customize your form. You can always go back and update parameters when needed.

  Depending on your needs, save and generate the form immediately or save and return at a later time. After the form generates, you can print or export.

  

• From Payables, Purchase orders, select Print from the menu of a purchase order (as long as the status isn't closed or canceled). Then choose to generate an existing purchase order form or add a new one. After the form generates, you can print or export.

  

• From Payables, Purchase orders, select a purchase order number to view the record (to print, the status must not be closed or canceled).

  From the action bar, select Print (or More actions, Print), then choose to generate an existing purchase order form or add a new one. After the form generates, you can print or export.

  

• From Payables, Settings, you can add and manage signatures and logos to include on your purchase order forms. Under Configuration, select Signatures and Organization logos.

  Tip: When you're ready to add and generate your purchase order form, specify which logo and signatures to include under Parameters, Purchase order format.

For more information, see Payables Communications and Purchase Order Records.

From Reporting, add and run the Requisition profile report. This presents biographical and summary info for specified requisitions and subordinate line item details for a specified period of time.

For details, see Requisition Profile Report.

From Reporting, add and run the Requisition detail report. This lists subordinate line item details for specified requisitions and periods of time. All totals are presented in terms of transaction totals and exclude outstanding balances.

For details, see Requisition Detail Report.

From Reporting, add and run the Receipt report. This presents extended cost info versus actual cost info for line items received. The report is activity-based and compares the line item extended cost to the receipt amount for each line item receipted in Payables.

For details, see Receipt Report.

From Reporting, add and run the GASB - Statement of revenues, expenditures, and changes report. This provides a summary of your organization’s financial activity over a period of time.

For details, see GASB - Statement of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes.

From Reporting, you can now filter untagged reports in web view. From the list of reports, select Filter, Tags, then choose Untagged for one or more feature areas.

For details, see Reporting.

With Report Scheduler, generate reports and email them to existing users based on a schedule. For example, you can generate and email a daily income statement to all department heads in your organization. The report is sent as a PDF file and can easily be accessed via the email application associated with the recipients.

Warning: The ability to schedule, email, and receive reports is based on specific reporting permissions. Only users associated with the Queue task for the Shared components role can use Report Scheduler functionality. For more information, see Roles.

From the Add report screen, select Email report based on schedule, then specify dates, times, recurrence, and frequency.

You can then search for and select existing users who should receive the reports. Note that you can email reports only to existing Financial Edge NXT users with appropriate permissions.

Select Next to finish choosing parameters and save. The report will be emailed at the date, time, and frequency you specified.

Note: When emailing a report based on an immediate start time, a slight delay may occur. We recommend scheduling slightly ahead to allow time to process.

If necessary, you can update the report schedule at any time. From the Reports list page, select Edit schedule from the menu of a previously scheduled report. Make any necessary changes and save. If you delete a report, the schedule is also removed.

Note: Report Scheduler is a new feature with no dependency on database view. In database view, you may have worked with the optional module Accounting Queue. It’s important to note that Report Scheduler in web view is a completely new feature, even though the ability to email reports is similar to functionality from database view.

For details, see Add a Report.

From Treasury, use a .qif, .ofx, .qbo, bai.txt, or .qfx file from your bank to match and clear transactions in your register electronically. After you complete the process, matching transactions have a Cleared status and transactions that don't match display as exceptions on the Clear Transactions Electronically report. Use the report to identify, match, and clear unmatched transactions. You can then reconcile the bank account. For more details, see Clear Transactions Electronically.

Note: Use this process to clear transactions if you're not using Yodlee to clear them in bank feeds. If you're using Yodlee, a third-party financial aggregator, review Match and Clear Transactions to match and clear transactions.

From the bank register's action bar, select Clearing history to review important details about previous clearing imports such as the last run date and the number of exceptions. You can also view and download the import file.

To manage and generate receipts for payments, review the following details:

• First establish format receipt options from Treasury, Settings. Under Deposits, select Format receipts to include your organization's address and email on the receipt. For more details, see Format receipt.

• Generate and print receipts from the Payments tab or from the payment's record.

  Under Payments, select one or more payments, then select Generate receipts at the bottom of the list. You can then choose to generate or preview. After the receipt displays, you can download and email, or print and mail.

  Tip: To generate multiple receipts, simply select the checkbox for each payment you want to receipt. For more details, see Payments.

• From a payment's record, select Generate receipt on the action bar.

  The same message displays for you to confirm you want to generate the receipt or preview it. After the receipt displays, you can also download and print it.

  For details, see Generate and print receipt.

To improve efficiency as you work with journal entry batches, we made the following enhancements:

• Apply project distribution sets when splitting distributions

  When you add or edit a regular or recurring amount batch, apply project distribution sets when splitting distributions. From the split distribution screen, select More, Apply project distribution set to apply predefined sets that you created in General ledger, Settings, Distribution sets.

• Save and post a batch

  When you add or edit a regular batch and choose Approved as the batch status, select Save and post.

• Run a batch detail report

  To create a batch detail report for a regular batch, select More, Run report from the action bar of a batch record. Choose from existing batch detail report parameters, then select Run.

• Select a journal reference when copying

  Specify a journal reference in two additional ways:

  • Add a regular batch and choose Copy from recurring batch.

  • Select Copy batch from the action bar or menu of either batch type, and choose to copy a regular batch type.

For details, see Batch Records.

From Expenses, Manage expenses, select View all invoice requests to quickly view the status of all your invoice requests and update as necessary.

For details, see View All Invoice Requests.

From Expenses, Settings, use the Approval rule groups tab to add, edit, and delete approval rule groups, associate approval rules, and specify which users to include in those groups. These approval rule groups are no longer tied to the security groups you previously configured in database view (from Accounts Payable, Administration).

From Expenses, Settings, Approval rules, you can continue to add new approval rules, as well as edit and delete existing ones. This is existing functionality. However, note that when you select Edit groups, the list only displays the approval rule groups added from the new Approval rule groups tab and are no longer tied to the security groups you previously configured in database view (from Accounts Payable, Administration).

For details, see Approval Rule Groups.

From Control panel, Fields and tables, specify the length of the table short description. Previously, tables had a designated length of "6".

For details, see Manage Tables.

• Search for apps or service solutions using Categories in Blackbaud Marketplace.

• For Blackbaud Marketplace listings, we added a Starting price label to indicate the lowest price point to purchase and use an app. This helps you quickly decide to either learn more about an app or connect now.

• We added the Activity types (List) endpoint (for Canada) and the Sales tax items (List) (for Canada and Australia).

• The Vendor (Get) endpoint includes the following fields:

  • Canada and Australia: gst_tax_type and gst_tax_type_desc

  • Canada: psb_activity_code; psb_activity_code_id; and psb_activity_code_desc

  • Australia: gst_branch

• The Vendor (Create) endpoint includes the following fields:

  • Canada and Australia: gst_tax_type

  • Canada: psb_activity_code_id

  • Australia: gst_branch

• The Invoice (List) endpoint includes the following fields:

  • Canada and Australia: gst_tax_type

• The Invoice (Create) endpoint includes the following fields:

  • United States, Canada, and Australia: purchase_order_number

  • Canada and Australia: include_tax; amount_before_tax; gst_tax_type_id; tax_amount; and gst_sales_tax_detail_list (also includes tax_entity and amount)

  • Canada: psb_activity_code_id; gst_rebate_amount; pst_rebate_amount; gst_rebate_distribution; and pst_rebate_distribution (both distribution fields also include tax_entity_id)

  • Australia: tax_distribution (also includes tax_entity_id)

• The Invoice (Get) endpoint includes the following fields:

  • Canada and Australia: invoice_amount_before_tax; include_tax; gst_tax_type_id; and tax_amount

  • Canada: psb_activity_code_id; gst_rebate_amount; pst_rebate_amount; gst_rebate_distribution; and pst_rebate_distribution (both distribution fields also include tax_entity_id)

  • Australia: tax_distribution (also includes tax_entity_id)

• The Query API is generally available (GA).

• We limit users to queue or run 20 query jobs at a time. Once you reach the limit, requests to run more queries return an error until one or more of the existing jobs complete.

• We offer support for:

  • Attribute fields

  • Static entry fields

  • Lookup fields

  • Specific record types

• Merge queries support "Execute by ID".

• To help you distinguish query exports, use the Query API to specify the name of the results file name.

• To add and edit queries, we added the Query (Post); Query (Patch); and Query (Get lookup values) endpoints in a public preview.

We added the Asset list (Get) and Transaction list (Get) endpoints.