User Interface History Timeline

In 2007, Blackbaud CRM ships for the first time with users accessing the application through the ClickOnce Smart Client. ClickOnce Smart Client is a client-side, Windows Forms-based application technology that runs only on Microsoft Windows computers that causes deployment challenges and is not industry standard.

In 2008, our Infinity platform engineers leverage latest in industry standards in building a new web-based user interface known as Web Shell or Web UI which is built using HTML5 and CSS3 along with modern JavaScript libraries. Applying these technologies to our user interface paves the way for cross-browser compatibility. At the same time, Web Shell provides an opportunity to rethink our user experience along with the layout and design of the user interface.

January 2010 saw the release of our new forms architecture called UI Model which is designed to improve the way user interface logic is developed and also to allow greater re-use and customization of that UI logic.Most importantly, the UI model enables customizations to be compliant with Web Shell. During this time, Blackbaud began to convert our own features to work within Web Shell utilizing the UI Model.

In 2011, Altru ships with the Web Shell user interface. Altru is Blackbaud's arts and cultural solution for general admissions organizations. Altru is built on the Infinity platform, just like Blackbaud CRM. 

In 2012, the Web Shell user interface ships with Blackbaud CRM version 2.93.