Consent

Constituent consent is permission individuals give your organization to communicate with them and use their data. Tracking consent helps ensure compliance with regulations and supports respectful, transparent engagement with your constituents.

You can edit, view, and delete consent records in Raiser's Edge NXT from the Consent tile on a constituent's record.

Consent concepts

  • Channel: An overall communication method, such as email or SMS.

  • Category: A specific communication method within a channel, such as a newsletter.

  • Solicit code: A code that reflects a constituent’s communication preferences.

  • Consent statement: Language used to obtain consent.

  • Source: Where consent was collected, like SMS or email.

  • Date and expiration: When consent was given and when it expires (if applicable).

Consent Management changes in web view

There are changes in web view consent that are different from database view:

  • You may add or edit consents on constituent records without mapping channels and categories in database view.

  • Use solicit codes optionally with consent. Solicit codes were used originally to track communication preferences. However, consent now fully works on its own to record opt-in and opt-out actions. If your organization prefers to use solicit codes with consent, you can configure consent actions (opt-in/opt-out) to automatically add or remove the appropriate solicit codes. If not, consent alone provides the latest action for each channel without requiring solicit code mappings.

  • Map channels and categories in web view by selecting Settings, Control panel, Consent management. From here, you can

    • View existing consent settings by clicking the links.

    • Edit consent by selecting the ellipsis (...) in the top right.

    • Configure solicit codes if you choose to use them with consent.

  • Third consent type, No response, is now respected in web view only if previously set in database view. This update ensures No response does not overwrite an existing Opt-in or Opt-out consent type, is recorded in consent history, and only displayed if no prior consent exists.

Edit consent for a constituent

To record a consent preference, update the constituent record.

  1. On a constituent record, locate Consent.

  2. Select Edit consent.

  3. Select a channel, such as Mail or Phone.

    Tip: The Auto Phone channel is for automated phone communications.

  4. Choose a consent preference for the channel:

    • To opt in, select the check-mark icon.

    • To opt out, select the circle with a line through it.

    Note: Channel opt-in is required to enable consent of a category in the channel.

  5. If you chose opt-in and use communication categories, set a preference for any category.

    Tip: Manage Consent Categories in Tables. See Tables.

  6. Select Next.

  7. Select when the consent update should start.

  8. For Source, choose how you received the consent response from the constituent, such as through the website or mail.

    Note: You can manage Consent Source in Tables. For more information, see Tables.

  9. Under Consent statement, enter the statement the constituent responded to, such as “Would you like to receive emails from us?”.

  10. Under Privacy policy, enter a link to the privacy notice on your website.

  11. Select Finish.

View consent history for a constituent

  1. On a constituent record, locate Consent.

  2. Under Consent, select View consent history to view a constituent’s history of consent responses.

  3. Review or manage the record.

    • From the menu of a consent record, select to edit or delete the consent record.

    • Select Columns to select which details to view, such as the consent statement, privacy notice, source, and date it was added.

    • Select Filters to focus on specific consent records, such as the channel and category filters.

    • Select Export to download a CSV file of the constituent’s consent history.

Delete consent from a constituent

To keep a complete history of updates, we recommend that you do not delete consent records. However, if you added consent incorrectly or to the wrong constituent, you can delete the consent record.

  1. On a constituent record, locate Consent.

  2. Select View Consent History.

  3. Select the menu of the consent record and choose Delete.

Note: If your organization processes personal data for people in the European Union, you may be subject to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). As a starting point with your organization’s legal counsel, see the Are You Subject to GDPR? infographic.

Business rules for consent that were configured in database view automatically update solicit codes on the Raiser's Edge NXT constituent records when adding consent records. See Configure Consent Business Rules.

Tip: For Blackbaud NetCommunity or Online Express, you can use website forms to collect consent, then download responses as constituent consent records in database view. See Manage Constituent Consent History.

Tip: To collect consent from constituents when they donate on a donation form, see Add Consent to Donation Forms.