We have added additional steps to our procedures where we add a correlated NOTE to the constituent record that gives us a date and reason for why and who added the code to the record. This is especially helpful with Solicit Codes because we have a process of rolling these off every 3-5 years, etc. and putting constituents back into the solicitation pool. This is an additional step and it would be GREAT if the added functionality was all in the same place and visable from the Bio 1 and 2 screens, but we have created this work around for the time being.

RE should stamp the record with an action or note every time someone changes a field. Other systems do this - LIKE CONVIO - BBs most recent purchase.

How about every field?! Or at least the top 100 most used.

more importantly you cant tell why. I added a Solicitaiton note type & anyone who changes a solcit code must add a note saying WHY donor is DNC or No contact, etc. Attribute reasons can be added to the Comments field.
but Properties would be good Everywhere - we all need our audit trails. :)
and teh prospect researcher in me says that users should not be able to overwrite addresses without saving the old!

Have a look into Zeidman Delelopment tool called Audit Trail. It does the job perfectly: https://www.zeidman.info/downloads/audittrail.php

We have been waiting for Blackabaud to create an audit trail. We had to create our own, but wish it were available automatically. We use an attribute: Update of Record, Description - Address change, phone change, etc,; date and Comments include your initials.

In fact - there should be a log file that can be pulled in each record to disclose who made any changes at all in a record with a date/time stamp. I can see who set up a record and who made the most recent change - but there are times when I need to see in more detail when and who made a specific change to a record.

It would also be useful to be able to add definitions to the attributes so people can see when and how they are to be used, in situ. Would prevent misuse of attributes by well-meaning non-core users!

Same we find really hard who last updated solicit code etc

Ziedman Development has an Audit Trail product which can track changes to specific fields. There are three levels (free, basic and professional) and none track solicit code but all three versions track Attributes (which is where I track my contact inclusion/exclusion codes - I do not use solicit code).

Thank you Melissa and Tomasz for your mention of Audit Trail. Just to clarify Audit Trail Professional does actually track changes made to solicit codes (as well as very many other areas of the record) so it would show you the date specific fields were last updated.

For more information please see our website: https://www.zeidman.info/downloads/audittrail.php

Logging throughout the system should be available for free. In many database applications, the ability to track changes is there. Why do we have to look at the properties for specific record, but then on items like attributes, etc, we cannot see who last changed them. Grrr... We also have a process that is supposed to be followed by using a note for each change, but that is not always done. Even if I could just have a pop-up box requiring a user to create a note when changing a record, would be helpful.

I agree 100% with Anonymous I find that I have to constantly track the staff to ensure that changes are made so that we know who it was changed by and why. The properties would be very helpful if it was embedded in multiple places within the database..

Ideally, every field should have a "Who" stamp. If the info is important enough to add to RE, then it should be identified by the user.

i agree that it should be every field, or top fields. the other day i noticed a constituent record had been marked deceased but all the steps (solicit codes, relationship record change) had not been made; when looking through the record, i was horrified to discover the publication had been changed to deceased, and super concerned that RE had made an automatic update. this was not the case, but as the db administrator, it would be great to track these changes.

I was originally trained in Education Edge and now work in Raiser's Edge. EA has a history tab that shows among other things, the old address and the new address, who changed it and the date. I love this. It is much needed for solicitation codes as some records have codes on them and I have no idea how long the code has been there or why. I am especially confused, when a constituent calls and asks to receive our publication and I look back only to find a solicitation code of DNC. The note idea is nice but people forget to enter the note. Some form of a mandatory note box, change stamp or history tab is much needed.

I agree with Anonymous as well - trying to managing the "blind" solicit code entries and all the other ways (constituent attributes) that we track "contact" requests is exhausting as is.