What's Recent

We recently introduced the following enhancements to the Altru Help Center, your central location for help resources:

• The ability to search and quickly navigate to relevant topics.

• A featured highlights section for timely resources and upcoming events.

• Updated help topics that feature a streamlined display and easier navigation from the left side.

Also, the Help Center is now easily accessible from Altru:

• To access the help center homepage from Altru, open the help panel and select Search the Help Center from the bottom of any topic.

• To open a topic with a full-page view in a new browser window, from a help topic in Altru, select Open in browser.

• To access the Help Center when you're working outside of Altru, bookmark this URL.

To give you more flexibility when managing group reservations, you can now change the patron on a group sales order.

1. From a group sales record, under Tasks, select Change booked/sold to patron on order.

2. Search for and select the new patron.

3. Choose whether to also change the contact or itinerary leader.

4. When finished, select Save.

After you save, the sales order and all associated revenue are linked to the new patron.

To help your organization comply with data privacy laws, it's now easier to:

• Record and respect individual opt-out signals.

• Recognize and respect universal opt-out signals.

Record and respect individual opt outs

Pursuant to new US state laws, an individual has the right to opt out of the processing of their personal data for purposes of targeted advertising or the sale of personal data. Now when you add or edit an individual's record in Altru, you can indicate whether they opt out of sales or targeted ads.

Tip: These fields also appear in the Constituent Update Batch and in import processes (when the Constituent Update Batch template is selected).

To ensure you can easily respect these preferences, they appear on the individual's constituent record (under the Personal Info tab) and in ad-hoc queries (under the Constituent node).

Recognize and respect universal opt outs

Altru web forms now automatically recognize and record universal opt-out signals like the Global Privacy Control (GPC).

Note: Once an enabled GPC is recorded for a constituent it cannot be changed. Consult your legal counsel to find out how your organization should respond to enabled GPC signals.

How it works

Universal opt-out signals are sent from individual browser accounts when an add-on or plugin, like the GPC, is enabled. The signal is included in header data with every HTTP call made from that browser account. The signal is either enabled or not enabled — there is no specification or configuration beyond that.

When an Altru web form detects a universal opt-out signal from the constituent, it automatically updates their record to indicate they have opted out of sales and targeted ads.

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Also, the Global Privacy Control (GPC) field now appears under the constituent node in ad-hoc queries.

Note: While privacy laws and best practices are ever-changing, Blackbaud's goal is to provide you with solutions you can use to manage your data with privacy in mind. For more information about privacy laws and compliance, visit Blackbaud's Privacy Resource Center.

To extend the functionality of Altru and do more with your constituents and fundraising efforts, Altru now supports the use of SKY API endpoints. SKY APIs are modern, open, industry-standard application programming interfaces (APIs) that can be used to develop robust applications and extensions.

Your organization can use applications created by Blackbaud, providers in the Blackbaud Marketplace, someone at your organization, or other approved external developers.

Browse and connect to apps

The Blackbaud Marketplace features applications by Blackbaud and Blackbaud partners that enable you to extend the functionality of your Blackbaud solutions. Visit the Marketplace to:

• Search for offerings that are compatible with your Blackbaud solutions.

• Directly request follow-up from trusted providers.

• Find new technology that works with the Blackbaud solutions you use every day.

From the Marketplace, you can view details about each application added, including the application publisher. You can also filter the list of apps by Blackbaud solution. To use an application, from its details page, select Connect.

Note: Only environment admins in Blackbaud environments can connect applications. To learn how to become an environment admin, see the Permissions to connect applications in the Marketplace Help.

Build a new app

Want to develop an application using SKY API? See the SKY API Getting Started page for a step-by-step guide.

For more information, visit SKY API for Blackbaud Altru resources and the SKY Developer Community.

Note: Currently, Altru does not support SKY Add-ins or the Microsoft Power Platform.

To further improve the experience for web form users, now when a user sets or resets their password, the form:

• Indicates whether the password meets the requirements.

• Indicates whether the Password and Confirm password values match.

• Lets users temporarily reveal their password to see what characters they enter.

To better track your solicitation efforts, you can now apply appeals to donations made through online sales. The latest release enables you to:

• Configure donation forms to automatically add appeals to donations.

• Display multiple appeals on a donation form to let your donors choose.

• Create custom donation form URLs to use in digital marketing efforts.

• Manually add appeals to existing online donations.

Configure donation forms

From a donation form's settings, you can now use sources to link donations to specified appeals. Add and display multiple sources to let your donors choose, or add a single, default source to automatically apply the same appeal to all donations given through the form.

1. From Web, Manage donation forms, expand a form's row.

2. Select Options.

3. Under Sources, select Add source.

4. Enter a display name and choose which appeal to add to donations.

   Tip: If you plan to display the source on your donation form, use patron-friendly language.

5. Select whether the source is the form's default. If a donor gives through your form and doesn't choose a source, the form automatically adds the default appeal to the donation.

6. Select whether to display the source on your donation form.

7. To require donors to choose a source, select Source is a required field.

   Note: If you choose this setting, at least one source must be set to display.

8. Continue adding sources as necessary. When finished, select Save.

On the donation form, sources you set to display appear in a new field, "What prompted you to give?"

When donors give, the appeal displays under the donation's payment record details.

Track donations through custom URLs

Now when you share your Altru donation form online — such as through a website, social media post, or email — you can include a custom URL to automatically add an appeal to donations you receive.

To create the URL, first configure the donation form's sources as outlined above. Then, add a source tag to the form's URL:

1. From Web, Manage donation forms, expand a form's row.

2. Copy the donation form URL (such as https://1234.blackbaudhosting.com/1234/OnlineGiving).

3. At the end of the URL, add ?source= followed by the appeal name (such as ?source=SPRING2023EMAIL).

   Tip: If your appeal name contains spaces, replace each space with %20 — for example, GIVING TUESDAY becomes ?source=GIVING%20TUESDAY.

Examples:

When donors give through your custom URL, Altru automatically adds the appeal to their donations.

Tip: Always test your custom URL before sharing it with supporters.

Note: A source added at the donation form level overrides any source from the referring URL. If you plan to track donations via a referring URL, we recommend you don't mark any sources as default.

Add an appeal from a donation record

From its payment record, you can manually add an appeal to an existing donation made through online sales.

1. From Revenue, Transaction search, use search criteria to find the donation.

2. From the search results, select the payment to open its record.

3. Under Tasks, select Manage appeal.

4. Select an appeal, then Save.

The appeal displays under the donation's payment record details.

Reminders and best practices

• To automatically add the same appeal to all donations given through a form, configure only one source and mark it as default.

  

• To use a source tag to create a custom URL, the source must first be configured from the donation form's settings.

• If you plan to use custom URLs, don't mark any sources as default. A source added at the form level overrides any source from the referring URL.

• Always test a custom URL before sharing it with your supporters.

• When you configure sources, keep in mind your organization's appeal structure and how donations will appear in your appeal reports.

• In Altru, the appeal displays under the donation's payment record details.

For more information about appeals, see Appeals.

For more information about donation forms, see Donation Forms.

In this release, we made the following enhancements to unresolved online sales orders:

• To help prevent unresolved orders that occur because of failed payments, the checkout form now warns users if they attempt to leave the page while a payment is in progress.

• To help you quickly resolve unresolved orders, you can now subscribe to email alerts and receive notice as soon as they happen.

Payment form warning

Unresolved online sales orders can occur if the checkout form fails to complete a payment. For example, if a website user accidentally closes the page while a payment is in progress, the form may not have captured all required info.

To help prevent these instances, users now receive a warning if they attempt to leave the page.

Note: The form displays the default prompt for the user's web browser. The exact message may vary.

Email alerts for unresolved online sales orders

Email alerts help you track activity on your web forms. Now, you can choose to receive notice when an unresolved online sales order occurs.

To subscribe to email alerts, from Web or Sales, under Configuration, select Email alerts for online sales. Enter your email address, select Unresolved online sales orders, then Save.

When an unresolved order occurs, you receive an email with the subject line: Altru Alert - New online sales order: Unresolved.

For more information, see Unresolved Online Sales Orders.

To make it easier for web form users to create or reset their passwords, web forms now display password requirements. Previously, forms only displayed requirements after a user entered an invalid password.

Passwords must be at least 12 characters long and include at least one number, one special character, and one lowercase or uppercase letter. Passwords cannot contain a user's name, username (email address), or organization name.

For those of you who use custom applications that integrate with Altru, this release includes an important security update. As part of this update, all API requests must now include an Altru database name.

Recommended actions:

• Partners and developers — We recommend you review existing integrations and customizations to verify that an Altru database name is included in your requests. To see a code sample that includes a database name, see the Authentication and Authorization developer guide on our Altru API for Partners resource site.

• Altru customers with custom apps and integrations — It’s possible that no action is needed. However, if your API integration no longer connects after the upgrade, notify your integration partner and reference this update.

For more information about the change, visit Knowledgebase.

Your organization can use applications created by Blackbaud, providers in the Blackbaud Marketplace, someone at your organization, or other approved external developers.

To save time and resources, you can now email tickets from daily sales. Previously, this option was only available for online and advance Sales.

Enable eTickets for daily sales

Note: To enable eTickets, you must have at least one delivery method — such as eTicket — configured to email tickets upon completion of order. If you sells tickets through web forms, it's likely this is already configured. Otherwise, you can add a new delivery method. For more information, see Delivery Methods.

1. From Tickets, select Sales methods, then select Daily Sales.

2. Under Delivery methods, select Add.

3. Select the eTicket delivery method (or any delivery method configured to email tickets). If your organization plans to send a majority of tickets via email, you can set it as the default.

4. Choose a receipt default, then Save.

Email tickets from a daily sales order

Similar to advance sales, the delivery method now appears on the daily sales order screen.

Note: This won't appear on patrons' receipts.

Recipient information automatically defaults to the patron's primary email address. To add or select a different address, select the delivery method, then select Edit. For anonymous orders (those without a patron), you must add recipient information.

When you complete the sale, an email is sent to the patron with a link to the eTickets page. Settings for the email and eTickets page are shared between daily, advance, and online sales. To manage page settings, from Web, select eTickets. For more information, see Design eTickets Page.

The sign in form now displays fields to enter and confirm a user's new password. Previously, users had to select Forgot your password? and follow prompts to reset via email.

This release includes two enhancements to ad hoc queries:

• To speed up data entry, you can now paste a list of values when you use One of or Not one of criteria in query. Previously, you needed to paste values one at a time.

  Tip: Paste list appears for text and number fields when you select One of or Not one of criteria. For example, you can copy and paste a list of Lookup IDs from a column in a .csv file.

• You can now filter on remaining program event capacity or view it in your query output. From Analysis, Information library, add or edit a program query. From the editor, select Program Events, then select Remaining capacity. To query on remaining capacity, add it to Include records where. To view remaining capacity in your query output, add it to Results to display.

To provide an easier, more secure way for non-interactive users to authenticate, you can now create proxy users to integrate your Altru database with other systems — such as a custom application or automated processing task. Proxy users differ from traditional Altru users in that they require programmatic access to your database, but don't need to sign in and perform tasks within the Altru application itself.

In this release, you can now create proxy users for non-interactive accounts. Proxy users:

• only need to authenticate every 365 days.

• authenticate via personal access tokens (PATs) instead of passwords.

• don't require an email address.

• inherit the same system roles as the linked Blackbaud ID.

For more information, see Non-Interactive Users.

To provide your patrons with quicker response times when purchasing tickets online, web forms now cache data for page loads, program event calendars, and time selectors. As part of these improvements, Altru now limits scheduling program events to no more than 365 days in the future.

For additional security, you can now enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for web form users.

MFA is an authentication method that provides an extra layer of security during the sign in process. It requires a user provide a unique security code in addition to their email and password.

How it works

1. To sign in to your web forms, a user enters their email and password and selects Sign in.

   

2. Next, the user is asked to verify their identify. To receive a security code, they select Send Code.

   

   Note: If necessary, the user can select This is not my email to update their email address during this step. This option is only available during the initial sign in — to change the email address at a later date, they must contact your organization.

3. The user receives the security code through email and enters the code on the sign in screen.

   

4. The user selects Verify and the sign in process is complete.

After a user signs in with multi-factor authentication, on their constituent record under Online Info, their email status shows as verified.

Enable MFA

Warning: After you enable MFA, it can't be disabled.

After the upgrade, MFA is disabled by default. To enable it, from Web, select User registration settings under Configuration. Under Multifactor authentication setup, select Enable MFA.

You should customize the default content for email messages that are sent related to MFA:

• MFA code email — the message a user receives that contains their unique MFA security code. To customize, select Set up MFA code email.

• Address change email — the confirmation message a user receives when they change the email address for their account. To customize, select Set up address change email.

For example, add your organization's from address and from name so users can easily recognize the sender. You should also add contact info to each message so users know how to reach you for assistance.

To increase security for web forms users, web forms now require stronger passwords and automatically expire after 365 days. The new password policy requires passwords to be at least 12 characters in length with a combination of at least one number, one special character, and one lowercase or uppercase letter.

This release includes an upgraded menu that is more consistent with other Blackbaud solutions and resources.

Blackbaud's EMV-Certified Payment Terminal solution is now available in Altru to all organizations who process payments through Blackbaud Merchant Services. With Payment Terminal, you can:

• Accept contactless payments via credit cards with embedded chips, as well as “tap to pay” technologies like Apple Pay® and Google Pay™.

• Process payments three times faster than with a magnetic swipe device.

• Protect constituents and your organization from credit card fraud with EMV-certified card readers that offer end-to-end encryption.

• Conveniently reconcile Payment Terminal transactions with any other transactions made via Blackbaud Merchant Services.

Visit Payment Terminal resources to get started today!

To ensure quality performance for your instance of Blackbaud Altru, we automatically removed output files that were previously generated by ad-hoc query export processes.

Note: While old output files have been deleted, your export processes remain unchanged.

To prevent unneeded output files from accumulating again, we recommend you periodically remove these. Your organization can set up a global change process that automatically runs and deletes business process output on a regular basis.

To create a global change process that deletes business process output:

1. From Administration, Global changes, select Add.

2. Under Business Process, select Business process output delete.

3. Enter a name and set parameters as needed.

4. When finished, select OK.

To create a job schedule that runs the process automatically:

1. From the global change record, under Tasks, select Create job schedule.

2. Enter a job name.

3. Under Schedule type, choose how often the process should run. If needed, set additional details such as a certain day or time.

4. When finished, select Save.

For more information, see Delete business process outputs globally.

For more information on best practices to keep your database clean, check out our webinars available on demand: 10 Tips for Altru Database Cleanup Part 1 and 10 Tips for Altru Database Cleanup Part 2.

Send acknowledgement emails from advance sales

To help you communicate important information to your patrons when they make purchases, you can now send acknowledgement emails from advance sales.

Note: To send eTicket and acknowledgement emails, you must have at least one delivery method — such as eTicket — configured to email tickets upon completion of order. For more information, see Delivery Methods.

Display your logo on the eTickets page

You can now add images to the eTickets page to provide your patrons with a more personalized experience. For example, you can include your organization's logo or an image that promotes an upcoming event.

Assign other gender value

To help you more accurately track biographical information for your constituents, you can now choose Other when you enter an individual's gender details. Previously, available values were Male, Female, and Unknown.

Tip: You can also use attribute form extensions to capture additional details about your supporters, such as their pronouns. For more information on how to create a custom attribute and display it on various forms, see the 5.18 New Features Guide.

Enable reCAPTCHA for web forms

To protect your organization against fraudulent transactions and other malicious activity, you can now enable reCAPTCHA for web forms. reCAPTCHA provides additional security by validating legitimate users and preventing automated attempts to complete orders through your web forms. To learn more, visit Google reCAPTCHA resources.

View and resolve pending online sales orders

To help you more quickly resolve issues with incomplete online sales orders, you can now view pending orders from the Unresolved Online Sales Orders page. Pending orders are similar to unresolved orders except they contain fewer details and are not yet linked to a payment.

View the 5.19 New Features Guide for more details.

Email tickets from advance sales

To save your organization time and resources, you can now email patrons their tickets when you complete orders through advance sales! Previously, the option to email tickets was only available for online sales.

Resend acknowledgement emails

You can now resend acknowledgement emails to patrons who donated or made purchases through your web forms. For example, if a patron incorrectly entered their email address, or misplaced an email with important details about an upcoming event, you can send them a copy of the original acknowledgement email.

Enhancements to credit card processing in group sales

Credit card payments entered through group reservations are now processed through the Blackbaud Checkout payment form, and you can indicate if a physical card is present.

Enhance forms and pages with attribute form extensions

To help you track additional details throughout various forms and pages in Blackbaud Altru, you can now create attribute form extensions. Form extensions add tabs or sections to forms and pages that otherwise don't include attribute fields.

For example, you can create an attribute category to track constituents' pronouns — such as "she, her, hers" or "they, them, theirs" — and use a form extension to show this field in a new section on the Add an individual form. When you enter details about a new constituent, you can quickly add their pronouns, too.

Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) for group sales

Earlier this year, we introduced P2PE for credit card payments entered in daily and advance sales. Now you can enable this feature in group sales. The solution is available to organizations who process payments through Blackbaud Merchant Services.

Streamlined digital wallet settings

We simplified the way you enable digital wallet payment options for online sales. If you had one or more digital wallets enabled before this release, Include digital wallets is selected automatically.

View the 5.18 New Features Guide for more details.

Globally extend membership expiration dates

We've been listening to the unique challenges your organizations face as you continue to navigate the unprecedented COVID-19 situation. You asked for the ability to extend memberships as a way to remain engaged with your members and start conversations around renewals and donations. In response, we quickly re-prioritized technical resources to create the Blackbaud Altru Membership Utility.

The utility can be used to extend the expiration dates of multiple memberships at once. Choose which records to update, how long to extend expiration dates, and how many records to update at a time.

Partially refund event packages

You can now issue partial refunds for event packages, such as to retain a cancellation fee for a patron who can no longer attend, or to credit a member who didn't receive their discount. When you choose to refund an order that contains an event package, in the Refund column, enter the specific amount to refund.

New post to GL format for Financial Edge NXT

For those of you with the general ledger enabled, we've added a new output format designed for use with the Journal Entry Batch Creator Excel Add-In for Financial Edge NXT.

View the 5.17 New Features Guide for more details.

Enhancements to credit card processing in daily sales

To save you time, we simplified the credit card payment process in daily sales:

• We eliminated the need for an extra click when a patron pays the full order balance. Now when you select Credit, the Complete Payment form opens immediately and defaults to the full order balance.

• When a patron only wants to pay a portion of the balance by credit card, you can quickly add a partial credit card payment in daily sales with the new Partial credit button.

Enhancements to credit card processing in advance sales

Credit card payments entered through advance sales are now processed through the Blackbaud Checkout payment form. Your payment forms will be updated automatically and there is no additional configuration necessary.

You can now indicate if a physical card is present when you select Credit from the Add payment screen of the advance sales page. For your convenience, the Add a payment form remembers which option you select.

Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) for advance sales and daily sales

Last release, we introduced point-to-point encryption (P2PE) for credit card payments entered in an Enhanced Revenue or Revenue Update Batch. Now you can enable P2PE in both advance and daily sales. P2PE is available to organizations who process credit card payments through Blackbaud Merchant Services. To learn more, or to sign up for the solution, visit http://www.bluefinpartner.com/blackbaud.

Reduce duplicate records created through web forms

To help you reduce the number of duplicate constituent records created through web forms, we added a new setting under Administration, Constituent matching settings. Enable this setting to ignore Altru's default constituent matching algorithm and automatically merge an incoming record when its first name, last name, and email address exactly match an existing record.

View the 5.16 New Features Guide for more details.

Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) for credit card processing

Altru now partners with Bluefin® Payment Systems to provide point-to-point encryption for credit card payments entered in an Enhanced Revenue Batch or a Revenue Update Batch. Bluefin's PCI-validated P2PE solution prevents clear-text cardholder data from entering your organization's system or network and can help significantly limit your annual PCI assessment. This solution is available to organizations who process credit card payments through Blackbaud Merchant Services.

Accept Apple Pay through web forms

Last release, we introduced support digital wallet payment solutions. Now, you can enable Apple Pay for patrons who visit your web forms from an Apple device.

Blackbaud Checkout supports digital wallets for organizations using Blackbaud Merchant Services.

New attributes for Affluence Insight

Under Administration, Attribute categories, you may notice we've added several new attribute categories. These attributes have no effect on functionality, but are necessary to help streamline the onboarding process for organizations who purchase Blackbaud's Affluence Insight services.

Affluence Insight is a subscription service offered by Blackbaud that returns values for a set of attributes in your Altru database, providing you with valuable wealth-related data on your prospects. For more information about Affluence Insight, contact us or reach out to your Blackbaud account executive.

View the 5.15 New Features Guide for more details.

Email itemized receipts from group sales

You can now email itemized receipts from group sales reservations. New options on the Add a payment screen allow you to choose how to print the itemized receipt at the time of entering a payment. Depending on your configuration, you can print, email, or provide no receipt.

Email group sales order balance notifications

You can now email a copy of the group sales order balance directly from Altru. The order balance notification contains a summary of important information on the reservation, including total number of visitors, the visit date, the remaining order balance and due date, and any previous payments made.

Blackbaud Checkout for daily and online sales

Credit card payments entered through daily and online sales are now processed through Blackbaud Checkout, a more modern and simplified payment form. After the upgrade, your forms will be updated automatically—there is no additional configuration necessary.

Accept digital wallets through web forms

To help you offer supporters more ways to pay, Blackbaud Checkout now supports digital wallets for organizations using Blackbaud Merchant Services.

View the 5.14 New Features Guide for more details.

Reschedule multi-day event packages

You can now reschedule package registrations for other event packages of the same program and price type. For example, if a child is registered for a week of summer camp, but an unexpected conflict arises, you now have the ability to reschedule the child for a different week of camp.

View the 5.13 New Features Guide for more details.

Create multiple day events

You can now configure and sell multi-day event packages online or through advance sales for a single flat rate. For example, you can schedule each day of a week-long summer camp and group the days together into an event package. A parent can register their child to attend the full week and pay one fee for the entire session. In Altru, you can view the child’s registration information across individual days within the camp for daily attendance tracking.

Event package web forms

To streamline the online registration process for patrons who purchase multi-day event packages, Event Package web forms allow patrons to register for up to five different packages or events on the same page. For programs with a large number of event offerings, patrons can proceed to the cart, or continue shopping and remain on the current page. Receipts and acknowledgment emails now include registrant names for events and event packages.

View the 5.12 New Features Guide for more details.