As Semper Technology, Inc. works with its many clients, we occasionally discover something that perhaps no one else has.  This page is dedicated to those discoveries and (hopefully) the solutions.  We hope that the information is helpful, but please remember to use it at your own risk.  Please review our Terms of Use page for more details.  And check back here often as more content will be added from time to time.

The Raiser's Edge

Version 7

Wanted: Dead or Alive (01/25/03)
Have you ever wondered why a constituent that was once deceased is now alive or vice versa?  A few of our clients have.  Both situations have potentially serious consequences to your organization, ranging from lost funds to embarrassment.  Perhaps you don't even realize that this is happening since it can be difficult to detect unless you are very familiar with your constituent information or it happens to a high-profile constituent.

Here's what we discovered:  If a constituent is selected from the "Recently Accessed Records" area on the Records Page by double-clicking on the name, there is a good chance the deceased status of the selected constituent could change by accident.  This is because the names in the "Recently Accessed Records" area are hyperlink-like, meaning that only one mouse click is needed to launch the Constituent record. [Hint: You can usually tell if a particular link is hyperlink-like if the color changes or an underline appears when the mouse passes over the link.]  If two mouse clicks are used, the first click launches the Constituent record and the second click, which is unfortunately cached (buffered), acts on whatever data field happens to overlay the selected hyperlinked name.  In other words, what determines which field may change is how the launched Record overlays the Shell.  If the window alignment is just right, the Deceased checkbox will toggle.  This is not a good thing and worse, it may even go undetected.  Note that this event is not limited to the Constituent Record.  It may happen anytime a hyperlink is double-clicked that launches an overlying window.

Here are the recommended solutions:

1. Training - Every Raiser's Edge user should be made aware of the problem and instructed as to how to recognize how many mouse clicks are needed for each situation.
2. VBA Macro - The best solution is a macro that prevents the undesirable effects of the double-click since humans are creatures of habit and training may not be enough.  Please let us know if you would like more information regarding this important business rule.
   

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