Background
The University of Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA) is the official fundraising and gift-receiving organization for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As a nonprofit entity, it plays a critical role in securing and managing philanthropic support for the institution. In September 2023, WFAA transitioned from Blackbaud CRM to Salesforce to streamline its operations and improve data management. However, the move brought unforeseen challenges, particularly in managing their complex gift receipting process.
Challenge
Before implementing Apsona, WFAA faced significant issues with their gift receipt generation process. Their initial attempt to use a competing document generation solution in the Salesforce ecosystem was unsuccessful, leading to delays, inefficiencies, and data accuracy concerns. The previous system lacked the flexibility to accommodate their unique receipting workflows across various teams, including research/prospect management, business intelligence, and administration. Additionally, they encountered:
- Process breakdowns: Their receipting process was not functional, causing backlogs.
- Limited internal expertise: WFAA lacked in-house specialists familiar with the new system.
- Resource constraints: The team had limited capacity for knowledge transfer and cross-training.
- Tight deadlines: The need to transition quickly from Blackbaud CRM to Salesforce compounded the pressure.
Recognizing these challenges, WFAA sought a solution that could handle their complex receipting needs while integrating seamlessly with Affinaquest’s out-of-the-box functionality.
Solution
Apsona emerged as the ideal choice for WFAA, offering a flexible and robust solution tailored to their needs. The decision to implement Apsona was driven by several key factors:
- Advanced document generation capabilities for creating receipts tailored to diverse donor profiles.
- Multi-step reporting and automation features to enhance data validation and streamline workflows.
- User-friendly interface allowing non-technical users to manage complex data tasks with ease.
- Seamless integration with Salesforce and Affinaquest to support existing processes while addressing gaps in out-of-box functionality.
Apsona’s ability to adapt and scale with WFAA’s evolving needs made it the perfect fit for transforming their receipting operations.
Implementation
The implementation process was structured in three phases:
- Finding and transitioning to the right tool – WFAA chose Apsona in December 2023 to complement their existing Affinaquest setup, ensuring they had the right solution to meet their specific data management and reporting needs.
- Building foundational knowledge – The team spent six months learning to use Apsona at a surface level, primarily running pre-built reports.
- Customizing workflows for efficiency – With a deeper understanding of the tool, they leveraged Apsona’s flexibility to build custom solutions that streamlined receipting.
Apsona’s dedicated support, including daily office hours and hands-on guidance, played a crucial role in overcoming technical challenges. The phased approach allowed WFAA to gradually refine their processes, moving from an initial struggle to a fully optimized system.
Support & Collaboration
Apsona’s team worked closely with WFAA throughout the implementation, offering tailored support in several ways:
- Dedicated training sessions to address technical issues and optimize workflows.
- Regular office hours providing hands-on troubleshooting and knowledge transfer.
- Customized configurations to support complex data validation, address formatting, and reporting needs.
- Scalable solutions that evolved as WFAA’s requirements became more sophisticated.
The partnership approach ensured that WFAA’s team felt supported at every stage, empowering them to become proficient users of the platform.
Measurable Outcomes
The implementation of Apsona yielded significant improvements for WFAA, including:
- Successful deployment of a new receipting system by October 2023.
- Automated daily membership processing for U.S. and Canadian donors.
- 40% reduction in data entry errors due to enhanced address validation.
- More efficient reporting workflows, allowing the team to generate receipts faster and with greater accuracy.
Additionally, WFAA developed internal expertise, with team members like Michael O’Brien emerging as power users, further driving efficiency within the organization.
Unexpected Benefits
Beyond the anticipated outcomes, WFAA experienced several additional advantages:
- Enhanced internal expertise – Team members became highly skilled in Apsona, reducing reliance on external consultants.
- Improved audit reporting capabilities – The team discovered new use cases for Apsona’s reporting features, adding unexpected value.
- Innovative problem-solving – Workarounds developed during implementation are now being applied to other internal processes.
- Reduced operational stress – What was once a cumbersome and frustrating system became a streamlined, reliable workflow.
Conclusion
WFAA’s transition to Apsona transformed their receipting process from a failing system to a high-functioning, scalable solution. The partnership between WFAA and Apsona highlights the power of flexible technology and strong collaboration in overcoming complex data management challenges.
As WFAA continues to refine its use of Apsona, the foundation is well-positioned for future growth, ensuring that its gift management operations remain efficient, accurate, and adaptable.
Ready to streamline your gift management process? Discover how Apsona can transform your data workflows with powerful, flexible solutions tailored to your needs. Let’s talk about how Apsona can work for you—schedule a demo today!
