ImportOmatic

Vorteile

My organization uses three omatic products. They have continued to show their understanding of our industry and design their products so they are easy to use. The product we have been using the longest is Record Radar. If your fundraisers like to visit geographic areas and want to know who else they can visit, this is the tool you need!

Nachteile

They are not pushy at all with their products and I wish they would be more! By this, I mean that I wish I would have purchased this sooner as it has made a world of difference with our data processing team. I do think their implementation could have gone a bit different for import-o-matic.

Vorteile

The most impactful feature of Import-omatic is the ability to create templates that I can reuse. This takes the guesswork out of determining if I have all that I need to run an import and saves a tremendous amount of time. The product is very user-friendly and integration with existing business processes was seamless.

Nachteile

I think the most difficult part of using Import-omatic is the regular expressions area of the dictionary. It’s one of those things that if you don’t use it regularly, you can forget the primary aspects of how to set it up properly.

Vorteile

the promise of ease and time saving sounded great, unfortunately that has not been our experience

Nachteile

Luminate Connector is NOT a time saving tool, and profiles still not working months after implementation

Vorteile

Importing and exporting complete data sets - of constituents, gifts, and survey responses - to/from Raisers Edge and Luminate.

Nachteile

Adding and changing import/export criteria/fields can be cumbersome.

Vorteile

Setting up the profiles is fun and the tools (dictionaries, virtual fields, automation) are so helpful. I can add or update constituents within minutes with ImportOmatic instead of spending days doing it manually or worrying about issues with the standard import tool in RE. I can setup and change the matching criteria for profiles depending on my trust issues or trust in the file that I am importing. Being able to assign functions and proper casing within the profile means that I don't have to spend time formatting my spreadsheet every time. The training from the Omatic staff is great. Their training method of showing you how to create a profile, creating one with you, and then a following up call for any questions about additional profiles you created is perfect.

Nachteile

It is hard to think of cons because just in the past year Omatic has expanded the features that I had complaints about before. I miss being able to process a whole import no matter what the size under the validation mode. It just added another safety net to the process.

Vorteile

ImportOmatic is totally dreamy. It has revolutionized my job and allows me to import data in ways that I could not even have imagined in the past. It is incredibly flexible and saves me time, headaches, and money, while increasing data integrity through decreasing human error. I've never wanted to make out with a piece of software until I met ImportOmatic. After the demo and trying it out I realized that I didn't just want a one night stand with IOM - I wanted a long term relationship. And here we are.... more than 7 years as a client and two different institutions. IOM and I are still going strong. I have no plans to end my relationship. :)

Nachteile

Because the tool is so powerful and flexible there are a LOT of options to set. It is important to go through each of the settings when setting up an initial template to ensure that it is doing everything one wanted from it. But, when it gets tricky, support is there to help as are other users via the forums.

Vorteile

Reliable, bug-free product. Adding/configuring multiple data points/record types makes this a much better solution than the standard Import function of RE.

Nachteile

Error messages are non-user-friendly, not easily diagnosed. There is a current bug in 3.5.1.2 that no longer renames the import file after the import is complete. We've had to change our processes until this bug is fixed.

Vorteile

The software makes importing data into Raiser's Edge much easier and provides a ton of different data scrubbing and logic options. The various functions can end up saving an organization hours, if not entire days of work, depending on their import needs and data file. When we've had questions or suggestions they've quickly been addressed and new functions are being added all the time.

Nachteile

This is a serious data import program, so with that comes a certain amount of complexity. It takes a while to get the gist of how it all works and navigating through the various menu systems and options can be a little daunting at first.

Vorteile

Using ImportOmatic has allowed us to reduce the number of staffers needed and time taken on our large new constituent loads. It has also allowed us to integrate some third party info into our gift batch processes.

Nachteile

Some of the phone and address options are not compatible with our current data handling methods, but that is not necessarily a critique of those options. We've also experienced the need to change the same linking across multiple individual, but related, profiles when there were changes in methods within the source of the data.

Vorteile

Importomatic is definitely easier to use than Raiser's Edge's import tool. I like the side by side matching function. We have duplicates in our database that I clean out from time to time, so this allows me to makes sure I get the right info on the right record.

Nachteile

It's still a little complicated to use. I wish there was a way to make this less jargony, more point and click-ey. I think I made that up... :) I guess what I am saying is I wish there was a tool that was super SUPER easy. I also would like it if there were a pay per use option. I only use it a couple times a year.

Vorteile

This wizard makes life so much easier to import data from the lockbox that processes gifts. I have the template all set up so it's just the touch of a button to get accurate information loaded into Raiser's Edge and then send donor thank yous. This cuts down on duplicate records.

Nachteile

Setting it up took some work, but now I understand how it works.

Vorteile

Omatic has helped me import data into our database in the most effective and efficient way. With the setup of their Profiles/Templates for recurring imports, I can't express how much time it has saved me! My productivity has increased substantially with ImportOmatic and I'm able to focus more on fundraising.

Nachteile

This is a powerful tool and with that comes a lot of options that at times can be overwhelming. Luckily, their support team is great and able to assist in a timely manner.

Vorteile

The software give you the control to add and update data pretty much how we want it in RENXT

Nachteile

Deleting fields can be a pain but we can live with it.

Vorteile

I love that I don't have to create ImpID's for every field. I love that it imports so quickly. I love the ease of it.

Nachteile

Unable to update. Exceptions report has changed since we started using Connector and now I don't receive why something has exception'd out (list the id that it doesn't see, or if it exception'd out because someone has the record open). During a simply import like adding only an appeal code to an existing record it exceptions out and then wants to add as a full constituent.

Vorteile

Omatic accomplishes a critical task -- ensuring our various databases talk to each other -- in a very straightforward way. I'm glad I can rely on Omatic to create these connections across our systems.

Nachteile

The interface can be confusing or intimidating for new users.

Vorteile

There are a few different import tools for Raisers Edge, but ImportOmatic is the best one by leaps and bounds. The standard Raisers Edge imports work for very basic things, like adding actions, but Omatic is a necessity for anything more complicated. You can add or update name/address/email/phone AND add gifts at the same time. It matches constituents automatically (which actually works well). The best part is that gifts go into a batch, which you can review for accuracy before committing.

Nachteile

The only downside to Omatic is that because it does so many things, it is a little complicated. You need someone on staff who is tech savvy enough to setup the imports and troubleshoot if something changes. If you add new fields to a donate page, you have to update the import profile in Omatic, and that takes attention to detail. Omatic has really good training and help articles though. It's all in plain English and doesn't need any special coding.

Vorteile

Most like the wide range of fields that can be mapped in virtual fields to get the data to appear with all the trimmings we like in our database.

I like the dictionary function that can be based on text or more advance regular expression converting.

Nachteile

Setting up the import profiles can be a lot of trial and error. If I could improve one thing it would be to test run the profile as you craft the dictionary or expressions.

On the address block is used as a % match. Would be nice if the whole address was considered in the matching.

Vorteile

Once set up, it allows for quick imports of regular data. It makes the job go so much faster than manual input.

Nachteile

It can be complicated to learn and if you don't catch all of the nuances it can import misinformation.

Vorteile

It's a lot easier to use than RE's import and it's move efficient. I love the use of virtual fields. Dictionaries are so helpful too. I appreciate that I don't have to frequently manipulate spreadsheets. Plus, it loads much faster than the RE import and produces errors and makes it easier to identify and import the errors.

Vorteile

My organization imports over 20k records per month, without importomatic duplicates would be a major issue. The ability to match in constituents that are already in the database, select the specific data to correct or modify and edit the import information on the fly, make it an incredible tool.

Nachteile

Customer support process is the one thing about the product I like the least. Creating a case and waiting for a response is frustrating at times.

Vorteile

Import O-Matic makes importing all kinds of data into the Raiser’s Edge so much easier than the native import functionality.

Nachteile

I don’t love the user interface. Wish it could be just a little friendlier. Although importing data is a complex and detailed process.

Vorteile

Retrieves Constituents very nicely. It is very fast an efficient with constituents

Nachteile

Does not retrieve donations well. Cannot handle our volume

Vorteile

1. De-duping while importing. 2. Easy mapping. I like the fact that you don't have to type more just to get to the minimum number of characters. I am a database administrator and we value the number of keystrokes. Less is more!

Vorteile

The ease and effectiveness of getting a large amount of data into Raiser's Edge. No need to clean the data prior to the import

Nachteile

No clear explanation of errors when import doesn't go as expected. Pretty complicated way to set up an import profile.

Vorteile

I like the fact that it uses Raiser's Edge term, therefore it's very user friendly. And it's easy to share and train others.

Vorteile

The best thing is the auto-matching to existing records, with the ability to set what it matches on and when to ask you about it before importing. Before IOM we used the Net Community part (RELO) and it took FOREVER to one-by-one match records. We have an event that brings in 100s of donations weekly and I could never keep up with processing them. But now with IOM, I am on top of them every single day. And therefore, we are thanking our donors EVERY day! I also LOVE the ability to have things checked on the records depending on how the data comes in, i.e., if a new donor gift with no address, the "has no valid address" box is checked on the record after IOM imports it. So efficient!

Nachteile

The one thing that bugs me is that when searching duplicates on addresses, it will pull old/inactive addresses in RE as a match. So then I spend the time going into the record to see how they are connected, only to discover that they aren't - it's just an expired address. There's no way to search only on active addresses.

Vorteile

I no longer have to prep my spreadsheets for my regular imports. I occasionally forget how amazing of a statement that is. Virtual data fields and dictionaries can be set up ahead of imports, including the ability to skip records that meet certain criteria. It matches or creates records, addresses can be old or slightly different--I choose when to update or ignore It matches on "close" names, if I want it to. I have fewer multi-pass imports, because so many more things can be done with each pass. But the biggest thing is that we are able, with the same number of staff members, to better customize our donor solicitations because we don't have to spend hours and hours pouring over column over column in thousands of lines of spreadsheets. Omatic lets us customize based on what we already know about our donors, which gives us time to continue learning more about them.

Nachteile

It's sophisticated and robust. Which means if you're someone who hates instructor-led training and just likes to click around to learn, it will take you ages to learn everything it can do. It's SO incredibly customize-able--it will suggest but not dictate for many fields--that people who want full functionality without a learning curve are going to flat-out miss out on all the things it can do for you. If you are constantly in a work environment where you feel it's easier to do something the slow, hard way than figure out an easier way--if there is never an opportunity to slow down and learn something new--you won't realize its full benefits.

Vorteile

We've used ImportOmatic for years to streamline our import processes - rather than having to use several different RE processes, we can use a single file and a single import process to add/update records. The ability to set up import dictionaries and use the API to manipulate the imported data is tremendously useful.

Nachteile

I don't have much in the way of cons. ImportOmatic does a great job of addressing some core weaknesses of RE. It's allowed us to function with RE without having to maintain our own custom solutions.

Vorteile

It gets data of all kinds into Raiser's Edge much easier than with the traditional import process. And it can import a plethora of vastly different types of data in a single import. Not needing an Import ID for every import makes comparing lists of incomplete information received from external sources against my database a much simpler process than the traditional method. From there, I'm given all kinds of control in whether I want to update the information we have on hand, or simply create a query of people off that list (or both). I can either automate individual options (or the whole thing) or go through them one at a time for full control.

Nachteile

My only small gripe about ImportOmatic is the initial learning curve made figuring out how to use it a bit tricky. When we got IOM some 3 years ago and I was setting up my first few imports... that was a somewhat confusing challenge to navigate all the possible options (even with training). Now that I've been using it for a while, they've improved that process quite a bit and I'm able to get even more types of data in than I initially was. I also have several templates built at this point that allow me to get my complex datasets into Raiser’s Edge with minimal need to build a new import every time.

Vorteile

ImportOmatic is the most flexible and precise importing tool available for Raiser's Edge. It integrates seamlessly and makes possible the importation of both new and established records in Raiser's Edge at the same time. As a Raiser's Edge power user and consultant, my first order of business before beginning any major project in Raiser's Edge is to make sure I have ImportOmatic available.

Beyond the base package of ImportOmatic, the ImportOmatic connector for Luminate Online to Raiser's Edge is the best connector available. I prefer to use this connector over the Blackbaud version as it is much more flexible.

Nachteile

I wish ImportOmatic did a better job of matching phone NUMBERS to established constituents, rather that just phone TYPES. It is my biggest aggravation with this product, and I hope it is resolved soon. I also find the address scoring feature (for matching an incoming address to a constituent's current address) annoying at times because a +4 on a ZIP code will significantly impact the similarity score between addresses, thereby requiring more "touching" of the record than necessary. That said, ImportOmatic is still way better at both of these types of processing that other products.

Vorteile

This software has made the entering of gifts and constituents much easier and faster. It was a learning curve, more so because our online donation forms are intricate. I have saved valuable time and paper using this software. I wish we had done this sooner.

Nachteile

I think what I need is there. It is just learning to use them and the profiles effectively. I don't have anything negative to say. I think most of my issues are actually with our forms and trying to figure out how to incorporate them into the profiles correctly.

Vorteile

The matching algorithm - the software allows you to tweak the settings to precisely determine what is a matching record and for possible matches at what score or threshold level to prompt for user interaction to step in and make that determination if it's not so obvious.

Nachteile

interpreting errors when you generate exception logs- the log captures what looks like java runtime exceptions and most end users are not programmers, so if you can't decipher what the error actually is, you're only option is to search the KB articles or put in a support ticket. I think there needs to be an interpreter software piece that can read in those exception logs and provide something a bit more human readable- I think we spend more time trying to decipher the error logs then actually running the automated process- so is it truly saving the end user time? depends on how many errors there are...

Vorteile

We like to import ALL data from ACH deposits, from multiple revenue streams. Having IOM allows us to do that after an initial setup and some maintenance. It would be time-prohibitive without the tools.

Nachteile

I would like to be able to add to the dictionary on-the-fly.

Vorteile

Once the dictionaries and import files are programmed, the data easily transfers to Raiser's Edge daily. The online programming assistance helps with setting up the forms since we are not programmers.

Nachteile

Setting up the import forms can take time and every field needs to be mapped correctly. Once the form is set up, then the ease of use is amazing.

Vorteile

The support team aiding in set-up made the process seamless. This system has not only reduced duplicate data within our CRM by 95%, but has increased confidence amidst our organization’s leadership with CRM reporting.

Nachteile

I found it somewhat challenging to asses platform error messages. Having an online reference for error messages with troubleshooting measures would be a great resource for consumers. I believe it would not only build confidence through understanding data flow, but also cut back on need of tech support with issues that may be resolved by the user.

Vorteile

I love the review of constituent records vs incoming information and the ability to make very specific changes to records before committing import. It's much easier than reviewing record by record in Raiser's Edge batch and going through at least 2 tabs per record. It also makes it possible to edit a batch in a spreadsheet or other database software vs using Batch.

Nachteile

Some of the updates caused a loss of attribute information or the need to create more than one profile, but it seems like these unexpected outcomes are corrected in later updates.

Vorteile

With the use of the scheduler tool in conjunction with the ImportOmatic software tool, large volumes of data can be imported into Raiser's Edge without the need for touching each record...only those records that don't conform to the screening criteria need human touch. This greatly reduces the amount of time needed for volume imports.

Nachteile

Sometimes the complexity involved when setting up a good configuration for a template can be a real challenge. It is a delicate balancing act to get a template set up that is tight enough not to reject a high volume of records versus not enough tightness that results in too many records being imported that really did need some human touch.

Vorteile

It is a great a great platform for RE and NXT for data import. Our department relies on Omatic daily. The best part is the customizable set up on different module to check duplicates. Duplicates is always the issue in our database. The data dictionary and static field can be re-used and cut our development time half every time we create a new job.

Nachteile

Automation in RE desktop version is not available.

Vorteile

The ImportOmatic tool saves me time by skipping the Blackbaud Raiser's Edge import process. The tools allows me to address Raiser's Edge importing issues. This tools has saved me a tremendous amount of time and allowed me to get me job done. Without this tool, I would not be able to complete several of my projects. This tool is hightly recommended if you are serious about moving data into Raiser's Edge.

Nachteile

This software has a steep learning curve. I wish there were short 5-10 minute Youtube videos to address advance processes so I can just watch and learn. (ie. remove attribues fields, names matching, scoring, etc.) This saves me a call to Omatic or refer to the 793 page user's guide.

Vorteile

Works seemlessly with Raiser's Edge. The duplicate search features and dictionaries drastically reduce the amount of time spent on manipulating data sets that we are importing into our database.

Nachteile

In interface could be more intuitive to allow for less training of new users.

Vorteile

We are so appreciative of the Profiles we were able to build during our training sessions. These have helped us immensely when pulling into RE event registrations or donations from our website.

Nachteile

We are finding that there seems to some gifts that don't import through from our website and sustaining gifts are also hit-or-miss whether they're pulling through correctly (or at all). We continue to work with Customer Support to try and identify these issues and resolve them as quickly as possible.

Vorteile

Importomatic is the single most important third party upgrade to RE. Simple to use - it has saved us thousands of hours in importing and has helped tremendously in keeping our database clean.

Nachteile

Setting up configuration files can be tricky and you really need to know what each type of import needs in terms of required fields.

Vorteile

This tool, when used correctly, can save you hours upon hours of data entry time. Super helpful and runs really well

Nachteile

It can be difficult to learn and get the hang of, and there is a lot of coding and programming that goes in to making the software work that can be prohibitive.

Vorteile

It provide us with the ability to automate many of our import needs

Nachteile

Some of the options are not as intuitive as one would think

Vorteile

I like that it really saves me time. I spend less time each day matching records up than I would without omatic.

Nachteile

I wish that it could match up non-exact addresses, but I know there are limitations with that.

Vorteile

I love that I can import my daily donations with ease. Saves me a lot of time during the day.

Nachteile

Sometimes updates will mess up my imports and I have to go through and figure out where the disconnect is happening.

Vorteile

Omatic has fantastic customer support, and their representatives have worked hard to make the software work for us.

Nachteile

There are features that were once available and have been removed as the focus of Omatic has shifted, and the loss of these features have left us with little reason to keep using Omatic.

Vorteile

Easy to use and is an excellent data migration tool.

Nachteile

Mapping fields differently labelled to the original record fields.

Vorteile

I like that this was already a partner with Raiser's Edge and the designers had a good understanding of data mangement and the Raiser's Edge. With training I've been able to utilize omatic to import info into RE and create new imports.

Nachteile

There are so many nuances and details. It would be nice to be able set defaults, like anytime a zipcode is imported it is the end result is the same no matter the import.

Vorteile

I like that I'm able to use Omatic software to help troubleshoot problem areas in our database so that our information is correct and relevant.

Nachteile

Occasionally the software can contribute to our database running slower, but only during high-traffic periods within our company.