[n1ugu]

Hi everyone!
I ran the Pledge Status (Detail) Report and in the box that states: *Include pledges made after* I put 4/30/2008. Then my date range was 5/1/2008-5/31/2008. After the report runs it includes pledges with a date of 4/30/2008 I ran it again using *Include pledges made after* 5/1/2008, and the pledges with a 4/30/2008 date are not included, but pledges with a date of 5/1/2008 [b]are[b] included
I opened a case with bb and they get the same results. The support person wrote back to me stating: "I wanted to let you know that I have researched this issue and have spoke with a couple co-workers, and apparently this is functioning as designed. I understand that the wording is a little confusing, and I am going to create a suggestion for this to be changed."
OMG, the wording is a little confusing???? It's not confusing, it's incorrect!!! If I want pledges made after a certain date I don't think I should have to put the incorrect date in.
Has anyone else noticed this little *confusion*? I think I'll have to get someone else on the case.
Thanks for letting me vent. If any of you agree that this report is wrong, please let me know. Also if you are on a lower version than 7.83 (our version) and it doesn't occur, please let me know.
Barbara

[stancliff]

Barbara,

Are you running this for all records, or against a query?

-Brian

[n1ugu]

Hi Brian,
I'm running it against all records.

[stancliff]

And did you make sure you were looking against Pledge Date and not GL Post Date?

I ran a query to find pledges in our database made on 3/31/08. I ran the canned report for Include Pledges Made After 4/1/08. Those pledges with a gift date of 3/31/08 did not show up.

We are using RE 7.81.

[n1ugu]

Thanks Brian. Yes, I'm positive that I used Gift Date and not GL Post Date. Just to make extra sure, I went back to the report to take a look! You're on a version less than ours, so I'm suspecting they messed up the report with the 7.83 upgrade!
Thank you for your time and help.
Barbara

[Michael Sherman]

Love that answer: "Functioning as designed"

So you designed it to function wrong???

I'm on 7.81 and I have the same issue as you, Barbara.

Brian, you checked for pledges made on 3/31/2008. The statement on the General screen is: Include pledges made after: If you use the date 4/1/2008 you will not get pledges made on 3/31/2008 but, logically, you should not get pledges made on 4/1/2008 either. You should only get pledges made on 4/2/2008 or later.

I got the same response as you, Barbara, when I called about this same issue:

I have research the issue regarding the Pledge Status Report and it is functioning by design. The date you include for 'Include Pledges made After' will include that date. There is a suggestion that has been filed to change this in a future version of Raiser's Edge.

Basically, the report is functioning as the programmers designed it but the writers command of the English language seems to be lacking.

I believe the Mad Hatter and the Cheshirecat have taken over the top positions at Blackbaud (they are buying Kintera!!!)

[n1ugu]

Thanks for the confirmation Michael. And thanks for catching the *on* and *after* difference in Brian's post, which I obviously missed! Yeah, they enjoy creating reports that function wrong!! If I want a report that catches pledges after a certain date, I need to remember to put in the day after the actual date I want!!! Man, go figure!!
Oh, and as a side note, Michael, loved your France blogs. Glad you had a good time. Oh, and btw, Ed is a cutie!!!
Great humor about the cats and Kintera!!!!
Barbara

[stancliff]

Okay, now I'm thoroughly confused, but this is what I can tell you as of my latest test.

In the 1.General Tab, I set these parameters:
Include pledges made after: 3/31/2008
Date to use: Gift date
Date: <Specific range>
Start: 4/1/2008
End: 4/30/2008

In my results, I got pledges made from 3/31/2008 through 4/30/2008.

So, after re-reading Barbara's original post, I think I get it. Is the solution to simply change the text Include pledges made after to instead read Include pledges made on or after?

[n1ugu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stancliff

Is the solution to simply change the text Include pledges made after to instead read Include pledges made on or after?

I'm not sure what the solution will be, as all he wrote was that he would create a suggestion for this to be changed. I reopened the case and asked him to check with the programmers and Crystal developers as maybe it's as easy as fixing a formula.

[stancliff]

I guess what I'm asking is, would my solution work for you? Why mess with the Crystal Report. Doesn't logic imply that you want pledges made on or after day x? And in your case, you only wanted that one month.

Why do you even need to use that Pledges made after parameter. I think you can ignore it and it makes sense.

[n1ugu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stancliff

I guess what I'm asking is, would my solution work for you? Why mess with the Crystal Report. Doesn't logic imply that you want pledges made on or after day x? And in your case, you only wanted that one month.

Why do you even need to use that Pledges made after parameter. I think you can ignore it and it makes sense.

If I don't put any date into the Include pledges made after parameter, I get all outstanding pledges, even though I put the specific range as start: 5/1/08 end:5/31/08. So I cannot leave it blank.

I don't want to see the pledges made on 4/30/08, I want to see the pledges starting on 5/1/2008, or as the parameter states, *include pledges made after* After all, 5/1/2008 is after 4/30/2008!! The words *on* and *after* have 2 distinct meanings, but as Michael quoted support when he posed the question to them: The date you include for 'Include Pledges made After' will include that date, to me that isn't logical nor is it intuitive; it's just another thing I have to remember when selecting dates.

I'll have to teach the others that run the Pledge Status reports to use the date after the date they want to see.

Thanks for *listening* to me vent!
Barbara

[Anne Marie]

It's so ridiculous! Why don't they just admit that it's totally wrong terminology????

In their minds 05/01/08 is after 04/30/2008, so what's the big deal?

Hello? If you're asking for those made after 04/30/2008, it should not include 04/30/2008!

They need to make some kind of a change in terminology or the programming of the word "after".

When is the day after not after? When it's the day before in RE!

Good luck Barbara , and now you'll have to "program" yourself to use your date pledged + 1!