Installation
I always install all apps (except for maybe matching gifts) because there are too many linked things that could go wrong if they are not all installed.
Other Apps that work with NPSP
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Organisations and Contacts
https://powerofussalesforcefoundation.forcescreenstepslive.com/articles/Resource/NPSP-What-is-an-Account-Model/s/npsp/m/contacts/l/28669-understanding-the-account-model
I prefer the 1x1 account Model.
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Households is annoying and unless your constituency really consists of households, don't bother with it.
Matching Gifts
Why does Matching Gifts install a Donation object when NPSP renames Opps to Donations?
Leads
Opportunities / Donations
Depending on the type of money you receive, think about renaming Opportunities to Donations or even Money or Payments.
Entering donations - read http://nickhbailey.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/how-do-i-enter-this-donation-a-primer-for-npsp-users/ especially the picture. (Quotes below from this article).
Contact Roles
The person making the donation is added as the Contact Role.
"The Primary Contact Role determines which Contact will get this Donation rolled up to their giving totals. This would be desired in almost every individual giver scenario."
Remember:
- Organisations don't make donations, people do, on behalf of organisations. There is always a person responsible for the payment.
Think about using Opportunity Primary Contact validation to ensure all Opps have a Primary Contact.
Soft Credits
Understand Soft Credits!
Rollups
Rollup Setting is in the Household Settings tab.
http://training.handsonconnect.org/m/6676/l/75076-how-do-rollups-work-in-the-npsp
This is a very good answer on Stack Exchange http://salesforce.stackexchange.com/questions/8392/donation-roll-ups-are-not-working-on-contact-and-household
Campaigns
Remember:
- Organisations don't subscribe to newsletters, people do. Many email apps (Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor) will not send to info@ email addresses