Behind the scenes with … FirstClass & Legacy Monitor

Legacy Foresight is the UK’s most prominent legacy market analyst that specialises in benchmarking, research and analysis to generate insights and data for the UK’s legacy market.


Its annual benchmarking consortium programme, Legacy Monitor, has been designed to monitor, analyse and forecast trends in legacy giving. To do this, it draws on data from 81 charities, which accounts for almost half of the UK legacy market by legacy income.


Of the 81 charities that form the consortium, 69 use FirstClass, which makes data retrieval a robust and efficient process for 75 per cent of its members.


But how is this achieved? How do the remaining 25 per cent contribute to the report? And what exactly goes into providing critical data that’s used to underpin a highly regarded industrywide report?


Here, Sean Nelson, Project Manager and Priti Parmar, Client Support & System Testing Consultant at FirstClass, explain.


Sean: There are number of aspects to the Legacy Monitor programme. However, the two main components are the quarterly benchmarking and the annual health check. For both strands, our job is to act as the go-between by taking charities’ data, sense-checking it and supplying it directly to Legacy Foresight.


Priti: At the start of the year, Legacy Foresight provide us with a list of dates and deadlines that we and the charities must adhere to. These form the backbone of the entire programme for the whole year. For example, it means that we know when to issue the first emails to charities, asking them for specific data, when to chase them and when to issue the second round of emails. Working with so many charities, there has to be this structure in place to make data collection at this level manageable.


“The majority of the data supplied to Legacy Monitor comes direct from charities’ FirstClass legacy software. This data can be extracted and transferred easily and efficiently, and is almost always complete and robust. For charities that don’t use FirstClass, the process can be more time consuming and more data quality checks are required”


Kathryn Horsley, Director of Insight at Legacy Foresight


Sean: We begin by grouping the charities into two groups: FirstClass users and non-FirstClass users. For the non-FirstClass users, the emails are bespoke as we attach the respective charities spreadsheet containing previously supplied data covering the last six years. The charity add data for the latest quarter & update the historical data if required.  FirstClass users are provided with a blank spreadsheet that is populated with data copied directly from reports from FirstClass.  We ask for pecuniary, residual and other income/bequests spanning these timeframes.  We have also recently starting requesting additional data for high value legacies.


Priti: Generally speaking, once the charities have completed and returned the spreadsheets, it’s our job to review the data, check the figures and spot any anomalies.  For example, if the figures are unusually low or high compared with previous years, we’ll flag it with the charity, which generally has a reason for this. We’ll then log the reasons and include any other comments when passing that charity’s data on to Legacy Foresight.


Sean: With FirstClass, there is no need for charities to copy and paste their data into the spreadsheet. The charity simply runs the necessary reports, which takes five minutes compared with the vast amount of time non-FirstClass users will need to manually locate and input the same data. If a charity fails to supply their data, we have to ask Legacy Foresight to estimate the figures on their behalf. However, we’ll always give them advance warning of our intentions – and this is usually prompts them to supply a completed spreadsheet.


Priti: Once we have all the data – the FirstClass reports and the spreadsheets – we consolidate it and place it in the Cloud in such a way that it can be manipulated by Legacy Foresight, so that if they want to create tables and graphs, for instance, they can. The Legacy Monitor team then go through it all with a fine toothcomb and use the data and insights to produce the report that our industry knows and trusts.


“If you really want to understand the dynamics and performance of your legacy income, then you need access to as much robust data as you can possibly acquire. FirstClass is not only a tool that allows its users to do just that, but combined with the Legacy Monitor programme, it also has the capacity to empower charities to make more informed, strategic decisions for their legacy programme.”



Kathryn Horsley, Director of Insight at Legacy Foresight


Thinking about maximising your organisation’s legacy gifting programme? Interested in speaking with the UK’s legacy management software specialists? Contact the FirstClass team on +44(0)1257 272730 or email info@firstclass-software.com

Stay Informed: Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Retirement approaching

By Fiona Paton • October 30, 2025
With the upcoming retirement of Microsoft SQL Server 2016 on 14th July 2026 , we want to ensure you're aware of how this may impact your use of FirstClass. If you're using FirstClass 4 Web, Essentials, or Cloud , there's no action needed - your database is fully managed by us. If you're using FirstClass 4 In-house , then this update is important. Please review your setup or speak with us and/or your IT team to ensure you're prepared. To check your database type, open FirstClass , go to the System page from the main window, and look for whether you're using Microsoft SQL Server or Azure SQL Database . How to check your SQL Setup in FirstClass Open FirstClass and go to the System page (see below) from the main window, and look for whether you're using Microsoft SQL Server or Azure SQL Database . Locate the SQL Server Edition field: If it shows SQL Azure, you're using the cloud-based Azure SQL Database version. No action is needed - Microsoft handles updates automatically. If it shows something else like Standard or Enterprise Edition , you're using the traditional on-premise version. This requires manual updates and will eventually go out of support. Next, check the SQL Server Version field: This will show a numeric value (e.g., 13, 14, 15, 16). If your version is 13 or lower , you should begin planning with your IT department and our support team to upgrade your database server before support ends. Why it matters Security : Unsupported versions no longer receive security updates, leaving your systems vulnerable. Compliance : Many regulatory frameworks require supported software. Performance : Newer versions offer better performance, scalability, and features. If you're unsure about any of the above? Log a support ticket and we’ll be happy to assist.

New Outlook for Windows - Here's What You Need to Know

By Fiona Paton • October 27, 2025
Microsoft’s New Outlook for Windows Whilst it became generally available in August 2024, it is currently not supported by FirstClass d ue to integration limitations. The New Outlook cannot facilitate outbound sending or importing of emails from other applications, and it does not yet provide the full functionality available in Classic Outlook. What this means for you: Computers running FirstClass must continue using Classic Outlook to maintain full functionality. Microsoft encourages users to try the New Outlook, so be aware of this prompt if you rely on FirstClass for email integration. Guidance for users: Look for the New Outlook icon in the top-right corner of Outlook, see below Revert to Classic Outlook by clicking the slider to “off”, see below, and restart Outlook to switch back to Classic Outlook. For any issues with email integration, please contact our support team FirstClass remains fully compatible with Classic Outlook. Users are advised to retain Classic Outlook until full support for the New Outlook is confirmed, which is supported by Microsoft until at least 2029. Further details on extended support for classic Outlook can be found here.
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What’s New, What’s Next: Introducing FirstClass 5 Essentials

By Fiona Paton • October 27, 2025
We're excited to announce that we're set to unveil FirstClass 5 Essentials, the first phase of the latest generation of our award-winning platform, in a move that is expected to cement our position as the charity’s choice of legacy management technology. Development on FirstClass 5 began in 2024 following significant investment from our parent company ClearCourse, and close collaboration with Paul Browne, Head of Legacy Administration at Legacy Link. Now, as part of the first phase of the rollout, FirstClass 5 Essentials will replace FirstClass 4 Web as the company’s most accessible product, which is geared towards smaller charities looking to transition from manual legacy management to modern-day, automated processes. Whilst the launch date of FirstClass 5 is yet to be confirmed, the unveiling of FirstClass 5 Essentials, which is scheduled for release before Christmas, will include new features not currently available in FirstClass 4 Web. These include a multi-charity view, for users who manage legacies for different charities within a group structure, and the ability to manage multiple legacies per legator, such as where pecuniary and residuary gifts stem from the same legator. A new issues function, which allows users to address legal and contentious issues, is also included. Hosted within the cloud to provide users with added security, FirstClass 5 Essentials is expected to radically modernise legacy case management via a much more accessible user interface, improved connectivity and integration capabilities with other systems such as Smee & Ford, and enhanced workflows that make the platform quicker to navigate and easier to use. Rich Mullens, Product Director at FirstClass, comments: