firstclass-software

Legacy Budgets: Clarity for Future Spend

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:45:06 GMT

When you’re managing legacies, it’s not just the income that matters - it’s the commitments, too. Future solicitor fees, surveyor costs, maintenance charges, promised funds to branches… they all add up, and they all need to be tracked somewhere sensible. That’s exactly where Legacy Budgets steps in.

What Legacy Budgets Actually Do

Legacy Budgets lets you record a budgeted amount for any planned or upcoming expenditure linked to a legacy. It could be professional fees, ongoing maintenance, or even funds earmarked for a specific centre or project. Many charities track this in their finance system, but having it visible within the legacy record itself gives you context you don’t get anywhere else.

Why It’s Worth Using

Think of it as a financial snapshot that sits right alongside the case details. It’s simple, but it’s powerful, and helps you:

See what’s been committed before invoices arrive
Keep teams aligned on expected spend
Avoid surprises later in the process
Maintain a clearer picture of each legacy’s net value

The Legacy Budget Browser: Your Overview at a Glance

If you want to see all budgets in one place, the Legacy Budget Browser is your new best friend. It shows:

Current budgeted amounts
Amounts already spent
Remaining balance
Related legator, legacy, and payee details

It’s ideal when you’re not sure which legacy a budget belongs to, when you want to see everything linked to a particular payee, or when you need quick reporting using selections.

To access it:

From the Home window, click Browse or press Ctrl + B
Double‑click Legacy Budget Browser
Apply your filters using Selections and hit Apply Selections

How to Switch It On

Legacy Budgets isn’t enabled by default. To activate it, set the ShowLegacyBudgets system parameter to Yes in the Maintain System Parameters window, then restart the system. If you’d like budget information to appear in additional grids, we are only too happy to help configure that.

Where You’ll Find It

Once enabled, you’ll see a Budgets tab on both the Legator and Legacy windows - making it easy to view, add, and manage budgets right where you need them.

ILM 2026: What we’re most excited about this year

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:31:47 GMT

We’re officially counting down to the ILM Annual Conference on 8 May at 133 Houndsditch, London. It’s always one of the best days in the legacy calendar - a chance to reconnect in person with friends and colleagues across the sector, soak up engaging speaker sessions, spark new ideas, and celebrate the incredible work happening in legacies at the ILM Awards.

What's New

The FirstClass team will be on hand to share the latest on how FirstClass is evolving, with the launch of the first iteration of FirstClass 5 Essentials coming very soon. We’ll also be unveiling a couple of new services we’re delighted to introduce, including Data Cleansing and RCS Business Messaging - the natural successor to SMS.

Data Cleansing

For charities and non‑profits, supporter data is the backbone of effective legacy giving. Yet while nearly half of organisations want to use insights to improve services, more than half are held back by CRM challenges.

Poor‑quality data can have serious consequences - from losing touch with potential legacy supporters to missing opportunities for deeper engagement, and even risking compliance issues.

That’s where our Data Cleansing service comes in. We help charities restore confidence in their supporter information by improving the quality of addresses, emails, and phone numbers. The result is cleaner, compliant, and more reliable data that strengthens legacy communications and ensures every supporter feels valued and connected.

RCS Business Messaging

Charities are experiencing a major shift. Supporters now expect digital‑first, mobile‑first communication - they want interactions that feel personal, transparent, and effortless. Social media is great for sharing impact stories, but when it comes to deeper, more meaningful conversations, like inspiring someone to leave a gift in their Will, charities need something more powerful and more trusted.

RCS delivers on‑brand, secure, and interactive messages straight to the place that matters most - your supporters’ phones.

Unlike SMS, RCS allows content‑rich, multimedia, and interactive messaging, helping charities build stronger, more personal connections with legacy supporters.

And the results speak for themselves: up to three times higher engagement than SMS, read rates of 60–80%, and adoption by hundreds of leading brands. RCS is redefining how charities nurture relationships and inspire legacy giving.

ILM Awards

As always, a big highlight of the conference is celebrating excellence across the legacy sector, and we’re looking forward to cheering on all the ILM members who’ve been nominated. Good luck to all the nominees - we’re excited to celebrate your achievements and hear about the great work happening across the sector.

Make sure to drop by on the day to hear how FirstClass is now delivering even more for its clients, and in the meantime, you can view the complete list of speakers and topics for the day at the ILM Annual Conference website .

Open Conversations. Shared Solutions.

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:18:30 GMT

At FirstClass, we’ve always believed our product should grow with the charities and non-profits who use it. Your input has shaped the way we build, and now we want to take that collaboration one step further.

Monthly Check-in Calls

We’re introducing monthly check‑in calls - an open forum where you can drop in, chat with the team and other customers, and explore anything to do with the product.

No agenda, no pressure. Just space for conversation, questions, and shared ideas.

These sessions give you the chance to:

Share your priorities and help shape how we address different aspects of the system
Stay informed on technical updates, including external systems like SQL or Outlook
What’s new across our Team, billing, and the wider company
See functionality demonstrated live - if you’re unsure how something works, we’ll show you
Updates on features and fixes in the latest releases
Ask questions on any part of the system

Whether you join for five minutes or stay for the full hour, this is your space to connect with us. It’s a chance to explore challenges together, share experiences, and help shape a product that truly works for charities. We’ll host these sessions monthly on Microsoft Teams, giving you regular opportunities to drop in and join the conversation.

Join our team for open, honest discussions that help us learn, improve, and grow alongside you. The next session is on Thursday, 21 ^st May at 10:45, you can sign up using the Save the Date button below.

Legacy Giving: Where Donors Leave Their Mark

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 05:23:30 GMT

Most people assume gifts in wills go mainly to hospitals or animal charities. But legacy giving is evolving - from climate action to cultural preservation, donors are reshaping where their final gifts go. And with the biggest wealth transfer in history already underway, the question isn’t if charities will benefit, but which ones will capture the imagination of a new generation of donors.

The Main Sectors for Legacy Gifts

Health & Medical Research : Personal or family experiences with illness inspire gifts to hospitals, hospices, and research foundations.
Animal Welfare : Emotional bonds with pets and wildlife make animal charities a natural choice.
Humanitarian Aid : Donors who care about poverty, hunger, and inequality often leave legacies to international aid organisations.
Faith‑Based Causes : Religious traditions encourage charitable giving as part of a spiritual legacy.
Education : Universities, schools, and scholarship funds benefit from donors who want to give future generations opportunities.
Community & Social Services : Local charities supporting homelessness, youth, or food banks benefit from donors who want to strengthen their communities.

Emerging Growth Areas

Environmental Charities : With climate change high on the agenda, more donors are leaving gifts to conservation and sustainability causes.
Arts & Heritage : Museums, galleries, theatres, and cultural trusts are seeing increased support as donors seek to preserve culture and history for future generations.

Younger Donors and the Great Wealth Transfer

A major shift is underway. Millennials and Gen Z are beginning to shape the future of legacy giving, and their priorities look different from those of older generations. Younger donors tend to support:

Environmental and climate action - sustainability and conservation are top of mind.
Social justice and equality - causes that drive systemic change resonate strongly.
Community impact - grassroots and local charities that deliver visible results.
Arts and culture - inclusive cultural spaces and heritage preservation are gaining traction.

This shift is amplified by the Great Wealth Transfer: an estimated $84–124 trillion will pass from Baby Boomers to younger generations and charities over the next two decades. This is not just financial - it represents a cultural change in philanthropy. Younger donors expect transparency, digital engagement, and clear evidence of impact.

Digital Engagement: Meeting Younger Donors Where They Are

For younger generations, digital isn’t optional - it’s the default. Communicating with them means using the channels they already live on, and that includes mobile messaging . It’s quick, it’s simple, and your message lands directly in their hands. Charities that embrace mobile‑first communication alongside email, social, and digital campaigns will build stronger connections with younger supporters and keep legacy conversations relevant.

Why Donors Choose These Causes

Legacy giving is rarely about short‑term impact. Donors want to leave something that endures - whether it’s funding medical breakthroughs, protecting animals, preserving heritage, or tackling global challenges. These gifts reflect identity, values, and lived experiences, ensuring that a supporter’s passion continues long after they’re gone.

Data Accuracy: The Foundation of Legacy Giving

Regardless of who or what supporters choose to leave their legacy to, without the right details, it all becomes pointless . Poor‑quality data can mean missed opportunities or even lost supporters. Clean, validated data ensures that legacies are honoured, communications reach the right people, and charities can act with confidence.

Conclusion

Health and animal welfare charities may dominate legacy giving today, but the landscape is shifting. Environmental and cultural causes are gaining momentum, and younger generations are bringing new priorities to the table. With the Great Wealth Transfer already underway, charities that invest in legacy marketing now - building trust, demonstrating impact, engaging digitally (especially through mobile messaging), and ensuring data accuracy - will secure not just income, but a lasting place in the hearts of future supporters.

From legacy management to data cleansing and mobile messaging, we help charities handle every legacy with confidence. Want to know how FirstClass can support your organisation? Contact our team to find out more

Legacies Made Simple: From Will to Impact

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:00:07 GMT

Legacy giving is one of the most meaningful ways supporters can leave a lasting mark on the causes they care about. For charities, though, it’s not just about receiving these gifts — it’s equally about managing them with care, honouring supporters’ wishes, and protecting legacies for the future.

That’s why we built FirstClass . Once a will is written and a gift is pledged, charities need the right tools to manage the legacy when it’s received - from handling complex estates to recording details and valuing gifts with clarity and care. And if you’d like to explore why a dedicated legacy management system makes such a difference, take a look at our article The Hidden Power of Legacy Income .

Why Legacy Giving Matters

Each year, legacy gifts bring billions of pounds to UK charities, providing stability and funding vital work across communities. For many supporters, these gifts are often the largest single contribution a supporter makes, providing long‑term stability for the causes they care about.

That’s why legacy giving matters: because it safeguards supporter intentions and ensures charities can plan for the future.

And yet, despite their power, many gifts never reach charities. Wills can be complex, estates take time to settle, and without careful stewardship, legacies can be delayed, disputed, or even lost. When that happens, it’s not only funding that disappears - it’s the supporter’s story, their intention, and their impact.

The Will Gap

The reality is that millions of estates are distributed without reflecting personal wishes - simply because there’s no valid will in place. Research shows that only around 41% of UK adults have written one. That leaves families vulnerable to conflict and charities missing out on legacies that could have made a lasting difference.

It’s a big gap between intention and action, and closing it matters - for loved ones and for the causes people care about.

Free Online Will Services

The good news? Writing a will has never been easier. Many charities now offer free online will‑writing services, designed to remove the barriers that stop people from getting started. Supporters can create a legally valid will from the comfort of home, with clear guidance at each step.

These services also make it simpler to include a gift to charity, ensuring that personal values and commitments are reflected in a lasting legacy. By lowering the hurdles and encouraging thoughtful planning, charities are helping more people take control of their future and make a meaningful impact.

Why Correct Completion Matters

Of course, ease of access doesn’t mean the rules disappear. Online wills must still meet the same legal requirements as traditional paper wills, and mistakes can lead to significant problems. Common pitfalls include:

Invalid witnessing - witnesses must be present together, and beneficiaries cannot act as witnesses.
Missing formalities - errors with signatures, dates, or execution can invalidate the document.
Contestation risks - unclear wording, undue influence, or questions about mental capacity can lead to disputes.
Outdated documents - life changes (marriage, divorce, new children, asset changes) can make a will contested or irrelevant.

Getting it right

Creating a will isn’t just paperwork - it’s an act of care for the people and causes you love. Done properly, it ensures your wishes are honoured, your family is spared unnecessary conflict, and your legacy continues as you intended.

Here are some practical ways to make sure your will stands strong:

Seek expert guidance: a solicitor or professional ensures clarity and validity.
Be unmistakably specific: avoid vague wording that invites disputes.
Choose impartial witnesses: never beneficiaries.
Sign, date, and witness flawlessly: even small errors can cast doubt.
Review and update regularly: life changes should be reflected.
Store securely: keep the original safe and accessible.
Open the conversation: share intentions with family or executors to prevent surprises.

The Bigger Picture

At the end of the day, creating a will is more than a legal step - it’s a way of caring for the people and causes you love. Done right, it protects your family from conflict and ensures your legacy makes the difference you intended.

For charities, this isn’t just about income. It’s about helping supporters protect their legacy with care and clarity. And once that will is in place, the next step is to ensure that every gift is managed properly. That’s where FirstClass comes in - giving teams the tools to handle complex estates with ease, record specific details, and work out valuations so they know what to expect and when.

From will to impact, we help charities honour every legacy with confidence. Want to know how FirstClass can support your organisation? Contact our team to find out more

Clear Vision: How Charities Can Get Legacy Income on Track

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 12:08:43 GMT

A Fresh Start for Legacy Giving

With the year well underway, now is the moment for charities to pause, reflect, and plan ahead. It’s a chance to look back at what worked last year, identify where improvements can be made, and set the foundations for lasting success.

This is especially true for legacy income. Unlike regular donations, legacy gifts are rarely quick decisions - they’re deeply personal, transformational commitments that often require years of careful stewardship.

That’s why now is the time to put strategies in place that bring structure, confidence, and clarity. With the right approach, charities can grow a healthy pipeline for the year ahead, ensuring no opportunity is missed and every supporter feels valued.

Clean Data, Thriving Relationships

Legacy giving is built on trust, and trust depends on accuracy. Surveys suggest that legacies can make up anywhere from 10% to 60% of a charity’s voluntary income. That’s a huge proportion, and it shows just how transformational these gifts can be.

That’s why clean data matters so much here. Outdated records don’t just mean missed mailings - they mean missed opportunities to nurture relationships with the very supporters who might one day choose to leave a legacy. Without accurate data, charities risk losing touch with this critical donor segment at the exact moment when connection matters most.

Clean data ensures charities know exactly who their supporters are, how they’ve engaged, and where they are in their journey. It’s not just about tidy spreadsheets - it’s about making sure every supporter feels recognised and connected. When data is clean, charities thrive because relationships thrive.

Integration and Visibility: One Source of Truth

Legacy income touches fundraising, finance, supporter care, and marketing. Without a central system, data gets scattered across spreadsheets, emails, and CRMs - making it hard to see the full picture.

A legacy management system brings everything together. With seamless integration into key CRM platforms , charities can ensure supporter records, financial data, and stewardship notes are all aligned. No duplication, no gaps - just one source of truth that everyone can rely on.

And when it comes to notifications, integration with services like Smee & Ford is critical. These alerts about new legacy gifts or potential income flow directly into the system, giving charities immediate visibility into what’s in the pipeline. That means faster follow‑up, clearer forecasting, and the confidence to plan.

This clarity transforms legacy giving from reactive to strategic, helping charities steward relationships, manage income, and build trust with supporters at every stage.

Front of Mind: Marketing That Cultivates Legacies

Charities are experiencing a major shift in how supporters want to connect. Today’s audiences expect communication to be digital‑first and mobile‑first - interactions that feel personal, transparent, and effortless. Social media is powerful for sharing impact stories, but when it comes to deeper, more meaningful conversations - like inspiring someone to leave a gift in their Will - charities need something more trusted.

Traditionally, mobile messaging has been limited to quick text‑to‑donate campaigns or event reminders. But imagine if that same channel could nurture long‑term relationships, build trust, and spark legacy pledges. That’s where RCS (Rich Communication Services) comes in.

RCS is the first major upgrade to mobile messaging in two decades. Unlike SMS, it offers a richer, more interactive experience - secure, modern, and designed to feel genuinely helpful. For charities, this means the ability to stay front of mind with supporters, using the very channels they already rely on every day.

By combining clean data with RCS‑powered outreach, charities can ensure their cause is remembered when supporters make one of life’s most meaningful decisions.

Efficiency and Confidence

Legacy gifts involve sensitive information, legal processes, and long timelines. A management system streamlines workflows, automates reminders, and ensures compliance. This saves staff time, reduces risk, and allows teams to focus on what matters most: building relationships with care.

Conclusion: Turning Intent Into Impact

Legacy giving isn’t just about managing income - it’s about honouring the intent of supporters and turning it into lasting impact. Momentum is building in 2026, making it the perfect time to get ahead: to clean your data, connect your systems, and embrace modern channels that keep you front of mind.

With the right legacy management approach, charities don’t just track gifts - they build trust, deepen relationships, and secure the future of their mission.

If you’re ready to move from good intentions to measurable impact, get in touch with our team. We’ll help you put the structure, clarity, and human touch in place to make legacy income simple, strategic, and successful.

Inspiring Legacies with RCS

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 14:32:51 GMT

Charities are experiencing a major shift. Supporters now expect digital-first, mobile-first communication - they want to engage in ways that feel personal, transparent, and effortless. Social media is great for sharing impact stories, but when it comes to deeper, more meaningful conversations - like inspiring someone to leave a gift in their Will - charities need something more powerful and more trusted.

Traditionally, mobile messaging has been used for quick text-to-donate campaigns or sending reminders. But imagine if that same channel could nurture long-term relationships, build trust, and spark legacy pledges. That’s exactly where RCS (Rich Communication Services) can make a meaningful difference.

RCS is the first major upgrade to mobile messaging in 20 years. It offers an enhanced, more interactive experience compared with SMS, giving charities a way to reach supporters with messages that feel modern, secure, and genuinely helpful.

Here’s why RCS is so relevant for legacy fundraising:

Secure & trusted:

Your charity’s name and logo appear as a verified sender, giving supporters instant reassurance that your message is authentic.

Connected & seamless:

Messages land directly in supporters’ native messaging inboxes on Android and iOS - no apps to install and no additional steps.

Engaging & interactive:

You can add images, buttons, carousels, and track engagement in real time, making each message a richer opportunity to inspire and inform.

For charities, this means you can reach warm, highly engaged audiences - those most likely to consider a gift in their Will, with content that feels personal, trustworthy, and uplifting. Instead of a plain text reminder, imagine sending a beautifully branded message containing a story of impact, a short video, or a simple button to learn more about pledging a legacy. It’s a small upgrade in channel, but a big step forward in supporter experience.

Looking ahead, 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for mobile messaging. And the timing couldn’t be better. Legacy giving in the UK reached £4.5 billion in 2024 , a 9 percent increase on the previous year, and forecasts show legacy income is set to more than double by 2050 as the Baby Boomer generation finalises its estate planning.

The opportunity is significant - but only if charities adopt communication tools that match how supporters want to connect today.

With over 600 UK brands already using RCS , and early adopters seeing up to three times more engagement than SMS , the question isn’t whether charities should embrace RCS.

It’s why wait at all?

Bring your messaging to life and get started with RCS today. Get in touch for a journey towards richer messaging, better engagement, and higher conversions

The Hidden Power of Legacy Income

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 06:55:31 GMT

Imagine a supporter who believes in your mission so deeply that they decide to make it part of their legacy. Long after they’re gone, their gift continues to fuel your work, carrying forward their values and trust in your cause. That’s the hidden power of legacy income - it’s not just funding, it’s a lasting bond between donor and organisation, built on loyalty and commitment.

Beyond Paperwork

Legacy gifts are one of the most impactful and emotionally significant forms of giving. They represent trust, loyalty, and a donor’s lasting commitment to your cause. But with that trust comes responsibility, and complexity.

Managing legacy income isn’t simply about tracking paperwork. It’s about honouring a donor’s final wishes while ensuring their gift makes the greatest possible impact. Yet, many charities still rely on outdated tools or manual processes to manage gifts in wills.

The consequences?

Delays in processing
Missed opportunities to maximise value
Unnecessary risks that can erode donor confidence

Why a Dedicated Legacy Income System Matters

A modern, dedicated system transforms the way organisations handle bequests:

Structure → Clear processes using best practices that reduce confusion and errors
Visibility → Transparency across teams, ensuring everyone knows the status of each gift
Confidence → Reliable data that builds trust with donors, families, and stakeholders

This isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about safeguarding relationships and ensuring every legacy gift fulfils its intended purpose.

Who Benefits?

Whether you’re a charity, non‑profit, or higher education institution , getting smarter about how you manage legacy income is vital. With the right system in place, you can:

Reduce administrative burden
Protect against risk
Unlock the full potential of legacy giving

The Results of Smarter Legacy Income Management

When charities and non‑profits adopt a dedicated legacy income system from FirstClass, the impact is clear:

Faster processing & rapid access to records → Gifts are managed efficiently, reducing delays and ensuring funds reach the cause sooner.
Income dashboards & financial reports → Real‑time visibility into pipeline, trends, and performance supports confident decision‑making.
Customisable templates → Flexible tools that adapt to your processes, reducing admin and saving time.
Contact records → Centralised donor and executor information strengthens relationships and ensures transparency.
Reduced risk → Accurate records and structured processes protect against errors and safeguard donor trust.
Seamless CRM integration → Works smoothly with key CRM partners, ensuring data flows without duplication.
Smee and Ford integration → Direct connection to industry‑leading probate data for complete oversight.
Stronger relationships → Families and executors feel reassured that gifts are handled with care and transparency.

Legacy gifts are too important to be left to outdated processes. By adopting smarter tools, you can honor donor trust, reduce risk, and unlock the full potential of legacy income.

Ready to transform how you manage legacy income? Get in touch with us today to see how our solutions can help you build confidence, efficiency, and growth for the future.

FirstClass goes Global

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 09:59:58 GMT

The background

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) was founded in 1969, with the aim of stopping the commercial hunt for whitecoat seals on the east coast of Canada. IFAW has grown into a charity that works across seas, oceans, and in more than 40 countries around the world.

IFAW is dedicated to building a world where animals and people can thrive together on a healthy planet. Through its work in the fields of biodiversity conservation and wildlife rescue, IFAW has had a major impact on ecosystems and communities around the world.

With a third of the charity’s income stemming from legacies, IFAW has been using FirstClass to streamline, manage, and monitor this crucial revenue stream from its UK office for over 10 years.

However, its international counterparts were using disparate systems that were incurring significantly more administration time than would have been required when using one standardised legacy management platform.

In 2025, the decision to implement FirstClass across six new international territories was taken.

“Trying to understand pipelines, trends, and forecasting figures across seven different countries is a challenge in itself. This is further compounded when the data you’re trying to make sense of is being held in different platforms, software, and even manual spreadsheets. As IFAW’s UK office had enjoyed the transparency and single source of data afforded by FirstClass over a 10-year period, it made sense to roll the platform out across our global offices."

Georgina Hyman, Global Legacy Director at IFAW

The project

In the absence of a single, automated legacy management platform, IFAW’s Global Legacy Administration Manager, Niall Mason, was spending a significant amount of time reconciling key data relating to critical areas of legacy management from multiple sources.

Similarly, accessing sensitive information relating to contentious cases was difficult – if not impossible – to achieve.

Recognising the need for transformation, Georgina Hyman, Global Legacy Director, championed a strategic initiative to overhaul how IFAW’s legacies were managed worldwide. This included a strong internal commitment to professionalise and standardise legacy management processes across all regions.

In July 2025, FirstClass was rolled out to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States.

The result

Since incorporating FirstClass worldwide, IFAW has :

Standardised the way IFAW approaches legacy management and monitoring across seven countries worldwide

Created substantial time and administration savings – in many cases completing tasks that had previously taken days in a matter of hours

Implemented legacy management best practice across a global workforce, upskilled the global legacy administration team and professionalised legacy management across IFAW

Raised the profile of legacy administration internally and demonstrably reinforced the importance of IFAW’s legacy function amongst internal and external stakeholders

“We have faith in FirstClass, which is why we took the bold step of becoming the first multi-country charity to adopt the platform across multiple territories. During the global rollout, Niall worked closely with the FirstClass team, who were supportive and collaborative – particularly Shaun, from whom we had the sense that he wanted to see the international rollout be a success as much as we did! While there are still elements to refine as FirstClass evolves into an international platform, we now have a standardised way in which to manage and monitor legacies that eliminates risks associated with human error, and that can be scaled in line with the charity’s growth.”

Georgina Hyman, Global Legacy Director at IFAW

Stay Informed: Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Retirement approaching

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:15:15 GMT

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.

A sample of the System page is shown below, showing the SQL Server Edition and SQL Server Version information. For reference, the various SQL Server versions and their support dates are also listed in the table. The key date is the End of Extended Support column on the right, as this is the date Microsoft stops issuing security updates for that version of SQL Server.

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

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 11:23:01 GMT

Microsoft’s New Outlook for Windows

Whilst it became generally available in August 2024, the New Outlook is currently not supported by FirstClass due 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.

What’s New, What’s Next: Introducing FirstClass 5 Essentials

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:25:48 GMT

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:

" FirstClass is a legacy management platform that’s built for charities, by charities. Having worked in partnership with Legacy Link, which has provided invaluable feedback on what our users want, we’re confident that FirstClass 5 Essentials will appeal to smaller charities looking for an accessible way in which to modernise their legacy management function.

We’re excited about how FirstClass 5 Essentials will be received towards the end of this year and hugely grateful to Legacy Link for its ongoing collaboration and support."

Paul Browne, Head of Legacy Administration at Legacy Link, adds:

"FirstClass 5 Essentials provides a glimpse into what FirstClass 5 will look and feel like when it’s fully developed and launched. The new user interface will be widely welcomed, as will the improved connectivity and opportunities for integration with other industry platforms. Given the amount of development that’s gone into FirstClass 5 to date,

I’m confident that on its release, the platform will further streamline legacy management for its broad range of charity users. In the meantime, FirstClass 5 Essentials will improve the efficiency and service levels for smaller charities that are ready to move away from manual methods of legacy management."

In partnership with the Institute of Legacy Management , and as part of FirstClass’s open and collaborative approach to evolving the platform in line with user requirements, FirstClass invites you to join a webinar on Tuesday, December 9, at 11:00 a.m., providing attendees with an exclusive preview of FirstClass 5 Essentials.

During the webinar, attendees will be able to experience a demonstration of the first iteration of the next generation of FirstClass 5, ask questions, and hear from FirstClass and Legacy Link about the platform’s development so far. Those wishing to attend the webinar can register via the link below.

Pilot Project Launched to Support Free Wills Month

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 10:47:51 GMT

To shine a light on October’s Free Wills Month , an initiative designed to offer those aged 55 and over the chance to have straightforward wills written or updated free of charge, FirstClass and sister company Cymba have joined forces and are partnering with the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM) to launch a project that illustrates the impact mobile messaging has on legacy giving.

Whilst mobile messaging is typically associated with text-to-donate campaigns, the partnership between two companies that sit within ClearCourse’s stable of brands will showcase how this technology can be used to inspire people to leave legacies in their wills.

The webinar, entitled “ How to Boost traffic to your Free Wills and Legacy pages ”, will be jointly hosted by the FirstClass and Cymba teams, and explore how emerging Rich Communications Services (RCS) technology, the evolution of SMS, can be used to drive engagement when it comes to legacy giving.

The event will also provide charities with insights into how they can build trust when it comes to increasing donations and gifts by revealing tried and tested messaging formats that drive action. Charities will also learn how to highlight their free wills and legacy pages by harnessing RCS’s ability to implement branded quick-action buttons, and understand the difference in outcomes between SMS and RCS messaging via a dedicated split testing session.

In the lead up to the webinar, which takes place on 11 September at 10:30 am, Cymba and FirstClass will be running test campaigns with several of the UK’s prominent charities, the results of which will be revealed during the session.

On the event, Rich Mullens, Director at Cymba and FirstClass, comments:

“ Regular givers are often among the most open to leaving a legacy. In this webinar, we’ll show charities how mobile messaging can help them engage these supporters more effectively and drive meaningful traffic, not only for donations but also to inspire gifts in wills. We’re delighted to unite these two brands, both of which are founded on helping charities boost donations via mobile messaging and increase their legacy giving, and we’re confident that attendees will leave feeling inspired to use new approaches. ”

The new Data (Use and Access) Bill, which gives charities greater freedom to use the soft opt-in by enabling them to contact past supporters with relevant legacy messages without needing fresh consent, removes barriers to utilising RCS. This means that the benefits of RCS, such as the ability to use logos, images, video, and tap-to-act buttons, can be quickly and efficiently embraced by charities looking to incorporate this emerging technology.

For more information on Cymba, FirstClass, and Free Wills Month, visit https://www.cymba.co.uk , https://www.firstclass-software.com , and https://freewillsmonth.org.uk , respectively.

ILM Annual Conference 2025: Highlights from the FirstClass lounge

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 06:55:52 GMT

FirstClass had the privilege of hosting a breakout space for event delegates at the 2025 ILM Annual Conference, and it was a fantastic experience! In this article, we share highlights from the day and our team’s thoughts on the experience.

Bigger and better than before

For the first time, the annual conference took place at Convene 133 Houndsditch in London. It was also the best-attended conference the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM) has ever hosted! The larger venue and great turnout are a testament to the ILM’s commitment to growth and community – we couldn’t be more proud to be an ILM partner and to have been a part of this key event on the industry calendar.

A chance to connect and explore legacy management

This year, the ILM introduced breakout sessions at the conference, and we hosted the FirstClass lounge, where all delegates could catch their breath between talks.

It was a wonderful opportunity for our team to meet clients face-to-face, connect with future customers, and explore what’s next in legacy management, including the FirstClass product roadmap.

Reflecting on the event, Rich Mullens, Director for FirstClass, said:

"The introduction of the breakout sessions was a highlight for us, a brilliant addition to the programme. These sessions provided a valuable opportunity for FirstClass to share an exclusive first look at FirstClass and our product roadmap. It also allowed us to connect directly with our clients and users, gathering invaluable insights into their wish lists, pain points, and feedback on the future development of our platform.”

Bobby Parmar, Account Manager for FirstClass, added:

"As always, attending the ILM conference is a fantastic experience for us to connect, collaborate and reflect on the year that has gone by. The conference allows us to meet clients and future users face-to-face to offer demos, support calls or even a quick hello. This is important as it maintains our customer centricity and shows that not just FirstClass, but ClearCourse as a whole isn’t just a faceless entity.”

A truly excellent event

Well done to the ILM for pulling off another incredible annual conference, and thank you to everyone who joined us in the lounge – we trust that you enjoyed relaxing, recharging and exploring our legacy management software for your organisation. If you missed the conference, we hope to see you next year!

Want to know more about the next iteration of FirstClass? Get in touch .

Three things we're looking forward to at the ILM Annual Conference

Wed, 07 May 2025 11:18:38 GMT

We're days away from the ILM Annual Conference! This year, we're hosting the FirstClass lounge, an exclusive breakout space at the event , which is taking place on 9th May at 133 Houndsditch, London. In the lead-up to the event, we want to share three things we're looking forward to on the day.

1. Meeting our clients face to face

We don't always get to meet our clients face to face, which is why events like the ILM Conference are exciting for the FirstClass team. They enable us to meet our customers, reconnect with those we've met before and chat about their experiences and challenges.

2. Sharing updates on how FirstClass is evolving

We've got exciting product updates on the horizon, and we can't wait to share how FirstClass is evolving at the event. Our team will share a preview of the next version of our legacy management software to give you a glimpse of our product roadmap. We look forward to chatting about the possibilities of FirstClass for charities with existing and future customers.

3. Celebrating excellence in the legacy sector

We’re looking forward to celebrating those ILM members who have been nominated for Legacy Professional of the Year and ILM Mentor of the Year ! The former is awarded to a professional in the legacy management sector who takes the extra step to support their team, champions equality and diversity, listens to others and works collaboratively to get things done. The latter recognises a mentor who has done an outstanding job supporting a colleague in their role or their studies towards the Certificate of Legacy Administration (CiCLA). This year's winners will be announced at the conference - good luck to all nominees!

Let's explore what's next in legacy management

If you're attending this year's event, visit us at the FirstClass lounge! The lounge will be open all day to all delegates, giving you a chance to catch your breath between talks. We'll also be chatting about the future of legacy management and our solution – come by anytime!

For the complete list of speakers and topics, visit the ILM Annual Conference website .

Major cancer charity puts efficiency first with FirstClass

tbrand@clearcourse.co.uk (Tayla Brand) — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 22:16:08 GMT

The background

Since it was formed in 1911, Macmillan Cancer Support has grown into one of the largest British charities.

Raising money to provide vital cancer services, campaign for better cancer care and support the cancer workforce, Macmillan Cancer Support is now nationally recognised and hugely respected.

In fact, in YouGov’s UK Charity Rankings 2023, it claimed first place as the charity that most people would donate to tomorrow.

Legacy gifts account for 40 per cent of the organisation’s income, currently totalling over £90m each year, and the Legacy Income team handle over 3,000 legacy notifications annually.

Yet, despite its size and the volume of support it receives, Macmillan Cancer Support was running a dual system when it came to managing its legacy financial data and its legacy notifications – an approach that was creating inefficiencies and leaving its legacy management programme open to risk.

This all changed in 2023 when it chose FirstClass to handle both elements.

“We’ve been using FirstClass for legacy case management since 2016. However, we initially delayed migrating the financial data on legacies because we were expecting to move away from our income management system within a year or so, and it made sense to wait for that project before moving over our legacy data. However, the income management system project was significantly delayed, and it was not until 2023 that we were able to progress with moving our legacy income onto FirstClass.

“It is fantastic to have finally brought everything onto the same system having craved it for so many years. The legacy team are loving having everything in one place and have found the process of recording income and making estimates straightforward to learn and easy to use. Our finance team are equally delighted, as they can now run reports in minutes that previously took hours and were subject to error.

“We knew FirstClass would give us opportunities to improve our processes and reporting but the benefits are even greater than expected and it is hard to believe we waited so long!”

Lucy Pike, Legacy Income Development Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support

The project

In many ways, Macmillan Cancer Support was an outlier; it was one of the UK’s largest charities yet its dual system approach meant that it was not straightforward to access financial legacy data.

Not only was the dual system unnecessarily using resource, but the organisation also has plans to replace the in-house finance system, so this is a step forward towards being able to phase it out. Additionally, only a few remaining members of the Technology team knew how to support the in-house system, which increased the charity’s risk profile.

The decision to migrate legacy financial data was taken in 2023. This began with a significant data cleansing programme, which saw the FirstClass team assist with identifying discrepancies that had built across the two systems over several years. Once the current and historic data was consistent, it was migrated into FirstClass.

Following several months of testing, the project went live in June 2024 and Macmillan Cancer Support now intends to be an active member of the FirstClass steering group, which will see the charity help shape the next generation of the legacy management platform.

“We’ve always had a good relationship with the FirstClass team. This project has only strengthened it. The way they operate is always led by what their clients need. Now that we’re planning to be an active member of the steering group, we recognise that Macmillan Cancer Support has the opportunity to influence what comes next from a sector-wide perspective. After all, if the system can work for other charities as well as it works for us then everyone can realise the benefits. Our partnership has been hugely successful and we want to continue building it in any way we can.”

Lucy Pike, Legacy Income Development Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support

The result

Since migrating its financial legacy data into FirstClass, Macmillan Cancer Support has:

Incorporated the accrual function, which allows the charity to calculate outstanding income in seconds – a process that previously took over two hours to run
Delivered a training programme to all 18 of its legacy team members enabling a more strategic approach to legacy and finance management
Enabled more accurate integration with key industry bodies such as Legacy Foresight, the UK’s most prominent legacy market analyst. Not only is the data required by Legacy Foresight produced more quickly, but it’s also exported in a standardised format that Legacy Foresight can use
Phased out the manual spreadsheets that it was using to produce multiple sets of data. Now, everything can be contained and managed within the FirstClass platform
Significantly improved the efficiency and detail of case management, reporting and analysis, and more effectively prioritised workload and legacies. Prior to unifying its systems, the charity was unable to easily determine how much each legacy case was worth and prioritise workload based on value without cross referencing two systems
Built stronger relationships both internally and with FirstClass, which better enables it to shine a spotlight on the value of legacy giving.

Vision for growth sees The Macular Society choose FirstClass

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 12:47:23 GMT

The background

The Macular Society was founded in 1987 to provide support for people with Macular Disease – a degenerative condition that impacts the macula, which forms part of the retina at the back of the eye.

Since the 1990s, the charity has helped thousands of people struggling with sight loss and continues to invest heavily in groundbreaking research to find a cure.

Its legacy programme has also grown considerably over the last two decades. In 2009, the charity had 12 known legacy pledges. In 2024, it secured almost 600, growing legacy income from hundreds of thousands of pounds to £4m.

This growth trajectory led The Macular Society to choose bequest management software FirstClass in 2023.

“We had been relying on a combination of CRM and spreadsheets to manage our legacy income, which was limited in scope but just about worked okay. However, as our legacy income grew, we wanted to futureproof the work of not only the legacy team, but also the organisation as a whole. With FirstClass, we’ve been able to do that."

Julie Edwards, Head of Legacy at The Macular Society

The project

Before implementing FirstClass , The Macular Society managed its legacy income with spreadsheets and a CRM system. However, in 2023, two things brought this approach into question.

Firstly, The Macular Society’s auditors recognised that the charity’s notifications were becoming more frequent, larger, and complex. They suggested that the charity would benefit from streamlining its legacy management function – something it couldn’t achieve with its current solution.

Secondly, the architects of the CRM system they were using announced that they would no longer support its product, which meant that the charity had to find a replacement system.

As a team of only three people, The Macular Society wanted a solution that would grow with the team and legacy income and integrate with the replacement CRM system.

In 2023, the charity decided to implement FirstClass. In May 2024, the system went live.

The result

Since incorporating FirstClass, The Macular Society has:

Moved all its legacy administration to FirstClass.
Adopted a legacy management platform compatible with any CRM system currently on the market.
Benefited from a solution that’s visual impairment-friendly, as FirstClass can be integrated with the UK’s screen reader services.
Created reports to share pipeline income updates with trustees and senior management.
Shared accurate forecasts of the volume of income expected to instil confidence in trustees and senior management.
Saved time and reduced human error with the electronic notification feature.
Been able to access real-time, accurate updates on any given day.

“Legacy income is notoriously difficult to predict. However, with FirstClass, we can be more accurate with our forecasting, make more informed assumptions about when we can expect to receive income and access the bigger picture around each and every case, as there is so much live data at our fingertips at any given time. It’s very easy to use, too – and even the manual that comes with it is thorough and makes learning how to do something new very straightforward.”

Julie Edwards, Head of Legacy at The Macular Society

FirstClass feature showcase #3: The Email Advantage

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:46:35 GMT

'Emailing!' we hear you cry. 'How is that a feature?'.

Email is as prevalent as pen and paper – if not more so.

Everyone uses email, but it's crucial to understand how it can be used within the FirstClass platform. Email is critical in helping charities build an online presence.

Here are four reasons we believe email deserves a FirstClass feature showcase.

1. Hit send

If you rely on an external platform to send and receive emails, then you’re operating outside FirstClass’s secure environment. And it’s one more platform to manage, too.

With FirstClass, you can email anyone and everyone related to a specific case. The software works seamlessly with all versions of Outlook, making integration easy.

Additionally, you can eliminate email-related admin, which is inevitable when using a third-party email provider. Any email addresses that aren’t on the system can easily be imported. Oh, and everything’s ringfenced, so that only those with admin rights can send emails.

2. Log it

When it comes to incoming emails, all attachments, notes, and tags can quickly be logged into the system. So, users can easily track specific items if they've attributed a keyword or search term to them when they go into the legator's records.

If, for example, you've previously logged a copy of the will, you can locate and recall that specific document by searching 'copy of the will'.

3. Flexible templates

With FirstClass, users can easily create letter templates. While they look exactly like standard printed letters, they can be emailed to anyone in seconds, saving charities time and money in postage fees.

Additionally, users can incorporate their own branding, such as logos and fonts, so that all digital communication can be on brand and consistent with other assets.

4. Scans well

With FirstClass’s email import attachment wizard, users can log critical documents – such as estate sales brochures, Smee & Ford notifications and sensitive information relating to a case – almost instantly with the scan-to-email functionality.

Once an item has been scanned and emailed to the user, they can use the importing attachment tool to select which attachments they would like copied from the email to the FirstClass directory.

Ready to go paperless and futureproof your organisation? Contact the FirstClass team on 01257 272730 or email info@firstclass-software.com .

Celebrating the very best of our sector

Wed, 15 May 2024 10:30:57 GMT

By Bobby Parmar, Account Manager at FirstClass

Wow, what an event! The Institute of Legacy Management’s annual conference ( ILM , for any readers who aren’t aware) was particularly special this year. Well, for us at least – but I’ll come on to that in a minute.

First, I have to say that there's nothing like being in a room full of like-minded people, all of whom are passionate about legacy management (and incredibly talented in their respective legacy management fields).

It’s also really quite inspiring to see so many people from some of the UK’s best-loved charities discussing the sector and sharing best practices.

But for us, having provided a key legacy management tool for charities’ legacy management programmes for almost three decades, there was something else, too.

A family feel

Throughout the day, we continually bumped into people who, over the years we've worked together, have become like family.

From legacy managers at RNLI and Cancer Research UK to team members from RSPCA, Barnados and Legacy Link, it was great to see so many people in one place.

We also had the opportunity to meet with members of a steering group we've formed to help us shape the next version of our software – version 5 – in the most collaborative way possible.

Three members of the group, Angela Noguera-Horne from Cancer Research UK, Val Tabor from Barnados, and Daniel Pepper from RNIB, even shared some initial feedback from users, much of which suggests that they are generally happy with the product.

Pat on the back

And, of course, following our recent national award win, having collected the Outstanding Partner to the Sector Award at the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards 2024, many well-wishers - both customers and non-customers – were very kind about our recent success.

However, the biggest pat on the back came from ILM, which is eager to develop an official qualification on FirstClass . This recognition shows that we're becoming a standard part of the legacy management infrastructure and doing something right, too.

This year's ILM was exceptional, and the FirstClass team was incredibly proud to be a part of it.

Looking for an award-winning bequest management partner? Get in touch with our team today.

FirstClass - The gold standard in bequest management and an outstanding partner to the legacy sector

Wed, 01 May 2024 09:13:52 GMT

Invitation to attend an Introduction to FirstClass webinar on June 6, 11:30. Find out why we are the gold standard in bequest management and an outstanding partner to the legacy sector.

The FirstClass team is thrilled to win 'Outstanding Partner to the Legacy Sector' at the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards 2024. Not only does it show recognition for outstanding achievement and skill in the legacy sector, but it's also a testament to the exceptional support and experience the team provides to our customers.

Bobby Parmar , a pivotal figure within the team, proudly represented FirstClass at the awards. Bobby has been indispensable in advancing FirstClass, demonstrating an infectious work ethic, exceptional responsiveness, and steadfast commitment to supporting charities.

"One of my proudest achievements has been engaging with charities and assisting them throughout their journey with FirstClass. The charities vary in size, from smaller organisations to the likes of the RSPCA, WWF, and Christian Aid, and it's rewarding as we know just how big an impact our platform can have."

But why did these charities embrace FirstClass? To answer that, we need to go back to 1996, when six charities created the leading dedicated bequest management software. ActionAid's Crispin Ellison – a legendary figure in bequest administration in the UK – was instrumental in developing FirstClass, and over the past almost 30 years, the software has become the 'gold standard' for organisations managing bequests.

Today, it is the UK's leading dedicated legacy management software. FirstClass is trusted by more than 100 not-for-profit organisations, all of which rely on FirstClass to manage and maximise their bequest-giving programmes. As Angela Noguera-Horne, Legacy Management Officer Cancer Research UK , states:

"Everything within our department is managed by FirstClass. My team members and I couldn't do our jobs without it; it's the beating heart of the legacies team."

FirstClass's 500 users manage a combined bequest revenue of £1.4bn, which originates from 70,000 annual cases, and the platform manages this revenue with ease and a level of detail that allows legacy teams to gain a granular understanding of every legator who supports their organisation.

Research suggests that the FirstClass platform improves legacy gifting by around 10 per cent. However, it's not just the volume of income that is increased through the platform. Qualitative feedback from our users suggests that the system improves staff morale, as Emma Colborne, Head of Legacy at Blue Cross explains .

"The FirstClass team is always on hand to help us. We have to review our contract annually, but there's no desire to go elsewhere; it does everything we need, and if it doesn't, the FirstClass team make it happen. The platform is a fundamental part of our organisation. I don't know what we'd do if we didn't have it. I couldn't imagine life without the system. These days, if you were to suggest to the team that we were going back to paper, they'd all break out in a cold sweat!"

Having established industry partnerships with Legacy Link and Legacy Foresight, both of which rely on FirstClass for their organisational output, FirstClass has become the sector's trusted platform of choice.

The following comment from Kathryn Horsley, Director of Insight at Legacy Foresight , highlights how FirstClass has become a trusted and valued partner:

"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."

Similarly, feedback from Paul Browne, Head of Legacy Management at Legacy Link , also supports FirstClass's position of industry excellence:

"With FirstClass, charities can access insights and data that simply aren't available to those who don't use the system. I work with charities that don't use FirstClass and charities that do, and I can say with 100 per cent certainty that those who do, deliver. There is nothing like it on the market. Nothing else comes close."

Are you thinking about maximising your organisation's bequest gifting programme? Would you like to see the market leader in bequest management software in action?

Then join our upcoming webinar, Introduction to FirstClass , on June 6 at 11:30 to learn how we are committed to helping charities maximise their bequest incomes effectively, regardless of size and location.

FirstClass wins first place after scooping national award

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:31:49 GMT

FirstClass, the UK's leading legacy management software provider, has won the Outstanding Partner to the Sector Award at the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards 2024.

Out of a pool of 108 finalists, FirstClass emerged as one of the 20 national award winners and was presented with the accolade at a ceremony hosted by comedian Lucy Porter, which welcomed 300 guests and took place at the Hilton Bankside on 18 April.

The judging panel, which included 42 prominent figures from the legacy community, assessed FirstClass on its ambition, excellence and outcome and decided that the legacy management expert, who has been serving the legacy sector for almost three decades, was a worthy winner.

FirstClass's bequest management platform is an industry 'gold standard' for organisations and teams managing bequests. The platform is used not only by charities but also by high-profile benchmarking organisations and industry authorities such as Legacy Foresight and Legacy Link.

As of 2024, FirstClass has 500 users, and together, these users manage a combined bequest revenue of £1.4bn.

On receiving the prize, Rich Mullens, Product Director for FirstClass, said:

" We're incredibly proud that our product and the hard work of those who continually develop it has been recognised at a national level.

FirstClass has been helping charities manage and maximise their bequest revenue for nearly 30 years, which is a huge achievement in itself. However, this award goes to the team, which, through its tireless work and a continued commitment to providing charities with what they need to manage, track and monitor legacy revenue, has set the benchmark when it comes to bequest management software."

Polly Avgherinos, Managing Director at Smee & Ford, adds:

"The Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards are dedicated to celebrating the incredible work of legacy professionals, giving individuals and teams an opportunity to showcase their work and gain recognition.

"It's been wonderful to see the positive response for these awards from the sector with a significant increase in participation producing more entries, more judges, more attendees and more finalists this year!"

For more information on the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards 2024, visit legacygivingawards.co.uk .

For more information on FirstClass, visit www.firstclass-software.com .

FirstClass sends iconic college’s legacy programme to the top of the class

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 11:23:18 GMT

The background

Imperial College London (Imperial) is a world-leading university for science, technology, engineering, medicine and business.

It was founded in 1907 with a mission to use science to try to understand more of the universe, and improve the lives of more people in it.

Viewing science as more than simply a subject but a mindset, a bias for inquiry and action, and the pursuit of knowledge and new ideas with grit, humility, creativity and courage, Imperial now has a number of campuses throughout London and the South East of England.

With total charitable income amounting to £60m a year, £5m of which originates from bequest giving, the legacy team decided that it was time to accelerate its legacy programme in order to boost legacy-related revenue.

Yet, with a legacy management infrastructure historically built around manual methods using a combination of spreadsheets and CRM, the legacy team established that this was not enough to effectively maximise the value of its estates.

In order to do this whilst futureproofing its legacy management capabilities, increasing revenue and improving the efficiency of the legacy management team, Imperial chose FirstClass – making it the first educational institution ever to incorporate the platform.

“Prior to integrating FirstClass, we were doing what we could with what we had, but it was quite basic. In terms of recording data, we were limited to the essentials. In order to establish the fundamentals, such as average gift size or whether a gift was pecuniary or not, we had to work really hard and piece the data together manually in order to get what we needed. Since adopting FirstClass, this level of data – and so much more – is available at our fingertips.”

Katharine Palmer, Legacy Officer at Imperial College London

The project:

Having used FirstClass in a previous role at a prominent UK charity, Katharine’s manager, Anna Wall, joined Imperial with a clear vision that FirstClass needed to be part of the legacy team’s evolution. However, legacy marketing and the establishment of a legacy programme needed to take priority before FirstClass could be implemented.

Although one thing that every member of the organisation was clear on was that bequests represented a huge opportunity for the organisation. The figures reflected this, too.

When the legacy programme was established in 2015, legacy income stood at £1m a year. Having grown year-on-year over nine years to £5m, it was becoming clear that spreadsheets and CRM alone were not enough to manage this level of income – let alone grow it.

“Whilst legacy income was growing as the programme grew, it was clear that it was becoming increasingly difficult to manage using manual methods. After demonstrating to the wider team what was possible when using FirstClass, the decision was taken to invest in the system – and nobody has looked back. The Advancement Division, under which legacy management falls, highly values data. Now we can provide them with as much as they want including how we compare against our peers.”

Katharine Palmer, Legacy Officer at Imperial College London

With a desire for data to drive the team’s growth, which was difficult using the previous approach, the decision was taken to implement FirstClass in 2023. In February 2024, Imperial switched to FirstClass as the system went live.

Looking ahead, Imperial is now focussed on using FirstClass to:

Become more efficient in communicating with the organisation’s legacy consultants, and, through the platform’s ability to streamline and standardise processes, ensure that every member of the legacy team is consistent in their approach to legacy management.

Make external auditing a more straightforward and less time-intensive exercise. Prior to implementing FirstClass, data was often questioned by the auditors as it wasn’t being presented in the correct format. Now, the data will be standardised and quickly accessible.

Consolidate and store all data, much of which originates from different sources – such as Smee & Ford – in one easy-to-use platform.

“Even within the first week of launch, our lives became much easier. From having to manually input everything on Raiser’s Edge, all correspondence now goes straight into FirstClass. But it’s not just day-to-day legacy management that’s become so much easier, the onboarding process was seamless, too. The FirstClass team helped us choose the right solution, assisted us with migrating our data and the training programmes were great. We’re really happy with the system and absolutely delighted to have become the first educational institution to adopt FirstClass.”

Katharine Palmer, Legacy Officer at Imperial College London

GDPR is back … here’s how FirstClass is tackling it

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 17:21:53 GMT

Many things have changed because of Covid. Strangely enough, GDPR is one of them.

Prior to the pandemic, it was ALL about GDPR. In fact, organisations were falling over themselves to be compliant. And then priorities shifted in the wake of a pandemic.

But GDPR is back on charities’ radars. Fortunately, FirstClass prioritised GDPR before 2020, so now that it’s back on the priority list, we’ve got everything charities need to be compliant when it comes to bequest management.

Here are five FirstClass features that can help charities support data protection and comply with GDPR.

1. Anonymise and pseudonymise

We’ve developed an anonymisation and pseudonymisation function, which protects everyone’s records within the FirstClass platform.

With FirstClass anonymise, for example, all individual identifiers are removed, so there is no way of establishing someone’s identity. Or, if that feels too extreme for some, FirstClass pseudonymise enables users to remove identifiers from the record but retain the ability to reallocate them later. Both aspects can be managed on an individual or bulk basis.

2. Jog your memory

With FirstClass’s Review Reminders function, users can set reminders against legacies stored within their system so that they receive data management prompts at pre-programmed times or regular intervals.

For example, a charity may want to set reminders that prompt them to anonymise or pseudonymise data every six weeks.

3. Take the faff out of fetching

Everyone knows that effective and secure data storage is critical. But what about retrieving data? In our view, having the facility to retrieve the data you need—whenever you need it —is as important as being able to safely store it.

With that in mind, we’ve made collating data seamless. Now, if you need to respond to a subject access request or need to address a disclosure requirement, the FirstClass multiple search criteria function lets you fetch data just as easily as you stored it.

4. Encryption enabled

FirstClass facilitates transparent data encryption, which means encryption can be activated at even an individual file level.

It’s important to note that this can only be executed if your charity’s server supports this function. If it does, ALL database and backup files can be protected via encryption.

5. The ‘D’ word

No, we’re not talking about data – but the word ‘delete’. People often feel a little uneasy when the words ‘data’ and ‘delete’ are uttered in the same sentence. But sometimes, deletion is the best way forward if the data is no longer required.

FirstClass enables users to delete people and contacts from the system permanently – but only those with valid access and security rights can do this.

When it comes to bequest management platforms, GDPR is becoming increasingly important.

To find out exactly how it affects you and how FirstClass can help you manage it, contact the team on 01257 272730 or email info@clear-software.co.uk .

Behind the scenes with … FirstClass & Legacy Monitor

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 11:23:07 GMT

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

FirstClass feature showcase #2: CRM Integration

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 09:15:52 GMT

Is there anything worse than incompatibility?

In the context of bequest management – and if you’re a bequest manager in particular – then the answer is probably ‘no’.

After all, a large component of bequest management involves taking large amounts of data, often from different sources, and making sure that it’s accessible, accurate and consistent – at all times! To do that, you need bequest management software that integrates seamlessly with your CRM.

Historically, FirstClass was designed to work alongside Advanced CARE and Raiser's Edge 7. This meant that if you had those widely used CRM systems, then you were sorted. If you didn’t, then you probably weren’t getting the very best from FirstClass.

Thankfully, that’s now changed.

A fully inclusive FirstClass

Following a period of heavy investment, FirstClass is now fully integrable with Dynamics 365, Salesforce and Raiser’s Edge NXT – arguably the three most used cloud-based CRMs available today.

Not only that but via FirstClass Cloud and FirstClass in House, charities can benefit from our CRM Integration Standard – a quick and easy way to associate their FirstClass records with the corresponding record on their CRM system.

But why is this important for charities?

True data source

Two-way communication, which Cloud integration supports, is important in order for charities to have real-time access to accurate records.

Various non-cloud CRM integrations can restrict FirstClass to only pull data from a Charity’s CRM system. However, with new cloud-based CRMs, information required is pulled from ALL sources, which means that every piece of data matches and that there are no discrepancies.

Of course, a bi-directional flow of data isn’t completely infallible; it’s only bi-directional at the point in which the records are linked together (although with FirstClass’s advanced option, legacy managers can incorporate sync routines so that each record is synced over time).

But the point is that two-way is better than one-way. Not only that, but by opening up FirstClass to a wider group of CRMs, our legacy management software is now available to even more charities.

If you already use FirstClass with any of the aforementioned CRM platforms, then you’ll know what we mean. Equally, if you do have one of the compatible CRMs but don’t yet have FirstClass, then now’s a very good time to find out how FirstClass can add value to your legacy management strategy.

FirstClass is world-class bequest management platform designed in partnership with some of the UK’s biggest and much-loved charities. Can we help you? If so, contact the team on 01257 272730 or email info@firstclass-software.com .

FirstClass gets shortlisted as a finalist for the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards 2024!

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 17:19:50 GMT

The FirstClass team is delighted to announce we have been shortlisted for ‘Outstanding Partner to the Legacy Sector’ at the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards 2024, recognising and celebrating our outstanding achievement and skill in the legacy sector.

Being shortlisted for a Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Award provides FirstClass with an independent validation of our hard work and commitment to legacy giving and helps to benchmark achievements with peers across the UK. This much deserved recognition has helped boost confidence and demonstrates how we’re helping reward the skill and dedication of the people involved in this vital sector.

The award entries were reviewed and assessed by a judging panel that includes some of the biggest names from across the charitable legacies’ community. To be shortlisted as a finalist for these awards, despite tough competition from a pool of brilliant applications, is a mark of real achievement for FirstClass. The team have been selected based on matching the criteria for Ambition, Excellence, Outcome and attributing scores against a transparent system aimed at recognising and rewarding inspirational legacy teams and individuals.

FirstClass has become an industry ‘gold standard’. In many cases, its use across the UK’s diverse range of charities is regarded – perhaps unofficially – as a qualification, with those with experience of using it seen as having an additional and highly coveted skillset.

However, FirstClass is not just used by charities and academic institutions. It’s also used by high-profile benchmarking organisations and industry authorities such as Legacy Foresight and Legacy Link. As a result, FirstClass has a reach and positive impact that goes far beyond a typical industry product or traditional supplier/customer relationship.

Yet, despite all this – and apart from those who use the system day in, day out - there is perhaps a large segment of our sector that doesn’t fully understand that the platform is, as Cancer Research UK states, ‘the beating heart of the legacy team’.

As a result, the team would like to use this award as a platform to make this highly-regarded industry tool front of mind with key stakeholders and shine a light on the good work that FirstClass has been doing since its inception in the mid-nineties.

Polly Avgherinos, Managing Director, Smee & Ford: “We extend our congratulations to FirstClass for their nomination in the at the upcoming Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards. We eagerly anticipate their presence at the April ceremony, where we will come together to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable talent, dedication, and enthusiasm of individuals contributing to the field of legacies. Their impactful work on behalf of legators, charities, and beneficiaries deserves recognition and appreciation."

The winners will be selected following a rigorous judging stage ahead of the Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards ceremony. The full list of nominees for the 2024 Smee & Ford Legacy Giving Awards can be found at legacygivingawards.co.uk/finalists-2024 .

The selected winners will be announced during a private ceremony at Hilton Bankside, London, on 18th April 2024.

Legacy Award Sponsorship

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:26:41 GMT

As part of its ongoing work within the legacy sector and commitment to recognising the level of dedication that goes into legacy administration, FirstClass has sponsored the Legacy Administration Team of the Year award – one of 19 categories that make up Smee&Ford’s Legacy Giving Awards 2024.

The awards ceremony, which will take place at the Hilton London Bankside on Thursday 18 April, aims to recognise colleagues, teams and partners within the legacy sector for their efforts towards legacy fundraising and administration over the last 12 months.

As one of the UK’s most prominent suppliers into legacy teams nationwide, having developed FirstClass’s renowned bequest management software almost three decades ago, the FirstClass team will also judge the category.

On sponsoring and judging this year’s Legacy Administration Team of the Year award, Bobby Parmar, Account Manager at FirstClass, comments: “As the architects of the number one bequest management software, we’re very used to being behind the scenes whilst working with our charity clients. However, through this sponsorship, we’ll be going behind the scenes in a different way to find out how other organisations are supporting some of the UK’s much-loved charities and ensuring that they remain funded, dynamic and important.”

Rich Mullens, MD at FirstClass, adds: “The legacy giving landscape is full of people devoted to keeping the lifeblood of charities pumping. As a key supplier to the charity sector – and one that specialises in legacy management – we not only feel a duty to invest in our clients, but also a duty to invest in those who make it such a thriving area to work in. With that in mind, we’re delighted to contribute to this year’s awards, excited to discover the good work that teams throughout the UK are doing, and proud to feed into such vital area.”

For more information on the Smee&Ford Legacy Giving Awards 2024 visit https://legacygivingawards.co.uk/ .

FirstClass feature showcase #1: Reporting

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 09:56:40 GMT

If you’re a FirstClass user, then you’ll know that the platform has so many functions, all of which have been painstakingly designed to help make legacy management more efficient, more accountable and more advantageous when it comes to monitoring, handling and increasing bequest income.

But do you know everything that the platform has to offer? Possibly not, which is why we’ve decided to launch FirstClass feature showcase – an ongoing series that shines a light of different aspects of the system’s functionality and goes deeper into what it does and how it helps the user.

If you’re not already a FirstClass user, then this series will help you better understand why you should be. First up, then, is reporting .

Ask any user about the benefits of FirstClass, and reporting will likely be in the top three.

After all, it’s the reporting feature that helps charities understand their legacy pipeline, supports accurate forecasting and allows the legacy team to brief trustees on key organisational aspects such as the amount of money that has come in and, equally important, the amount of money that is expected in.

So, here are our top five FirstClass reporting features.

1. Balance of income due

Imagine knowing the balance of income due at any given moment. No just by one legator – but by ALL of them. Now, if you’re a small charity then maybe this isn’t too much of a stretch. But if you have thousands of legators, some of which are gifting over £1,000,0000, then knowing what’s in, what’s owed and when the case is likely to close is essential. Equally, if you want to limit the report to a pre-defined period – such as your organisation’s tax year, or by quarter – then this reporting feature allows you to do just that.

2. Legacy income received

A clear idea of what’s coming in is undoubtedly important. But knowing what’s actually come in is crucial in order to paint an accurate picture when it comes to cashflow. Using this legacy management reporting function, you can establish exactly how much – to the penny – has arrived between any given period. This line-by-line account of what monies have arrived can also be filtered by pecuniary gifts, and even pecuniary gifts by branch allocation type, too.

3. Expenditure by legacy type

Knowing how much each legacy has cost your charity – for example, the legal fees spent on securing a particular legacy – can be invaluable. Equally, if you want to understand how much of the legacy has been allocated to other areas of the organisation, then this report makes determining this level of information quick and easy. As with all FirstClass reports, you can search by pre-defined dates. Also, through the filtering option, you can search via legacy type and expenditure type.

4. Possible duplicate notifications

Imagine reporting to the board of trustees a recent gift of £500,000 – only to then realise that half of it was a duplication, and that the true gift size was £250,000. Or what if not spotting the duplication means the difference between £5,000,000 and £10,000,000? Through this reporting function, users can check for possible duplications by surname and postcode to ensure that all data reported to the organisation is accurate.

5. R185 tax claim

Okay, so this one’s at the more technical end of the reporting spectrum - but it’s important nevertheless. The R185 form provides a statement of income from a trust and helps HMRC ensure that the correct amount of tax is paid on income received. However, HMRC is sometimes paid too much tax. Using FirstClass’s R185 tax claim reporting function, users can quickly establish how much their charity is owed on unclaimed tax.

Would you like a FREE FirstClass report?

Are you already a FirstClass In-House or FirstClass Cloud customer? If so, then you are entitled to two FREE bespoke reports*. Simply approach the FirstClass team with your requirements, and we’ll do the rest.

*Only applies to simple report requests. For clarification speak with a FirstClass representative.

Thinking about maximising your organisation’s bequest management programme? Interested in speaking with the UK’s bequest management software specialists? Contact the FirstClass team on 01257 272730 or email info@firstclass-software.com .

FirstClass helps Christian charity build bigger legacy picture

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:36:40 GMT

The background

As part of an international Christian voluntary network dedicated to tackling poverty in all its forms by providing practical assistance to those in need, St Vincent de Paul Society has been helping people since 1844.

With over 10,000 members, all of whom are motivated by faith and committed to visiting vulnerable people across England and Wales to offer friendship, St Vincent de Paul Society has a strong national presence.

However, with an annual legacy income of £800,000, it relies heavily on financial support to continue funding its good work.

One critical source of revenue is bequest income which, since late 2023, the organisation has been managing using FirstClass.

“FirstClass is changing the way we work. Whilst we’re still in the early stages, I can already see how it’s going to revolutionise our approach to legacy revenue management. For starters, we now have a much clearer and bigger picture as to who are legators are, which means our communications can now be much more targeted.”

Aisha McCarthy, Legacy Manager at St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales)

The approach

Prior to using FirstClass, St Vincent de Paul Society was using a combination of standard CRM and manual methods, including individual spreadsheets, to manage and track its legacy revenue.

The process was prone to error and time-consuming. Income and expenditure reports, for example, would take 90 minutes to produce. Furthermore, the tools they had in place didn’t provide critical data or any valuable insights.

After the decision to bring in a legacy consultant to help St Vincent de Paul Society build a coherent legacy strategy was taken, it quickly became apparent that they knew very little about their legacy income - and the legators themselves.

As the legacy consultant departed, St Vincent de Paul Society made the decision to switch to FirstClass in order to gain a better understanding of their legators and help build their legacy programme.

“As a result of FirstClass, the legacy team has saved time, become more efficient and dispensed with clunky, manual methods of legacy management – many of which were unreliable and provided inaccurate information. I would definitely recommend FirstClass to any charity responsible for managing legacies of any significance.”

Aisha McCarthy, Legacy Manager at St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales)

The outcome

Since incorporating FirstClass, St Vincent de Paul Society has:

Cut the time taken to prepare income and expenditure reporting from 90 minutes to 20 minutes.
Been able to better understand its audience, which has paved the way for more tailored and personal communications to existing and prospective legators.
Saved time by cutting out time-consuming – and often unreliable – manual methods, which is now being reinvested in other critical operational areas including marketing.
Accurately profiled its legators by a wide range of demographics including relationship, age and gender.
Executed a more strategic approach to legacy-related communications campaigns.
Delivered more accurate forecasting reports to the board of trustees.

Be the First in the Class and achieve the ‘gold standard’ in bequest management

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 09:05:24 GMT

However, FirstClass is not just used by charities. It’s also used by high-profile benchmarking organisations and industry authorities such as Legacy Foresight and Legacy Link. As a result, FirstClass has a reach and positive impact that goes far beyond a typical industry product or traditional supplier/customer relationship.

Have you ever wondered how other charities manage their legacy income, do they use software like FirstClass, and how do they ensure they get the most out of their platform?

FirstClass is excited to introduce our new series of 'Lunch and Learn' sessions focused on Legacy Best Practices, and delivered by our training partner Legacy Link .

These free one-hour sessions that are open to anyone who is interested in tools to effectively and efficiently manage legacy income.

Each quarter we'll explore new topics, discuss challenges, and share how people also use FirstClass to achieve this. From managing your bequest pipeline to accruals, valuations, and much more you can be sure to learn and benefit from these best practice sessions.

For our second session we are delighted to collaborate with the Institute of Legacy Management (ILM). Paul Browne (Head of Legacy Administration at Legacy Link and ILM Board Member will host this session to discuss best practices, tools, and tips to optimise your legacy income alongside Bobby Parmar (FirstClass).

Both Paul and Bobby are very keen to make these sessions as interactive as possible. To assist with this and ensure we cover areas of interest please choose from the topics listed here . There will also be an opportunity to ask questions on the day.

We hope you can make it and look forward to seeing you there – click here to register .

World’s largest independent cancer research charity puts FirstClass in first place

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 20:49:48 GMT

The background

As the world’s largest independent cancer research organisation, Cancer Research UK has helped develop eight of the world’s top 10 cancer drugs and is supported by over 40,000 regular volunteers.

However, when it comes to raising money required for it to continue its good work, the charity is almost entirely funded by the public, which makes legacy income a vital component of its overall revenue.

With the charity receiving over 7,000 bequests a year, each ranging in value from £50 to £40 million, there is a huge amount to manage – particularly given how it can take an average of 18 months from the point of notification to receiving the money.

In order to keep on top of this, Cancer Research UK uses FirstClass.

“The most important aspect of FirstClass is that it provides a forensic level of tracking, which allows us to manage and monitor thousands of case files at a time. Ultimately, this means that no bequests get missed.”

Angela Noguera-Horne, Legacy Management Officer at Cancer Research UK

The approach

In 2022, Cancer Research UK generated a total revenue of £217m – around 40 per cent of which originated from bequests.

With such a high volume of bequests to manage, Cancer Research UK has used FirstClass since 2003. And, with 40 people using the platform on a daily basis, FirstClass has become a key strategic tool for the entire Legacies Team.

However, in 2021, after having used FirstClass v2 for 18 years, it decided to upgrade to the latest version – v4.

“Everything within our department is managed by FirstClass. My team members and I couldn’t do our jobs without it; it’s the beating heart of the legacies team.”

Angela Noguera-Horne, Legacy Management Officer at Cancer Research UK

The outcome

After a period of transition, FirstClass v4 went live towards the end of 2021. Since its implementation, Cancer Research UK:

Now has access to more comprehensive mapping functionality. From pecuniary gifts through to specific gifts such as pieces of jewellery and entire art collections, the charity can now input gift information on multiple layers

Fully utilises the Life Interest module, which supports generational mapping and ensures that gifts awarded on condition of spouse and/or children passing beforehand do not get overlooked – even decades after the initial notification

Has used FirstClass to provide the strategic and tactical structure required to track and manage thousands of live cases, all of which differ in complexity and attract different timescales

Inputs, stores and tracks every piece of communication, regardless of medium, via a simple-to-use scan and upload function

Carries out regular reviews as a result of FirstClass’s built in review function, which automatically makes sure all users have everything they need from the preceding step before allowing them to progress to the next one

Uses FirstClass’s reporting features to support board level forecasting and projection activity

Can distribute and allocate gifts based on the split set out in the giftor’s will; for example, if there are multiple areas of cancer that the legator wishes to support, the legacies team can use FirstClass to ensure that the correct sum of money is restricted and allocated to the correct department.

FirstClass helps shape national legacy benchmarking programme

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 14:33:56 GMT

The background

With almost 30 years’ experience of working with over 200 charities, Legacy Foresight is the UK’s most prominent legacy market analyst.

As part of the Legacy Futures Group, Legacy Foresight specialises in benchmarking, research and analysis to generate insights and data for the UK’s legacy market.

Legacy Foresight’s flagship product is Legacy Monitor , an annual benchmarking consortium programme designed to monitor, analyse and forecast trends in legacy giving.

In order to collate and deliver this level of market intelligence, Legacy Foresight relies on FirstClass.

Kathryn Horsley, Director of Insight at Legacy Foresight

The approach

Legacy Monitor’s consortium includes 83 charities, which accounts for almost half of the UK legacy market by legacy income. These charities provide quarterly income and bequest data that is combined with big picture economic and social trends to create an in-depth analysis of the British legacy sector.

Legacy Foresight produces interactive dashboards and quarterly and annual reports that enable charities to better understand the legacy market overall, and how their performance compares with the market and their peers.

In order for Legacy Monitor to include the granular level of data and analyses it has become nationally renowned for, it is reliant on member charities to supply high-quality data.

Of the 83 charities that form the consortium, 60 use FirstClass, which makes data retrieval a robust and efficient process for 75 per cent of its members.

These days, Legacy Foresight:

Uses FirstClass to gather 80 per cent of all legacy income data for Legacy Monitor.
Relies on FirstClass to ensure that data provided is complete and accurate.
Works collaboratively with FirstClass in order to continually integrate new metrics that offer new insights and provide Legacy Foresight’s members with a deeper understanding of the area in which they work.

Kathryn Horsley, Director of Insight at Legacy Foresight

Linking charities with legacy income

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 12:54:50 GMT

The background

Legacy Link is the UK’s largest legacy administration team with over 40 legacy consultants, providing outsourced legacy administration services. Its consultants help the charities they work with ensure their supporters’ final wishes are realised by managing the legacy administration process on their behalf - from notification to receipt of the gift.

Specialising in supporting charities of all sizes, from those typically too small to have their own legacy administration teams to some of the largest in the UK, Legacy Link currently works with over 100 charities at any given time. It has also played a role in reshaping legacy administration into the fully professional and critical aspect of charity management it is today.

Legacy Link’s philosophy is built around ensuring the legacy administration process is carried out correctly, and being able to offer big charity best practice to all charities, in a package which meets their individual budget. Legacy Link will work with their charity clients to discover whether the implementation of a robust legacy management system is right for them.

That system is FirstClass.

“With FirstClass, charities can gain access to insights and data that simply isn’t available to those who don’t use the system. I work with charities that don’t use FirstClass and charities that do and can say with 100 per cent certainty that those who do, deliver. There is nothing like it on the market. Nothing else comes close.”

Paul Browne, Head of Legacy Management at Legacy Link

The approach

On joining the business in 2016, having come from a commercial background where process underpins organisational success, Paul immediately set about recommending a legacy management system to its growing portfolio of clients.

Importantly, as a Director of the Institute for Legacy Management, Paul’s recommendations are impartial. However, as FirstClass has been designed to specifically manage legacy income – unlike general charity CRM and platforms such as Salesforce - there is no challenger to offer the same level of functionality.

These days, Paul and his team use FirstClass to help Legacy Link’s charity clients:

Understand the bigger picture and timings associated with generating legacy income, such as how long it will take to secure the income and how much time a team will need to invest in order to receive it
Access soft data that allows them to better understand what is really going on from a legacy income perspective and provide a true picture of each individual case file
Plug directly into HMRC in order to quickly and easily reclaim tax
Deliver estate valuations and record all legators’ assets so that they can be continually tracked – considering fluctuations in valuation in line with market peaks and troughs – throughout the entire process
Provide immediate reporting on any aspect of data made available through the system
Evaluate team value; in some instances, where charities felt that they didn’t have the budget to recruit an additional legacy team member, FirstClass was used to record all the value add within the legacy team and use the findings to illustrate that a new member was not only required, but financially viable
Get much more from their legacy management function.

“If someone at a charity is looking for the best way to manage their legacy income, then FirstClass is always the recommendation. It’s a tool that can be used to deliver best practice – as simple as that. On a personal level, I know that I’m the most effective and efficient when using a properly configured FirstClass system, and if you asked any member of the team, they’d say the same thing, too.”

Paul Browne, Head of Legacy Management at Legacy Link

Longstanding legacy collaboration gets results for animal welfare charity

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:01:18 GMT

The background

Founded in 1897, Blue Cross is a registered animal welfare charity that continues to transform the lives of pets and people by helping to provide life-saving operations, paying for food and finding new homes.

With legacy income currently totalling £25m each year, gifting has become a critical revenue stream for the charity – so much so that it now accounts for over 50 per cent of total income.

In order to ensure that its legacy management strategy is effectively delivered and the organisation futureproofed, Blue Cross uses FirstClass’s legacy management platform – and has done so since 2005. And, as the importance of legacy revenue has grown, so too has the capability of its FirstClass platform.

These days, Blue Cross uses the very latest in legacy management software. However, it wasn’t always like that.

“When I joined the organisation in the late 1990s, we were reliant on a spreadsheet to manage legacy income of around £7m. It was incredibly basic, there was too much manual accounting and there was a lot of duplication. In 2005, shortly after I began leading the legacy team, we installed FirstClass and never looked back. It has been developed by legacy professionals, it’s bespoke to the nature of our work and it does everything we need it to do.”

Emma Colborne, Head of Legacy Administration at Blue Cross

The project

On installation of an earlier version of FirstClass in 2005, as part of a support and maintenance contract that remains in place today, Blue Cross’s Legacy Administration team immediately began exploring the system’s capabilities and establishing what additional functionality it required.

Working collaboratively with Blue Cross, FirstClass began designing in tools and reporting features based on real-time feedback it was receiving from the team. For example, if Blue Cross required specific reporting abilities in response to requests from the board of trustees, FirstClass’s design team would quickly incorporate it within the platform.

This partnership, which has lasted almost two decades, has resulted in Blue Cross having access to a cutting-edge legacy management system that supports the team’s every requirement. Even today, as part of the longstanding support contract, FirstClass continues to refine and development Blue Cross’s platform in response to industry and organisational changes.

In 1998, the Legacy Administration department was a team of two people. Now, in 2023, there are 10 members, all of whom use FirstClass to manage, record and execute the wishes of the several hundred giftors who each year leave a gift in their will to support the organisation.

The result

Since incorporating FirstClass, Blue Cross has:

Used the platform to scan, log and archive all incoming post, and now import emails, which has become the preferred communication method by solicitors
Issued all official correspondence to key stakeholders via the platform
Been able to quickly access giftors’ property and asset valuation details including estate value, offers received, sale prices and Blue Cross’s entitlement figures
Had instant access to real-time pipeline income so that at any given moment, Blue Cross can establish how much legacy income is due – and when it’s due by, appreciating though the fluctuations with asset values with changes in the external market
Used FirstClass’s accurate legacy pipeline forecasting to make strategic decisions on future spending and investment based on live gifting figures and projections
The ability to easily map out all legal fees pertaining to each individual case in the event of contention, which allows the organisation to establish likely legal costs vs likely legacy income
Set automatic review dates so that no individual case amongst Blue Cross’s 750 live cases gets lost or overlooked
Utilised the FirstClass Life Interest module, which supports generational mapping and ensures that gifts that have been left but benefit delayed until the death of a life tenant do not get overlooked – regardless of when the entitlement becomes due
Been able to quickly and easily allocate security clearance levels for all members of the organisation, so that only those who need to access and update sensitive information can.

“The FirstClass team is always on hand to help us. We have to review our contract annually but there’s no desire whatsoever to go elsewhere; it does everything we need and if it doesn’t, the FirstClass team make it happen. The platform really is a fundamental part of our organisation. If we didn’t have it, I don’t know what we’d do. I just couldn’t imagine life without the system. These days, if you were to suggest to the team that we were going back to paperless they’d all break out in a cold sweat!”

Emma Colborne, Head of Legacy Administration at Blue Cross

Webinar: A FirstClass solution to manage Gifts in Wills

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 10:33:42 GMT

Are you responsible for bequests and interested in how you can increase revenue and accurately forecast income?

We’re excited to announce that FirstClass, the UK’s foremost bequest management software, is now available in Australia. Tune in this November to hear how Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has already started using FirstClass to optimise their administration processes.

Join our webinar to find out about our platform capabilities and hear from industry experts on how we can make your bequest administration processes a FirstClass experience.

FirstClass software was built by charities, for charities, and for nearly three decades we’ve been helping leading not-for-profits maximise their revenue streams.

In this webinar, we’ll show how we can support your charity to effectively and efficiently to manage Gift in Wills donations.

This event will cover:

Legacy expert Ashley Rowthorn and client of FirstClass will share the latest statistics on bequest giving in a keynote presentation Outlook for Australia Gift in Wills.

Case Study of leading Australian Charity Guide Dogs NSW/ACT outlining their journey and challenges, as well as the value FirstClass has added.

Live demonstration of FirstClass key functionality which when used in conjunction with an effective Gift in Wills programme can enhance the number of notifications you handle tenfold.

Opportunity to participate in an interactive Q&A session with market experts on how to reduce admin time and costs whilst increasing revenue for your Gift in Wills processes.

Nice things our clients say about us:

Paul Browne, Head of Legacy Management at Legacy Link.

It’s here! Announcing our new FirstClass website

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 19:59:51 GMT

FirstClass is proud to announce the launch of our new website www.firstclass-software.com where we can collaborate and share useful information.

The main aim with our new site is to provide a space where we can share industry expertise, insights, pro tips for using FirstClass, and of course our latest news and events.

The site reflects our brand and positions us as market leader in bequest management software for estate administration for not-for-profit organisations.

We hope you’ll enjoy our intuitive layout that is user-friendly with streamlined menus, simplified navigation, and enhanced visual imagery. Combined with enhanced content and optimisation for mobile devices allowing for better interaction with FirstClass online.

We’ve also included some of the amazing charities we work alongside highlighting their journeys through case studies and testimonials in our dedicated client section.We hope you find the new website fresh and modern; we've worked hard to make sure it is designed to assist not-for-profit organisations in making well-informed decisions about the bequest management software.

Rich Mullens, Product Director, is delighted with the new website: “The website has a new look and improved functionality to ensure an easier and more engaging experience for our users. The inclusion of our latest news section encompasses all announcements relating to events, blogs, and industry research thought-leadership pieces."

Celebrating nearly three decades of service excellence, FirstClass is the market leader saving charity teams time and money, while also helping maximise bequest income.

FirstClass was launched after a group of charities identified the need to build a software solution that could enable them to manage Gifts in Wills and optimise their bequest pipeline, too.

Since then, the FirstClass team has worked closely with charities to continuously evolve and develop the software to enhance user experience and bequest management best practices, with in excess of 100 not-for-profit organisations using it today.

A FirstClass approach to bequest management

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 18:40:26 GMT

It's been nearly 3 decades since we first launched our bequest (Gifts in Wills) management software FirstClass, which was designed by charities for charities to improve the bequest administration processes, optimise their income, and help them to build the profile of their charity brand for future legacies.

Over that period of time, we’ve become very familiar with bequest gifting and everything delivering effective bequest management strategies entails, as well as maximising bequest giving as a form of income.

But what is bequest giving, why is it important, and how can charities benefit from having a bequest management system in place?

A brief overview

Bequest income is booming, with recent research showing a 43% increase in Gifts in Wills in the last decade. In fact, it has been on an upward trajectory for as long as FirstClass has been in this arena. There is a considerable opportunity to be found, with legacy income predicted to measure up at an estimated £3.9bn a year from 2022-27.

Why is bequest giving important?

Co Op Legal Services reports that only 6% of people leave a gift to a charity in their will, however 35% of those aged over 40 would be happy to do so, which suggests that that there appears to be a huge – and potentially untapped – market when it comes to bequest gifting.

Having worked alongside charities for many years, we know that there are many who work exceptionally hard to ensure that their bequest pipeline is not only firmly in place, but also well-managed. Once a charity has built a bequest profile and is receiving Gifts in Wills, here are five key points to consider when implementing a bequest management solution.

1. Collecting & Storing information

There is an incredible amount of data that is collected during an administering process including financial, biographical, communications and timeline data. All of this data needs to be organised and accessible in structured logical format. The consequences of this are that process can be cumbersome, time consuming and ineffective which could lead to a loss bequest income.

2. Accessibility & Security

There is a lot of sensitive information included when administering a bequest, therefore the system should be governed with different levels of access to ensure the right people can access and update the information they need when and where they need it.

3. Processing & Updating records

Bequest gifting can be complicated. There are generally multiple people within a charity inputting and progressing a case, all of which needs to be logged in order to provide a true and chronological picture. And then there’s communication from external parties, such as solicitors, which also needs to be recorded. With a bequest management platform, all contact history can be instantly accessed and updated. Not only that, but you can also add permissions so that only those who need to access what might be sensitive information can do so.

4. Balance the books

With bequest management software, you can record a giftor’s individual assets, cash, property and investments alongside draft and final estate accounts. By storing everything in one place, you’re able to maintain full visibility of anything and everything that your organisation is due. With FirstClass, we’ve created an Estate Valuation tool which allows you to do just that. We’ve also incorporated an inheritance tax calculator, which provides users with enough detail to leverage the amount of tax that can be reclaimed from HMRC.

5. Reporting

Whether you need to analyse market trends for gifting, establish what level of organisational spending and investment your bequest programme will support for the forthcoming year, or simply need a true and accurate bequest income report for that all important board meeting, good bequest management software will allow you to do just that in a matter of minutes.

Thinking about maximising your organisation’s bequest gifting programme? Interested in speaking with the market leader in bequest management software? Contact the FirstClass team of specialists .

Meet Bobby Parmar: FirstClass’s hardworking consultant dedicated to clients – and the local community

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 18:40:21 GMT

Bobby Parmar’s had a strong work ethic ingrained in him for as long as he can remember.

Brought up ‘with a silver shovel in my mouth, rather than a silver spoon’, Bobby, an IT Consultant here at FirstClass, has been working since he was old enough to (in truth, probably a little bit before!).

“I come from a humble background, living in an end terrace house, and I learned very early on to appreciate and respect money, and the need to have that strong work ethic,” he says.

And it’s an approach to work he carries into every day. Bobby’s been with FirstClass for more than a decade, joining the team in 2011 after working in IT roles within the NHS and the Department for Work and Pensions.

“I joined the team because it was closer to home in Blackburn, so it made the commute easier, and I saw it would be a good place to progress my career. There was a lot of uncertainty with the political and economic climate at the time, so moving out of government seemed like the right move.”

And, on reflection, it certainly has been.

Creating a FirstClass experience

Joining a team that’s fluctuated in size a little but has always remained around 10, Bobby (who was known as ‘Robbie’ by one colleague for the first few months: “We still laugh about it, I just didn’t have the confidence to tell him it’s Bobby, not Robbie.”) has enjoyed playing an instrumental role in developing both the business and its bequest management system, FirstClass.

“Being a small team, as the metaphor goes, we all have different fingers in different pies,” he says.

“We all get involved in things and it makes work a lot more interesting – it has enabled me to gain a better level of understanding and knowledge in different sectors, and has really broadened my skill set.”

And working on a product you’re immensely proud of and truly believe in makes it significantly easier to sell and upsell to clients.

“One of my proudest achievements has been engaging with charities and getting them onto this product. We’ve now got in excess of 80 charities onto First Class, as well as attracting 30 new ones. Those charities vary in size right from the smaller organisations to the likes of RSPCA, WWF and Christian Aid, and it’s rewarding as we know just how big an impact the platform can have.”

The work ethic helps the community, too

That dedication to helping charities isn’t confined to work, however. Liverpool-supporting Bobby, who’s a regular at Anfield, has also been a regular volunteer on a Tuesday evening for nearly 10 years, serving food to homeless and vulnerable people in the community.

“It’s a community interest group called Community Spirit, and we started off operating from a car park, then an old fire station, and we’re now in a church, where we’ve been for six or seven years now,” he says. “We make takeaway meal along with proving any warm clothing as providing any non-perishable goods like pasta, rice and Pot Noodles, and help people out. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever be in a position where it’s not needed.”

It’s just fortunate, in that case, there are people like Bobby around to help.