Legacy Award Sponsorship

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/.

Stay Informed: Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Retirement approaching

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

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

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

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