Datawise Frequently Asked Questions

If you still have questions after reading through the following FAQ, don't hesitate to contact us.

1. What exactly is Datawise?
2. What's a webhook?
3. Why would I want to collect these data changes?
4. What data can Datawise collect?
5. What can I do with my Datawise data?
6. Which providers does Datawise support?
7. Can't I just collect this data from my provider directly?
8. How long will my data be available?
9. How is Datawise licensed?
10. What happens after my trial expires?

What exactly is Datawise? 

Datawise is a webhook-driven data accumulator which collects details of the data changes made in a provider account. A provider can be an email campaign management account such as Mailchimp, an cloud CRM such as The Raiser's Edge NXT or an online student management system such as Finalsite. The important part is that the provider supports the use of webhooks to push data change notifications out to a web service (such as Datawise).

These changes are sent by your provider to our server where they are added to a dedicated database that you can access. From there what you do with your data is up to you; you can use it to update your CRM or auxiliary database, create flexible reports, perform analysis using in-house or third-party tools, etc, etc.

For example, if one of your Mailchimp subscribers updates their email address, Mailchimp will immediately send the information about the change to our server using the custom webhook URL we provide you with. The data is securely stored in your own dedicated MySQL database where it can be used as you wish.

Another example: A gift is deleted on The Raiser's Edge NXT. Blackbaud's systems will send information about the deletion to our Datawise server and the data will be added to your database.

Datawise can also, optionally, automatically upload daily data via FTP to your own server.

You can receive brief or in-depth daily emails alerts of data events as well.

What's a webhook? 

A webhook has been described as a "reverse API"; where an API is used to "pull" data, a webhook is used to "push" data. With an API you generally have to keep asking, "Do you have any new data for me?" Wait a while. "Do you have any new data for me?" Etc.

With webhooks, new or changed data triggers the sending of information without asking. The data arrives at a server corresponding to the webhook's URL (eg https://6eg9la8wuc.datawi.se) after it is triggered at the sending end according to what events are available such as subscribing, unsubscribing, updating profile information or email address, updating or deleting a gift, etc.

More in depth information about individual provider's webhooks is generally available on their website. Have a read what Mailchimp and Blackbaud have to say about theirs.

Why would I want to collect these data changes? 

If you interact with your customers or supporters via email, as most modern organizations do, then having timely access to accurate data and preferences gives you a much clearer picture of your audience and how your communications are being received.

If you are a Blackbaud customer, you're likely interested in changes to your supporter gifts and contact information.

Datawise puts this information at your fingertips without having to wade though change data reports or sifting through query results. You will know instantly if there is a surge in unsubscriptions of gift cancellations, meaning you can react swiftly and effectively to both good and bad news.

What data does Datawise collect? 

Datawise can only collect data that a given provider publishes webhooks for. Some providers provide a broader range of webhook options than others. We'll be publishing a summary of the data available from various providers soon.

What can I do with my Datawise data? 

Because your Datawise data is collected in virtually real-time, you can be very responsive to the data in updating your CRM, tailoring your correspondence, adjusting your audience reach, to name a few things.

For example, if after sending out an email blast you immediately see an increase in unsubscribe rates or gift cancellations, you can be pretty sure that your audience isn't liking what you're saying. And before too much damage is done you can retarget your communications.

Of course, the various providers provide some reporting and analysis tools but they can be cumbersome and are generally not as flexible as the options you have when working with raw data.

Which providers does Datawise support? 

Datawise currently supports Mailchimp and Blackbaud with other providers being added as we discover who is making the best use of webhooks.

Can't I just collect this data from my provider directly? 

Of course, you could. But you'll likely spend more time doing so than is worth the cost of a Datawise subscription, which can be as low as USD10/week.

And the flexibility of the tools and data available directly from providers can be limited.

Another reason to look at Datawise is that your data is available in a very "flat" form which makes manipulating it for reports and analysis far easier.

How long will my data be available? 

A standard Datawise subscription provides for 90 days of data retention. Older data is purged on a daily basis. This is to help control the storage capacity and load on our servers.

However, we provide subscription options to increase data retention (refer below).

How is Datawise licensed? 

Datawise is licensed on an annual subscription basis. Standard subscriptions are USD500 per year plus a one-off USD300 setup fee (or equivalent in your local currency) for a continuing subscription.

Standard subscriptions include: one custom webhook URL for a single provider, an associated dedicated MySQL database and 90-day data retention.

Subscription options include: longer data retention (USD100 per additional 90 days per URL), additional webhook URLs and databases (USD100 per year per URL) and automated FTP upload support (USD100 per year per account).

What happens after my trial expires? 

Once your 30-day trial has expired, without a Datawise subscription your webhook URL will be retired and data will no-longer be added to your database. You will have access to your Datawise database for an additional 30 days after which it will be deleted.

I still have questions

If you still have questions or need help with any aspect of Datawise, ask us and we'll do our best to help you out.