Each client has two sites, a Live site and a Sandbox site. The Live site is where the day to day work and real transactions take place. The Sandbox site is a test site that has no impact on the Live site. Sandbox sites are used throughout training and continue to be a valuable resource.
Who: Administrators or data managers
When to use CommunitySuite Sandbox Site:
Use CommunitySuite Sandbox Site to:
- Test a new process.
- View the impact of a specific transaction that has not been completed in the past.
- See the impact of unposting a transaction.
- Practice admin fees and distributions.
- Test any import file such as donations, grants, profiles, or notes.
- Confirm a profiles bulk edit file is correct.
- Train new staff.
When a site is synced, the Live site is copied into the Sandbox site; the Live site data completely replaces what was in the Sandbox. All settings and data that are in the Live site are then reflected in the Sandbox site.
Access Sandbox Site
Add "-sandbox" after your organization name in the URL of your Live site to access your Sandbox.
Example:
- Live site URL: https://foundantexample.fcsuite.com/erp/home/list
- Sandbox site URL: https://foundantexample-sandbox.fcsuite.com/erp/home/list
Your username and password should be the same as your Live site. This may vary if any of the following are true.
- You are currently implementing CommunitySuite.
- Your Sandbox site password has changed since the last sync.
- Your Live site password has changed since the last sync.
Check the Last Sandbox Sync Date
To see when Sandbox was last synced, log in to the Sandbox site. Navigate to the System Data page and look at the date listed next to the Last Sandbox Sync setting.
Sync the Sandbox Site
The Sandbox site can be manually synced as needed or at a recurring interval.
Manual Sync
To manually sync your Sandbox site:
- Navigate to the System Data page in your Live site and click Sync Sandbox in the left-side menu.
The sync will take a few minutes, and the Sandbox site cannot be used during that time. Refresh your page to see if the sync is complete. Your Live site can be used while the Sandbox is syncing.
Set Interval
To sync your Sandbox site at a recurring interval:
- Navigate to the System Data page in your Live site and click Auto Sync Dev Days in the left-side menu.
- Check the boxes next to the days the Sandbox should automatically sync.
- Sync will occur at approximately midnight based on the time zone selected in System Data.