One of the areas in which fundraising software can be of the biggest help is in capturing lost opportunity. Many donors have the ability to give much more than you ask them for. And each year, development offices lose money from the people who don't for one reason or another renew their support. A fundraising software system will help to find these people. Once these people are easily found, you can apply appropriate strategies to them and encourage them to contribute again.
Tickler files help to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
This happens a great deal due to the high turnover in development offices. If they aren't asked, or asked in their chosen way, people will not contribute. Analysis reports help to identify fundraising initiatives that are or are not working. They also help to determine appropriate goal levels for specific campaigns. Without accurate reporting, you may not realize that the capital campaign you are planning could actually raise more money than anticipated.