The cards come off the printer in one order and the letters come off in another. Now someone is standing at a folding table, matching “Alvarez, M.” on a card to “Alvarez, M.” on a letter, two hundred times, and hoping nobody’s card ends up in a stranger’s envelope. That’s the mailing day this article is meant to prevent.
The short version: in Altru, membership cards and acknowledgement letters are usually produced by separate processes, and nothing guarantees those two outputs share a sort order. You can get them to line up reliably, though, as long as you control the order yourself instead of trusting each process’s default.
Why the two stacks drift apart
Card printing and letter generation are built for different jobs. Cards are tied to the membership and its members. Letters are tied to the revenue and the constituent who paid. That difference matters more than it sounds:
- Different record counts. A household membership may produce two or more cards but only one letter. A gift membership may produce cards for the recipient and a letter for the buyer. If the stacks aren’t the same length, they can’t be “in the same order” in a simple one-to-one sense.
- Different default sorts. One output may follow the order records were added to the process, another may follow name or ID. Unless you set the sort explicitly, assume they differ.
- Different selections. If the card run and the letter run pull from slightly different date ranges or selections, one stack has records the other doesn’t, and everything after that point shifts.
How much sorting control each process gives you can vary with your Altru setup and configuration. If you’re not sure what your card and acknowledgement processes allow, run a small test batch in a sandbox, or ask Blackbaud support directly, before you build a workflow around an assumption.
Option 1: Drive both runs from one selection and one sort key
This is the cleanest fix when both outputs go through a mail merge or export you control. If one of your processes doesn’t let you choose the selection or the sort, export its data and do the sorting outside Altru instead.
- Build one query or selection for the batch you’re mailing, such as memberships processed in a given week. Use that same selection for both the card run and the letter run so the population is identical.
- Pick a single sort key that exists on both outputs. The constituent lookup ID of the person receiving the mailing is a good choice because it’s unique. Last name alone isn’t; two Smiths will swap places unpredictably.
- Include that key in both exports, even if it never prints visibly. A tiny lookup ID in the corner of the letter and on the back of the card makes spot-checking easy.
- Sort both files the same way before merging, either in the export itself or in a spreadsheet afterward. Sort on the key, then a tiebreaker if you need one.
- Check the first, middle and last record of each stack before you print the whole thing.
The household problem still needs a decision. If a household gets one letter and three cards, sort the cards by the same key as the letter (the primary member or addressee), then by member name. The cards for one letter will come out grouped together, which is what you want for stuffing.
Option 2: Put the card on the letter
You can sidestep the matching problem entirely by printing the card as part of the letter. Card-carrier stock, a letter-size sheet with a perforated or adhesive card attached, lets one merge produce both the letter text and the card details on the same page. One record, one sheet, nothing to match.
Things to weigh before switching:
- You’ll need a merge that pulls both acknowledgement content and membership details (level, expiration date, card number or barcode) into one document. Confirm your export can carry every field you need, including anything your door staff scan.
- Household memberships with several cards need either multiple card slots per sheet or a separate run for extra cards.
- Test barcode print quality on the actual stock. A barcode that scans fine on plain paper can fail on glossy card stock.
Option 3: Don’t print both at all
It’s worth asking whether every member still needs a physical card mailed with a letter. Some organizations send the acknowledgement by email and mail only the card, or mail the card with a short insert instead of a full letter. Fewer pieces means fewer chances to mismatch. Whatever you choose, keep a paper option for members who ask for one.
A habit that catches mistakes early
Whichever route you take, print a short control list alongside each batch: lookup ID, addressee name and number of cards, in the same sort order as the stacks. The person stuffing envelopes works down the list and checks off each row. If the count on the list doesn’t match the count of letters, stop before anything is sealed.
Quick answers
Can I just sort both by last name?
It works until two members share a last name, and then the order between them isn’t guaranteed. Add a unique tiebreaker such as lookup ID.
Why does my card stack have more pieces than my letter stack?
Usually household or multi-member memberships, which generate a card per member but one acknowledgement. Gift memberships can also split the card recipient from the letter recipient.
Should I fix this with a custom report?
Possibly, if you mail high volumes every week. For most organizations, one shared selection and a consistent sort key solve it without custom development.
