Overview
The Blackbaud sync runs on the credentials of whoever authorized the connection in Settings → Instance Settings → SIS & calendar Settings. When that person leaves, changes roles, or has their Blackbaud account deactivated, the sync breaks, even though nothing changed on the August Schools side.
This article walks sysadmins through re-authorizing the Blackbaud connection with a new team member's credentials, so student data keeps syncing without interruption.
Why this happens
The sync is tied to a person, not just the school. It authenticates as the specific user who first connected it
Departing staff often lose access. When their Blackbaud account is deactivated, the sync loses its credentials and stops
Role changes count too. Even an active account will break the sync if the SKY API Data Sync role is removed
Before you start
Your new IT contact will need two things set up in Blackbaud:
Requirement | Why it's needed |
SKY API Data Sync role | Required to authorize August Schools' connection to Blackbaud |
Nurse role (only if using bi-directional allergy/condition sync) | Required to pull and push allergy and condition data |
💡 Tip: If no one at your school currently has the SKY API Data Sync role, anyone with a Platform Manager role in Blackbaud can grant it to themselves or the new IT contact.
Steps to re-initiate the connection
Confirm your new IT contact has the SKY API Data Sync role in Blackbaud (and the Nurse role, if bi-directional sync is in use).
In August Schools, go to Settings → Instance Settings → SIS Settings.
In the "Blackbaud connection" section, the system will list the previous user who initiated the sync and their email address.
Click "Delete connection with Blackbaud." This will reset the sync to allow you to re-enable it.
Toggle the Blackbaud sync on.
This opens a Blackbaud login window. Have your new IT contact log in with their Blackbaud credentials.
Once authenticated, you'll be redirected back to August Schools automatically.
Confirm the SIS & calendar Settings page shows your name and email address instead.
💡 Tip: From this point forward, the sync will run under your new IT contact's Blackbaud credentials. If they ever leave, you'll repeat this same process for the next person.
Best practices & tips
Re-authorize before the old account is deactivated, if possible. This avoids a gap in syncing altogether.
Still having issues?
If you've re-authorized the connection and the sync still isn't working, or students aren't appearing after 24 hours, see Troubleshooting Blackbaud Sync Issues or reach out to our support team via live chat using the Help icon or at [email protected].