The release of the all-important donorflex 8 Service Pack 1 has been delayed by a week.

It was due to be ready for download from the website from Friday, January 15 – but the adverse weather of the past fortnight has knocked our final preparations slightly off track.

As a result, we now expect to make it available from Friday, January 22.

As usual, it will be available via the Client menu's Your files and Profiles / Downloads area, which is accessible through your donorflex Liaison Manager's login. You'll need to look in the General downloads section and you'll find it in a zip file that's ready to save.

Why is it important? It's because the clock's ticking down to the day when the window available to make Gift Aid claims drops from six to four years

SP1 includes new functionality that will be vital to you managing your Gift Aid claims in relation to the big change, which happens on April 1, 2010.

In short, the development allows donorflex to recognise the new four-year period rather than the outgoing six-year period.

Please note that it will be available only to organisations with a current Annual Software Support Agreement.