Knowledge > Fundraising > Annual Campaign Data Management

Software

Proper technical infrastructure, aligned with supporting processes and procedures, is an essential component of an Annual Campaign. A variety of commercial and custom-built software is available.

Factors to consider in the acquisition, installation, and use of a donor database or other fundraising software:

• Thoroughly investigate your needs in terms of fundraising software. For guidance in asking the right questions,
review the resources at TechSoup, Alliance for Nonprofit Management's FAQs on selecting fundraising software, or The Grantsmanship Center's A User's Guide to Selecting Fundraising Software.
• Avoid creating your own software. Existing commercial packages are adequate for the
vast majority of school needs. Consult the "Chronicle of Philanthropy" and other development publications for recommendations. Talk to schools or other nonprofits that are already using the packages you are considering.
• Output and Reporting: as early as possible in the software acquisition process, determine what kinds of reports and other
information will be needed. What information would help you to run your Annual Campaign? This is one of the first questions to ask when considering a particular software package. Frequently-used reports should be built into the system prior to or during installation, to reduce or eliminate the time and training required to generate custom reports.
• Cost: the most expensive is not always necessarily the best, and the least expensive is not necessarily the least robust.
Be sure to consider the total cost of ownership, not just the software's price tag. Will you need additional hardware or software? How much will training cost? How often will you need to upgrade, and at what price?
• Ease of use: check how intuitive the software interface is.
• Compatibility: do you want to integrate the fundraising software with other packages that the school uses for tracking enrollment,
communications, accounting, etc.
• Security and Accessibility: consider whether a web-based or stand-alone software system is best, based on who is likely to use the
system. If anyone will need to access the system from outside the school, or if the school has minimal computer infrastructure, then web access may be preferable. Also, remember that fundraising requires and generates sensitive personal information about donors. Consider who needs to be able to see what information about your donors, and then check whether the software allows controlled access.
• Flexibility: how much future growth does the proposed system allow for? How much can you customize the system?
• Installation: in order to gain the full benefit from the software, the installation should be carefully planned in
advance. Without adequate preparation, a school will be challenged to adequately use the software. Consideration must be given to the following items:
• Data Conversion: depending on how extensive a school's current database is, data may need to be converted or
otherwise prepared before it is imported into the new system. This process requires advance planning and may require guidance from the new software's vendor.
• New Data Entry: many schools will need to enter new data when a new software system is installed. Consider what
individuals, demographic information, and other data should be entered before data entry begins. Ensure that the new data is relevant, sufficient to support fundraising efforts, and secure (particularly any personal information).
• Data Entry Conventions: decide in advance how different pieces of information should be coded, spelled, or
abbreviated. Also consider what key words will be used and how to link accounts. This will ensure consistency of data, which will then enable reliable reporting and analysis.
• Templates of all data entry screens should be created in advance of entering any data. Templates should be created
for several categories of individuals (i.e. parents, grandparents, alumni, community donors etc) and for gift/pledge entry.

Administrative Procedures

Use the process of acquiring new software to initiate the updating or creation of policies and administrative/fiscal procedures for handling all monies, gifts, and development transactions. This will also be an opportunity to coordinate the various software packages used by the school.

Documentation

Keep a written record of any software customization, special instructions, data entry conventions, and policies that emerge during the software selection and installation processes. Also document common activities relating to the system for easy reference. This way, you will have a complete written record of data entry and administrative functions.

Training and Support

Training must be provided to all members of the staff who will be using the software. Training will vary according to how staff will be using the software. It is recommended that at least one member of the staff become the system expert who, in turn, sees that the others are properly trained. Best practice indicates that training is not a one-time event; provide basic training up front, and then provide opportunities for more advanced training as users become more familiar with the system. In addition, find out whether your software vendor has a support hotline for brief or time-sensitive questions.