Tech Planning

Webinar Discussion: Tech Training Made Simple with Online Videos

kamig — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:45:27 GMT

Wouldn’t it be great if complicated technology concepts were explained in a simple way that’s easy to understand? Imagine how something like this could assist you in training sessions for patrons or staff. Well look no further, Common Craft creates explanatory videos “In Plain English” that cover topics like green, money, society and technology.

This free webinar, scheduled for Wednesday, November 18 at 11am Pacific time, will feature Lee LeFever from Common Craft and two librarians who are currently using these videos to supplement their training programs. Space is limited, register here.

Are you currently using videos to compliment your technology training sessions? Tell us more! Post your comments or questions here.

Travel Reduction Mini-Tips

Anna — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:31:27 GMT

This week we are kicking off an educational campaign to help social benefit organizations reduce their travel by using technology to collaborate online. Hopefully, a lot of these recommendations will also help the organizations save money since they won't have to pay for the travel. Our ultimate goal is to get organizations to make changes so their green house gas (ghg) emissions from commuting and other travel will be reduced.

I know that a lot of you out there have great collaborative technology solutions that have worked for you. If you have short suggestions that would benefit others, please write about them here.

Check out our campaign intro blog post - Ten Tips to TeleGreen Your Work and let us know what you think.

Document management software interfacing

beckyc@Camba.org — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:48:14 GMT

Hi all,

My organization has two potential projects which both include some level of document management, and both need to enable multiple users to view, share and edit documents. Our first project is well on its way, and we will be using MIP Fund accounting software. However, MIP does not meet the needs of the second project since this involves more than accounting and purchasing. Fortunately, MIP says that it can integrate with other mission-vital software within an organization.So, my question is, are there any document management systems that can integrate with MIP accounting software? SharePoint is most likely not what we will be using. Thanks for your help.

Erica

New CRM / Website costs and timelines

thegene — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:23:59 GMT

Here's a huge and nebulous question to through out there:

I am beginning to begin to plan the planning for the entire database and website overhaul, completely redesigning the site and incorporating CRM into our office work flow, etc. and am trying to figure out ballpark numbers for cost and time of the entire process. Since there are going to be consultants, developers and perhaps even designers involved in this, when asked by development how long and how much the whole process will cost, I won't have any specific numbers until well into the RFP phase.

It looks like most of our software will be "free" (ignoring total costs) for both the site and CRM, but there will be a good deal of developer and consultant costs, and I am trying to figure out at least what to expect with that.

Also, we are giving ourselves 18 months to 2 years to really do the whole thing in general. However, I am hoping to get general info regarding how long I can actually expect this to take.

I am well aware that this is a huge question which is totally reliant on specific specs, but I have no idea where to place cost and time brackets: $20,000 over 6 months or $200,000 over 3 years, no idea what to expect (although I have an idea about what we can afford haha)

Any help or input would be appreciated.

Do you have a data warehouse?

BeckyW — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:58:07 GMT

This week, TechSoup will be featuring a new article from Idealware about data warehousing and the questions to ask about whether your organization needs one or not.

What are your experiences on data warehousing? Are you using a single system and process to combine all of your data sets into one place? What tools have worked for you? Is it worth the effort to create a data warehouse from your experiences?

Share your thoughts here. Once the article is live, I'll update the thread with a link.

Consulting costs

beckyc@Camba.org — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:48:08 GMT

Hi all,

My organization is looking into digitizing our current files and utilizing document management software. However, we require consulting and training in the new system (SharePoint, or something like it). Does anyone know if there is a venue for us to get nonprofit discounts on program consulting and training? For example: does microsoft have nonprofit funding allowances for consulting and training? Thanks!

Donating computers internationally

jaynna — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:33:07 GMT

I am investigating starting a non-profit that will refurbish donated systems and then give them to schools in Africa. I have been trying to research laws and regulations on essentially exporting software and hardware in context of donating to schools but I have not been able to find this info. Can anyone point me to the right place for such information?

Many thanks!

Jaynna

Online Project Management

katienelson — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:30:26 GMT

I am looking for an online project management software- it needs to meet the following requirements:

- Must interface with Outlook (Calendar especially)
- Allow multiple owners to make comments and changes
-Shared calendar that interfaces with Outlook
-Send reminders, generate reports,
- Cost less than 25 dollars a month

Does anyone know of anything?

Would you consider an open source operating system?

Henry_Kumagai — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 23:16:00 GMT

Linux anyone?

I'm wondering if any of you have thoughts of implementing Linux or a free unix variant as the main operating system at your organization or for your NPO client. Why or why doesn't it fit in your tech plan?

How do you evaluate new tech products at your organization?

BeckyW — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:26:22 GMT

Kevin Lo, a regular contributor to these forums and a lead tech analyst at TechSoup, penned a blog postwith tips on how to go about evaluating new technologies for nonprofits. It's his job to dig deep into new products and evaluate and test them for our users. But how do you do it in your own office?

He offers some great, simple tips on figuring out whether a new technology or product is right for your needs, as well as some common sense reminders that free doesn't always mean free.

Should your office start using netbooks and scrap the old desktop machines? Do you need to have a blog or be on Twitter? Should you upgrade to the latest version of a critical piece of software?

Share your tips and resources for making tech decisions at your organization. What may be old-hat to you may be an "a-ha!" to someone else.

How often do you assess your technology?

BeckyW — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:25:26 GMT

Do you conduct a regular (maybe annual) technology assessment at your organization? How frequently do you do it? Is it just a tech inventory of your hardware and software or a broader assessment of all your vendors, policies, and tech infrastructure?

TechSoup has a soon-to-be-published article with tips on conducting a thorough tech assessment that will be up this week. The article includes a veritable mountain of worksheets that can be used as templates for different tech assessment needs. Do you have favorite resources to share to help assess your tech? Share them here!

Rethinking my Storage/Backup solution

japalm — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:55:49 GMT

I'm not happy with the solution I've inherited for storage and backup. I'm running an all Windows shop, consisting of about a dozen servers (W2k3 & 1 W2K8). 2 of these servers are VMWare.

All storage is to disk, with a couple of direct attached drives (WD MyBooks).

Backup is Disk-to-Tape using a 70GB Rev Drive and CA ArcServe r11.

I'm trying to think of a new solution from the ground up. This needs to tie into a complete disaster recovery solution. I have recently obtained Backup Exec 12.5. I need a solution that works now and takes into account future growth.

So, I'm looking for suggestions on hardware, software, etc. SAN? NAS? Cloud? I'm open to any ideas. Ease of implementation and manageability are always a plus. Of course, cost is always a concern (we are a non-profit). I just know I need something better than what I have now.

How standardized is your office?

wcook — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:26:00 GMT

When it comes to purchasing equipment and software, how standardized is your office? Do you make all decisions centrally, or are people allowed to make their own choices about what types of hardware and software to use?

Back That Mac Up

elliotharmon — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:04:16 GMT

Today on the TechSoup Blog, we discussed a few backup and archiving tools for the Mac. How do you back up your Mac? Any good backup success (or failure) stories?

Cheers,
Elliot

Document Retention Project

mkifer — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:44:21 GMT

Good Day all,

I have been tasked with creating a organization wide unified document retention policy and program. I have been reading why too much about this topic, but all is good.

Does any one have a good plan for tackling this issue and laws, regulations and rulings that I should consult while developing the plan.

I already know to check with:

1. PCI

2. HIPAA

3. IRS

4. Fair Labor Standards

5. Contracts

6. California Laws

7. Sox? We are a nonprofit

Thanks for all your help, I feel this project is just has difficult to get your head around as business continuity.

Disaster Planning: What nonprofits need to know to protect their tech

BeckyW — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:58:28 GMT

Does your organization have a plan to keep your technology, data, and assets protected in the event of an emergency or disaster? What if it's not an actual disaster like a hurricane or flood, but a staff member simply loses or breaks a laptop carrying essential supporter data? How much time or money might your organization spend trying to recover even a fraction of what's been lost? If these questions have crossed your mind and your answers are less than ideal, you should join us for our two-part webinar series on disaster planning to protect your technology.

Join TechSoup's Becky Wiegand on Thursday, August 20 at 11 a.m. Pacific as she interviews nonprofit tech expert Chris Shipley from Nutmeg Consulting and Elliot Harmon, TechSoup staff writer and editor of our newly released The Resilient Organization: A Guide for Disaster Planning and Recovery. We'll also be joined by Michelle Baldwin, Executive Director of Volunteers in Service to Others, which runs the Cooke County emergency food bank. They experienced a flood two years ago and she'll be offering advice for other nonprofits trying to plan ahead.

We'll discuss the ins and outs of getting your organization in tip-top shape before a disaster or crisis happens. We'll review best practices, tips, and resources for developing and implementing a disaster preparedness plan for technology at your organization that will help you not only when a crisis hits -- but everyday with a more streamlined, efficient workplace.

The second event will be held on Thursday, August 27 at 11 a.m. Pacific and will be an in-depth discussion of backup systems.

PCI Compliance Documentation

dcomber — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:11:34 GMT

Has anyone put together formal PCI Compliance documentation as it relates to your organization? I would be interested to know what was involved and if there were related issues to doing so. Also, if there is any sample documentation, I would greatly appreciate any information that is available. Thanks :)

Sarbanes- Oxley

CALIFMARY — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:47:41 GMT

How do I go about learning if my organizaiton falls under Sarbanes-Oxley (or any other IT regulated requirements?)? I have researched it online and it appears Sarbanes only impacts financial orgs, not government/non-profits.

Non-Profit RFP Bid Sites

ldubuc — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:58:26 GMT

I am a small non-profit organization conducting an RFP process for a grant management CRM solution. I have been looking online for RFP job posting sites that cater to non-profit work and have been unseccessful in finding any. Per our funding requirements I must ensure a fair and open process for proposals for this project.

Does anyone know of any sites out there that would help me post my RFP to the correct audience? I would also love responses from other non-profits who have been through a similar process or that are currently using a web-based grant management CRM product.

VMware Consolidation

jaime05 — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:45:10 GMT

Hi all,

I'm a new Network admin for a medium-sized Nonprofit, about 140 users, 5 Servers, various other network hardware. I was looking into consolidating from 5 servers to 2 using VMWare ESXi 4, and having 1 server running all 5 current ones virtually, and having a hot failover capability on a 2nd Server with the same VM's allready configured and mirrored from the Primary Server. Anyone have experience with this? and know of reliable and cost-effective Vendors?

thanks

File Storage for Distributed Nonprofits

AASHE — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:21:14 GMT

I work for a distributed organization and we have had a lot of trouble deciding how to centrally store files. We're a small nonprofit group with a small headquarters and the majority of full-time employees working out of their homes. Not all of the from home employees have great Internet access.

The options we've looked into include:

1) Buying a Server and installing Windows Server or Samba

2) Using JungleDisk for file storage

3) Microsoft Groove

- The Mac users have to dual boot to use it

4) Dropbox

We already use Google Docs for collaborative editing but want to be able to have a place to store files as well.

Our primary requirements are that the solution provide:

- Mac, Windows support

- Versioning

- Security

- Offline Access

Are there other options we should be considering? Has anyone else already done this type of evaluation?

Thanks,

Julia

Employee technology survey

pleasantpittsfield — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:00:49 GMT

I'm involved in the technology planning at my organization, but work in the fiscal/administrative office so I don't always feel like I have the best view of all the advances that will help us in our mission as a human service agency. I'd like to get feedback from our program staff on what their issues are in the "field" and how technology could help them. I've been looking for examples of internal organizational surveys of staff on their technology needs / ideas. I have found plenty of surveys on general level of technology use / planning in non-profits, but not the sort of internal technology survey I'm looking for. Does anyone have their own examples (or others) of how they have gauged the needs of their programs and staff, via survey or otherwise? I'd really appreciate your input!

Thank you.

Policy/Procedure for Electronic Document Management

snydera — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:51:17 GMT

I am trying to implement an electronic document management system for a small non-profit and any advice you may have would be appreciated...if you would care to share an actual policy all the better. Thanks in advance for your help.

What would help your nonprofit pursue eco-friendly printing techniques?

wcook — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:29:00 GMT

Does your nonprofit print its brochures, mail campaigns, letterhead, and other marketing materials on recycled paper? Have you used vegetable-based inks? What about a carbon-neutral printer? If not, what is stopping you? (Lack of information? Lack of resources?)

As A Nonprofit's Guide to Green Printing illustrates, going green doesn't have to mean compromising on quality, or spending a fortune.

Let us know what your nonprofit is doing to make its printing practices earth friendly, and share your recommendations on green vendors (printers, designers, paper suppliers) you've worked with.

NPower Nonprofit IT Survey Results: What do you think?

BeckyW — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:23:30 GMT

Have you checked out the results of the nonprofit IT survey that NPower and Accenture conducted a couple months back? The full report (PDF) came out earlier this month and after looking through it, I'd have to say I wasn't all that surprised to learn that many nonprofits are spending less than 1% of their budget on IT and tech each year.

I've blogged about some of the other highlights of the report but would love to open the discussion to get other people's thoughts on the report as well as on how nonprofits are or aren't adopting tech planning into their budget process. Aside from that, it would help TechSoup to know more about what other nonprofits NEED from us in order to help them find solutions to their tech/IT problems.

With many of the more than 1000 nonprofit respondents saying that they rely on volunteers, other nonprofits, and personal experience to help solve IT problems, I know that there are things we at TechSoup can be doing better to help get the technology into the hands of nonprofits who need it and help them figure out how to use it.

What do you think? Check out the survey results (PDF) and post your thoughts here in response to what you've read and suggestions of what we can all be doing better.