Scaling Salesforce as You Grow, Part 4 [Tech Tips]
In the previous post , I covered picklist collisions and properly matching the function of Salesforce.com fields with the time and granularity of the data in your instance. Today, I’ll conclude with a few notes about Activities, namely when they’re helpful and when they can bog you down.
Read MoreNonprofit Improves Processes, Reporting, and Efficiency with Move to New CRM System
Processes evolve. Needs change. And, it’s not uncommon for nonprofits to find that their old donor database or other Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) system — which once met their needs — can no longer support them.
But, once the big decision is made to move to a new system, there are still considerations: How do you safely move your valuable constituent data into the new system? How do you set up the new system to support new, more efficient processes and give staff members access to the data they need? What do staff members need to know about using the new system? By addressing these considerations, nonprofits can ensure they see the expected benefits of their new technology.
Read More8 Steps to Salesforce Success
Clients often ask us what can they do to help contribute to Salesforce success and a smooth and effective deployment. After 7 years and 700 plus projects we came up with eight general requirements for project success:
Listen to your Consultant
Client should follow the consultant’s advisement in implementing technology and changing business processes within scope. If client make changes without consent from consultant, it places the consultant in a reactive mode instead of executive mode. This interferes with project planning and methodology and may even force major adjustments to the project.
Read MoreDoes a Checkbox Give You Accurate Data? [Tech Tips]
To checkbox or not to checkbox, that is the question. Checkboxes have many advantages, especially for system administrators. They are generally the fastest and easiest fields to create, and they are preferred when creating field dependencies, formulas, and workflows. They also facilitate quick data entry and make reporting easy. But do they really give you accurate data?
Read MoreScaling Salesforce as You Grow, Part 3 [Tech Tips]
In my most recent post in this series , I covered considerations when setting up Multi-Select Picklists in Salesforce.com to ensure your organization can scale Salesforce.com in the future. What’s next?
Picklist Value Collisions: the “Both/And” Problem
Consider the following Contact Type picklist that might appear on a record:
Read MoreAccess the Wealth Within – Uncovering Talent and Utilizing Technology
In her work with nonprofits Amy Quinn often refers to the “New Normal”. She believes, and has personally witnessed, how leveraging technology and the solutions and innovation it offers, can help organizations achieve higher levels of success.
In her Avectra blog post “The Wealth Within” , Amy urges organizations to focus less on what they don’t have, or can’t afford, and instead look within to uncover untapped resources and talent to bring innovation to their programs.
Read MoreAre Salesforce and Social Media, Well, Social?
Nonprofits often ask us at Idealist Consulting: Can I integrate my Salesforce database with [insert social media platform here]? The first question we ask after hearing this question is: Do you have a social media strategy? Without a strategy, it’s difficult to direct organizations to the right tools, and even more difficult to make Salesforce and social media work together properly.
Read MoreScaling Salesforce as You Grow, Part 2 [Tech Tips]
In the first post of this series , I covered considerations for approaches to the Owner field in Salesforce.com to ensure your organization can scale its use of Salesforce.com in the future. Today, let’s talk about another topic.
Multi-Select Picklists
Multi-Select Picklists are intended to allow Salesforce.com users to quickly grab multiple values of record categorization and apply them simultaneously to the same person or thing. They look pretty, and can quickly replace massive checkbox grids or a series of single-select picklists.
Read MoreNew Integrated Suites Product Review for Nonprofits
Tired of juggling data in multiple systems? Many nonprofits are. Since the popularization of online marketing applications, it’s been common for nonprofits to have at least one database to manage “offline” traditional fundraising and donor management, and another database to manage online marketing efforts.
Read MoreA Fresh Approach to a Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Site
With the 2013 National Walk for Epilepsy fast approaching, the organization was looking for a fresh new design for their peer-to-peer event. This national walk is one of Epilepsy Foundation of America’s (EFA) biggest supporter campaigns of the year. They’d used a variant of the design in 2012 and had gotten feedback from their event participants that needed to be addressed in a refresh. Our combined teams (EFA and Firefly Partners) did not have a lot of time – the public kick-off date had been selected and event registration needed to launch on time.
Read More
Network Outsource Tech Daily is out! http://t.co/nMdo4692CW ▸ Top stories today via @NetXtra @jcbivins @TeamHeller1 week ago
With so many Integrated Suites options out there, how do you decide which is right for your nonprofit? http://t.co/79cEXQjhO6 #nptech1 week ago
Now's the time for nonprofits to seek the value of Business Intelligence. Discover why and read our BI tools reviews http://t.co/8bwMcOnI4k1 week ago
A review of the top integrated suites aimed at mid- to large-size nonprofits from @teamheller http://t.co/3jH7jeyw7n #nptech #nonprofit1 week ago