Comments on: How Well Do You Know Your Database? http://www.asmallchange.net/how-well-do-you-know-your-database/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-well-do-you-know-your-database Making Sense of Fundraising Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:58:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Key Pieces of Database Info http://www.asmallchange.net/how-well-do-you-know-your-database/#comment-674 Key Pieces of Database Info Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:01:38 +0000 http://www.asmallchange.net/?p=759#comment-674 [...] previous post: How Well Do You Know Your Database? | // Earlier this week I talked about the importance of knowing where to put donor information in your database. Today I want to talk about what information I’ve found to be the most inconsistent and, by keeping that data relevant, how much more powerful your database can be. [...] [...] previous post: How Well Do You Know Your Database? | // Earlier this week I talked about the importance of knowing where to put donor information in your database. Today I want to talk about what information I’ve found to be the most inconsistent and, by keeping that data relevant, how much more powerful your database can be. [...]

]]> By: Janice Chan http://www.asmallchange.net/how-well-do-you-know-your-database/#comment-673 Janice Chan Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:43:15 +0000 http://www.asmallchange.net/?p=759#comment-673 Leanne, I like the idea of tying the database to each person's job responsibilities to show why it is relevant to them. Any other advice on how to articulate the importance of maintaining a good database to senior staff who believe they are too busy to learn or update anything, think it's easier to keep all their notes in their own separate spreadsheets, think the program is too difficult, etc? It seems to me that it is only important to anybody else when they need information or if something is incorrect. I am essentially the donor database manager and right now the only way that other people use it is to occasionally look up an address or phone number. Leanne, I like the idea of tying the database to each person’s job responsibilities to show why it is relevant to them. Any other advice on how to articulate the importance of maintaining a good database to senior staff who believe they are too busy to learn or update anything, think it’s easier to keep all their notes in their own separate spreadsheets, think the program is too difficult, etc? It seems to me that it is only important to anybody else when they need information or if something is incorrect. I am essentially the donor database manager and right now the only way that other people use it is to occasionally look up an address or phone number.

]]> By: Chris Dumas From Donor Tools http://www.asmallchange.net/how-well-do-you-know-your-database/#comment-672 Chris Dumas From Donor Tools Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:06:21 +0000 http://www.asmallchange.net/?p=759#comment-672 Good post Jason. At Donor Tools we often get organizations that need more then an online donor management product, they are really looking at creating a business process that effects most of the organization's staff. I always tell people to design the process based on outcomes such as acknowledgements and thank you letters sent in 24 hours or check entered into the system and deposited the same day. These outcomes should eventually be written down and the process written up to make it consistent. Having a regular meeting about the database and or how to make it better is also a good idea. Some organizations have us do custom 30 minute webinars with their staff to go over their workflow or to get new staff acquainted to the product. Most of the software providers should be able to do this with some level of guidance. One of our core beliefs is usability. You should focus on your mission, not just technology. So keep it simple. Good post Jason. At Donor Tools we often get organizations that need more then an online donor management product, they are really looking at creating a business process that effects most of the organization’s staff.

I always tell people to design the process based on outcomes such as acknowledgements and thank you letters sent in 24 hours or check entered into the system and deposited the same day. These outcomes should eventually be written down and the process written up to make it consistent.

Having a regular meeting about the database and or how to make it better is also a good idea. Some organizations have us do custom 30 minute webinars with their staff to go over their workflow or to get new staff acquainted to the product. Most of the software providers should be able to do this with some level of guidance.

One of our core beliefs is usability. You should focus on your mission, not just technology. So keep it simple.

]]> By: Leanne http://www.asmallchange.net/how-well-do-you-know-your-database/#comment-671 Leanne Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:44:16 +0000 http://www.asmallchange.net/?p=759#comment-671 In addition to trainings, I'd add including the impact of not having a well organized database to your employees and coworkers. When I was trying to learn how others in my last organization used the database (if at all!), I was able to see that the way each person input information was colored by the job they performed. So, if the administrator needed to run the numbers, that's what they'd focus on. If the administrative assistant needed to send out mailings, they made sure the name and address was correct. The president needed to know the donor's history and would record copious notes. Unfortunately, as you alluded to, Jason, none of this information was put in the same place. Once I realized that, I then started the challenging work of educating them individually and during staff meetings about the importance of maintaining a good database. It was only when I began to tie this to their own jobs first and then show how lack of information was actually leading to loss of donor engagement (which led to loss of revenue and partnership) were they willing to consider something new. It wasn't easy, but in the end, I think it made all the difference to their sense of buy-in. Otherwise, they would have thought it was just another request from the the development department that really had little impact on their daily work. In addition to trainings, I’d add including the impact of not having a well organized database to your employees and coworkers. When I was trying to learn how others in my last organization used the database (if at all!), I was able to see that the way each person input information was colored by the job they performed.

So, if the administrator needed to run the numbers, that’s what they’d focus on. If the administrative assistant needed to send out mailings, they made sure the name and address was correct. The president needed to know the donor’s history and would record copious notes.

Unfortunately, as you alluded to, Jason, none of this information was put in the same place. Once I realized that, I then started the challenging work of educating them individually and during staff meetings about the importance of maintaining a good database.

It was only when I began to tie this to their own jobs first and then show how lack of information was actually leading to loss of donor engagement (which led to loss of revenue and partnership) were they willing to consider something new.

It wasn’t easy, but in the end, I think it made all the difference to their sense of buy-in. Otherwise, they would have thought it was just another request from the the development department that really had little impact on their daily work.

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