Choosing Your Charity Database - What Features Do You Need?
Choosing a new database can be confusing - particularly if you are not an IT or database expert. You need to be confident that you can balance the needs of your organisation with the right database features and costs.
But having to look at and compare different software can be a mind-numbing experience and also very time consuming if you are not sure what to look for.
Here’s a simple route map to help you navigate through this IT minefield. Start with a big list of all the features you think you and your colleagues might need, want or like on your database system for example:
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Do you need to record fund raising results? If so, in what kind of detail?
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Does it need to integrate with other programs (e.g. Word or Excel)?
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Does it need to include Gift Aid processing?
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Do you need a full audit trail for all donations and transactions?
It may sound obvious, but you will need to carefully consider who will be using the system.
Do you have a small set of full time people who will be using the system all the time and so will become familiar with a complex system? Or will you be staffed by volunteers who will only use it one day a week in which case a simple intuitive system that is easy to use will be an essential requirement to add to your list.
A good help file and good documentation could also be a big help, but realistically will your users really look at them?
So now you have your list, you will need to review and “grade” how important each feature really is to your organization. Sort them into:
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- Must have features.
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- Should have features.
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- Nice to have but not essential.
Review your list with your colleagues and gauge whether your views match theirs. For instance a Finance Manager might feel Gift Aid processing is the most important thing, but a Fund Raising Manager might want more extensive features on campaign management.
A word of caution… It’s easy to be impressed with super features that, in reality, won’t really be of much use for your specific needs. So be honest with your own evaluation!
Then when you and your colleagues are all agreed, it’s time to go out and look at what the database providers can offer. We will talk about this next time.
Hope this post has been useful. Please continue sending us your comments and questions and we will try and include them in future posts. Just post a comment below or send an email to sales@charitysolutions.co.uk.
