Volunteer Tracking Software input received from APGA volunteer section members

Transcription

1 Vlunteer Tracking Sftware input received frm APGA vlunteer sectin members Cmments received n the fllwing systems: 1. Micrsft Access Database/Excel 2. Vlgistics 3. Raiser s Edge Questins asked: What data was this sftware r system primarily designed t track? (vlunteers; paid emplyees but it s als used fr vlunteer gathering; r dnrs but it s als used fr vlunteer tracking) What is the cst? Des it d what yu need it t d? If nt, what s missing? May vlunteers input sme r all f their wn infrmatin directly int this sftware frm their wn cmputers? Des the system allw yu r anyne at yur rganizatin t add and custmize fields, input screens and reprts in this sftware? Can the sftware be used t track vlunteer hurs, skills, vlunteer availability and interests? Des the sftware cme with a scheduling functin? Can mre than ne persn access this prduct at the same time? D yu receive internal supprt frm yur IT team r external supprt frm the sftware prvider? Can yu prvide a screen sht f a Jane De recrd? e.g., if yu use Excel, what des that lk like? What are the clumn headers? If yu use Vlgistics, what des a recrd lk like? VOLGISTICS RESPONSES (2): 1. The Huntingtn Mikki Heydrf mheydrff@huntingtn.rg Cmments: Vlgistics is very user friendly and a great additin t ur vlunteer management. In additin t using it t track, recruit, schedule vlunteers we als use this as ur vlunteer website, VicNet. G t Vlgistics.cm fr a tutrial and a free mnth s trial. I m nt a sale persn fr Vlgistics nr d I get a sales cmmissin it meets all f ur needs we have 1150 vlunteers. 2. Lady Bird Jhnsn Wildflwer Center Carrie McDnald cmcdnald@wildflwer.rg Cmments: This system is designed primarily t track vlunteers but we have als used it t schedule staff fr all-handsn-deck events like plant sales. Our develpment ffice uses Razr s Edge I lked at the vlunteer cmpnent. It wasn t quite rbust scheduling-wise fr us, nr at the time did it allw ur vlunteers t lg in and sign up fr pprtunities frm hme. The cst varies by number f vlunteers. The Lady Bird Jhnsn Wildflwer Center is in the range and we pay arund $800/year. Vlgistics has a gd free trial and cst estimate page. It des abut 95% f what we need it t d. I d LIKE t be able t adjust the way weekly schedule prints ut. I d LOVE t have better integratin with ur website s the infrmatin that grups bking turs type in culd flw int Vlgistics and becme a vlunteer pprtunity that Dcents culd sign up fr cutting des n re-entering. Vlunteers are able t input infrmatin directly, n site and frm hme; nline vlunteer applicatins; and cntrlled self-signing up fr pprtunities, and hnr system input f hurs fr tasks dne ff-site Myself plus ne ther supervisr user have all access, then any number f smewhat-mre-limited access users referred t as Crdinatrs. The sftware can be used t track vlunteer hurs, skills, vlunteer availability and interests. It des have a scheduling functin.

2 Mre than ne persn can access Vlgistics at the same time. We d nt receive internal supprt frm we d receive supprt frm Vlgistics. Here s a screen sht f a vlunteer recrd. There are gd screen shts n Vlgistics.cm. Tagged Name Last name: First name: Middle name: Title: Nickname: Address Number: Status: Type: Kind: Individual Grup Street 1: Street 2: Street 3: City: Hme: Wrk: Cell: Fax: State: Zip: Pager: Mail: N pstal mail N Other: Web site: Flags dcent Regular vlunteer Wednesday Flag: Statistics Life: YTD: MTD: Hurs: 5,103:35 90:53 3:42 Years f service: 17 years, 5 mnths Date f last activity:

3 RAISER S EDGE RESPONSES (1): 1. The Sctt Arbretum f Swarthmre Cllege Rebecca Rbert Rrbert1@swarthmre.edu Cmments: We use the educatin tab in ur cnstituent prfile. The sftware is primarily designed t track membership There is n cst because we are already paying fr membership mdule. We have jerrybuilt the educate tab t track the infrmatin we need. What s missing? We have a vlunteer use Excel t track vlunteer hurs and tracking vlunteering fr events is dne thrugh attributes. Thus if yu pull up a vlunteer prfile yu wn t immediately see what they have vlunteered fr and what events they have just attended. Vlunteers cannt input directly int this sftware frm their wn cmputers We use attributes t track dds and ends infrmatin, but it s nt great fr running reprts. We have mdified attributes t track skills and interests. There is n scheduling functin available. Typically we handle by vlunteer r staff via paper. We have fur user licenses. We have supprt frm Blackbaud, the parent cmpany. We can prvide a screen sht f a vlunteer recrd upn request.

4 MICROSOFT ACCESS (and Excel) RESPONSES (3): 1. Lyn Arbretum Jill Laughlin Cmments: We use an MS Access database t gather inf n all cntacts (vlunteers, PR cntacts, students, instructrs, dnrs, staff, interns, bard, etc.). We use Excel t track vlunteer hurs MS Office Pr retrials fr abut $350 the true cst is staff time. It des what we need it t d. The sftware is fine we need IT expertise n ur staff. Only staff are allwed access t input data; vlunteers sign in/ut r recrd their hurs n a time sheet in each department. Only staff directly invlved with the vlunteer prgram add t r custmize fields, design reprts, etc., but the sftware is accessible t all staff, s theretically anyne wh has access can mdify/design/use the system. We use Excel spreadsheets t track vlunteer hurs served, and the Access database t recrd skills, interests and ther data. There is n scheduling functin. We use Ggle Calendar fr scheduling sme but nt all vlunteers. Multiple users can access in a read-nly frmat, but nly ne user at a time can make changes. I wish we received internal supprt frm ur IT staff. We have a very small staff and n IT supprt. I tk an Access class and an Excel class several years ag mstly learning frm ding and trial and many errrs. With sme IT help, it culd be much mre efficient. In Access, I use multiple linked tables: Cntact Infrmatin (last name, first name, street address the usual) Zip Cdes Categries/cdes that determine the multiple categries (vlunteer, dnr, bard member, intern, etc.) Cded tables fr staff supervisrs A table that I use t track new vlunteers befre they are placed that cntains infrmatin n each step f the prcess (date f initial cntact, area f interest, all fllw-up steps). All tables are assigned and tied with a unique ID number that keeps all tables linked. Reprts are generated as needed ff the linked tables. In Excel, I just set up a list f all current vlunteers each year, in a file accessible t all garden staff, and ask supervising staff t input all service hurs fr each vlunteer mnth. It s nt a fail-safe system, but mst f ur staff are gd abut keeping it up-t-date but it always culd be better. We are a small garden, small staff, small budget, with nly abut 3,500 vlunteer visits annually, and 10,000-14,000 vlunteer hurs recrded annually. The current system is manageable, but cntinued grwth will require better slutins. The current system fills ur needs, but as prgrams expand, we will need t find full-time psitin dedicated t ur vlunteer prgram, and sftware designed dedicated specifically t the needs f the vlunteer prgram. 2. ABQ BiPark Btanic Garden Tiffany Abbtt tabbtt@cabq.gv Cmments: Micrsft Access Applicatin was created fr us abut 15 years ag. It was designed t track ur vlunteers: hurs, years f service, recgnitin items received, cntact infrmatin, and visitr interactins. I d nt have knwledge f the initial cst; I knw it was expensive but there are n cntinuus maintenance fees. It was dnated t us by a vlunteer. It is nt the mst helpful system, as vlunteers retire r quit we cannt delete them frm the database, we cannt change r update the prgram names as we change. Vlunteers are nt able t input directly int this sftware. We are nt able t add r custmize fields, input screens r reprts.

5 We are nly able t track hurs and visitr interactins. It des nt have a scheduling functin Mre than ne persn can access the sftware at the same time. We d receive intern supprt We can print ut individual hurs summaries r grup summaries; it includes name, vlunteer ID number, hurs wrked (can specify dates) and interactins with visitrs. 3. The Missuri Btanical Garden Jackie Juras jackie.juras@mbt.rg Cmments: The current Access database was created by ne f ur IT staff mre than ten years ag. He was very prficient in Access and was able t include: Name Address, city, state, zip Telephne Emergency phne/cntact Sex Racial grup (if prvided n ptinal demgraphic sectin f vlunteer applicatin) Birth year (if prvided n ptinal demgraphic sectin f vlunteer applicatin) Garden member Student/Intern/VISTA/Master Gardener Start date Status and status date Place f emplyment Limitatins Special skills Ntes Current area and supervisr Hurs I dn t knw the riginal cst; there are n cntinuus maintenance fees It des a lt, but We need a system where vlunteers and supervisrs can input infrmatin directly, but still allws us t review their submissins and apprve/disapprve befre being accepted int the system. We als need a system that allws us t send t all vlunteers r particular grups f vlunteers. Vlunteers cannt input infrmatin directly We can add and custmize fields, but the staff member wh created the database is n lnger at the Garden and n ne else in ur IT is as prficient was he was, s it s difficult t make any changes nw. We can track vlunteer hurs, skills and interests. Hwever, vlunteer hurs fr mre than 1,700 vlunteers are cllected twice each year frm mre than 80 vlunteer supervisrs and all thse hurs need t be input int the Access database by a vlunteer wh helps in the vlunteer prgram ffice. It des nt have a scheduling functin. Mre than ne persn can access the database at the same time. I receive very limited supprt frm ur IT team. Here s a cpy f the screen fr a vlunteer recrd.

6 April 2012