Software possiblities

Software possibilities (in no particular order): 

http://www.volgistics.com/

• hospice management

http://www.cogransystems.com/

http://www.civicrm.com/

Working on how to design a software package

Picking a software base or creating the software from scratch - which makes more sense?

CORE has volunteers, clients, donors and staff.  CORE provides services, raises money, runs events.  We care about the money but we care more about the relationships.  With new monies and needs coming in we need to step up volunteers management.

Current gaps raising the most concern:

1. matching client requests with active volunteers
2. keeping lists of volunteers current
1. demographics
2. availability
3. interests
3. volunteer hours 
4. reporting on volunteer hours lacking

Work flow needs:

1. Client calls in with a request
2. Possible volunteers identified
3. Volunteer(s) scheduled
4. Followup 
1. with Client
2. with Volunteer

Reports needed:

• Volunteer jobs and hours
• Client requests
• including filled and unfilled
• Cross reference between volunteers and clients
• Followup response
• Annual Report data

Who cares about this data

• Staff
• Clients
• Volunteers
• Board members
• Other Agencies

Who will work with the data

• Staff
• some on BoD?

Possible software thoughts

• Helpdesk software:  
• tracking volunteers 
• tracking clients
• client issue assigned to volunteer
• Straight CRM software:  event(client)/volunteer management

Rip or not?

The internal debate ...  I've made a mistake - it is glaring at me - it will take hours to fix - should I rip it back to fix it?

One must start somewhere

One must start somewhere...

Blogs are inherently narcissistic.  Why would anyone want to read what I have to write.  On the other hand I want to learn to write.  One can't learn to write unless one starts writing.  I long ago realized that I can no longer write with pen and paper.  It goes nowhere.  Hence, here I am in this narcissistic medium, hoping that it doesn't say that I am a narcissist.