Surf Wonders

It’s a well known fact that non-profit organizations have very strict guidelines with regard to the way they run their operations, particularly with accounting and audit trails. Therefore, determining which software solution is the best fit for your particular organization can be a time-intensive process. Below are the top three Do’s and Don’ts of selecting a non-profit software solution to help ease the process for your organization.

Do:

1. Identify Required and Desired Functionality of the New Software Solution. It’s important to know what you need and want from a software solution. Perhaps online donations are important to aide in your fundraising efforts. Or maybe comprehensive reports and performance analytics are required by your Board of Directors each quarter. And maybe improving your marketing efforts is a big priority for the next fiscal year. Whatever your needs and wants may be to run your non-profit organization more efficiently and effectively, differentiate between the “must-haves” and “nice to haves” so that you weigh and score technology partners equally.
2. Involve Personnel to Drive Adoption. It’s important to involve personnel from key departments every step of the process, from identifying requirements to implementing the software. You must take into account what pains or frustrations your staff members may be facing, and ensure that the new solution will address these challenges and be implemented in a way that is parallel to existing workflows. Involving staff members in every step will ultimately drive adoption of the new technology because they have contributed to the resolution and will have already approved the technology being adopted.
3. Be Thorough in Your Research of Technology Partners. Your research into various software providers should be multi-faceted. Be sure to use each of the following research methods when pulling together your list of viable non-profits software partners.

• Talk to Industry Peers. This does not mean simply asking other non-profits what software they’re using and whether or not they like it. Talking to industry peers means asking what their criteria was for new software, what the selection process was like for them, what the total cost of ownership is, and how well the software met their needs.
• Research Online. Look for ratings and reviews, both good and bad, for each of your top software candidates. Visit each software company’s website and read through their information thoroughly. Read the company’s news to see how well the company is doing and if they seem to be financially stable. Read testimonials and case studies to look for similarities between your organization’s needs and the vendor’s customer needs.
• Talk to Technology Providers. After narrowing your list of potential technology partners down to a manageable number, start making phone calls directly to the companies. Pay attention to how friendly, knowledgeable, responsive and open company representatives are over the phone. Ask candid questions about industry experience, customer service, and software functionality. Ask sales staff what their non-profits customers would say about the company if you were to call them up. These are all very fair questions to ask and the right software company will be more than willing to provide any information you need to know to make your software selection.
• Request On-Site Demonstrations. By the time you reach the software demonstrations phase, you should have narrowed your list down even further to just a handful of possible partners. Before software vendors arrive for demonstrations, collaborate with staff members to create a comprehensive list of questions to ensure that you are prepared to evaluate each vendor equally. Ask vendors to walk you through step-by-step processes for a typical transaction your staff might handle on any given day. Ask what customers find most challenging about the software. Ask what feedback the company receives the most on the software. Ask every question that you and your staff deem important in the software selection process. And ask these questions to each of the vendors.

Don’t:

1. Buy Software Based on Features Only. When focusing just on features of the software, such as online registration, membership management tools, Web content management, etc., you can unknowingly overlook other important factors, such as software scalability, technology requirements, customer service support, total cost of ownership, and finding a software solution that doesn’t change your business processes. It’s important to buy non-profits software that will grow with your organization, allow you to take advantage of existing investments in computers and other IT equipment, offer you 24/7 customer service support, save you money while driving new revenues and donations, and be user-friendly so anyone, from volunteers to full-time staff, can utilize the software to improve current business processes.
2. Evaluate Only the Initial Costs. There are a number of companies that require minimal to no upfront costs for their software solutions. However, after the initial installation, it’s important to understand other costs that may be associated with the software, such as annual license fees, upgrade charges, general maintenance costs, usage fees, customer service support fees, and additional IT investments that may be required as your organization grows and expands. Be sure to request, in writing, details of your organization’s total cost of ownership for each software package you’re considering. It’s important to be aware of this number at the forefront to not only evaluate total cost expenditures from one software company to the next, but to also understand when this money will need to be allocated from your budget.
3. Buy More Than You Need. If your non-profit organization doesn’t have leagues, you shouldn’t be paying for league management tools. If your non-profit doesn’t have dedicated IT personnel in-house, you should probably consider a hosted software deployment so your software provider can manage all IT needs for you. Bottom line, request exactly what you need and want and don’t pay for anything extra. It’s difficult to justify the added expense and can be confusing for staff to navigate around.

I hope these tips prove helpful in your search for the right non-profits software solution. In general, as long as you’re selecting software that offers all of the functionality you need at a total cost of ownership that is well within your budget and from a financially stable company that you know and trust, you are on the right path. Make sure to check off the Do’s, avoid the Don’ts, and enjoy the benefits of today’s leading technologies to improve operational efficiencies and drive more donations to your non-profit organization.

James Reyes is the General Manager for ActiveCommunities, a division of Active Network, Inc.

ActiveCommunities delivers membership management software and marketing solutions to non-profit organizations of all sizes across the globe.

Author: James Reyes
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Let’s face it for many being on the computer is hassle-full. Being on the computer isn’t fun and productive any more.

Whether your home or business computers are online or offline over time they seem to slow down and many times crash. Being on the computer isn’t fun and productive any more. What is it that
causes these problems?

It’s my experience that the average individual knows a lot about his/her chosen field and very little about computer repair services and protecting information stored on a home or business computer.

Most of us are looking for a simple easy way to work or play on our computer. Unfortunately, computers have become complicated, necessary tools. Yet, it seems, several months after purchasing a computer it begins to bog down and run slower. You might experience mysterious freeze ups and crashes. Once this problem turns into a nuisance, generally, the computer is taken into a computer repair service shop where it will be out of commission for a week or so and a few hundred dollars spent to clean it up.

Most people don’t understand the relationship between a slow running computer and cyber-crime. Yet, the relationship is huge. There is a huge need to develop safe computer practices and rely on an emerging computer industry called “Personal Computer Services.”

One of the ways I like to describe computer safe practices is by comparing it to safe dental practices. We are encouraged to develop an everyday practice of flossing and cleaning teeth, right? We do this to keep the teeth clean and avoid dental problems like infection and tooth decay in the future. In other words we do this to avoid dental hassles. We want a hassle-free dental experience.

Now, when you compare best dental practices to keeping your computer running like new, you need to implement similar measures. Only this time instead of brushing and flossing you have to develop safe computer practices including purchasing the computer repair service money can buy. On top of that, you’ll also need to set up a safe practices guideline for everyone in your family.

A slow running computer or a computer that crashes frequently may be a sign of Malware (Trojans, viruses, worms, and other malicious code) on your computer. These hacker tools not only can be used to steal sensitive information from your computer they slow your computer down or even cause computer crashes. Unfortunately, traditional over-the-counter computer protection products don’t keep up with this growing problem. If they did would we continue to have these problems?

Over the last three years there’s been a huge shift from curious hackers to professional hackers creating devious methods to steal proprietary information from computers like yours. This evolving threat is costing individuals and businesses tens of billions of dollars every year. V. McNiven, an advisor to the U.S Department of treasury has stated, “The proceeds from cyber-crime are now greater than the sale of illegal drugs.

These evil hackers continue to find more devious ways of stealing financial and proprietary information. It is important that every individual, family and business have a computer repair service plan in place to protect themselves from these cyber terrorists.

You might be surprised to learn that computers that don’t go online are vulnerable through file sharing from infected flash drives, cds and floppies. These devices, when infected, can install scrambling software or logic bomb software that opens up the possibility of extortion to get your proprietary information back.

A 2007 PC Magazine survey of 42,000 PCs worldwide released last September showed the top speed killers. The problems included:

· Over 52 percent of the PCs surveyed were clogged up with spyware

· Over 60 percent of the PCs surveyed had un-optimized Internet settings slowing the Internet down and even signaling that spyware and other malware have secretly stolen portions of your bandwidth to run on your PC.

· Surveyed computers also contained an average of twelve serious registry problems per unit that may have been caused by spyware and other malware.

Incredible, many of these computers are supposedly protected by the over-the-counter products that aren’t doing what they promise to do. So how can individuals and small businesses protect against identity theft, fraud and extortion? How can they get their computers back to running like new again?

Here are six crucial steps to protecting your computer and making it fun and productive again:

1. Keep your computers patched. Microsoft has automatic patch updates. Make sure are signed up to receive them.

2. Use professional enterprise grade anti-virus and anti-spyware at the email and web gateways. Install a professional grade by-directional firewall to guard against backdoor threats.

3. Use sender-authentication technologies, such as Sender Policy Framework (SPF) to make phishing far more difficult since – In theory – phishers will only be able to send their spam from “unapproved” domains.

4. Develop and enforce a password policy. This will make passwords difficult to be guessed. Use a different password for each situation. Make sure these passwords are changed frequently. If you use one password for every web site, for example, and a phisher manages to steal it, all of your online activity is at risk. Sophos, an enterprise grade Internet Security Company, recently conducted a business poll and discovered 41 percent of the respondents were using the same password for all web sites.

5. Keep an eye on the advice from organizations promoting safe computing. Many of their web sites will list the latest threats, and give advice on how to protect your home and business against them.

6. Always report suspicious activity.

Just as important, find a computer repair service that offers “Personal Computer Services.” Your personal computer service should include online repair at no additional cost. The end result: hassle-free computing making being on the computer fun and productive again. With the right computer repair service, using computers at home and at work should be hassle-free allowing you to focus more on your home and business activities.

Warren Franklin is an advocate for personal and Internet Security. You can find more information at his web site at http://www.completeinternetprotection.com/pcfunagain.html or by calling 503-315-9847

Author: Warren Franklin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Software trade group Business Software Alliance or BSA has revealed findings of its own study that found that for every 10 software products sold via the Internet, about four are pirated copies of original OEM software The most usual victim of such piracy is of course, the most popular software in the world, the Microsoft OEM software.

To understand the real issue behind this, it would be appropriate if you would be refreshed about OEM. The word stands for ‘original equipment manufacturer’. OEM is a re-branded component of a computer unit. You know for a fact that not all parts of a computer unit is designed and built by a single manufacturer. There are specific parts, like chips, memory, and drives that are made by third party firms.

For example, you are buying a computer unit made of maker A. because Microsoft is the most used and functional software you will definitely opt to buy the computer if it already contains Microsoft software That software is known as Microsoft OEM software In other words, Microsoft OEM software is a computer program that is installed in a computer unit upon purchase by consumers.

Online scams

That is the main thrust for piracy concerns. Because computer manufacturers are always aiming to minimize their costs and maximize popularity and demand from consumers, they always aim to offer the best packages and deals to the market. What else can be better than selling computer units already installed with Microsoft OEM software?

As computer manufacturers find Microsoft OEM software online and elsewhere, they most likely encounter scam and fake copies of the software Investigations have it that PC makers are not always to be blamed for their patronage of pirated Microsoft OEM software Most of the time, several Microsoft OEM software packages available in the market look like original products, only to be found out eventually that they are not.

In fact, investigators are also most of the time deceived. They can attest that they, too, can be fooled by pirated Microsoft OEM software being distributed in the market. Perhaps, there must be more stringent and more particular rules and regulations that should be installed and established to regulate the rise of fake Microsoft OEM software.

Fake Microsoft OEM software in emails

The most common form of dissemination and circulation of pirated copies of Microsoft OEM software are through emails. For sure, you are familiar with spam emails. Such mails are proliferating in the emails of people around the world. Usually, headings and titles indicate cheap and marked down costs of particular Microsoft OEM software.

BSA asserts that as always, consumers are thrilled and deceived by cheaper and more affordable versions of products. In the case of software consumers are more than anxious to secure cheaper installations of Microsoft OEM software to be particular.

And why not?

Pirated Microsoft OEM software are very cheap. At the same time, they are coming in full and unlimited versions, making them more in-demand and highly attractive to buyers. If you would try buying the legitimate copies, you would notice that they are more expensive. Another setback is that despite the high tag prices, software copies are limited and are not in full versions.

Thus, when there is Microsoft OEM software that is in full and unlimited versions at lower prices, consumers would naturally come across to patronize the products. As for counterfeits against hoaxes and pirated versions, it is always hard to tell if a product is pirated or not. Most of the time, pirated Microsoft OEM software looks exactly the same as the original copies. The features are almost always the same and the overall packaging and functions bear no difference than the original versions.

Bei M. is the top author in the industry. He provides best information about business software online stores to get Business Software, Financial Software, Microsoft OEM Software and more that you needed for your business.

Author: Bei Mi M.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Are you tired of paying the high costs associated with having another company print your photo ID? Are you planning to print your own photo ID cards? That’s smart business sense. Why leave a cost you can control in the hands of another company. But what are your ID software options?

To choose the right ID software you need to have an idea of what it is you plan to accomplish with the software. Here are some common questions you should have the answers to.

1. Are you printing one or two sides? Single sided cards are the easiest and require the most basic printer and software. However, if you need to print either graphics, or if you need to print information on both sides of your photo ID card, you will need photo ID software that either supports duplex printing or dual sided printing. Exercise a little caution, because some of the entry-level products only offer single sided printing.

2. What type of database? Will you be utilizing an internal database or an outside database? If you want to store the images and the data that you print to your photo ID cards, then choose software that allows for storage of the cards you have created. An internal database provides you with quick access to your data if you must reprint a card that has been lost or stolen. You can also make individual or global changes quickly and easily.

However, if you are going to have to share the card data with another office. you will need ODBC software, also known as an open database. Some programs will let you import ODBC, but they will not let you export. Ask your ID professional if you have any questions.

3. Are you going to be operating your software on a network? If yes, you will need to choose software that supports networking. The three photo ID software industry leaders all do.

4. Will you need to print 2D barcodes? All of the card software on the market allows for traditional barcode printing, which is 1D. However, 2D barcode printing is much more specialized, and will require special software.

5. Will you need to make changes to all your cards at once? Mass changes aren’t something you’ll want to undertake manually. You’ll want card software that can do batch processing to keep things simplified and streamlined.

6. Will you need to encode smart cards? Smart cards have an embedded memory chip, and an antenna within the card. Only some photo ID software allows you to work with this style of card.

Let’s have a look at a couple of the photo ID software packages on the market. This will give you an idea of what’s out there. Of course you’ll need to match your needs to the right software.

CardFive Software

CardFive software has certainly become a leader in the photo ID software industry, and one who has garnered much respect. They offer low pricing, excellent features, and tools that are easy to use. There are different levels of CardFive software available to choose from, depending on your needs. CardFive Classic is excellent for level entry design with no frills. Lite XL offers CSV database import, network printer ability, and mag stripe encoding to list just a few features. Premier has all of the features you could ever need all in one software package.

Asure ID Software

This is by far one of the most popular software choices, and another industry leader. You can choose from several different products to match your needs. Assure ID Express and Assure ID Solo, are designed for small to medium size business environments, looking for affordable, easy to use solutions, with all the options they’ll need. Asure software packages will do just that. Asure Enterprise is for larger organizations with more elaborate needs. Exchange is an excellent choice of intuitive card designs, and it is also excellent if you are seeking exemplary data management.

EPI Suite Software

EPI is considered one of the most robust ID Photo card software packages on the market. EPI Lite has entry-level photo ID options including badges, and it’s perfect for small to medium size businesses. EPI Classic is excellent for medium size businesses that need to print hundreds of ID cards at one workstation. It is also an excellent choice if you need to duplex, encode barcodes, and other more complex tasks, while EPI Pro offers it all. There’s really nothing you can’t do with this software.

There are more photo ID software options, however these will get you started looking in the right direction. Don’t be afraid to ask the manufacturer or supplier if you have any questions, and don’t make a hasty decision. Like all sound business decisions, take your time and get what you need.

Check out ID Superstore for all your photo id supplies, including low prices on card printing software.

Author: Sherry Matsen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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