Comments on: Check out my new Leaderboard! http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=check-out-my-new-leaderboard Confessions of a Non-Profit Executive Director Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:36:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: abenamer http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-3225 abenamer Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:28:24 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard#comment-3225 Good question -- this is why I recommend the Ruby on Rails front-end to salesforce.com. A typical RoR front-end will allow you to customize salesforce.com to your heart's content (or not). The workflow would run like this: user would set the specifications salesforce admin would set up the fields programmer would run the front-end code on it What's great about RoR is its ability to rapidly prototype a front-end piece for salesforce.com that is WAY stripped down. And even better, that front-end UI can be made to look EXACTLY the way the nonprofit wants it. This means that all the salesforce admin needs to know is how to just add fields to the app. In this way, salesforce.com is just a cheap, remotely hosted database that has an admin interface which is more than halfway usable for simple field creation. You then use the RoR front-end to prototype your app (or even keep it that way). This has additional benefits -- you can actually use the RoR frontend as a kind of thick client that runs on the desktop (although it really runs on the local desktop web server). This will allow your clients to run data entry screens despite the fact that the Web connection is down or even if salesforce.com is down. You'd be writing to a cached text file first and then check for salesforce.com connectivity and if it's up and running, you then push the cached entry data over to salesforce.com. Good question — this is why I recommend the Ruby on Rails front-end to salesforce.com. A typical RoR front-end will allow you to customize salesforce.com to your heart’s content (or not). The workflow would run like this:

user would set the specifications
salesforce admin would set up the fields
programmer would run the front-end code on it

What’s great about RoR is its ability to rapidly prototype a front-end piece for salesforce.com that is WAY stripped down. And even better, that front-end UI can be made to look EXACTLY the way the nonprofit wants it. This means that all the salesforce admin needs to know is how to just add fields to the app. In this way, salesforce.com is just a cheap, remotely hosted database that has an admin interface which is more than halfway usable for simple field creation. You then use the RoR front-end to prototype your app (or even keep it that way). This has additional benefits — you can actually use the RoR frontend as a kind of thick client that runs on the desktop (although it really runs on the local desktop web server). This will allow your clients to run data entry screens despite the fact that the Web connection is down or even if salesforce.com is down. You’d be writing to a cached text file first and then check for salesforce.com connectivity and if it’s up and running, you then push the cached entry data over to salesforce.com.

]]> By: Jon http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-3223 Jon Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:57:46 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard#comment-3223 How does a nonprofit approach the massive suite that is salesforce and right-size it into a usable, accessible donor database? How does a nonprofit approach the massive suite that is salesforce and right-size it into a usable, accessible donor database?

]]> By: abenamer http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-3073 abenamer Tue, 30 Jan 2007 01:00:26 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard#comment-3073 Do you have a specific link? I took a look at that product and it seems to be for sales-related CRM which is very different from the way nonprofits use a CRM. While I'm the first to admit that many of the things that nonprofits do are pretty much the same as SMBs their size, nonprofits have very specific needs in the CRM market. It's not just a plug-and-play solution since most businesses don't usually have a political advocacy component in their business CRMs. Do you have a specific link? I took a look at that product and it seems to be for sales-related CRM which is very different from the way nonprofits use a CRM. While I’m the first to admit that many of the things that nonprofits do are pretty much the same as SMBs their size, nonprofits have very specific needs in the CRM market. It’s not just a plug-and-play solution since most businesses don’t usually have a political advocacy component in their business CRMs.

]]> By: Rich http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-3039 Rich Mon, 29 Jan 2007 16:50:03 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard#comment-3039 Salesforce.com actually has an industry leading case management solution that is being used successfully by thousands of organizations. Please check it out on the salesforce.com website. The product line is called Salesforce Service & Support. Salesforce.com actually has an industry leading case management solution that is being used successfully by thousands of organizations. Please check it out on the salesforce.com website. The product line is called Salesforce Service & Support.

]]> By: abenamer http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-2969 abenamer Sun, 28 Jan 2007 21:33:09 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard#comment-2969 Thanks, I hope you come early and often. Hehe. Beth is a supernode in the nptech world so I'm glad to get what links I can from her. Unfortunately, I'm based in NYC. It's hard to get Joomla/Drupal love out here. All the devs I've seen that will work with nonprofits are in Washington, DC. It's VERY weird. Maybe when I'm in DC for NTEN NTC, I might attend a Drupal meetup. Thanks, I hope you come early and often. Hehe. Beth is a supernode in the nptech world so I’m glad to get what links I can from her.

Unfortunately, I’m based in NYC. It’s hard to get Joomla/Drupal love out here. All the devs I’ve seen that will work with nonprofits are in Washington, DC. It’s VERY weird. Maybe when I’m in DC for NTEN NTC, I might attend a Drupal meetup.

]]> By: Chas http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard/comment-page-1#comment-2966 Chas Sun, 28 Jan 2007 21:20:40 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/check-out-my-new-leaderboard#comment-2966 I've just been turned on to your blog (thanks Beth!) and look forward to future reads. Though I haven't had much experience with Joomla, I'm getting more and more familiar with Drupal. We are working with a small group in DC called DevelopmentSeed.org and they work pretty exclusively with Drupal. And if you're in the DC area there are Drupal meet ups every month or so. There is much more of a community here (so I'm learning) than I imagined. Thanks. I’ve just been turned on to your blog (thanks Beth!) and look forward to future reads.

Though I haven’t had much experience with Joomla, I’m getting more and more familiar with Drupal. We are working with a small group in DC called DevelopmentSeed.org and they work pretty exclusively with Drupal. And if you’re in the DC area there are Drupal meet ups every month or so. There is much more of a community here (so I’m learning) than I imagined.

Thanks.

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