The migration of your data from your current system into DonorPerfect often involves more than simply importing your data. If we are converting your data from Excel spreadsheets, and access database, or another fundraising software package such as Razor’s Read More
The migration of your data from your current system into DonorPerfect often involves more than simply importing your data. If we are converting your data from Excel spreadsheets, and access database, or another fundraising software package such as Razor’s Edge gift maker, or FileMaker. Your next step in the implementation process is to discuss your current system with a data conversion specialist. In order to thoroughly review your current system, we’ll need a copy of your data. Data from Excel or Access should have been sent to your implementation coordinator via our email File Transfer Site. If your data is coming from a proprietary software product, a data extraction will be required. A data conversion specialist will contact you to schedule a time to extract your sample data, data will need to be sent or extracted again for the conversion.
Once your sample data has been received, a data conversion specialist will contact you to schedule a mapping appointment. Specialists will also provide you with your sample data in Excel format.
The purpose of the mapping appointment is to discuss your data column by column for each of the files received. Our goal will be to determine whether the data should be converted into the screens that you have designed with your implementation coordinator. The mapping appointment is usually an hour long phone call. If more time is needed, follow up appointments will be scheduled. In order to make the mapping time the most productive, it is recommended that no more than three people participate and there is a designated point person. The participants should be familiar with the data in your current system, such as the persons responsible for entering the data and or generating reports. Like moving to a new house, we will be marking the boxes to determine where your current data should be moved to. In DonorPerfect. You may choose to clean the attic and not bring over columns that were not maintained properly or are no longer relevant. If you have duplicates, you can get rid of them before the move or use the duplicate maintenance utility provided with every system. When you have migrated to DonorPerfect. Please review your data with these points in mind prior to the mapping appointment.
Your mapping document will recap what was agreed upon during the mapping appointment. The data conversion specialists will use this document as their roadmap when converting your data. When the mapping document has been completed and approved, a conversion date will be set with a specialist based on both of your availability a new up to date copy of your data, your final data should be received or extracted on the agreed upon conversion date. On average conversions take about two weeks from the date the final data is received. Depending on the complexity of the data, some conversions could take less than a week. No conversion will take more than three weeks unless your final data is received later than the agreed upon date. More information about the steps can be found in the new client Implementation Guide.
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