1. DATA
MANAGEMENT

4. How Important is your database?
IS IT RELIABLE?
IS IT EFFICIENT?
IS IT EFFECTIVE?
IS IT USABLE?
Is it Dirty?

5. What Is Dirty Data?
• Data that is duplicated
• Data that is inaccurate
• Data that is incomplete

6. Dealing with Dirty Data
 Bad information is worse than no information at all
 Duplicates
 Missing Data
 Misleading Data
 Example: Five users enter data (gifts, research info, notes, etc.) into
a your database.They do their own data entry and are allowed to
add, edit, or delete anything.They can see each other's data.There
are no restrictions or processes.
 How long do you think it will be before this database is unreliable?
Final Question:When does dirty data become a
problem?

7. Danger Ahead
Data degrades very rapidly, starting
with constituent information such
as:
spelling of names
numeric accuracy in addresses
missing information
Errors accumulate within days.The
last to go are figures, but even
there it takes only a week or so
before serious errors appear. An
unprotected database like this can
become unreliable--unusable,
really--in less than two months.

8. Do you have a problem?
If you can answer yes to at least 3
of the following you have dirty data!
 More than 10% of the pieces in your last mailing were received as
returned mail.
 Not using your data to meet your Financial goals
 Preparation for a mailing list takes more than a few hours to
extract and finalize.
 Staff has difficulty in reporting consistent numbers.
 Unable to balance with your Accounting Department.

9. Importance of Data Entry Standards
 Gives a professional look to receipts,
confirmation slips, reports and brochures
and mailings.
 Creates efficiency in meeting last minute
requests.
 Confidence

10. Strategy
• Understand the value of a data management
• Learn the basic components of a good data
management strategy.
• Organizations make decisions based on the data.
• Often, however, nonprofits ignore the importance of
developing a data management strategy as part of their
overall infrastructure.
• An effective data management initiative relies on a
combination of people, process and technology.
• If you do not have a sound data management strategy,
you're not protecting your future.

11. Reconciling Idea
 Reconcile all donations with your Business Office / Accounting Office
 Process all donations utilizing batches
◦ Utilize REFERENE fields to assign a batch number
◦ Ex: FY2011AF080520-114
 You can reconcile by exporting all GIFTS for a particular date range into
Excel.
 You can also use these batch numbers to generate and track receipts and
donor acknowledgment letters.

12. Process and Information Systems
Master Data
A set of data elements use by many or most of the processes and information systems in
the organization.
It provides information on the organization products, vendors, customers and
finances.This type of core data is critical to the organization success, and it must be
managed effectively.
1. Develop optimal business processes at the enterprise level.
A process model is needed that reflects best practices for key processes within your
organization.
2. Begin to develop processes to manage data that is used by those processes.
◦ 4 Essential Processes:
 Data migration and integration
 Data maintenance
 Data quality assurance and control
 Data archiving

13. Processes and Information Systems
(Cont’d)
Data Migration and Integration Process
This is where data from external systems is aggregated, cleansed, mapped, converted, loaded and
integrated into your information architecture.
Data Maintenance Process
The ongoing synchronization of your master data definitions with your organization’s business
processes.
Data Quality Process
"Data quality" is a catchall term used for the level of correctness, consistency, completeness and
integrity of your organization data.
A good data quality process will have strict control measures in place not only to evaluate, but also
to continuously improve the quality of the organization’s data.
Data Archiving
There is really not much to say about this process except that Uncle Sam has caused it to be very
important.
Data management is critically important to providing accurate, consistent data to
decision-makers.

14. Data Flow Chart

15. Data Planning Checklist
 What type of data will be produced? What would happen if it got lost or
became unusable later?
 How much data will it be, and at what growth rate? How often will it
change?
 Who will use it now, and later? How will they use it?
 Who controls it (volunteers, staff)?
 How long should it be retained? e.g. 3-5 years, 10-20 years, permanently
 Is there good project and data documentation?
 Storage and backup strategy? Onsite? Offsite? Both?
 Who will be responsible for data management?

16. Data quality
pertains to issues
such as:
Existence
Accuracy
Integrity
Useful
Precision
Consistency

17. How NDS works
 General Consultation:
o NDS will ensure that we offer the services that will meet your needs.
• Proposal:
o System Assessment vs. Specific Services
o How can we meet your objectives, timeline and financial resources?
o If NDS cannot meet your specific objectives, are there services we can provide to assist?
• Key changes you can expect after working with us:
o A clean database with well-organized codes to support easier self-serve, one-touch querying
and reporting.
o Clear and simple documentation to ensure that everyone uses the system in the same
way, today and in the future.
o A portfolio of outputs -- queries, reports, letters and exports -- that are easy to run and
that provide a clear picture of your fundraising efforts and results.
o Training for yourself and colleagues that increases your skills and confidence, teaches
you exactly what you need to know and that stays with you for the long-term.
o The confidence that you're using your data base in the best way for your particular
organization.
o A partnership.We're dedicated to helping you make the most of this powerful system,
now and as your fundraising strategies evolve over the years.

18. Who We Serve
• Fundraisers from every sector of the non-profit community that use
every type of fundraising approach.
o We serve every size organization, from small to large, including independent schools and
higher education institutions,membership organizations such as zoos and museums,
healthcare foundations and human service agencies, and environmental and advocacy groups.
• What our clients have in common is their desire to use data to make
their fundraising efforts more effective!
o All software can be a very powerful, but sometimes it can feel like its complexity is
hampering your fundraising more than it helps.
• Organizations who are about to implement Raiser's Edge
o If you are aware of its complexity and potential.You want expertise to help you avoid the
likely pitfalls and start off on the right foot.
• You are likely to be successful with us if...
o You understand that data could help you have greater success in your fundraising.
o You can commit both staff time and financial resources.
o Your management, staff and Board are open to change and to doing things better.

19. Our Services
 Information Assessment
 System Audits
 Data Conversion and Clean
Up
 Importing
 Software Customization
 CustomizedTraining in Best
Practices
 Process Refinement
 Executive Education
 Staff Training
 Process and Procedures for each
staff
 Donor Communication
 Mailings
 Remote Data Management
 Data entry and acknowledgement of
gifts.
 If you are short on staff we can help
bridge the gap until full time
replacements can be hired.
We Also Offer the Following
Services:
 Query and Report Optimization
 Annual Report development
 Customized Training Packages

20. How we work with our clients
• Needs Assessment
o Over the phone or in person.
o Often, an outside pair of eyes can tackle a tough problem.
o How we can specifically help your organization, with no further obligation.
• Custom OnsiteTraining
o Engage everyone on your staff and have them feel comfortable using the database
o Outline developed specific to your database and the needs of your staff.
• Remote Data Entry and DatabaseAdministration
o Remote data entry and acknowledgement of gifts.
o Remote database administration
o If you are short on staff we can help bridge the gap until full time replacements can be hired
• Database Consultation
o Have you lost a staff members who have had database training?
o Because of this high turnover rate, an organizations database can become chaotic and easily
lose integrity.
o Get those spreadsheets in your database.
o Our consultants can organize your database, streamline your processes and save your staff
hours on redundant tasks.
o We can also assist in creating an easy to understand policy and procedure manual.

21. Health Check
The Health Check by Nahas
Data Source is a resource to
help ensure that your
database is set up properly
and that the data contained in
it is accurate.
We will analyze your set up
to identify any challenges and
opportunities that exist in
your configuration.
Inspection Level 1
Process Remote analysis of database
configuration focusing onTables,
Attributes and Fields
Benefits A strong configuration helps ensure
that your data is entered correctly
and consistently
Results You will receive an inspection report,
outlining any incorrect use of Tables,
Attributes and Fields and actions that
can be taken to correct your
configuration.

23. Questions

24. www.nahasdatasource.com
Thank you for coming!