Legacy Article: Overview of Commercial SoftwareData management can be a scary topic for some, particularly if resources and technical skills are limited. We hope to eradicate some of these fears and show how data management can be done well even on a shoestring budget and without an IT degree. A computer, spreadsheet or database program, maybe a few books and a willingness to learn is all that is required to build and maintain an effective system for fundraising, membership lists, bookkeeping and nearly any kind data management. If you can afford application software specifically built for fundraising, list management, bookkeeping, etc., and there is a lot available, you can expect to save some time and avoid some rocky roads by going that route. (Next spring we will post an overview of fundraising software.) You can also expect it to be a very expensive route, particularly when considering support and upgrades. And features are often lacking in important areas. In most cases, you can do more by learning how to effectively utilize commercial software--and it costs a lot less. This article focuses is on the commercial software you can currently choose to assist your data management. There are two basic types of desktop programs to choose from, each with their pluses and minuses--spreadsheets and databases--and most database programs come in one of two flavors, designed for typical end users or for power users and programmers. *-- Spreadsheet programs are easier to learn and utilize, but do not have many features required for complex data management. But if your needs are basic and your lists are no more than a few thousands records, a spreadsheet program may work great for you. If you do a lot of data processing or have larger lists, you will most likely need to utilize a database program. There are many spreadsheet programs on the market to choose from, and some are free or very inexpensive, including Sphygmic Software Spreadsheet, StarOffice Calc and others you can find searching the Web. Commercial products include Corel Quattro Pro, Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel. Any of these may work well for you, but a significant plurality use Excel, including Donald Fish Data Management. Below is an overview of Excel, but keep in mind that most spreadsheet programs will do more or less the same things. Microsoft Excel (Spreadsheet)Microsoft Excel provides all the data management power some will ever need. Many organizations and small businesses conduct all their data management with a spreadsheet program like Excel, and if your needs are basic and your lists are no more than a few thousand records, Excel may be a good choice. Excel offers a multitude of ways to store, manipulate, select and print information. A spreadsheet is a two dimensional grid with each rectangle referred to as a 'cell.' Cells can contain numeric data, text or formulas. A formula performs calculations either on data that is directly entered into the formula or with data that is located in other cells. Below is an example of a simple call list entered in an Excel spreadsheet:
The top (horizontal) row contains the (vertical) column headings identifying what is contained in each column. The first column (ID Number) contains a unique number for each row; the second column (First Name) contains first names; the second column (Last Name) contains last names; the fourth column (City) contains the municipality of each individual; and the last column (Telephone) contains contact telephone numbers. It is easy to directly enter information in cells--all you have to do is open a spreadsheet and start typing--or you can use another Excel feature and create a basic user interface to enter and process the data. Information can be edited or added just as easily. And Excel provides features that allow you to organize your data by sorting alphabetically, numerically or chronologically; and the order can be either ascending or descending. There are also filtering features that allow you to select and display subsets of lists. And you can create reports, complete with charts and graphs, that can be printed and distributed. Finally, there are automated features that allow you to total numeric data as well as to carry out general data analysis. Simple list management is a breeze with Excel. And with a book or two and a willingness to learn, it is possible to do relatively sophisticated data management in Excel and other spreadsheet programs. If more features are needed or your lists are larger than a few thousand records, you will most likely need to utilize a database program.
There are also many database programs on the market to choose from, and some are also free or very inexpensive, including StarOffice Base, and others you can find searching the Web. The greater complexity of database software programs, however, make it more difficult to find quality free or very inexpensive software. Commercial products include Corel Paradox, Lotus Approach, Microsoft Access and Microsoft Visual FoxPro. Any of these database programs may work for you, with Access being the most popular, but database programs are more different from each other than are spreadsheet programs. Some databases, such as Approach and Access, are oriented to typical end users and make things easy by utilizing templates, 'wizards' and other user-friendly features. Other databases, like Paradox and Visual FoxPro, which Donald Fish Data Management utilizes, are harder to use but have more speed and features that are oriented to power users and programmers. Below are overviews of what Access and Visual FoxPro can do for you, but remember that most databases will do more or less the same things. Microsoft Access (End-user Database)Microsoft Access provides a lot more power than any spreadsheet program and is still reasonably easy to use and understand. In fact, Access was designed from the ground up with the typical end user in mind. If your needs are average, or your needs are basic and your lists are more than a few thousand records, Access may be a good choice. Like spreadsheet programs, Access offers a multitude of ways to store, manipulate, select and print information. But Access has significantly more data management muscle. Like most database programs, Access databases utilizes one or more related lists called 'tables.' A table is a two dimensional grid with each rectangle referred to as a 'field.' But, to add a little confusion, the term 'field' also refers to (vertical) columns. The (horizontal) rows are called 'records.' The row across the top is a special header that identifies what is in each field (like the first row in a spreadsheet). Fields can contain many kinds of data, including numeric and text, but not formulas. Below is the same list used above, but as an Access table:
It is almost as easy to enter information into an Access tables as in spreadsheets--just open a table and start typing--but Access really shines in its ability to easily create user interfaces called 'forms' to speed up the data entry and data processing. Its form 'wizard' is exceptional and can help develop relatively sophisticated database applications without much learning required--but a little planning always helps. Access also has easy-to-use but sophisticated features that allow the sorting and filtering of records, called 'queries,' as well as the ability to design and print reports. Simple list management is not as easy as with spreadsheet programs, but Access has a lot more tricks up its sleeve and can handle millions of records. With a book or two and a willingness to learn, it is possible to do very sophisticated data management with Access. If you need more speed or features with more power, however, you will probably need to look into databases oriented to power users and programmers. Microsoft Visual FoxPro (Programmer's Database)Microsoft Visual FoxPro is like Access on steroids. It can do all the things end user databases can do, but faster and better. Unfortunately, to use Visual FoxPro effectively a BASIC-level programming language must be learned. If you have a need for speed or power and you are willing to learn, however, Visual FoxPro may be a good choice. Like most database programs, Visual FoxPro databases generally utilize one or more related tables made up of header rows, records and fields that can contain many kinds of data, including numeric and text, but not formulas. Below is the same list used above, but as an Visual FoxPro table:
It is as almost easy to enter information into a Visual FoxPro database fields as in spreadsheet programs or end-user databases--just open a table and start typing. There is a form 'wizard,' and features to query records and design and print reports, but not with the ease-of-use of Access. The real power of Visual FoxPro comes when you learn it's programming language. Simple list management is not as easy as with spreadsheet programs. And end-user databases are easier to use. But Visual FoxPro has by far the most speed and power if you are willing to take the time to learn how to use it. |
