Selecting a database, or a platform for storing your data, can be stressful. It is hard to know where to get started! Here we outline some of the features to look for, and provide some comparisons of the database platforms currently available on the market (as of September 2019). Note that features and prices may change; please click on the name of each platform to learn more, and to get direct information from the companies themselves.
| Import Tools |
|
Yes |
Yes + |
Yes |
Yes + |
|
| Alert/ Calendar System |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
| Comm Tools |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
| Connect Cases |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
| Referrals |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
| Surveys |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
| Data Viz |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
||
| Volunteer Mgmt |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
||
| Forms |
Yes |
Yes + |
Yes |
Yes |
||
| Reporting |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes + |
||
| Queries |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
||
| Implementation |
$10,000+ |
$12,000+ |
$7500+ |
$10,000+ |
||
| Recurring |
$350/mo (unlimited users) |
$9395 |
$350/mo (5 users) |
$10,000 on two-year term |
Yes +: Yes, with an additional cost
Capabilities
Import Tools/Support: Tools and technical support for the migration of current data (in whatever form) to the new system
Alert, Reminder or Calendar System: Tools that provide alerts and reminders for various appointments and events; a calendar system included in the platform
Communication Tools: Tools that allow for emails and texts to clients and between users (case managers, administrators, etc.)
Connecting Cases: Tools that allow cases of clients in the same families to be connected
Referrals: Tools that allow users to refer clients to services
Surveys: Either a tool within the platform that allows surveys to be administered, or a tool that can be linked to external surveys platforms, such as Survey Monkey
Data Visualization: Tools that provide users the abilities to visualize data collected in tables, charts and/or graphs
Volunteer/Intern Management: Tools that provide users the ability track and manage volunteers and/or interns
Customization
Forms: Whether the forms used can be customized for each specific organization (using the language of the organization, and/or the ability to include specific outcomes required by funders and/or internal stakeholders)
Reporting: Whether the data reported can be customized for each specific organization (e.g. making reports for different funders or different departments in the organization, like development or supervisors)
Queries: Whether the organization can customize its queries (how it pulls reports from the data) to answer questions for funders and/or internal stakeholders
Cost
Implementation: The upfront cost to adopt the platform; this usually includes consultation with a project manager, during which the organization would provide the data it wants to migrate and go through its data needs with the project manager
Recurring: In addition to the implementation cost, there are recurring expenses; some platforms charge by the number of users (either per month or per year), and others charge a flat fee, regardless of the number of users
