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July 2005
In this issue:
Website Developers Series Begins Tuesday!!
Focus on Service
Special Formatting in Mail Merge
Announcing… TECHIES TREAT
July 12, 2005 at United Disability Services, 701 S. Main Street, Akron, Ohio, 44311
from 11:30 - 1:00 p.m.; $19.00
Technology affects every part of our lives and continues to be a challenge to many. How do you use technology to your personal advantage and in your program activities? Bring your greatest technological challenges and/or innovative solutions to share with others and leave with some solutions.
Part 2 of CNE's Brown Bag Series. Presenters: Facilitated by Susan Griffin, Knowledge Manager, CNE and Jacquie Skrzypiec, Director, Project Connect, Info Line, Inc.
For more information, visit http://www.cfnpe.org/site.cfm/program-descriptions.cfm
Project Connect: Focus on Service
In addition to bringing you updates about the nonprofit community, Project Connect also provides technology services to nonprofit organizations throughout Ohio. Detailed below are a few of our key offerings.
Remote Advantage Plan (RAP)
https://infolineinc.org/connect/rap.htm
This service is ideal for small- to mid-size nonprofits who can benefit from network capabilities and up-to-date productivity software but do not have the resources to implement or sustain the technology.
The nonprofit can utilize Info Line’s state of the art, Citrix Terminal Server to access all needed software and its data via the internet. Standard Microsoft Office software is available: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook. Additional software can be added for $500 per application as long as the nonprofit already owns the required software licenses and the software is compatible with the network.
All files will be stored on a secured server at Info Line. Only the nonprofit staff with authorized passwords will have access to their files.
Computers will no longer need to be upgraded or replaced every 3 years because the processing occurs at the Citrix Terminal Server and not on the local computer. Computers will need to be replaced only if parts wear out.
Because access is through the internet, staff can open and edit needed files wherever the internet can be accessed, provided that the necessary Citrix license is purchased for each computer.
Quoted on a individual basis. On average, the cost is $500 per computer per year. Ongoing membership to Project Connect and a 3-year commitment are required.
Conference Preparation and Set-up
Tired of spending precious time wrestling with computer equipment or coordinating presentations sent by your speakers? Our Conference Prep services include equipment rental and set-up, assistance with PowerPoint presentations, and onsite technical support.
Laptop computers and projectors are expensive and often impossible to justify. But they are critical to delivering professional presentations to funders, community groups, volunteers, etc. Members can rent our laptop and/or projector for $50 each per 24-hour period. Non-members are charged $75 per 24-hour period.
Need a place to hold your meeting? The Project Connect Training Center is available Monday through Saturday. It contains 12 student computers, one teaching computer, and various presentation aids.
Member organizations can rent the training center for $200 per half day, $400 per full day. Non-member rates are $250 per half day, $500 per full day. If evening or weekend use is requested, then a $50 per half-day surcharge will be included.
Computer Moves
Moving day is stressful enough without worrying about damaging your computers or hooking them up incorrectly at your new office. Project Connect can help you disconnect and pack, transfer equipment, and reconnect everything once you've arrived. We don't leave until everything is working!! All you have to do is figure out where to put your desk!
Project Consulting
Need an effective web presence? Need a better way to collect and organize data? Want a special training session at your organization's facility? Looking for advice on which software to buy?
Project Connect staff can offer one-on-one consulting to nonprofit organizations on numerous topics. Our goal is to build in-house expertise so that the nonprofit does not need to rely on outside resources on an ongoing basis.
Consulting includes not only the completion of the project, but also training the organization’s staff in its use. Comprehensive proposals, including deliverables and costs, are written for consulting projects after a free initial interview and assessment. Past costs have ranged from $125 to $8,200, and are determined by the scope of the project. A one-hour initial consultation is $75, applicable toward the cost of your project.
Website & Email Hosting
Project Connect's web hosting is designed for smaller nonprofits with little technical requirements. Its strength is its staff's knowledge of the nonprofit sector and its strong technical support during regular business hours.
If the organization's needs go beyond Project Connect capabilities, staff will suggest that the website be moved to a dedicated hosting company. Project Connect hosts the websites of its members for a $50 set-up fee and a $180 annual charge. The nonprofit is asked to maintain all domain licensing.
Email hosting for up to ten accounts is available for a $50 set-up fee and a $120 annual charge. Any additional users will be $10 per user per year. Spam filtering is also available: the cost for 10 users is $240 per year plus a one-time setup fee of $50. Any additional users will be $20 per user per year.
eCommerce can have a significant impact on the success of any project. Possibilities include accepting donations online and selling products made by your organization. Project Connect will work with each nonprofit to identify the benefits, possible disadvantages, and requirements for implementing a comprehensive eCommerce system. Set-up costs and monthly charges will be determined at that time.
Technology Purchasing Assistance
Putting together a technology grant and not sure what to request? Got the check, but don't know what to buy? Project Connect will help you make hardware and software purchases that will maximize the effectiveness of your technology purchases and get the right tools for your organization's needs. We'll also help you set up and customize your programs and equipment so you can be up and running faster.
Hands-on Software Training
https://infolineinc.org/connect/training.htm
Project Connect’s software training courses are hands-on: attendees use the software, practice the skills, and ask questions that are applicable to their responsibilities. Classes are 3 hours ... long enough to learn practical skills, but short enough to avoid mind overload. Comprehensive handouts are included so that students can refer to them when at work.
There are over 30 courses, ranging from Introduction to Computers through the Database Developers Series. Each course, written by Project Connect staff who are Certified Microsoft Master Instructors, focuses on practical skills which nonprofit staff use most often.
Classes in a logical progression, beginning with introduction to computers. This way, we can begin at each student's level. Some need to start with the introduction class; others need only the beginning word processing; while others are ready for advanced spreadsheets.
Cost is $40 per person for staff and volunteers of member organizations; $60 for non-members. Need a special training session just for your staff? Contact us about scheduling and group discounts.
For more information about any of these services, or to suggest other services, call us at 330-315-1335 or send an e-mail to .
Amy's PC TIP:
Mail Merge Using Excel's Formatting
Credit for this month's tip goes to Jacqueline Pritchard, of United Way of Summit County. Thanks, Jackie!
Beginning with Office XP, Mail Merge no longer automatically brings in formatting from an external data source, such as Excel. For example, you're writing thank you letters to your donors, and you'd like to include the amount of the donation, which is stored in your spreadsheet. In the spreadsheet, the amount looks like $150.00, but when you merge it, you get 150.
Until now, we have been instructing everyone to make a manual adjustment to the merge field - which may seem a little scary. But Jackie found us the shortcut!
Open Word and click on the Tools menu. Select Options. On the General tab, there is a checkbox for Confirm conversion at open - make sure it's checked.
Then, when you connect to your merge data source, Word will prompt you to choose the connection type.
Choose MS Excel Worksheets via DDE (*.xls).
This will bring the Excel formatting into your Word file.
For more information on this technique, or on manually adjusting the merge field, see Microsoft's help page: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;212323.
Join us this spring for a refresher course ... or learn something entirely new! Call 330-315-1335 or e-mail to register or receive a copy of our current schedule. Classes are $40 per person for staff and volunteers of member organizations; $60 per person for staff and volunteers of non-member organizations.
Don't know whether your organization is a member? Visit our members page to find out: Project Connect Members
Not a member? Join Project Connect today and save! Visit infolineinc.org/connect.htm for more info.
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Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
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Website Development
QuickBooks
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Visit infolineinc.org/connect/training.htm to see our latest training schedule. Or call us at 330-315-1335 and we'll fax you a copy.
Are you getting the best deals for your technology dollar?
Don't buy anything technology-related until you've visited these three websites first!! They offer significant discounts for nonprofits with Microsoft, Dell, CDW, Adobe, and more!
As always, we are interested in hearing from you to learn how we can best meet your technology and connectivity needs. Give us a call at 330-315-1335 or e-mail us at .
Enjoy!
Be sure to include your fax number!
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