Salesforce Development

For an organization to succeed, it must have a well defined mission and the ability to produce tangible results. Those elements are essential for an organization to be attractive to its constituents. A good database is designed to help organizations manage those processes unique to it. Idealist Consulting specializes in the Force.com platform including Affinaquest, Causeview, Click & Pledge, Foundation Connect, Nonprofit Starter Pack and Soapbox Engage, among others. Each of our database deployments can include the following:

Configuration

Idealist Consulting will transform your organization's business process into a tangible database that can be utilized by the entire staff. Implementation strategy, coding, page layouts and reports are all considered to ensure that user interface, simplicity of use and overall appearance align with your expectations.

Data Migration

Moving data from one platform to another can be a challenging endeavor. Idealist Consulting will help move your data (regardless of platform) into your new database ensuring that your data is sorted, aligned and dupe-checked in a timely and efficient manner.

Training

You can't reap the benefits of a robust database if you don't know how to use it. Idealist Consulting can create training courses (virtual or onsite), tip sheets and user guides to help enhance user adoption and ultimately attain better “buy-in” from your users.

Integration

With help from Idealist Consulting you can integrate third party solutions into your database. Through our familiarity with middleware, point-to-point code and the AppExchange, you will be able to take full advantage of a custom “technology hub” where all information is accessible in one location, providing you with a comprehensive view of your organization's data.

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Tech Assessment

Idealist Consulting’s Strategic Tech Assessments are designed to provide your organization with the information you need to analyze your budget, potential solutions, timeline and business processes to ensure an effective technology deployment. Each of our technical assessments includes the key deliverables needed for a well researched report which you can distribute to the decision makers within your organization. The result is enhanced clarity of perspective, direction, scope and budget related to your technology goals.

Budget

No tech assessment would be complete without a budget. Our tech assessments include a bid and scope to help you plan your budget accordingly. Most importantly, they provide you with traction on cost, which allows you to effectively shop for alternatives.

Solution Selection

Idealist Consulting will help you identify cost-effective solutions that suit the needs of your organization. Our recommended solutions are generally gifted or free to our clients and are selected based on each organization’s budget requirements and business process goals, as well as industry best practices.

Timelines

Timelines are essential to any project deployment. Staff availability, budget distribution and project deadlines must all be considered for an efficient project deployment. Our timelines include those factors and provide them in a straightforward format that’s easy to read and reference.

Training

Management of your new website (through a Content Management System, or CMS) can be daunting. Idealist Consulting can create training courses (virtual or onsite), tip sheets and user guides to help enhance user adoption and ultimately attain better “buy-in” from your staff.

Support

Not all organizations have available tech staff, and many do not have the need for such specialized staff. Idealist Consulting can provide ongoing support and maintenance of your CMS so you can focus on your mission rather than upkeep of your site.

Salesforce Training

Idealist Consulting is proud to offer Beginning Administrator Training. This course teaches best practices for utilizing Salesforce CRM. Delivered by a live instructor over the internet or in person, the training is organized in 12 modules delivered in 6 90-minute sessions over 3 consecutive days (a total of 9 hours of training). With a focus on how to facilitate business processes inside the Salesforce.com, this course provides an excellent overview of fundamentals for end users and beginning administrators. Course highlights include...

Customization

New fields, picklist values, page layouts, list views.

Data Entry

Best practices. Covers standard object detail section and related lists.

Marketing

Setup campaign hierarchies, manage campaign members, email templates.

Donation Processing

Roles and rollups, recurring donations and pledges, grant managment.

Reporting Basics

Standard and custom reports, custom report types, using the report builder.

User Administration

User setup, permissions, user management.

Securing and Sharing Data

Record ownership, security settings, sharing setting.

Data Import and Maintenance

Import Wizard, merging accounts and contacts.

Extending Salesforce

Appexchange, partner applications.

Salesforce Support

You wanted Salesforce developer or adminstrator help without having to pay for a huge number of consulting hours up front. You wanted fast, comprehensive answers to your Salesforce questions. You wanted a pay-as-you go system to control unforeseen costs. We listened. With Idealist Consulting’s Salesforce Support you get the developer or adminstrator help you need, when you need it. Idealist Consulting’s Tech Support provides:

Pay-As-You-Go Billing

Consulting time with Salesforce certified consultants.

Accessible Salesforce Consultants

Get your technical questions answered within 48 hours by a certified Salesforce consultant.

Peace of Mind

Ongoing contractual relationship with certified consultants and developers, reducing the need for multiple SOWs and NDAs.

Tech or Admin Support includes 50 consulting hours. You utilize the hours you need for the project requirements you want, and are invoiced only for the hours you use. Idealist Consulting’s Tech Support is ideal for the accidental techie who is comfortable with the Salesforce platform, but needs a hand from time to time. You contact us, a qualified consultant contacts you, and your problem is solved. It’s that simple.

Salesforce Quickstart

The Custom Quickstart program is perfect for nonprofit organizations new to Salesforce CRM or for organizations who are interested in enhancing their existing Salesforce Nonprofit Starter Pack implementation. Our customized process of delivery allows you to inform the direction of your Quickstart rather than confining you to a “one size fits all” experience. This will ensure that you get an implementation that addresses YOUR needs, rather than everyone else’s. 

The Custom Quickstart program includes 40 hours for a flat fee of $5000 to get your Salesforce CRM up and running for your nonprofit. Should you decide to add more hours you may do so at the same Quickstart discounted rate for up to 40 additional hours.

Quickstart Includes:

• Database configuration
• Basic data migration
• User adoption and training
• Project management
• Profile user setup
• Custom report development

How It Works:
Your organization receives 40-80 hours at a discounted rate to distribute among five deliverables:

1. Operation Process Review
2. Configuration
3. Data Migration
4. Training
5. Project Management

Our Solutions Analysts will provide an hour consultation session to help you decide how best to distribute your hours effectively so you get the most out of your customization.

Ongoing Support:

Should you wish for additional support after your implementation, we provide these post launch services:

1. Salesforce Tech Support (Ideal for code development).
2. Salesforce Admin Support (Ideal for general upkeep and maintenance).
3. Salesforce Admin Training (Ideal to teach your staff how to use and maintain Salesforce).

Web Development

Many nonprofits build a website only to utilize it as a billboard, but a website can be much more than that. By integrating your website with your database, you can create an ecosystem of technology that will not only increase fundraising and revenue potential, but enhance your ability to track and report the online relationships you develop with your staff, constituents, donors, members, volunteers and other interest groups. Each of our website development projects considers the following:

Discovery

Idealist Consulting will consider your marketing and outreach, business process, constituent base and design preferences in order to provide you with a website that fits with your overall online outreach goals and objectives.

Design

We will take what we learn from the discovery process and transform it into a fully functional website. Web content, page layouts, graphic design, color palette, navigation requirements, search engine needs and the capabilities of proposed CMS solutions are all considered to ensure your new website meets your expectations.

Content

A website is nothing without content. Idealist Consulting can assist your organization with the movement of all content from your legacy site. This includes backup of old files and migration of new web files to your new server. Idealist Consulting can also translate content into Spanish, providing your organization with a bi-lingual site for extended market reach.

Training

Management of your new website (through a Content Management System or CMS) can be daunting. Idealist Consulting can create training courses (virtual or onsite), tip sheets and user guides to help enhance user adoption and ultimately attain better “buy-in” from your staff.

Support

Not all organizations have available tech staff, and many do not have the need for such specialized staff. Idealist Consulting can provide ongoing support and maintenance of your CMS so you can focus on your mission rather than upkeep of your site.

View our portfolio