Advancement Services Calendar?

Kelly Galanis

Hi everyone,


I am tasked with streamlining our advancement services responsibilities into a regular agenda/calendar so we can have some normalcy in how we update our data. Do any of you follow a calendar highlighting when you might do appends, load data, clean records, etc. that you'd be willing to share? We are a public higher education institution and operate on a fiscal year schedule (July 1 - June 30).


Thanks for any help you might be willing to share!


Kelly Galanis

Westfield State University

Kim Maynard

Kelly Galanis:

Hi everyone,


I am tasked with streamlining our advancement services responsibilities into a regular agenda/calendar so we can have some normalcy in how we update our data. Do any of you follow a calendar highlighting when you might do appends, load data, clean records, etc. that you'd be willing to share? We are a public higher education institution and operate on a fiscal year schedule (July 1 - June 30).


Thanks for any help you might be willing to share!


Kelly Galanis

Westfield State University

Hi Kelly,


I also work for a higher education institution.  We don't have an advancement services calendar like you are saying, but I think it would be a wonderful idea.  I will definitely mention it as something we should implement.  If we do I will be sure to share it with you.


Kim

Donna Mainord

Kelly Galanis:

Hi everyone,


I am tasked with streamlining our advancement services responsibilities into a regular agenda/calendar so we can have some normalcy in how we update our data. Do any of you follow a calendar highlighting when you might do appends, load data, clean records, etc. that you'd be willing to share? We are a public higher education institution and operate on a fiscal year schedule (July 1 - June 30).


Thanks for any help you might be willing to share!


Kelly Galanis

Westfield State University

Hi Kelly,


I work for a higher ed institution as well.  We have been tracking/scheduling tasks using BaseCamp (free version).  


We are creating a master calender in Google that we will all be able to add events, vacation time off, closure dates, other important dates, and etc., so any of us in Advancement, Marketing, or Foundation can see "who's on first, what's on second,...." and so on.  

Claudia Sauers

I make a timeline in excel for myself to keep on track with all the various database related tasks. I start by outlining as many recurring tasks as I can, and on what frequency I want them done and then just select a starting date. Some of the dates on here are hard deadlines while some are hopeful targets, since I create the timeline I'm usually aware of what's what.




 

Tracey Sirles

Claudia Sauers:


I make a timeline in excel for myself to keep on track with all the various database related tasks. I start by outlining as many recurring tasks as I can, and on what frequency I want them done and then just select a starting date. Some of the dates on here are hard deadlines while some are hopeful targets, since I create the timeline I'm usually aware of what's what.




 

This is a great format I think; I feel like things get lost for some people if they aren't in an accessible spreadsheet, plus this is a good practice in case certain processes need to be reassigned to other team members. Nice work!

Daniel R. Snyder

We have used an Excel sheet off and on for a few years, but I am begun the process of moving all of these into Basecamp with each month being a "To-Do List" with specific items. This way I can assign tasks to members of the team and they will receive an email notification and email reminders closer to the due date. I will also be notified when each is completed if I am not the one completing the task. Hopefully I will be able to spend more time on it this summer so I can make it a template that I can just reload at the beginning of each fiscal year.

Claudia Sauers:


I make a timeline in excel for myself to keep on track with all the various database related tasks. I start by outlining as many recurring tasks as I can, and on what frequency I want them done and then just select a starting date. Some of the dates on here are hard deadlines while some are hopeful targets, since I create the timeline I'm usually aware of what's what.




 

 

Christine Cooke 2

Kelly Galanis:

Hi everyone,


I am tasked with streamlining our advancement services responsibilities into a regular agenda/calendar so we can have some normalcy in how we update our data. Do any of you follow a calendar highlighting when you might do appends, load data, clean records, etc. that you'd be willing to share? We are a public higher education institution and operate on a fiscal year schedule (July 1 - June 30).


Thanks for any help you might be willing to share!


Kelly Galanis

Westfield State University

As some others have mentioned, I keep more of a list for myself as the data gatekeeper, than a calendar for the department.  Though it is available for viewing since the document is housed with all the other Procedure/Protocol Manual/Documentation both electronically and in a binder hard copy.  Outlining if chores are annual, semi-annual, monthly, weekly, what those are and why they are done a certain way if it is something unique to the org vs. standard best practices in regards to housekeeping.  There are other docs with more specific info (dialed down in detail) on regular reporting (monthly, annually, annual audit etc.) and on other tasks related to the department, like annual invitations, appeals and the like and what general time of year.  All appeals, invites, newsletters as drop dates, are incorporated into the department calendar for flow purposes.