Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Re: Filemaker solution for tracking and managing parent volunteers

I would be wary of database development by someone who may neither
document nor stick around to support its use. What about a simple Excel
file/Word merge process? Is that what you're already using? If you do
go the database route, I'd choose a mainstream one --FilemakerPro or
Access, for example -- and insist upon documentation (what data is in
what table, what each field name really means, etc.). We placed a
moratorium on database development a couple of years ago because it got
so out of hand around here. IT kept "inheriting" databases that were
orphaned and it took a lot of time analyzing and supporting them. That
having been said, you can do more with a relational database than you
can a spreadsheet. Have you asked your volunteer what functionality is
missing in the current setup? Perhaps that will get at the root need
that spawned the request in the first place.

My two cents, Vi

-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for independent school educators
[mailto:ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Dave Baker
Sent: Friday, September 03, 2010 4:52 PM
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Filemaker solution for tracking and managing parent volunteers

Hello,

I was recently contacted by a parent who would like to track our parent
volunteers in a database, instead of the word-processed method used in
the
past. I'm am comfortable developing in FMP, but don't have the time to
take on this task; however, I could adapt an existing solution if anyone
had one to share. Direct replies will be summarized and posted back to
the list.=20

Thanks,
Dave

David Baker
Associate Head
Dean of Technology
Mount Tamalpais School
http://www.mttam.org/
dbaker@mttam.org

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