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Just wondering what other relay's do to keep track of survivors. We've been using Excel, but it can be somewhat error prone. Data entry can be tricky and sorting for the various reports can cause you problems if you're not careful. Anyone trying to use a database package (ie Microsoft Access)?
Thanks
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gjonas – July 3, 2009 – 1:32am
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Tracking survivors
I think you'll find it's not so much which package you use (Excel or Access) but what *process* you implement to do the initial data grab and subsequent maintenance.
My wife was survivor programs committee chair a few years ago and managed a good baseline list by first requesting a Siebel report from our ACS staff partner. (Siebel is the Society's database of record.) She shared the report with other committee chairs and multiple team captains to validate the data, made a push for "if you know of a survivor, tell us..." and had me run Convio reports throughout Relay season for newly registered survivors. Important to note: We kept tight control of hardcopy report distribution, especially the electronic version, as a commitment to data privacy.
Two key process points: The report flagged records in need of updating (e.g., edits on address, new email, (unfortunate) removal of some names...) and we insisted that Siebel be kept current. At the end of the year, a new Siebel "data dump" was requested and we QA'd the data synch. All along, the message to TCs was reiterated...let us know of any survivors who should be added to our list.
By the way, it was done in Excel since few folks are likely to have MS Access on their home PCs.
/Rick
Tracking Survivors
Thanks for the reply. Sounds like you have a process that is similar to ours. We also do the feeds to and from the ACS database. Still debating on whether to explore using a database package to make things easier. But I do also have to consider portability to someone else's computer.
Greg