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Your Questions Answered: Welcome to Charity Digital & In Kind Direct Introduction
09 May 2023by James Corcoran
Questions and answers from our Welcome to Charity Digital Focus Group: How to get the most out of your membership & In Kind Direct Introduction
Day to day it would be useful to have editing capabilities for PDFs, how would be go about accessing a license to do this, for 2 members of staff?
Adobe are the market leader for PDF editing software. Both desktop and Cloud versions are available. If you specifically just need PDF editing then the desktop version would be the better choice cost wise. Please note that each license only comes with one installation that cannot be transferred once activated. Please ensure you don’t install on a device you intend to replace soon otherwise you will lose the license
We are looking at some sort of scanning tool that we can begin to digitise our paper records (especially invoices) Have had File star recommended. Please can you say if you anything?
Unfortunately, we don’t currently provide software that specialises in physical file scanning. If you are working with finances, ensure you take a look at Sage for nonprofits offer which could greatly help your charity.
As a charity that has been running for a few years, we have some products in place already i.e Hootsuite. Is there a way to get around adding discount to a product we already have in place?
This type of option greatly varies on the software provider. Some organisations will not add a charitable discount to an existing account whilst some do. Products on Charity Digital Exchange have an extended product description which will explain if the offer can be used in conjunction with an existing account or not.
Anything for voice dictation / transcription? (Like Dragon Dictate)
We use Rev for transcriptions used in our videos and webinars www.rev.com/
On some of your products - Microsoft? it states No Software Assurance (Computer Labs Only) - what does that mean?
Microsoft have designed a few product option for charities that use public-facing device. An example charity could be an organisation that has a community centre that has computers which are used to help with job procurement or training. These ‘computer lab’ licenses can be installed on these machines and must only be installed on public-facing devices and not to be installed for general staff use
Have you any experience of compiling a cyber strategy?
Cyber Essentials is a great place to look! The National Cyber Security Centre also has lots of resources for cyber strategies and we have this template for charity boards to help put the right protocols in place - charitydigital.org.uk/topics/template-cyber-security-for-charity-boards-9-10057
Can Charity Digital Microsoft licence donations work/alongside Microsoft licences purchased through a MSP, or is it one or the other?
Yes, Charity Digital wants to provide Microsoft licenses which can then be controlled by the charity or it’s IT partner. There are some IT partners out there that won’t allow this and require all license types to be provisioned by themselves and no other partners.
Is In Kind Direct just for charities working with Communities - or any charity to stock their cleaning cupboards?
We help charitable organisations access products to use as and when you need them for your own premises, activities and events (e.g. handwash, disinfectant spray, washing up liquid, tea bags), as well as to give away to the people you support.
I’m a CiC – is In Kind Direct just for charities or is it open to more people?
We welcome a wide range of charitable organisations, including CICs, CIOs, community groups, food projects, most schools and nurseries, scouting/guiding groups, and public sector run outreach projects. As well as registered charities. We also work with organisations registered in the UK who use products overseas. If you’re not sure, please visit our eligibility checker.
Are the products supplied by In Kind Direct brand new? Thinking infection control in a hospice.
We accept and distribute only new, useable, quality consumer products donated by retailers, manufacturers and wholesalers. Where products have a limited shelf life then we are clear in the description we provide on our website about an item’s expiry date. One exception to this rule, is that we offer refurbished laptops that have been repaired and restored to a like-new state.
We are looking at a social media scheduling platform (Hootsuite etc) have you any advice?
Hootsuite is a social media management platform that allows you to promote content, increase engagement, and streamline your customer service. You can acess up to 75% off their rates by accessing their website through the Charity Digital Exchange and using your validation token www.charitydigitalexchange.org/donor-program/hootsuite
We usually have Adobe Express which is free, but it’s currently out of stock.
Do you have any guidance on CRM/volunteer management systems please?
This is a popular topic we have a lot of content on, previous articles, podcasts and even webinars about this topic on charitydigital.org.uk. There are also plans to have more content about this topic in 2023.
Here are some of our most recent articles on CRMs and volunteers that you might find helpful.
Please note, you can purchase and explore ‘Donorperfect’ on our Charity Digital Exchange catalogue.
If you have any additional questions, please get in touch with our Customer Services team: customerservice@charitydigital.org.uk
If you are still unsure what software you require, we offer free consultations to match your organisation to software & resources that suit your needs. You can request a consultation with our Programmes Manager Joel Hogan here.
If you would like more information on In Kind Direct, you can do so on their website www.inkinddirect.org/
James Corcoran
James Corcoran
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