Hi all, what do you do to get your staff excited about using RE 7? Most of my staff are not interested in RE and prefer just one person use it unless a constituent name and contact information is needed. Any training practices you would like to share?

In the past, I have set up weekly meetings using RE and a projector. We would sit down with everyone who needs to be in the database and go over entry, queries, export, report, attributes. Each week would be a new topic. The meeting would only last an hour but it helps people understand RE and how important it is to know how to use it. Veronica St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital

In addition to group meetings with staff, I have found it useful with one-on-one meetings that focus on specific areas that the particular staff member will need to access (e.g., Actions and Notes). In my experience, most additional information outside their area of responsibility (or interest) turns people off. Kathleen The Bryn Mawr School [Email Removed]

During implementation, I included a weekly countdown to the implementation date in a weekly project status e-mail. In the same e-mail I also included an R.E. glossary word each week to help users become acquainted with new terminology. To make sure that all users are adequately trained, each user is assigned to a training track. Depending on his or her position, each will work through a series of up to 7 classes ranging from Intro to R.E. to Advanced Data Entry Topics. The classes are all done in a formal classroom setting with plenty of time for hands-on experimentation. I also spend a lot of one-on-one time with users at their desks working on specific projects. I also send out Tips with suggestions about how Raiser's Edge functionality can make users’ lives easier. Something along the lines of: “Have you ever wished you could….. Here’s how to ….” These have been very well-received. We came from a system that was so awful that most users were already very excited to get a new product, but these systems have proven beneficial for us. Brenda Boise State University Advancement

These are all wonderful input, thank you so much. What about once the "honeymoon period" of having a new database system is over? Do you administer surveys, for example?

We didn't use surveys. But we would run regular reports to make sure the different modules were being used properly. And any corrections that need to be made were done by the person that entered it so that they know it was incorrect and why it needed to be fixed. And always stress that any questions- feel free to ask! Veronica St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital

I have developed a user e-newsletter that gets sent out to staff periodically; as time allows. It includes a Tip of the Month, How Tos, FAQs, upgrade info, procedure updates, etc. I also encourage users to send me their tips to share with the group, since we don't all use the system the same way. They might really appreciate a shortcut that I wouldn't normally use. Initially I was trying to send it monthly, but realistically it only goes out quarterly! I've gotten some great positive feedback. If you email me directly (no "me toos" on the forum please) I'm happy to forward an example to you. Tracie Cassidy Database Coordinator Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation (206) 987-6833 [Email Removed]

We periodically schedule a "Lunch & Learn" (which is heavily promoted by our president). Occasionally it is a mandatory event, but usually attendance is voluntary. We provide lunch for the staff, and then spend 45 minutes or so on tips & tricks for RE. For instance, we have had our RE Procedure Manual for about a year, so we are going to have a Lunch & Learn where we present an updated Procedure Manual (which now has hyperlinks to each topic covered), and also teach the staff how to put this manual on their homepage.

These are all very useful, thanks again! Anyone else is welcome to continue the string.

It always comes back to "What's in there for me" ("beyond feeding the monster for the sake of accumulating data and I really don't have time for it since I have my Excel spreadsheet if any one requires info" syndrom) Starts with exciting reports, then move to data entry required to produce reports. The fact that they can print reports on demand, without having to wait for me, is a big plus. Genevieve Zevort Information Systems MUHC Foundation [Email Removed]

I also work one on one with my colleagues in our dept. to identify ways they can use RE7 to accomplish specific tasks. I've found that when I can show someone how to use RE to simplify a time sucking "manual" process, this makes a huge impression - someone who was afraid of RE starts to get excited about using it. René V. Rosengren Donor Information Specialist Public Radio International [Email Removed]