Planning ahead to ensure you get the most from your Microsoft donation request

It is good to plan ahead and plan thoroughly by taking an inventory of your organisation's current and future Microsoft technology needs. If you plan now than later on you won't find yourself stuck without the software you need to do your work.

Since you have a two year ordering limit, it pays to think about everything your organisation will need over the coming two years. For more information on Microsoft ordering limitations please see Understanding Microsoft ordering limitations.

With thorough planning, you can be sure to take advantage of Microsoft's administration fees (generally, administration fees for Microsoft products are around 4% of retail price) and not lose productivity by not having the right software ready when you need it.

Find out when your Microsoft anniversary is

Registered organisations can check the Microsoft Donation Centre page to see the dates for their two-year cycle and how much of their total allotment is still available to them (you must be logged in to see this page). This page is accessible through a link on the My requests page. (If there is no such link on the your My requests pages, the organisation is not eligible for Microsoft donations through DonorTec.)

Take a tech inventory

You can download a spreadsheet to assist you in a quick inventory of the software your organisation has and what you'll need.
To find out if you have all your software bases covered, take a look around at what your organisation currently has. In the technology planning spreadsheet, fill in the Current Quantity of Licenses column, listing the number of licenses your organisation has for each software program.

Determine your needs

The spreadsheet lists important categories of software that many nonprofits need, but feel free to add any special tools that help support your mission. It pays to consider the tasks that people in your organisation do most -- email, share documents, crunch numbers, etc. — and visit our Product Directory  to research which tools best meet your needs.

Fill in the gaps

To make sure there aren't any holes in your planning, consider the number of people in your organisation (including new employees, volunteers, or interns expected over the coming year) and fill in the Quantity of Licenses Needed column for each software program listed. Make sure you check off at least one product in each category.

Will you be updating your Web site?

You might want to add Microsoft Expression Web 3.0 to your next request.
 

Will you be adding staff?

Make sure you have enough Client Access Licenses (CALs) to let new staff access your Microsoft server and enough seats for essentials like Microsoft Office Standard or Microsoft Office Professional Plus 

Are you holding a fundraiser or event?

Consider Microsoft Publisher to design collateral and Microsoft Project Professional includes 1 CAL to keep the planning on track.

Will you be buying new computers?

To make sure your existing computers have the same versions of software as the new computers, consider upgrading to Microsoft Office Professional Plus and Windows 7

For more information on tech planning and taking an inventory of your tech infrastructure, consult our ICT planning pages:

More information to help you plan for your Microsoft order

Microsoft NGO Connection: Learn about products and resources for nonprofits and Microsoft's special nonprofit portal.

Getting Started at DonorTec is where to go if you are sure how to register with DonorTec or request donations

If you have any questions please see DonorTec's comprehensive Help and Support and Microsoft Program FAQ sections

If you are not sure whether you are already registered contact us at http://www.donortec.org/contact.