Planning ahead to maximise your donation

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

Since you have to wait 12 months after your first Microsoft donation request before you can place a second request, it pays to think about everything your organisation will need over the coming year.
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 our when your Microsoft anniversary is
To see when you can next place a request for Microsoft software, log in then click on “My Orders”. Simply check when your two-year cycle began. Your anniversary and reset dates are based on your original order date.

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.

Look ahead
Thinking ahead over the next 12 months, here are some questions to consider as you finish your tech planning:

Will you be updating your Web site?
You might want to add Microsoft Expression Web 2.0 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 2007 Standard or Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007

Are you holding a fundraiser or event?
Consider Microsoft Publisher 2007 to design collateral and Microsoft Project Professional 2007 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 2007 and Windows Vista Business Upgrade (32-Bit)

For more information on tech planning and taking an inventory of your tech infrastructure, consult our global partner TechSoup’s Tech Beginner's Guide.

More information to help you plan for your Microsoft order

MS Tech Planning (674 KB XLS) Use this worksheet to take an inventory of your organisation's tech infrastructure and plan for your next Microsoft donations request

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

Getting Started at DonorTec: Not sure how to register with DonorTec or request donations? If you have any questions or are not sure whether you are already registered contact us at http://www.donortec.com.au/contact.