So, how does Dropbox simplify life?

Good afternoon NPO/IT junkies.  Here's a quick video to continue the "My Ode to Dropbox" series.  It's a graphical representation of how file sharing works, and it's easy to understand if you don't speak tech lingo.




If you want to get started, visit the Dropbox homepage for your free download.  There's another short video on the homepage that I recommend watching if you still have questions.   Click on the Download Dropbox button, and follow the prompts on your screen.  It's easy!

Stay tuned tomorrow for My Ode to Dropbox - Chapter 2.

My Ode to Dropbox - Chapter 1

Dropbox is basically the best thing ever.  I'm on a personal crusade to get all of my coworkers to love it as much as I do.  It's so easy to use that even the most technologically challenged can maneuver through it.  The company's tagline is, "Simplify your life", and it does just that.

Dropbox is a file sharing software.  File sharing is a fancy term that means one user is giving another access to certain things on his or her computer. With Dropbox, users are able to share documents, spreadsheets, audio, and video, which more than covers the needs of the majority of nonprofit organizations.  There are three versions that range in price from free to $199.00 annually.  The change in price is due to increased file space in the more expensive versions.  The fact that there is no start up cost and a low annual fee makes this software a perfect match for any small nonprofit with budget constraints.

In addition to being able to share data with other users, you can also save files for your own use via Dropbox.  Imagine saving something on your work computer and being able to access it from home.  Even better, imagine being able to access it on the go from your mobile phone or tablet.  No more printing articles and memos to read at home, no more having to run back to the office to get a file that you need, and no more endless file folders to lug around with you.

Let me paint you a picture.....

Once upon a time there was a little girl chained to a copy machine in a big office.  She worked as staff liaison to an evil Board of Trustees who had long meetings where they demanded hot coffee with real cream, not that powdered stuff.  They made her write down their every word and so she would take pages and pages of notes until her little fingers hurt.  The little girl wanted badly to be promoted and knew that she had to keep the evil Board of Trustees happy if she was ever to escape their clutches.

Once a month the Trustees would send the little girl all of the files that they wanted the other Trustees to review before the meeting.  She would print the pages and stack them, sometimes as high as her desk.  Then she would carry the stack down to the copy room dungeon where she would have to copy the papers to be mailed out to the Trustees.  Each file was to be copied onto a different color of paper.  Some things were to be front and back, others single sided.  The whole process was exhausting for both the little girl and the trees.

This tale of woe does have a happy ending.  One day the little girl was introduced to a file sharing program called Dropbox.  Dropbox was organized, good at sharing, and easy to talk to.  At first, the Board of Trustees were apprehensive about having the files they so loved stored in Dropbox.  "But how will we communicate without our multicolored papers?" they asked.  And so the little girl prepared a tutorial that she presented to the Board of Trustees.  She taught them all how to upload their files and share them with the other Trustees.  They loved being able to have their files instantly instead of having to wait for the mail.  She even added a spreadsheet so that the Trustees could sign up to bring their own cream to the meetings.  The Trustees were so happy with this new adventure that they set the little girl free from her servitude.  She was promoted to the Data Management department where she got to hang out with Dropbox and his friends all day.  And she never had to make coffee for the evil Board of Trustees again.

This anecdote is based on a true story, and is just one example of what Dropbox can do for a small nonprofit.  Rather than making copies for a meeting, users can put their files into Dropbox for other users to access.  There's no waiting for copies to come in the mail, or having to make sure everyone's information is correct on the email list.  If one user wants to make a change to a file, everyone else can see that too- no more multiple versions.  Best of all, it's free!  Dropbox can save big bucks over the course of a year by the time you add up paper, printing, staff time, and postage.  And for any budget conscious organization, that's never bad news.

Coming soon: My Ode to Dropbox - Chapter 2

Think your NPO doesn't need IT? Think again.

Do you ever feel like this?

I've worked in several nonprofit organizations during my time in the industry.  They have ranged from questionable to wonderful.  They have varied wildly in size, income, and cause, but there are a few things they have all had in common.  Each and every one of them could have benefited from an increased focus on incorporating new information technology into every day life.

Some larger nonprofits do have a well organized IT infrastructure, but some do not.  All nonprofits have a responsibility to the taxpayers to use funds responsibly and so there is often much debate about spending on upgrades that may seem unnecessary upon first glance.  Although organizations should not always upgrade just for the sake of having the newest and shiniest gadget, there are times that upgrades can actually increase productivity.

There are a wealth of programs that are available for free that both large and small nonprofits can and should be using.  Dropbox can be used to share documents.  Google has a wonderful shared calendar that employees can use to communicate not only with one another, but also with their constituencies, and this is of crucial importance.  In this day and age, people expect to have information available at their fingertips.  Donors, volunteers, board members, staff, and larger funding organizations can all benefit from advances in information sharing.

I'm hoping to tackle one program or issue in each post, ranging from larger issues to smaller ones and defeat the notion that information technology is too expensive or too complicated for 'our organization.'  Stay tuned for easy to follow explanations of how IT can make your organization better.

Keep reading, and soon you'll look like this!