frequently asked questions (faq)
Do you only work with nonprofits?
SpringLight works primarily with nonprofits, but does also work with clients in the for-profit sector, including small businesses and large corporations.
I'm interested in your services. What happens next?
First, use the "Contact" form on this site to get in touch with us. Then we'll discuss what you're looking for on the phone or via email.
What is a database?
The simplest explanation for a database is that it's just a list, usually a list of people.
You may already make lists on the computer. You may have used Microsoft Excel to make your lists, or maybe you've used tables in Microsoft Word or Corel Wordperfect. A spreadsheet or table allows you to organize a list into columns and rows. Many nonprofits need to keep lists of donors, donations and fundraising events. Most nonprofits also need to keep a list of the people they serve - their clients - and perhaps also the services they render to their clients on a daily basis.
There are problems with using spreadsheets or wordprocessor documents for your lists. These sorts of "databases" are not very user-friendly, are not well suited to multi-user environments, do not generally allow complex querying on your data, and do not generally do good data validation. (Data validation, simply put, is making sure users don't enter bogus data.)
SpringLight is a database that is user-friendly and full of great features to help you do things like automate your mass mailings.
You may already make lists on the computer. You may have used Microsoft Excel to make your lists, or maybe you've used tables in Microsoft Word or Corel Wordperfect. A spreadsheet or table allows you to organize a list into columns and rows. Many nonprofits need to keep lists of donors, donations and fundraising events. Most nonprofits also need to keep a list of the people they serve - their clients - and perhaps also the services they render to their clients on a daily basis.
There are problems with using spreadsheets or wordprocessor documents for your lists. These sorts of "databases" are not very user-friendly, are not well suited to multi-user environments, do not generally allow complex querying on your data, and do not generally do good data validation. (Data validation, simply put, is making sure users don't enter bogus data.)
SpringLight is a database that is user-friendly and full of great features to help you do things like automate your mass mailings.
What is a "mail merge"?
Most organizations need to send mass mailings at least once in awhile. Non-profits generally send annual solicitation mailings, newsletters, notices that they send their clients, and/or party invitations. For-profits use mass mailings to market to their customers.
When you need to send out a large quantity of personalized letters, it's tedious and time-consuming to have to type addresses on individual letters by hand. A "mail merge" automates this process for you. Whether you need to write 50 letters, 500 letters, or 5,000 letters, with a mail merge the steps are the same. You write the letter only one time, and then let the computer automatically "merge" data from your database into individual copies of the letter you wrote.
With SpringLight, your mail merges will be a breeze! Just a couple of clicks and the letters are ready to print. A couple more clicks and the labels or envelopes are ready to go. All that's left for you to do is stuff the envelopes and apply postage.
When you need to send out a large quantity of personalized letters, it's tedious and time-consuming to have to type addresses on individual letters by hand. A "mail merge" automates this process for you. Whether you need to write 50 letters, 500 letters, or 5,000 letters, with a mail merge the steps are the same. You write the letter only one time, and then let the computer automatically "merge" data from your database into individual copies of the letter you wrote.
With SpringLight, your mail merges will be a breeze! Just a couple of clicks and the letters are ready to print. A couple more clicks and the labels or envelopes are ready to go. All that's left for you to do is stuff the envelopes and apply postage.
What's wrong with using Excel to track donors?
Some non-profits use Excel to keep a list of donors and their donations. Some clinics use Excel to keep a list of patients and operations. Small businesses may use Excel to track customers and orders, or customers and services rendered.
This works okay (it's WAY better than not using the computer at all), but may lead to some problems. Excel is spreadsheet software, not database software, and it does not have a good facility for working with related sets of data.
For example, the non-profit that uses Excel to store donors and donations will eventually run into the situation where one donor gives a second or third donation. Where do you store this new donation? In a new row? In a new column? Suddenly your mail merges start to go haywire. You have 2 or 3 letters printing out for the same person. When you go to update a donor's address, you update it in one row but not in another. Now you're bombarding your donors with mail, some to current addresses, some to old addresses. Donors hate that!
The answer is to use a relational database. A relational system allows you to use separate tables for separate data entities, and then tie those tables together. The end result is an efficient system that contains better data and is easier to use
This works okay (it's WAY better than not using the computer at all), but may lead to some problems. Excel is spreadsheet software, not database software, and it does not have a good facility for working with related sets of data.
For example, the non-profit that uses Excel to store donors and donations will eventually run into the situation where one donor gives a second or third donation. Where do you store this new donation? In a new row? In a new column? Suddenly your mail merges start to go haywire. You have 2 or 3 letters printing out for the same person. When you go to update a donor's address, you update it in one row but not in another. Now you're bombarding your donors with mail, some to current addresses, some to old addresses. Donors hate that!
The answer is to use a relational database. A relational system allows you to use separate tables for separate data entities, and then tie those tables together. The end result is an efficient system that contains better data and is easier to use
There are so many choices for databases. How do I know which one is right for my organization?
If your organization is a nonprofit (and even if it's not) you might wish to check out the website TechSoup.org to read some really great articles on databases and on technology in general. There you can read about the pros and cons of different kinds of databases, which may help you find the product that's right for your organization.
What kind of database backend does SpringLight use?
SpringLight uses MySQL, but it's possible to use a different backend, such as PostgreSQL, SQL Server, or even Microsoft Access.
Is SpringLight a desktop database or a web-based database?
It's a desktop database, but web integration is possible. In fact it's possible to have the database backend located on the Internet.
Is SpringLight designed to work in a multi-user environment?
Absolutely. Multiple users can log into the system from their own computers. The system even tracks who makes what changes.