FY 09 Project Status Update

Advancement Information Systems Improvement Update
August 3, 2009

Executive Summary

The final report of the Advancement Technology Project (ATP) included the following recommendations for improvement of advancement information systems at the University of Illinois.

  1. Modify and expand the functionality of the core Advancement database using the current platform (IBM System i);
  2. Utilize a CRM package to address remaining CRM gaps;
  3. Utilize CVENT for events management;
  4. Leverage both the Advancement and the University data warehouses and business intelligence (BI) environments as necessary.

Additionally, the ATP proposed to integrate a Social Networking tool with the central Advancement database and to build a common data integration interface for other systems to communicate with the Advancement database.

The Executive Oversight Committee of the ATP (University President, Chancellors, UIAA and UIF Presidents) further directed the Alumni Association, the Foundation, and the University to form an Advancement Information Council (AIC) (ATP Quick Win # 6), which began meeting monthly in May 2008.  A brief listing of AIC accomplishments follows, including progress on each Quick Win identified in the ATP report, as well as other items.

Accomplishments

Quick Win # 2.  Output files in MS Excel format—Partially completed.  Excel output can now be obtained in FACTS from SelectPlus and numerous Fastrack reports, and from Cognos Connection in UIF Online.  New policies and procedures must be created to ensure that information—particularly contact information—is used appropriately.

Quick Win # 5.  Develop report templates—Partially completed.  Campaign, New Business, Gifts, Pipeline, Planned Gift, and Pledge report templates are available to the Advancement community via Cognos Connection.  Future templates will focus on events attendance and volunteer engagement; portfolio management and prospecting; advancement activities; and annual giving.

Quick Win # 9.  Improve constituent data update processes—Partially completed.  The May 2008 release of the FACTS C/S client allows users to update constituent addresses indirectly and other information directly.  Additional constituent update capability is planned for the Fall 2009 update of FACTS C/S, including PSA codes, comments, and relationship information.

Quick Win # 10.  Assemble Advancement process improvement team—Partially completed.  A variety of teams have undertaken process improvement initiatives in the last year, including two in-depth studies of direct mail and telemarketing that have been used to reduce over-segmentation and improve annual giving planning.  Other efforts to analyze and improve advancement business processes are ongoing.

Quick Win # 12.  More, Better Data—Partially completed.  Numerous initiatives are underway to improve the quantity and the quality of constituent information, including:

    1. Cleaning and organizing PSA codes;
    2. Investigating issues and potential resolutions regarding add/drop and skip codes; 
    3. Entering student life and other information from UIUC and UIC yearbooks into FACTS;
    4. Improving the Faculty/Staff upload process to improve data quality, comprehensiveness, and regularity; and
    5. Uploading monthly data on friends of the UIC Medical Center into FACTS.

 

Other accomplishments.  The UIAA has initiated a project to update legacy curriculum codes in  FACTS with the curriculum codes used in the Banner Student module.  The project is slated for completion in Fall 2009.

Experian QAS recently demonstrated an address maintenance tool that can be used to clean addresses in FACTS and minimize data entry errors.  Discussions are underway for purchase of a batch cleaning product and an interactive product for installation on selected UIAA and UIF machines.

UIF User Services has begun using Adobe Connect to provide remote FACTS training and has made available through UIF Online new tutorials on FACTS C/S, Development Tracking, and numerous other topics. 

User Services recently spent nearly 200 programming hours updating the Vendor FastTrack that is used for Annual Giving segmentation and implemented a range of SelectPlus changes designed to improve efficiency and user-friendliness.

The Gift Acknowledgment Download has been enhanced to combine information from the current Gift Acknowledgement Download, the Weekly Gift Report, and new fields that provide degree, gift history and lifetime giving details.

 

Works in Progress

UI Alumni Network—Target completion Summer 2009.  The UIAA Board recently agreed to acquire a 76-node University of Illinois Alumni Global Network powered by Alumni Magnet.  This new tool will greatly expand club management capability and will meet 25 separate requirements in the ATP report to a 90% level of fulfillment.

New Search Capabilities in FACTS C/S—Target completion Spring 2009.  The new release of FACTS C/S scheduled for Fall 2009 will include new search screens that will allow users to find constituents by a number of factors simultaneously.

Quick Win # 1.  Create written Advancement Data Access Plan—Target completion Summer 2009.  Under the AIC’s direction, a team of representatives from each campus, UIAA, and UIF has developed a draft information access plan to provide transparent role-based access to advancement information systems.  A preliminary matrix has been drafted that creates new FACTS access levels for alumni relations, corporate relations, and others.  The AIC has obtained preliminary approval of the UIAA and the UIF presidents.  Next, the AIC will appoint teams to assemble technical requirements and related policies and to vet the plan widely before proceeding with implementation.  The draft matrix applies only to FACTS at this time, but when finalized can serve as a starting point for access to other Advancement information systems.

Quick Win # 7.  Create a shared definition of Advancement and share advancement information over the web—In Progress.  The ATP Discovery Phase represented a large step toward adoption of an Advancement model at the University of Illinois, and the AIC seeks to build on that momentum.  Information flow to and from the University, the Alumni Association, and the Foundation should become more comprehensive and regularized.  This increased level of data integration will require careful attention to state and federal laws, as well as best practices in information privacy and confidentiality.  Specifics about what data resides where and who can use it will be incorporated into the Data Access Plan, as discussed above.

On Hold

Quick Win # 3.  Adopt CVENT events management system enterprise-wide—On Hold.  A number of issues must be resolved before implementation can go forward, including fee levels and data integration with FACTS.

Quick Win # 4.  Adopt InCircle (Always Illinois) social networking system enterprise-wide—On Hold.  The rapid rise of services such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter have caused the AIC to consider whether alternatives to InCircle may be required to provide robust social networking opportunities to alumni and other constituents.

Quick Win # 8.  Enable Relationship Management outside of Development—On Hold.  The importance of this item will be weighed relative to the other Quick Wins and action will begin when required policy decisions are made and resources become available.

Quick Win # 11.  Compile existing Advancement policies and make available on central web site—On Hold.  As with Quick Win # 8 (Relationship Management), this item has not received specific action since the original plan was developed.  Its importance will be weighed relative to the other Quick Wins and action will begin when resources become available.