You’re running a non-profit and need to outsource IT work. What tools can help you stay on budget?

Choosing the proper project management software tools is crucial for a non-profit organization looking to outsource IT work while staying on budget. Here are several tools known for their features to efficiently and effectively control costs: -Trello -Asana -ClickUp -Wrike -Airtable -Bitrix24 -Zoho Projects -Odoo -Freedcamp -Teamwork When choosing a project management tool for outsourcing IT work in a non-profit, consider your organization's specific needs, the scale of your projects, and the level of collaboration required. Additionally, check each tool's pricing plans to align with your budget constraints. Most of these tools offer free plans with essential features, making them accessible for non-profits w/ limited financial resources.

Strong process design wiht the IT outsourced vendor and it should be mirrored in serviceNOW or ASANA: both are great tool...and still you keep Xcel as best friend with a twist of Power automate to avoid repetitve reporting

The beat tools I have used are Intuit Quickbooks or I have developed Microsoft Access programs to monitor monthly expenses and develop your own monitoring spreadsheets against checking account down loads.

Depending the budget allocation and constraints tools can vary from a project Manager with evolved “common sense” or automated tools like Asana,JIRA. But a PM or an acting PM is required. This person helps in translating the requirements to tech spec and timely query resolution.

If you concern about budgeting and forecasting tools, you can check free options such as Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, etc. or premium options such as Airtable, Zoho Projects, Float. Regarding benefits, create detailed budgets, track expenses, and forecast future costs based on project progress and time tracking data. This helps you identify potential budget issues early and adjust your spending accordingly. Besides, consider using open-source software instead of proprietary solutions for specific IT needs. This can significantly reduce licensing costs.

Choose communication and collaboration tools that fit your organization and outsourced tech team. The wrong tools can cause miscommunication or even sabotage. - Technologically, Jira is a top choice due to its comprehensive features and overarching perspective, helping to prevent budget overruns through tight control of the software development process. - For peer-to-peer communication, opt for Slack or Discord. Both platforms feature intuitive interfaces that are straightforward for developers and accessible for non-technical team members.

In my observation, Zoom is the preferred communication tool among team members and between the team and clients. Google Workspace, formerly known as G Suite, provides valuable collaboration tools like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Docs.

There is little reason for non profits especially NGOs to pay for proprietary solutions these days or to spend scarce resources on tailored development when they can use Google meeting software for free or at modest cost when, say, a larger whole of organization solution is needed eg to access organization wide email directories and calendars. The standard now is as good or better than Zoom and it makes sense to standardize on a familiar UI.

Effective communication and collaboration tools are crucial for non-profits outsourcing IT work. They facilitate clear, frequent interactions with IT providers, crucial for avoiding misunderstandings and ensuring that project expectations and requirements are met. Tools like Slack offer real-time messaging, Zoom provides reliable video conferencing & Google Workspace enables seamless collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. These tools support efficient workflow coordination, timely feedback, and the smooth exchange of ideas and information. Implementing these tools can significantly reduce delays and errors, contributing to the successful and cost-effective completion of IT projects in a non-profit setting

For the Non profit organization, it’s very important to consider an affordable tools , might be something like open source to make sure operational cost is less than the in-house option

When it comes to outsourcing platforms, my primary choice is LinkedIn. Leading to effective decision-making. However, it's crucial to start with a small test job once you finalize your choice. Consider using Upwork for the first time to build trust. Select a reputable company or freelancer by thoroughly checking reviews. Initiate trust based on these reviews and commence with a small test job to evaluate the process and the quality of work. Once satisfied, you can confidently move on to more significant projects.

In my experience, using freelancing platforms for outsourcing doesn't always yield good results. They have low pricing and the availability of professionals. I have written articles on the disadvantages and precautions needed regarding this. Initially, these platforms were good, but now most IT professionals are on them. Unfortunately, many are only seeking extra income and may lack honesty. Beyond my observations, I have seen my clients face similar issues on these platforms. To be transparent, we avoid hiring freelancers from these platforms. Instead, we either subcontract to a known IT company or hire IT professionals for outsourced tasks.

In my opinion the best free outsourcing platforms can be Fiverr, Freelancer or upwork as these are the service platform that allows respective freelancers to post their credentials and for clients to look for freelancers to work on their projects. These platforms connect freelancers to people or businesses looking to hire, encouraging a wide range of services in a free market. Also these are few of the popular marketplaces for freelancers and employers.

Quand on veut faire son marché, il faut aller au marché! Cela semble tomber sous le sens... Mais je peux me tromper! LinkedIn ou tout autre plateforme de freelance...

Except for Upwork, I definitely recommend Golance and Guru as alternative sources for IT expertise. You may find less spam here, and better fee policies.

In my view, quality assurance work is best done in-house. If outsourcing is necessary, it is preferable to choose an IT company separate from the development company. Bugzilla and Selenium are tools specifically designed for bug tracking, whereas Jira serves for both bug tracking and project management. Bugzilla holds the top rank in the market for the Testing and QA category, while Selenium holds the second position.

Quality assurance to make sure that the agreed SLAs are met and even exceeded with the outsourcing partner, else you will not be able to get the best of your investments and to have the best ROIs

Too unspecific to comment on this. Again: why Outsourcing, what are the goals, what are their KPI? No QM without these criteria..

Top security tools required for outsourcing services or remote work include: 1. Data Encryption System: Utilize a secure system, like VPN (Virtual Private Network), to encrypt and transmit sensitive data. 2. Secure Storage Solutions: Employ secure storage options, such as cloud storage, to ensure the protection of stored information. 3. Access Control Tools: Implement robust access control tools, such as LastPass, to manage and secure user access effectively.

Do not forget in European Countries the GDPR compliance. Doesn't matter if you are a non-profit organization: GDPR can be hard to manage. In my opinion more than tools in this case I would invest in training someone inside the organization, to keep full control of what's happening.

Security plays a crucial role in today's world with IT in the forefront. Even though money spent on Security might often appear as the most expensive insurance that you won't ever recover, it is critical that the system works flawlessly and i ternal and customer data won't get compromised. Unfortunately many affected organisations do not outspeek about their experience so the real impact on business still remains often a secret.

Once again, it depends on the boundary conditions. How big is the non-profit organization, how many IT people work there? Can alarms be responded to 24/7? If not, does a could-based information security platform with a SOC make sense?

If you choose the RIGHT partner, they will work with you on building a technology roadmap that is at least 3 years out (which is standard lifecycle of contracts). They should be equipped with tools that give you insight to your support, projects, as well as billing.

As I wrote up, I wouldn't look only at tools but also in training. Maybe a few resources but you need to have control of what is happening. I would as well avoid the "silver bullet" syndrome of using shiny new open source tools that then would become difficult to maintain. In brief ... first invest on people and then on tools.

Well budget is one critical thing to factor many nonprofits also need comply with complex regulatory requirements and financial reporting standards. Hence one should be diligent to pick not just a cheaper solutions but solutions/ tools which are proven in the non profit sectors. Many of the SaaS and cloud products are matured to provide reasonable quality service and are not expensive.

Database can be one of the crucial part as nowadays database plays a vital role in any project. You need to remember all pointers after the completion of the project where the things didn't go well or the part which can be better next time. Data from previous project can help a lot in next one.

For the majority of NGOs, it is always good to seek assistance from the government and business fields. Many companies are ready to assist free of charge as one of their CSR strategies.