Sumac

Vorteile

I love the integrated membership form for our website, the export/communication features, and the ease of use. The customer service is excellent. Anytime that I have put in a service request, they respond within 24 hours, and have the issue resolved within the same amount of time.

Nachteile

My only issue was with automated billing. As a Canadian charity, we do not have credit accounts, and can only pay by cheque. They have amended their billing so that we can send a cheque annually, so that issue has been resolved.

Vorteile

I enjoy the ability to create a number of tax receipts at once. It helps keep the one time a year production easy to manage

Nachteile

It is tricky to see when a number of memberships are expiring, or to get prompted for when they expire. This feature may exist and I have not figured it out yet.

Vorteile

We really thought Sumac wasn't working for us, but the team at Sumac has been WONDERFUL in taking the time to work with us one on one to show us how we've been using features wrong, how to use the software more efficiently, and how the software can already do some things we've been struggling with. Having that kind of one on one support and training is INCREDIBLE, particularly since these one-on-one "how do I get Sumac to do X" calls have been free for us. It's completely changed the way we use the software and has caused me to start overhauling our operations to use the software to do our work better!

Nachteile

It can take some getting used to because the interface isn't particularly intuitive

Vorteile

Ease of use to track information
functionality of search features
Ease of customization

Nachteile

Difficult to get technical support
Some fields are not customizable

Vorteile

Fully customizable, does what we need it to, easy to gather stats and run reports. All in one software for donations/grants/case management/volunteer management.

Nachteile

It can look clunky, but it is a powerhouse! As well, it would be nice to have auto-save, or spellcheck on forms.

Vorteile

We met online regularly with [sensitive content hidden] to set up our site. He genuinely took an interest I. Our organization to best help us make it work.

Nachteile

No complaints at all, it was a good experience.

Vorteile

I like that it creates my charitable tax receipt numbers for me automatically. I like the new interface, it's very user-friendly.

Nachteile

I don't like that I have to store the receipts locally. It's not in the program itself so if someone is using the program or having to find the receipt itself, they have to find it on the local computer. Fine for me right now, as I'm the only one using Sumac at my organization, but I can see how this can be a nightmare for larger orgs.

Vorteile

User friendly
Excellent customer support
New releases on regular basis

Nachteile

Online functionality for some add-ons is very basic (e.g. ticketing) or not available yet (e.g. sales)
The User Guide is good at describing each of the many fields in the database but limited in explaining how these are used together (processes)

Vorteile

Ease of interface after basic orientation. Exportable data. Capacity to track giving, enrollment, volunteer roles, auction, etc. It integrates all of the different dimensions we need to manage for our student, supporter and partners.

Nachteile

To fully use Sumac requires a growing understanding of the tools and strategies you can use to extract information and access the data you need. Building this capacity inside an organization takes a focused and sustained effort. In other words - at times we wish Sumac was more intuitive but we realize its diversity of features is probably more important than its ease of use.

Vorteile

It is accurate. Based on the cloud and reasonable for all you get. I can customize the columns, data that I need which is quite different from other non-profits. I can have different "offices" which really helps with the multiple projects that I am responsible for.

Nachteile

I still need help in using the Campaign feature. It might be me, but I haven't quite got that figured out.

Vorteile

You are able to add categories and information you need for your organization. You are able to personalize the database. In addition, the reporting helps you to save time managing and sharing information with your nonprofit board and constituents.

Nachteile

The only con is you have to take the time to learn how to use it. Sumac has the ability to have so much information that you need to know how to utilize that information for you. Luckily, the Sumac tech team is always available to help you and they have great tutorial videos for all aspects.

Vorteile

I like the Membership and Donation platforms. Compared to our previous system it is very easy to update records, put in payments, and track donations with certain campaigns. Its also easy to run numbers for my director and give detailed stats.

Nachteile

There is not much to dislike but probably the search functions on the Contacts page. It would be great to have a search bar to search last name, organization name, province, etc...

Nachteile

Sumac is anti-intuitive.Functions do not follow a logical sequence. There never seems to be a video for what I need to do. Support has never recommended a video. The remote support doesn't work. One has to manage the telephone and manage the computer at the same time, while trying to follow instructions. There must be a better way. People learn in different modes, Sumac provides only one. Watching someone complete the sequence is not the same as performing it for a kinesthetic learner.

Vorteile

I like that I can choose what to see based on my needs. it is easy to change my preferences within a few seconds.

Nachteile

There is not any concern at this time. Recently there was a switch with two categories and a few sections did not transfer over and I had to re-enter family sizes.

Vorteile

The support we get when we have issues is wonderful. The support team is very quick to reply to requests.

Nachteile

I'm not sure, maybe that I can't generate reports from our custom data points. We track a number of things about clients and we have no way to retrieve that.

Vorteile

Flexible and good value. It provides just the right structure yet flexible enough to customize for emerging needs.

Nachteile

Could use more ease of use features. WOuld love to have documents stored on individuals so that all users can access.

Vorteile

Sumac is easy to use, their customer support team is accessible , and the software is affordable for our small shop.

Nachteile

We struggled to get used to the search function at first, though we're used to it now. I wish I could do a bulk upload of communication records, too.

Vorteile

Sumac is incredibly easy to use, is customizable, and the free support is outstanding. They are always happy to help!!

Nachteile

The only con I would say is that there isn't a built in email template creator, but it integrates with MailChimp and Constant Contact.

Vorteile

Sumac offers great software that is cost-effective for a smaller non-profit. Their customer support is always helpful and quickly and patiently answer all of our questions. While we don't use all aspects of Sumac's software, there are many components that we would like to incorporate into our practice.

Nachteile

Up until now, we have only had a Silver membership which would have Sumac installed for one user on one computer. We are looking forward to upgrading which will allow us to use Sumac, when a colleague is using the computer where it was installed.

Vorteile

Lots of features. Like that you could manage contacts, take payment and sync with accounting software.

Nachteile

It wasn't intuitive to use. Couldn't figure out aspects without reading the tutorial.

Vorteile

It is very user friendly and customizable. It is easy to add additional users and input information. Additionally, it is very cost effective for small not for profit.

Nachteile

The data merging process can be a bit complex depending on what function you are trying to perform. The feature could needs to be simplified.

Vorteile

it's pretty user friendly and it's easy to get used to even if you don't have database experience from prior use

Nachteile

sometimes the filters take awhile to load and it also takes awhile to log on but other than that no problem

Vorteile

it is so intuitive, friendly and usable. I have no complaints about the software.

Nachteile

There is nothing about Sumac that I don't like. We have referred you to three other agencies and they now use it. We need a finder's fee!

Vorteile

Enhanced File Management: Sumac has improved the sharing and management of client files among support workers, ensuring a seamless service experience for clients.Efficient Case Management: Front-line staff now have access to a professional case management system, optimizing their efficiency and effectiveness in delivering services.

Nachteile

Still working to refine reporting processes with the goal of enhancing proficiency in creating standardized reports for donors and funders. Our hope is that we can train and assign a dedicated member of the team to helping manage tools and assets within an increasingly digitized operating environment.

Vorteile

Esta muy bien porque la herramienta permite administrar sus datos, comunicarse con sus donantes, gestionar sus proyectos, realizar informes y mucho más.

Nachteile

Muy buen servicio y utilidad por el momento.

Vorteile

Our organization relies on the database feature of this software on a daily basis. We also rely on the Donor Management abilities. We are now using the Board of Directors platform, which is very useful.

Nachteile

I really do not have any cons to mention. I have always had great tech support as long as I have been using it.

Vorteile

I like that you can do reports and have it for different categories, the tech support staff are helpful

Nachteile

Beware: We have had two exuberant price increases of almost $100.00 each time. We are only a small charity so this has had a huge impact on us. We had a 4500 donation capacity but only had 3000 donors in our database and they bumped us to 6000 donors and our price jumped by almost $100.00 for a 2nd time. There were no improvements to the program with these price increases. I asked to be dropped to a 4000 donor capacity and was told we had to sign a new contract. Before the last price increase they would have dropped our package to a 2000 donor capacity but being small with few staff; we did not have the time or man power to eliminate 1000 donors. After 2 price increases I am very unhappy with the product and would not recommend it. It was a great product for $100.00 month, but not for $267.00

Vorteile

If support is paramount, Sumac is a great choice.
Sumac covers a broad scope of functions, including donations, memberships, sales and events.
The software is very easy to use.
Built in import functions are very user friendly and very complete. Transferring data into Sumac from another system is not difficult and the error checking before import is very good.
Contact history is strong and allows drill downs into all the underlying documents.
Contact records allow the addition of extra user-defined tabs and fields which is a great asset.

Nachteile

Inventory tracking functionality could be more robust.
Mail merges currently allow links between contacts and one other view, such as donations, memberships, etc. It would be helpful if more than one additional view would be supported.
Reports could be improved, but this problem is easily resolved with a good report writer that links with an ODBC driver.

Vorteile

The Sumac membership management system is flexible and easily customizable. Out of the box it can be used immediately but can also be tailored to specific requirements. The Cloud based database combined with its data security allows each clubs data to be maintained separately and securely.

Nachteile

It is sometimes difficult to load the software onto Mac computers. This mainly due to the Mac security system that is not always fully understood by the user. Loading the software onto a windows machine is very easy.

Vorteile

Sumac provides a customizable platform for managing our programs and services, tracking communications and case management. We are planning to expand our use and utilize more modules and expand our use of existing ones. The software is growing with us as we move a team into an online Case Management model after 30 years of pen and paper. We have set it up so we master uses one at a time and have eased the transition of staff. This has been a blessing as I have worked with other organizations that have lost staff as an out of the can software full of bugs was implemented with little room for transition.

While for some the customization may be a challenge the benefit is huge. If you do not have someone to work with to complete the customizations there is an affordable option available working with the Sumac team.

Nachteile

The email component does not allow for, (or I have not figured out how to), multiple emails, so we only use it for mass emails as the responses can only go to one address.

Vorteile

It is customizable to our needs (mostly). Some of the features we would find beneficial are not available.

Nachteile

We have encountered a number of bugs over the past few months in working with our trainer. She has been awesome in documenting and reporting them but the training time it ends up taking up in trying to find work arounds or confirm that it is in fact a bug is frustrating.

Vorteile

The ability to customize the software for every need we have, from volunteer records, student progress tracking, donor management, and everything in between!

Nachteile

There is a slight learning curve for anyone not already familiar with manipulating reports from raw data, but the training, customer service, and tutorial videos are extremely helpful in building those skills for full software functionality.

Vorteile

It integrates everything. With Sumac we can generate output to determine trends or targets, even deficiencies, by combining seemingly unrelated data. There's no data-based relationship we cannot explore and mine for fresh insights.
I like that it is held off-site so that we do not have to worry about additional data security. Of course, this also makes our Sumac data available anywhere, anytime.

Nachteile

Some of the modules have a steeper learning curve, but I don't see how that's avoidable. The biggest deficiency for me is that I would love an ap (application). Personally, I work with an iPad and right now I cannot access Sumac with that platform.

Vorteile

Sumac has everything we need -- keeps our database, sends out our communications, keeps track of all our donations and receipts/acknowledgements. It is set up in a straightforward way and, when I first researched CRMs, it was the only one where I could understand the setup from the start (I think the others were not set up logically). Also, the support team at Sumac is wonderful; attentive, understanding, they are really willing to help me solve all my problems, whether it is a quick question or a larger issue that needs much more overhaul. In fact, they resolved the biggest problem I had with the software: I frequently must bulk import changes to my data, and there were parts I had to do manually because the contact types weren't available to use in the import workspace. But they have recently changed the import workspace to be more flexible, at least partly in response to my comments, so now my bulk imports go much more quickly. In addition, the program has many optional add-ons that can help with courses, volunteer hours, registrations, silent auctions and so many other bits of software that anyone might need. Also, it is very reasonable priced.

Nachteile

The only things that I find difficult are remembering all the little details of complicated searches, downloads, and the steps of emailing. But I am not very technologically savvy, and others will not be as easily frustrated as I am.

Vorteile

Technical support have been wonderful! The Sumac team actually customized a search option to cater to our organization alone.

Nachteile

Add-ons can be pricey for smaller organizations, however they are worth it if it's in your budget.

Vorteile

We started using Sumac for organizing our data a couple of years ago. Before that we were swimming in excel sheets and having multiple users access the same information was problematic. We use Sumac for ticketing, memberships and donations. I like that we have one system that organizes these three aspects, as there is (as one would hope) quite a bit of overlap between those three actions. It is also useful for organizing mailing lists (either hard copy or email) and analyzing data. But most importantly for us, it's an affordable option. There are CRMs out there that are more robust but for a small non-profit we wouldn't be able to afford them. Sumac is a really cost-effective option to suit our needs.

Nachteile

Sumac has a lot of software updates. These updates don't fundamentally change the look or experience of using it, but the updates often require us restarting our server. The other aspect is, though they are working on this, is that the web integration is not as customizable as one might like. It's difficult to change the look or flow of it to go with our branding. Finally - there are just a lot of pop-ups for any application while using it (do you want to record this, do you want to save this, etc.) which seem unnecessary.

Vorteile

User friendlyThe support team is available to answer and help usSumac understand charitable organization needs

Nachteile

Nothing is perfect. However, based on our experience with Sumac, we look forward to grow with Sumac as we understand Sumac continues to update and improve.

Vorteile

They provide great customer service; regardless of whether you are a small or large nonprofit. Their software is very well organized and user-friendly. Their documentation and training are excellent and again, very user-focused.

Nachteile

Mail merging to Microsoft Word is not flawless. Sometimes we get errors, and many times spaces that follow mail merged values are deleted, which has caused problems in our donor letters. Sumac can't find a solution, so I plan to mail merge only to tab delimited text files in the future, and use the Microsoft Word built in mail merging, which works better anyway.

Vorteile

Fairly easy to customise, fairly intuitive, once gets into it. Search Builder is nice, once understood.

Nachteile

Cluttered. For example, Having all gifts in the same group as any other notes and points of donor contact is rather frustrating due to the cluttered nature. Likewise the Contacts page- much prefer single Search field, then a full list which is searched. And I have no idea if there's an easy way to see direct mail statistics (i.e., % of responses, average raised based on responses, etc.). That's a feature I've become very accustomed to and am missing greatly.

Not a bad donor database; but honestly? It's not DonorPerfect.

Vorteile

There's a wide variety of add-ons you can choose and our custom module works great. The website integration is seamless and saves us a lot of time. The pricing is reasonable and customer service is great.

Nachteile

The web forms (for website integration) are not as customizable as I thought they would be; you can't change certain fields or add much intro text. Full usability requires intermediate HTML skills, which is currently an issue for us so we're still using an email app as well.

Vorteile

I especially like the facility for reporting. I like how it interfaces with other programs such as Excel and Simply Accounting. I also love how it does automatic credit card transactions.

Nachteile

I can honestly say that It has been rare that I have had issues with this program. It has always been because of my lack of knowledge of it's capabilities. A phone call will usually clear up any issues I have.
The only problem we have encountered is to link our website donations to the program. We are still not sure where this glitch lies.

Vorteile

It is very basic and easy to use. The support is great. It is also on the cloud. Reporting is great for most functions.

Nachteile

We were never able to integrate our ticketing and donations so have to import everything from other systems. We were not able to batch import so it is very time-consuming. Same is true of our marketing email.

Vorteile

Once familiar with the program, it is quite user friendly. The ability to customize forms for different programs has been wonderful.

Nachteile

I would like the relationship links easier to use. Many of our staff do not create families as it is a further page a bit more cumbersome than other programs that we use, such as Link2Feed.

Vorteile

It's a good product overall. You can customize it to do what you need it to do. It takes awhile to get set up and going, but once everyone in your organization has been trained you should be clear sailing.

Nachteile

PCI Compliance isn't included which means each nonprofit is responsible for keeping up with PCI Compliance. This has been a nightmare for one organization I work with.

Vorteile

A great way to manage show attendees, we like that we can track who has donated and who has seen performances and what dates; contact types are very useful, as is the search builder function.

Nachteile

Very difficult and time consuming to upload batch information, especially if we do it infrequently enough that we need to relearn each time. Not intuitive in that way, annoying that you have to go through and have events set up first before you can attach an email or campaign to them - not very flexible in that way and requires you to always remember how the system works and the multiple steps involved with each new data capture.

Vorteile

That we were able to combine both our client management system and donor system into one where before it was two different softwares. Also the reporting in sumac is so much more advanced

Nachteile

That you can not upload actual scanned documents only a link to where the document is stored. This is disappointing as we now must continue to store hard copy files when we were hoping to eliminate them.