How To Upgrade From Your Old Time Tracking System
If You Do It Right, Enjoy These Benefits
Cost Savings
If you were paying for an old database or a custom system, you are likely to save money moving forward, especially with Track It Forward!
Increase Tracked Time
With a simpler and easier system, including one that can sync up with event calendars and check-in processes, more hours will be tracked.
Time Saved
With a new system tailored to today's technological behaviors, volunteers and organizers alike will save time pulling reports and inputting data.
Common Pitfalls To Avoid
Data Import Issues
Make sure you are importing your old data into the new system, you want to have all the data in one location - the new time tracking system can hold it all.
Volunteer Adaptation
Take your volunteers into your mindset and let them know how much more beneficial Track It Forward will be for them, so they are motivated.
Set-Up Fails
Remember your new system will be different than your old one- that’s the point! Be sure you set up the system to make reports how you want.
Follow These Steps to Upgrade Seamlessly
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Ensure Functionality
Make sure Track it Forward is able to do the most functional parts of your existing time tracking system. Compare how you think Track It Forward will do them better. If you absolutely need that functionality, but you can’t see how we have it - please contact us to see if we have a good workaround! -
Explore New Functions
When you upgrade to a new system like Track It Forward, you will be exposed to new features. See if these features are useful to you or not. You should never feel forced to use features from a system - only the ones that will work for your workflow! -
Practice Importing Your Data
If you need the hours or users imported, you can import them into Track it Forward with an easy copy and paste from a spreadsheet. During our import process, we have a validation step to make sure the data is coming over correctly. You should be able to convert all of your data over to the new system. Be sure to talk to support or read help articles for more information about your importing methods. -
Train the Administrative Staff
The administrative staff probably has existing processes that they do on a weekly or monthly basis. Identify all their process and make sure you work with them to make sure they can still achieve that. Track It Forward allows for multiple administrators. With your upgraded system, you can give administrators specific access to go with their processes. -
Onboard Your Volunteers
There are a few different ways you can onboard your current volunteers - all require them to set up their login and password. Let them know that this is the start of the new time tracking system that you will be using and make sure they get set up. Encourage them to play around with the system. -
Create an Online Reference to Train the New Volunteers
The new system may be easier than your old one, but you still have to create a guide when your volunteers forget. For example, side by side diagrams of how they used to do it with how they should be doing it now is extremely useful. Track It Forward has a multitude of help library articles, support videos, and guides that you can use or work from. -
Shut Down Your Old System
There are always those volunteers who don’t read any of the documentation. For those individuals shut down the old system to prevent confusion and make sure there are clear instructions on what they should now do. -
Cut Over Day
Select a day to shut down the old system, import the new data, and tell volunteers how and where to log their hours on Track it Forward. Make sure this is on a pretty normal day/week - not something that is a super important day where you pull reports or something like that. Give volunteers time before pulling essential data from the new system. -
Continue Encouraging, Using, and Updating Track It Forward Functionality
Make sure you are monitoring your volunteers over their first few months of using the system. Contact support if you run into any problems! As you get more used to your new Track It Forward time tracking system, you may want to upgrade to new features. Keep your eyes peeled for features that appeal to your organization!