Frequently asked questions

There are two categories of data to consider:

1. "Demographic" data such as name, address, phones, e-mail addresses, etc.
2. The information regarding your past donations, memberships, volunteers, etc.

CharityMaster can import the "demographic" data regarding your existing donors, clients, etc. Your data has to be in Excel or 'csv' (comma separated values) format. You can read our guide: Importing data into CharityMaster

Your historical data about donations, attendance at events, etc. can be in such a wide variety of formats that we will have to do it for you. Typically this will cost you only a few hundred dollars.

CharityMaster meets all Canadian and US government standards. We will implement whatever is necessary to have CharityMaster meet all government requirements of other countries.

Sorry but no.

If you need something that we think will benefit all of our users, we will add it to the system for free! How is that for support? Otherwise our low development rate will ensure that you get exactly what you require.

Yes we do. We know it's really hard to get started - we've been there! We offer a LITE version that is limited to 500 names in your database. See our product pricing page for details.

While many inexpensive software packages have a limit, CharityMaster has none. Since it is built on an MS Access database, experts suggest there is a practical upper limit of 10,000 - 12,000 names.

Most new users say that using CharityMaster is so easy, they don't really need any training. However, we know that nothing is ever that easy.

In addition to the extensive on-line help system with over 300 screens of detailed step by step instructions, we offer a one hour web seminar after you buy and an extensive and growing list of tutorials that you can download at any time.

And we love answering your questions over the phone.

No. We don't believe that web based systems properly serve the smaller members of the not-for-profit sector. However, we have partnered with a hosting company that can host both CharityMaster and QuickBooks. This gives you all the benefits of a web based solution at a much lower cost. Click HERE for details.

When considering a web based system, you should think of the following:

• Who controls your data? If you decide not to renew your contract, can you get your data back easily and will it be in a form that you can import into another vendor's software? (By the way, having heard many horror stories, we strongly recommend that, if you sign up with a web based system, that you download all of your data at least once a month.)
• What safeguards you from significant price increases? You can buy a perpetual license for CharityMaster and so there is no such thing as a price increase.
• If you are a Canadian charity, the Canada Revenue Agency requires that your accounting records be stored in Canada. Ask the big guys where your data will be stored?
• Will the vendors of the web based system make the customizations you require - at no charge?

Some of the major software suppliers to the non-profit sector charge $1,500 per year or more for hosting between 1,000 and 5,000 names. Compare that to CharityMaster's one time cost.

There are a variety of ways you can do this even though CharityMaster is a desktop application without a web interface. See Data Access or read our more detailed guidance: Accessing_CharityMaster_from_another_location.pdf

Yes. To do this, the QuickBooks program must be on a computer that is connected to the web.

The QuickBooks Connector that is provided with CharityMaster must be installed on the same computer as the bookkeeper's QuickBooks program.  CharityMaster will then connect over a VPN (Virtual Private Network) with the QuickBooks Connector which will, in turn, connect with the QuickBooks company file that contains your data.

CharityMaster can make all of the QuickBooks entries including bank account deposits and extensive reports will allow you to provide all required information to your bookkeeper.

At this time, CharityMaster has no web interfaces. We can work with your web site developer to download a file from your web site and import it into CharityMaster.

When you buy or subscribe to CharityMaster, you can install it on as many computers as you like. The only limitation is that you cannot have more than 5 concurrent users sharing your single database.

Yes. QuickBooks classes are like "departments." For example: you can set up QuickBooks to produce separate reports for each of "fundraising", "annual gala" and "operations."

No

Yes. However, the 32-bit version of Microsoft Office Word must be installed.

CharityMaster has a feature called "scheduled donations" that makes it super simple to handle these payments. Have a look at the "Scheduled donations" tutorial.