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Noted Suppliers

This selection is not definitive, but generally we have seen their products in action or heard good reports. They should still be checked out properly by you.

• Enterprise MRM (Membership Relationship Manager) links to Sage or Pegasus Accounts. Also Enterprise SCS for small charities. See Intelligent Solutions.

• Blackbaud Raiser's Edge for Windows Concentrates on fundraising. Now also own AppealMaster (produced by ngc4it) which is widely used in small to medium size organisations for fundraising, alumni management, membership and general contact management; can be accessed over the internet or standard telephone lines, works alongside Microsoft Office (it is based on Access). The European company is wholly owned by Blackbaud Inc, of the US. Single user version £5,000 (Dec 00). Phone 0141 575 0100, email: sales@BBEurope.co.uk

• Computercraft FirstPoint More of a contact manager, but Computercraft have been developing databases for the voluntary sector for 20 years, and RNID use it for their call centre. Off-the-shelf extensions cover Grant Management, Course Bookings and Subscriptions Management, amongst other tasks. Intelligent Solutions were favouring this over Accounting Answers (qv) when last we talked, bringing their expertise on working with smaller Sage clients. Phone 020 7284 6980, email: enquiry@computercraft.co.uk

• contactLINK from ITsorted, a "low cost database designed and priced specifically for voluntary organisations", launched 2006. The people behind it have extensive experience in the charity sector. Advanced version can handle events and membership. (Based on MS Access.)

• iFinity (was Fisher Technology) Supply the iMIS* range of products (and integrate it with Sage, Access acs, Sun etc), over 2750 systems installed, Windows and Mac, starting at £1225 per product. Plus VCGenius content managed web site integrates with a wide variety of membership systems including iMIS. Phone 08712 880251, email: enquiries@fishtech.net
  *iMIS is an international product from Advanced Solutions International - European office phone 08705 887 700.

• Progress CRM Windows based, can be quite cheap to start with. ProgressAnywhere is their 'over the internet' service. Originally from Fisk-Brett, now part of Advanced Solutions International (ASI).

• Westwood Forster Visual Alms. Definitely the high end of the market, over 200 systems installed. Having started as purely for fundraisers, now handles grant-giving, membership, alumni management. Phone 020 7251 4890, email: info@westwood-forster.co.uk

• Ebase FREE 'An integrated database template for non profits that want to manage interactive communications with their donors, members and citizen activists'. Developed in the US with various American funding for registered US and Canadian non-profits. Based on FileMakerPro database which runs on Windows PC or Apple Mac systems. You may well want to check out what the position is on using non-American format postcodes and phone numbers, and you may need to live with dollars and funny dates too. They have introduced pay-for support.

• KISS Contacts Based on MS Access, up to version 1.5 when we reviewed (Dec 00). Simple to use and cheap. Restrictions to selection and reporting are the flipside of this, but will be more than adequate for many small to medium organisations. Version 2.9 (at spring 2006) has extended the reporting, added Gift Aid, Direct Debits and Standing Orders as well as facilities to print badges and send emails. £100 plus VAT. Email: sales@kissoftwaresolutions.com

Web-based systems

Note: This section was set up when web features in membership systems were rare. It is now common that there is some element of over-the-net functionality in packages. However, those in this section are aimed entirely at use over the internet or an intranet.

Kingston Smith Association Management are offering hosted software (ASP) to outsource membership organisations' data management (and communication) needs, including membership database. Contact Paul Neale, phone 01727 896030, email: pneale@kingstonsmith.co.uk

ActivityForum is a web-based service that helps clubs, societies and social groups to list their memberships and run events. The same company also has a community trading system, Agoria.

Assimilate from Ramesys (see entry below). A web-based 'knowledge management' solution (where knowledge means info about members interests and requirements) to deliver appropriate online info.

Portal Plus from Anglo-Europe (now 3-Si) works with their Association Plus software to provide various internet services - broadcasts, targeted email newsletters etc. See their entry below.

webALUMNUS hosted solution now appears to be focusing on the educational sector. From WCBS.

Also see the Web or Internet Based Services pages for developments in this area, some of which are cheap or even free.

Other Suppliers

Alphagen Tailor the Epicor CRM software for charity use, such as Sense, Leonard Cheshire Foundation. Phone 020 7284 8400, email: sales@alphagen.co.uk

3Si Open Market manages member details at an individual and organisational level. Subscriptions, Events, Product sales. Can be web enabled and tailored to specific organisation needs. Phone 01782 713409, email: sales@3-si.com

APT Solutions Stratum Contact Administration Designed for associations, charities, clubs, institutions, trades unions; runs on Windows NT or UNIX. Facilities include Contact Management, Subscription processing, Covenants, Legacies, Campaign Management, Conferences & Events, Examinations, CPD, Help Desk, Merchandising, Directory Publishing. Managing over 8 million contact records (at spring 07). Phone 01952 214000, email: sales@aptsolutions.com

Ariadne Computer Systems Acquired by Miller Technology, April 2007. Customers for their membership system (AMS) include CAMRA, Royal College of Physicians, trade unions and friendly societies. Modules include membership, subscriptions, committees, events & venues; integrates with Microsoft Office and Exchange, uses SQL Server. Phone 01223 263243, email: mail@ariadnesystems.com

Avant-Garde Proclaim - as website now gone (forwards to Sys-Care) this software presumably no longer available. A donor and contact administration system, used by over 40 charities. From £750 for a single user (Lite version allows 10,000 records), developed with MS Access. Phone 020 8408 1590.

Care Management Systems, a division of CMAC Computer Systems, produce DonorFlex, which is mainly a fundraising tool. Phone 0121 458 7887, email: donorflex@care-data.co.uk

Centrepoint Computer Services (site requires cookies) The Membership Management System, part of the Target range, manages details of members, supporters, and donors including financial subscriptions/donations. Has events and publications management modules too. Phone 020 8390 8899, email: info@centrepoint.uk.com

Data Developments 'for church and charities'. Membership Co-ordinator (£129 at spring 2013).

Dataware Consultancy Centre Subscriber.NET (developed in MS.NET technologies) includes member/contact management, events, fundraising and gift aid, volunteer management, BACS processing. Linked to MS Office. Phone 01375 489820.

Decisions Express The usual membership management competences (look under CMS on the web site), but 'unique replication ability' catering for the needs of regional structures - regional offices can handle new members and get data verified centrally later (very crudely put). Phone 020 8441 9800, email: info@decisions.co.uk

Deverill. SMART is targeted at Institutes, Professional Bodies and Membership Organisations. A modular, flexible, out-of-the-box solution which can be tailored or extended to meet the specific needs of an organisation, and includes modules for contact management, membership, events, training, CPD and recruitment administration, publications. Note: no information about this product seesm to be on the web site at MAr 05, so may be discontinued. Phone 01202 785000, email: sales@deverill.co.uk

Exact Abacus 3EX. Mainly for commercial order processing, but has list/membership management capabilities. Installed software (min 4 users) or ASP (min 50 transactions/week) approach. Phone 01772 455052, email: sales@exact3ex.co.uk

IRIS has taken over/merged with a large number of software companies in this area, including Computer Software Group Their offerings now include:

CARE (was from Care Business Solutions) First membership system was installed in 1987. Used by RSPCA, RSPB, Save the Children (10 user to 1400 user systems, starting at £30,000, summer 04). Also outsourcing services.

Charisma (was from Minerva) Clients include RNLI, Nat Housing Federation, Dogs Trust.

Consensus focused around training course, membership administration and event management, with web-based .NET CRM application.

Integra software, as well as membership, has events, examination and case management options.

Profile Concept Has a particular niche in learned societies and professional bodies, but not limited to this, and specialise in membership systems. Web Access Module allows flexibility on which aspects of central database are web enabled.

JA Computer Solutions Charitease#.

Miller Technology was set up to provide computer systems for the administrative requirements of membership-based organisations in the not-for-profit sector. Based on Oracle databases and online access, with customers handling from 5,000 to 2 million contacts/members. Contact Philip Crouch, Sales Director, phone 020 7843 9724.

Pangaea Consuling supplies systems based round Aptify - membership, events, susbcriptions, fundraising etc.

PowerDev (link problem Jan. 2013) Circle. For the smaller organisation (10,000 members is the suggested maximum). A simpler version of the system (at 2008) is free, can be downloaded from the website and used indefinitely. Interface is better designed than most competing products but we'd need to generate dummy data to find any other differentiating features. Presumably still requires Access 2000 or later. Phone 01923 831 706, email: circle@powerdev.co.uk

ProTech Computer Systems Pro-7 'Designed in conjunction with some of the UKs largest membership associations to handle diverse information management requirements, including membership, contacts, fundraising, marketing, events management.' Phone 01922 722280, email: enquiry@protech.co.uk

Rubicon# Accelerator. Phone 01276 706900, email: sales@rsuk.com

Ramesys Affiliate (previous software: Genesis) Mainly used by professional institutes. Various web-based modules available. Phone 01788 822133.

SDA Software (originally suggested by a VolResource subscriber) provides online leisure management software, which includes sports clubs membership management.

Senior Internet supplies MemberBase, a CRM system specially developed for membership organisations (alternative link).

SystemWise MemberWise Facilities offered are: Membership Records, Subscription Calculation & Collection, Membership Administration, Club Accounting. Phone 0131 339 8304, email: general@systemwise.co.uk

ThankQ Clients include Comic Relief, Concern Worldwide (Ireland). Has a Small Charity Edition? Phone 01509 235544.

Touchstone CRM.

TSG Tribe CRM for membership organisations.

Velum has disappeared into Godeltech, taking all traces of MRS (Membership Relationship System) with it (was RSS/Rivington Street Software/TISL).