The SmartSimple Blog

There’s a lot of talk about process automation - why? Process automation drives the success of every organization by ensuring the constant movement of workflow. It’s part of your everyday whether you realize it or not. Take your pay stub - the entire process of working out your salary, calculating tax deductions, adding benefits and direct debiting your pay into your account - is process automation hard at work.   So why is the granting sector still relying on Post-it notes and spreadsheets to track funding calls and payment schedules? First, let's back up and explain what we mean by 'business process’ . Every organization is driven by processes - even grantmaking. You may not use the term ‘process’, but look close enough and you’ll find a set of processes in everything you do - just think of how you manage grant applications. The question is - are your processes automated - and should they be?   Why should grantmakers care? Repetitive, manual tasks...

How do you know you’ve been making a difference with your granting initiatives? That’s what every grantmaker is asking or being asked by their donors, funders and boards. While it’s important to know what you’ve accomplished, it’s even more important to have a solid understanding of how to gather, organize, analyze and share data, in order to ensure your granting activities achieve impactful, measurable results; this is where predictive analytics comes into play. Predictive analytics uses your data to paint a picture of what is likely to happen in the future. This gives you the insight to make better, more informed decisions; increasing your ability to create positive change. Large corporations, retail chains, marketing companies and even sports franchises have been using this process to successfully forecast outcomes for decades, and it can be an invaluable tool for grantmakers. Any successful predictive analytics program starts with 5 key steps: 1. Develop a B...

We’ve got a total of 47 new features and enhancements for our October 2016 Upgrade. That’s 47 more ways we’re continuing to prove our commitment to our clients’ needs. Of note, we’ve streamlined reporting, created a more intuitive user interface for Arcadia X , and introduced new beta features to strengthen the platform for you and your users. Reporting Features Enhanced Neo Report Builder Creating impactful reports is always a challenge, so we continue to add functionality to our Neo Report Builder tool, working to make the process as painless as possible. We’ve expanded the number of data sets and fields available based on your reporting requirements. You can now include data for user and company event activities, notes, and status name for an increased range of options. In-Line Data Grid This new field type will give you the ability to build an Excel-style grid directly on the page you’re working on without having to open a second window. This is ideal for...

You’re a grants manager with a small team. You only handle a few grant programs a year and your application and processing requirements are pretty basic and straightforward. You’ve been using a mix of emails, spreadsheets and paper files to keep track of everything. It’s not an ideal solution, and since you’ve been thinking about expanding your program, you’re concerned that this current set-up won’t be able to handle a more complex granting process. Fortunately, SmartSimple has introduced a new grants management product – GMS Essentials – that’s designed specifically for organizations that want to expand their granting activities. Whether that means adding more programs or introducing more complex application processes, GMS Essentials will provide the added features and functionality to manage your applications, tracking, reporting and awards processes in one centralized location. Why is GMS Essentials the best choice for a growing organization? Here are six key reason...

SmartSimple is ecstatic to announce that we will be demonstrating our grants management system, GMS360°, through Idealware's new  Private Foundations Grants Management Toolkit   webinar series. As one of the highly-rated companies reviewed in Idealware's Consumers Guide to Grants Management Systems , Our interactive demonstration will be held on  April 30, 2014 from  1-2 pm EST . Please visit Idealware to register today! Through this interactive webinar, we aim to give audiences a better understanding of the features and functionality of GMS360°. We'll cover the entire grants lifecycle as viewed within our system, from the initial application stage to post-award processes and everything in between. The Private Foundations Grants Management Toolkit initiative from Idealware serves grantmakers as a comprehensive overview of grants management systems. Grantmakers of all types are encouraged to register, explore, and evaluate which options provide the best...

The SmartSimple FAQ series will highlight answers to some of our most frequently asked questions surrounding our 360 °  software suite. Keep checking back on our blog for new entries! This FAQ addresses questions concerning SmartSimple's GMS360°  grants management system : Can we bring in historical data from our existing system? Yes, we have multiple easy-to-use methods available to import historic data . For MicroEdge GIFTS™ users, we have a fully automated process to manage the transfer. Can the system integrate with (and look like) our existing website? Absolutely. Your branding will be applied to all parts of the system including login and registration pages, as well as reports. Will we be able to change system settings (such as data fields, program coding and application forms)? Yes, all system settings are accessible and under your control. Can soft copy documents be stored within the system and retrieved via keyword searches? Yes, all documents stored in...

SmartSimple is proud to announce that American Express Foundation’s President and head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Timothy McClimon, has received recognition as one of the Top 100 Leaders in Trustworthy Business . You can read the full Top 100 list by Trust Across America here . American Express Foundation utilizes SmartSimple's GMS360 ° as their grants management system . GMS360 ° manages the full life cycle of American Express' giving program, from applications to post-award processes. Be sure to follow Timothy McClimon on Twitter ( @timmclimon ) for daily updates on American Express and the latest CSR trends. About American Express Foundation American Express supports hundreds of non-profit organizations each year through its foundation and corporate giving activities. Grants are made under the Historic Preservation, Leadership and Community Service themes that reflect their company values and complement their business priorities. Visit the American Exp...

You might have noticed that all of SmartSimple's software suites are named 360°. Why, you ask? We want to provide you, our clients, with a software solution that provides a full, holistic view of the relationships and processes that matter to your organization. Contact relationship management (CRM) is an essential component of SmartSimple. Contacts can be internal, external, and adjusted to reflect their most current status (e.g. a new employer). You can create an unlimited number of relationship types as well. Everything you need to track is done as a result of your contact’s interaction with the system. For instance, once an applicant uploads a financial statement, report, or meeting minutes to your system, you can easily identify those who belong to a given organization, and those who are associated with it. The image below displays the applicant and organization attached to a sample grant application: By clicking on the applicant's name, you’ll be directed to t...

Between attending the annual conferences for the Grants Managers Network and The Association of Corporate Contributions Professionals  in March, SmartSimple has been busy. Guess what? We're about to get busier. We're happy to announce that we'll be exhibiting the Council on Foundations (COF) Annual Conference from April 7-9, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois . The COF’s Annual Conference offers an exciting opportunity to discuss all the hottest issues surrounding philanthropy, sustainable impact, and corporate giving. Through hosted sessions, you'll be able to collaborate with industry peers and veterans alike regarding these pressing topics. SmartSimple will be showcasing  GMS360° , our intuitive grants management software solution. Drop by our booth to find out how SmartSimple will benefit your organization, or email sales@smartsimple.com to schedule a one-on-one session. To learn more about GMS360° , please visit our website . Visit the  Council on Found...