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Author Topic: Expert to set-up?  (Read 2043 times)

Hilary_ALH

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Expert to set-up?
June 19, 2013, 11:55:29 am
How many people have used an outside expert to set up their new CiviCRM database? I'm wondering if it's worth the high consultation cost to have someone help me set up the system or if it's possible to work through it myself. We have a volunteer who got our WordPress site up and running (and I'm able to edit and add content) so he can help with that facet, but is it best to get someone who really knows what they're doing or can I just import from Access and add the custom fields I need? Thanks!

JonGold

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Re: Expert to set-up?
June 19, 2013, 12:01:44 pm
Hi Hilary,

I'm the wrong person to answer this, since I'm one of those professionals - but I can help sharpen the question.

It's a difficult question to answer because of the unknowns.  First, of course, is your own technical savvy - if this is the sort of thing you've done before, that's a huge help.  But also, folks use CiviCRM in wildly different ways.  If you think your needs will be served well out of the box, you may be able to get it running yourself.  On the other hand, if you need any customizations that aren't straightforward out of the box - API work, hooks, integration, etc. - you may find a professional to be more helpful.

I'd say that CiviCRM can have a difficult learning curve if you haven't used a CRM before - I've been implementing it for three years and still only consider myself an intermediate!  However, if you've used CiviCRM elsewhere, and you basically know what it's supposed to look like, you may be able to try it.  I would definitely recommend reading the book first, and testing on a server that's not your live website so you don't break anything crucial!
Sign up to StackExchange and get free expert CiviCRM advice: https://civicrm.org/blogs/colemanw/get-exclusive-access-free-expert-help

Coleman Watts

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Re: Expert to set-up?
June 19, 2013, 12:14:12 pm
Setting up your first ever CRM database is an excellent opportunity to screw things up. You'll be making important design decisions and then living with the consequences for years to come.
I did it myself the first time and didn't break things too badly, but here's what I did (or should have done) that I recommend:
- Read the book
- Read the forums, ask lots of questions (always search before asking)
- Set up your database, feel free to make lots of mistakes
- Throw it away
- Do it again for real this time. Now it's your second time, not your first :)
Try asking your question on the new CiviCRM help site.
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  • CiviCRM Community Forums (archive) »
  • Old sections (read-only, deprecated) »
  • Support »
  • Pre-installation Questions (Moderator: Dave Greenberg) »
  • Expert to set-up?

This forum was archived on 2017-11-26.