Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

Hi All,

Working on building a database for our newly formed club. What do ya'll use?
Figured why re-invent the wheel....
Looking for an Access Database or Excel Spreadsheet for maintaining club roster of paid/non-paid members and basic information (name, address, phone, AMA# and such).

Thanks!
CrazyHerb
VP Gold Country Aeromodelers

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

Way to go, Herb.

Databases is what I do, so I'll tell you how I decide whether I'd be serving somebody or just adding cost to their project when they want a database...

The biggest thing to say for a database is that it lets you handle searching and handling things in different ways -- like looking up information by different aspects of the information. For instance, if you needed to be able to retreive people by name (for obvious uses) AND by radio channel (for planning contests or something) AND by areas of expertise (that they can help new guys with) or by other things like that (where multiple members might be grouped together by some common characteristic), then a database is a good tool.

Otherwise, like if you just want to list members' info or print it out for a mailing list, you won't really get any benefit from a database, but you'll probably have to put up with it being more complicated than a simple spreadsheet (or table in a word processor).

I'd like to know what other clubs are doing, too... if a database is really a good idea and there's not one free, we could certaily put one together.

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

I just use Word Database with fields for first name, last name, street address, city, state, zip, phone#, email, AMA#, AMA pd. for year, local dues paid for year. No big deal--except trying to keep it current! :D Dzl

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

I have an access DB with a form that looks like the club membership application.

I can email a copy if you would like.

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

Use a spreadsheet. What are you going to have? 50 members?

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

I developed an Access database about 5 years ago just for this purpose. I was secretary of our club at that time. I started with just fields for personal information but have gone on to include niceties such as radio frequencies, email addresses, etc. I developed forms for all the input and reports for all the output.

When one of the other members took over as secretary, I turned over the database to him and even though he is not a computer guru, he had no trouble using the database. I am sure that there are other things for which the database could be used but for our small club, it is ideal.

I would be glad to email a copy of the database to anyone who has a need for it. It was done in Access 97 but I can easily convert it to Access 2000.

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

Howard,

I would appreciate a copy in Access 2000 format. Please send to [email protected]

Thanks,

Troy.

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

I use a simple excel spreadsheet that lives on our website and is used to create several "lists" (Member list, frequency chart...).

You can check it out here: http://www.rowlinson.ca/mjrc/

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

Herb,
For several years I used MS Access to keep up our club's database. At work I had quite a bit of experience using Access so this was no big deal. Access can produce all kinds of customized reports, so once you develop them it is a piece of cake.

On the negative side, if you have not used Access or something similar, the learning curve can be nasty. Not a cheap program, either. One of the issues to analyze is that when you pass on this function to someone else out in the future, what are they going to use? If they are going to use some other program, you can always export data out of Access in many formats, e.g. Excel, delimited text, etc.

Something I have wondered is if any one has developed an original program tailored specifically for RC clubs. It would probably be a real parallel to the many different database programs devised for churches.

Roster Software
 

I found a Roster program about a year ago, but after a computer crash, I lost it. I have just found it again. I am not associated with this company, or get any kickback, just spreading the word about a really good Roster software program. Free to Download, and if you want the registerd version, it is only $15. You can find it at this link, http://www.app-com-tech.com/index.htm look to the right middle where you will see club roster download. It works great. :p

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

I would say if you dont have that many people just use Word or Excel (my choice)
Also, throw a column in there for freq so everyone has an idea of who is on what channels. That is info I like to have when it's time to buy a new radio.

software
 

Thats what I am using now, but our club is 110 and growing. :p

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

ouch 100+ people and it's hard to buy an open freq crystal. Thats what I like about my club, only 25 of the nicest people you could meet.

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

We have about 100 members in our club and I use Excel to keep them in order.

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

Just remember, keep backups of whatever you use. Keep them on CD's or whatever because it only takes a nano-second and it's all gone.

I'm also a programmer and I agree with the "keep it simple stupid" attitude. Access is a good tool but may be overkill and end up costing you more time. I use a simple quoting method when a client "NEEDS" a database. One year and 1 million dollars to start with. Ok just kidding. But it does add a lot of time and cost to handling data.
Ok off the soap box!

Bill

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

I use Filemaker Pro. I know all the database gurus probably would turn there noses at this one. But I like things simple and it is about as simple as it gets as well as being very powerful. I need to get the data exported for various things and into a number of applications. I do the club's newsletter, so I have to have the names and addresses flow into the stamps.com program to print the postage. I send out a club phone book so I need all the info to export into Pagemaker and I maintain a frequency saturation chart in Excel that I keep posted in our pin box.

The big plus with Filemaker is the very simple searching capabilities. If I need to email the club members and simply ask it for all members with an email address, click one button, it opens up a new message to be sent. I originally tried with access, but it was just too cumbersome.

Club Roster Database or Spreadsheet?
 

Excel and Word have been great in managing club affairs. I have been both secretary and newsletter editor and Office was by far the easiest to use. I back up on CD.

AMA will send your club a spreadsheet with the clubs status and information on all your members. Over the past couple of years, AMA has made some mistakes in addresses and membership status, and your spreadsheet is fundamental in getting those types of errors corrected.

If our club buys land and incorporates, then I will probably move to Quicken or another type of business management software since we will have much more tax and financial transaction data to manage.