3 Real Dangers of Tracking Your Non-Profit with a Free Inventory Database

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As a non-profit, you need to make the most of the money you have. It can be incredibly tempting to use a free inventory database to track all of the donations and assets you have on hand. However, there are many dangers in doing so, and you are severely at risk of losing more money than you save by relying on free software. Your information isn't secure, and you won't be able to customize your platform.

There are plenty of problems which can pop up when you use free inventory software for your organization. Here's why:

Free Software Isn't Customizable


With almost any free software, what you see is what you get. If you can't find a feature you need in order to track your unique assets, there's no guarantee you'll be able to record that information. Depending on what type of data you need to store, this could cause more problems than it solves.

 

"Many paid inventory tracking software programs come with encryption and other protections to make sure your company data is protected and doesn't end up in the hands of someone who could abuse it."



 

Free Inventory Databases Don't Have Customer Service


What happens if you come across a problem when you're trying to upload or change information? If you're using a piece of free database software, you're on your own. Because many of these free programs are created by a developer or a number of programmers in their spare time, there likely isn't anyone available to help you if you encounter any bugs or problems with your software.

Free Inventory Software Isn't Always Secure


Your donors rely on you to keep their information secure. If you choose to use a free inventory database in order to keep track of their information, you could be putting their information at risk. Many paid inventory tracking software programs come with encryption and other protections to make sure your company data is protected and doesn't end up in the hands of someone who could abuse it. With free versions of that software, there's no such guarantee.

Asset Panda understands that as a non-profit, you don't have the same assets that many for-profit companies rely on. You have to make the most of what you have. Our platform is designed to help you do exactly that. We created our database to be flexible, so you can customize it in a way that works best for your organization. We've also trained a team of customer service agents to help you with any problem you might come across. Whether you can't get a feature to act the way you want, or you've come across a bug, we're here to help you figure it out. You shouldn't be left in the dark when it comes to getting your software to work.

And when it comes to security, our cloud-based, encrypted platform is designed to keep your information safe and secure. We understand you need to protect your information just as much as any other company. You won't have to worry about your donor's data going anywhere it shouldn't.

One of our non-profit clients uses Asset Panda to track their meal delivery program. Before using our platform, their drivers would be trying to remember where the coolers they had used to deliver their meals were located. Asset Panda helped them create custom actions so that management would know exactly when drivers picked up or dropped off a cooler. Drivers would then be notified when they needed to pick up coolers and take them back to the office.

If you want to avoid the pitfalls of a free inventory database, check out our 14-day trial and see if Asset Panda is a fit for you!

 
By:

Bree Brouwer

Bree has held plenty of media- and marketing-related jobs over the years now, like working as a PR and marketing assistant to a Hollywood screenwriting coach, and writing content for three different digital marketing agencies.

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