iMIS Software

It definitely increased my knowledge for creating and revised Crystal Reports.

Pros

I like the flexibility of the system to be able to add customized reports for other users to access.

Cons

Desktop version is not so user friendly for the not so frequent user. I'm excited about the web based version and hoping that more staff will get on board and use it.

Pros

We appreciate that is more robust than our previous system allowing to capture and track additional important data points, as well as keep relationships that we could not keep prior to switching. Although we are not a typical association, we've been able to adapt the system easily for our needs.

Cons

We find that the documentation available can be slight and it feels sometimes like the user end was not considered when doing upgrades. The transition to the staff site has also been difficult as all labels and naming have changed.

Pros

the ability to make it conform to how my organization needs to use it. it is flexible enough to handle almost anything we need.

Cons

learning the new features or potential for areas of improvement seems hard. to make updates to how data is stored, you really need to have an AiSP unless you are very skilled or confident in SQL.

Pros

Extremely customizable software solution with hundreds of data fields and related tables. The user support network is friendly and very welcoming. The National user group offers extensive training options. The reseller network is robust. Once you figure out your standard operating procedures, it works very well. There are a lot of standard web site templates and integrating the database to websites gives the ability to provide very highly unique experiences to highly segmented audiences.

Cons

Requires advanced knowledge of databases and SQL reporting. Be prepared to have consultants do much of the maintenance work. To get the web sites working very well, requires knowledge of a proprietary CMS. Finding job candidates with experience using the software can be a challenge and training costs will be higher for that.

Pros

I feel it is fairly easy to use and flexible. It allows us to have a lot of options for reporting and tracking

Cons

I don't have a dislike for this system. I enjoy using it and recommend this service to everyone. It is good to have.

Pros

The database is easy to update, the information can be exported for sorting and filtering, and the optional features (duplicate merge) make my job much easier.

Cons

It is difficult to know from which department to seek help, when having technical issues. But when you get the right person, they are very knowledgeable.

Ease of event setup and communication w/ event registrants, Association member management and communication; ease of updating website.

Pros

Being able to update website fairly easily. Having capability to communicate directly w/ event registrants. Being able to export reports more easily.

Cons

Depending on modules you are subscribed too, some functionality seems to be limited. Understanding queries and how to set those up; understanding event setup.

The dashboards are very handy giving a quick visual of what is happening and what needs attention.

Pros

I like setting up events and assisting members with credentials. I seldom get phone calls or emails for assistance because the website is very user friendly and members can register for events from any devise they have.

Cons

I'm a report person and would run lots of them. Using dashboards to get my reporting was my least favorite but it is getting easier and actually saves paper. There are also IQA's to get more specific reporting.

Pros

The ease of use! The functionality! The options! There is so much to iMIS that can be utilized by organizations that will make every day operations easy and beneficial.

Cons

I would only say that a con to the software is that some of the modules aren't included in the out of the box software.

Pros

The software allows is to maintain membership demographic information and organize the data in a way where staff have access to the information they need. Being able to create IQA for some of the requests has been most helpful.

Cons

While I understand everything off the the shelf isn't for every organization, more times than not, we've had to customize or build something totally out of iMIS to fulfill our needs. (i.e. our mandatory CLE tracking for each state is different. There's no flexibility in the iMIS CEU tracking for us to be able to do this in iMIS)

Pros

Integration with our business processes, the functionality and flexibility of RiSE, third party integrated solutions, and hosted option.

Pros

Ease of membership/ dues/ event registration and all the functionality associated with a member centric organization.

Cons

RiSE support is not the best. The change from desktop iMIS to RiSE based s/w has been a challenge for the whole organization

Pros

The flexibility means that any business requirement can be met. The ease of development and deployment means that projects can be done relatively quickly.

Cons

Technical support can be improved. Sometimes it takes very long for tickets to be addressed. And the time differences adds to this frustration.

Pros

The front end user have option either on the desktop or the web. I enjoy working with the extra tables and looking forward to start reporting in MS SSRS service.

Cons

New User Credentials tab for the login security, we are having to many issues with it and the can no one help use. The logon does not change if the email is updated in the profile. It is very messy.

a central EMS that all stakeholders are involved with.

Pros

Tailored to the needs of associations. Its more about adapting it to our association rather than starting from scratch.

Cons

Reliance on third-party service providers to implement the larger changes is a little frustrating as they need a certain level of knowledge to understand what the changes are. It's these extra billable hours that really add up.

Ability to view individual member activity

Pros

The ability to view a member account and seeing the different activity, i.e. how long they have been a member and products they have purchased

Cons

Upgrade to the new platform. But with any software upgrade, there is always a learning curve that sets you back.

Pros

Imis has evolved from a standard database to a full EMS system. We can track data from the website, we can have our members pay dues online and update their profiles,

Cons

If you don't have an experience imis person on site, consulting fees can be expensive. Especially when you have to do an upgrade or SQL work.

Pros

Everything in one place - events, member profiles, website; all linked into one. Managing our website is very easy when using the tools given.

Cons

It's easy to make a mistake, but with proper training, runs smoothly. Imis Rise is lacking features that would be very beneficial (document manager icon, for example).

It was a powerful tool but I have found comparable solutions for a lot less expense than iMIS. With a small staff, it is hard to expend the kind of money you'd need for iMIS.

Pros

Easy to use. Powerful. Did most everything we needed it to do. I was the power user in the office for 10 years. If you know SQL queries, you'll be able to run a lot of custom reports to fit your business needs. After moving to another non-profit, I found that there were less expensive solutions which were comparable or better. No need to spend a lot of money to get what you need for your businesses database and website solutions.

Cons

Needed lots of customization for our use. At the time, was not a database/web platform. I believe it is now with the RISE platform.

I have been using iMIS at work for many years, and I find it is a decent software that has most of the features and functionalities that are required for a Not-for-profit Association. However, I am always hoping to see new improvements on the features and functionalities.

Pros

It has a desktop (offline) version as well as a browser (online) version so that I can access wherever I go.

Cons

It is not smart enough to perform the duties that I wish it would do. A lot of the features and functionalities need to be paid for in order to receive the additional upgrades.

Advice to Others

There are so many version upgrades every now and then, it is so difficult to catch up with the latest software version. It requires too much money.