This document is meant to be a short starting point for nonprofits to make a decision if Salesforce.com is a good choice for their nonprofit. It will give some introduction to what Salesforce.com does, and the benefits and risks involved in using it.

Link: Is Salesforce.com right for your Nonprofit?

Evan Callahan advises:

Salesforce is so reliable and available, it is easy to forget to back up your data locally. Lately, I’ve was reminded that it is a good idea to back up your Salesforce data from time to time. Salesforce allows administrators to download a complete export up to once a week.

It isn’t that you have to fear for the Salesforce database crashing or being lost. I recommend downloading for a couple reasons:

• It could help if you ever accidentally make unintended changes to data and want to return to an earlier state.
• It could also be helpful in the event that Salesforce or your internet access ever goes “down” at a critical time – you’d have a way to access your data offline.

To download the backup, go to Setup (Administration) | Data Management | Data Export. Click the button – a while later you’ll get an email with a link to download your data file. Save it somewhere safe.

Alternatively, if you use Demand Tools, you can back up to a file as often as you like. I use this to create a copy of the database in a Microsoft Access file.

Link: Backing Up Your Data

Don’t forget the time it takes to learn the technology. Judi Sohn makes great arguments in her article.

Link: Technology is an investment, even when it’s free