Software Transition
From CMS to ServWare:
Frequently Asked Questions
As announced in our May Town Hall, St. Vincent de Paul USA has adopted ServWare as the recommended national case management solution. The Georgia Council office has developed a task force to analyze the variances between CMS and ServWare and discern the advantages of migrating to what will be the national standard. Please see our responses below to Frequently Asked Questions regarding this initiative.
Q: What is ServWare?
ServWare is a web-based case management system recommended by SVDP USA as the national software solution. It is designed to help conferences track client information, manage assistance requests, generate reports, and track special works of the conference including Pantry Workflow, Thrift Store Vouchers, and Donor Relations.
Q: Why does the SVDP National Council recommend a common case management system?
The National Technology Task Force recommended to the Board of Directors that the Society migrate toward a common, nationwide system. The goals of a common system are real-time data aggregation regarding our impact, aggregation of membership data, economies of scale to drive a nationally-backed technology roadmap, and standardized and optimized processes.
Q: Why did the SVdP Technology Task Force recommend adoption of ServWare?
ServWare was recommended based on several factors: (1) ServWare is the most widely used system across the country, with an estimated 70% market share of Conferences that are using a case management system. Approximately 1,500 Conferences currently use ServWare; (2) Based on national survey results, there is very high customer satisfaction with ServWare; (3) ServWare was created by Vincentians for Vincentians, and the company is solely dedicated to the Vincentian mission; (4) ServWare offers additional functionality compared to other systems in use, including Spanish Language, optimized cell phone/tablet adaptability, and donor management, and will soon have integration with the SVDP USA’s recommended thrift store software.
Q: How does ServWare compare to CMS?
ServWare and CMS are both case management systems developed specifically for St. Vincent de Paul, and each system had been in use for more than 10 years. They both provide the functionality needed to manage services to our Neighbors in need, but are designed with different features. Our SVDP Georgia task force is evaluating all of the differences in how the systems operate. This team is led by our Resource Analyst, Gabriel Gillott, along with the Council’s Board Technology Committee, Knowledge Sharing Committee members and other seasoned Vincentian users, including current and retired technology professionals. The role of our task force is to ensure we have the needed functionality as well as the potential to evolve system features to meet our growing needs.
Q: Is there a transition timeline for Conferences to adopt ServWare?
We anticipate the analysis to be complete by the end of July, and it will be reviewed with the National Technology Committee at the National Assembly in August. From there, we will determine what would be involved in a transition, including migration of historical data, and what an implementation timeline will be.
Q: Is the task force team evaluating ServWare from the vantage point of daily conference work?
Yes. Our team of beta-testers are actively working in the ServWare test environment, which mimics a conference-level database. The testers can move from screen to screen, inputting data and evaluating the system from the vantage point of various roles, including intake, casework, treasurer, data administrator, etc.
Q: Will we have ample notice before a transition takes place?
Yes. When we are ready to migrate, rest assured of our commitment to a smooth database transition, accompanied by technical and operational best practices training.
