The data model used by your association management software (AMS) matters.
As Nimble AMS celebrates its 10th birthday (and 30th product release!), take a look at these 10 reasons Nimble AMS clients love the Person Accounts data model.
If you use (or you’re thinking about moving to) an association management software (AMS) system built on the Salesforce platform, there’s something you should know: You have a choice of data models, and the Person Accounts data model is ideal for associations.
“Data model” might seem like a techy concept that only your IT team needs to know about. But it’s important to understand it at least at a high level because the data model you use can make a big difference for your association.
The difference between Contacts/Accounts and Person Accounts data models
Here’s a little background about Person Accounts: Salesforce offers standard data models. The Salesforce Contacts/Accounts data model aligns with the way most companies work – where activity is related to organizations, not individuals. The Person Accounts model, however, aligns with the way associations and nonprofits work – where activity may be related to organizations and/or individuals.
Because associations have transactions at both the organizational level (corporate dues, sponsorships, expo registrations, etc.) and the individual level (individual dues, conference registrations, committee participation, etc.), the Contacts/Accounts model is not an ideal choice for associations. If an association were to use an AMS with the Contacts/Accounts data model, reporting would be a major challenge. For example, it would be nearly impossible to track engagement as a member changes jobs, or as companies acquire one another.
TIP: Not all AMS systems based on Salesforce are built the same way. Read our article about five things you should know about Salesforce-based AMS solutions before you make a final selection.
Why Nimble AMS customers love the Person Accounts data model
Here are 10 reasons Nimble AMS customers love the Salesforce Person Accounts data model:
1. It’s designed to support the way associations work.
Salesforce built the Person Accounts data model for the way associations and nonprofits work – where members, donors, and constituents may be individuals and/or organizations. Simply put, it’s the logical data model for associations
2. It’s used by many of the world’s largest associations and nonprofits.
Large associations see the value of using the Person Accounts data model, confirming that it can scale to meet the needs of even the most complex organizations
3. It supports a connected member experience.
When you use a Salesforce-based AMS system like Nimble AMS that uses Person Accounts, you can see all information about a member in one spot – making it easy to deliver connected member experiences across channels and departments
4. It offers a simplified user experience.
Person Accounts was designed to streamline the user experience. For example, instead of your staff having to look at one tab for accounts (organizations) and another tab for contacts (individuals), Person Accounts gives them a simplified experience by only having to look to the account tab to see both organization and individual information
5. It supports quick and easy search results.
With Person Accounts, accounts show up just once in search results. In alternative data models, however, the same person can show up twice, meaning that both the account and contact would appear in search results
6. It facilitates more unified reporting.
Since Person Accounts provides both an account and a contact, which are maintained in tandem, reporting works as expected, making it easier to see the big picture. For example, when reporting on donations, all donations would be listed in one report regardless of whether they came from an organization or an individual
7. It provides consistency.
All persons (individuals as well as persons affiliated with an organization) are in Person Accounts. Centering all individuals in one method streamlines the process. In contrast, having a mixed data model with some individuals as only contacts and others as Person Accounts would be challenging for your association staff as it would require them to manage individuals in both the Accounts and Contacts tabs, causing data confusion
8. It stays current.
Salesforce continually adds new features and functionality in support of Person Accounts through seasonal upgrades
9. Salesforce AppExchange packages work with Person Accounts.
Person Accounts data for the individual is still stored in the contact object. So, any data on the contact object being used within a Salesforce AppExchange app would still work within the Person Accounts model. Nimble AMS customers have installed hundreds of apps successfully. In fact, the Nimble AMS team has not had a known instance of a customer who could not use an AppExchange product.
10. Person Accounts is the data model used to build Nimble AMS.
Nimble AMS is built on the Salesforce platform and embraces the Person Accounts data model. In doing so, the Nimble AMS team can easily adapt the solution to meet nearly every membership structure. The goal: to empower associations of all kinds to adopt innovative solutions and meet future needs.
Join the love.
Your association interacts with both people and organizations. So, it’s important to select a Salesforce-based AMS with a data model that truly supports the way associations work. Contact our team with your organization’s specific issues and we will show you a personalized demo of how Nimble AMS can help you love your AMS.
Read what our customers have to say about Nimble AMS.
