1. What computers are needed to use Sumac?

Client Computers

Each client computer (i.e. the computer that is running Sumac) should have the following display size and processing capacity:

Server Computer

Sumac Gold is a multi-user system: several people can simultaneously use Sumac and share the database. When you use a multi-user version of Sumac, the data resides on a server – a computer that is running a database management program (MySQL) to manage the data for all the client computers.

The server does not have to be a specially built server computer; any desktop class machine that can run Sumac can be a server. A notebook usually does not work well as a server because notebook computers tend to have slow disk drives. If someone is going to use their personal computer as a server then it must have at least the levels of processor and RAM capacity marked as “preferred” in the table above.

Exactly what capacity a server needs to serve Sumac users depends on what else the server is doing, how many people are using Sumac, etc. For three or four users, the load on the server will be very light: perhaps 10MB of RAM and 1% of the CPU.

The server must have a connection to the office local area network (LAN), and all the client computers must be connected to the LAN too. Sumac works fine on relatively slow (e.g. 1 Mbps) networks, so you can access your office Sumac database from home or remote offices. But much of what Sumac does is move data to and from the database server. This means that a faster network is better. A 100Mbps or even 1000Mbps network is ideal. Wireless networks in offices work much more slowly, so use wired connections if you can.

2. What languages does Sumac support?

3. Is Sumac a Desktop Application, Client-Server program or Web based?

Sumac is all of the above.

Sumac is a desktop application

When you use Sumac, you have an icon that you double-click that causes the program to run on your computer. So you use it just like any other desktop application – like a word processor or spreadsheet program.

Sumac is a client-server program

A client-server program separates the application program which uses the data from the database manager which stores and manages the data. The application program runs on each user’s computer. The database manager usually runs on a separate server computer. The application program is the client, the database manager is the server.

The Sumac software is an application program that resides on each user’s computer.

Sumac Bronze and Sumac Silver are single-user versions of Sumac. When you use a single-user version of Sumac (Bronze or Sumac), you don't need to deal with the complexity of managing a database server because Sumac does it for you.?If you get Sumac Gold, then the data is managed by a separate, multi-user database management program (usually MySQL) which manages the data and runs on a server computer.

Sumac is web-based

Sumac Online enables you to keep your data in the cloud, and access it from anywhere there is an internet connection. If you opt for Sumac Online, we put your data on a Sumac server, and relieve you of the hassle of doing backups and managing the server. Click for more details about Sumac Online.

Sumac is also web-based in other ways. The actual Sumac software, for example, resides on a web server (sumac.com). Whenever you run Sumac, it checks to see if there is a new version available. The software is downloaded and updated dynamically, as required. For efficiency, and just in case your Internet connection is down, a copy of the software is also cached (stored) locally on your own computer. This means that wherever the Internet goes, you have access to your Sumac database.

Sumac can also provide services to your website: It can add an electronic box office to your website. It also enables you to set up a donations, pledges, address update, and membership renewal pages on your website.?Sumac users can connect to their database remotely, over the Internet.

4. Does Sumac's data reside on my server or yours?

It’s up to you!

We can provide Sumac Online service for your database. This means that your data resides on our server, and you can access it from anywhere on the Internet. Click for more details about Sumac Online.

Alternatively, you can have all your data stored on your computers. If you use a single-user version of Sumac (Bronze or Silver), the data resides in your computer, much like you would save word processing and spreadsheet documents on your computer.?Sumac Gold is multi-user; its data resides on your server (typically a desktop computer running database software).

5. Is Sumac user-friendly?

Sumac is, by far, the easiest non-profit software to use. It was created to address a major problem in the marketplace: the software was much too complicated and difficult to use.

Simplicity and consistency of design make Sumac so straightforward and user-friendly that training takes just a couple of hours.

Built-in help and wizards, as well as excellent documentation, free online video training and phone tech support give you all the support you could possibly need. Sumac is constantly being improved based on our customers’ needs. If a particular function or feature would make life easier for our customers, in most cases it will be there in the next release of Sumac.

Sumac is used by organizations of all sizes: from less than one employee to hundreds of employees. Most do not have a full-time fundraiser. Staff at very small organizations often use Sumac for only an few hours each month. Sumac supports you to accomplish the basics very easily. But it also lets you go beyond the basics, for example to run a multi-level renewal campaign, with very little effort.

6. Can Sumac integrate with other programs/applications?

Sumac is a complete integrated database that also works seamlessly with everything in your office environment.

Integration of Sumac Modules

Sumac is a completely integrated database. While its modules work independently, they are also strategically connected to other modules to ensure information is captured in an intelligent way, helping save you time and avoid error.

Integration With Desktop Applications

Sumac was created to make the lives of non-profit professionals easier, so it works with all the other programs in your office environment like accounting systems, and desktop applications including: Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook. So, you don’t have to limit what programs you use. Sumac works with them all!

Integration with Social Media and Website

Because a lot of what happens at a non-profit takes place online, Sumac also integrates seamlessly with your website and social media applications.

7. How do I get all my old data into Sumac?

Your data may be in other places: spreadsheets, word processing documents, email programs, accounting programs, other databases. You want to import much of this data into Sumac. You have two choices: do it yourself, or let us do it for you.

Data conversion services are part of Sumac Gold. You can also purchase them separately (for a very low flat rate). If we do your data conversion, the process is:

You send us a copy of your data. You export all of the key data from your databases, and gather this together with spreadsheets, email lists, and whatever else you have, and send it to us.

Then we look at it and prepare a data mapping document which says how the data will be converted from your current system into Sumac. This usually entails a bit of back-and-forth until we both understand how this conversion will work: you learn more about Sumac, we learn more about your data. Typically this takes about two weeks.

Once we agree on the data mapping, we set a date for the installation and training. Then a week or so before the installation, you send us an updated copy of any of your data that may have changed, and we convert it. After you sent the data the second time, you should not change it before the installation is done.

We do the conversion. On your first day of Sumac usage, you are up and running with all your data in place.

If you decide to do the data conversion yourself, you can use the same tools that we use to do data conversions. Sumac includes an Import Workspace that lets you import, validate, and clean up your data. Once the data is clean, you use Sumac’s Import command to bring the data into the database.

8. How do I install Sumac on my computer?

Sumac is a Java program (see the FAQ below for a description of Java). Before you can install Sumac, you must make sure that you have Java on your computer. Click on separate FAQs below to see how to install the most recent version of Java on your computer.

Once you have Java on your computer, go to Sumac.com, click Support, then click the first link to install the current production release.

As with any downloaded software, when Sumac starts to run, your operating system will perform security checks. If you can tell your computer to trust content from Sumac.com, do so. If not, you may be asked to confirm software from different sources: Softwood Technology, Sun Microsystems, and Legion of the Bouncy Castle. Confirm that you want to run the software, trusting these sources.

9. How do I install new releases of Sumac?

Whenever you run Sumac, it automatically checks to see if there is a new release available. If there is, you are asked if you want to install the upgrade. Click OK and Sumac installs and runs the new version in a few seconds.

Occasionally, if a new release of Sumac needs an upgraded database structure, Sumac will ask if you want the database updated. Click to indicate that you do want the database updated. Wait until the progress messages indicate the update is complete (usually a few seconds). Then log on as usual.