How you can Optimize Storage Space on a Volunteer Database to Ensure Efficient Record-Keeping

We're storing a lot these days. The rate at which we're storing new data is also increasing, with recent figures stating almost 329 million terabytes a day. There's a good chance that your volunteer organization isn't producing any figures as significant as those above. However it still is constantly growing and expanding. That means your volunteer database systems need to expand and grow with you.

Evaluate how much storage you actually need in your volunteer database

First, you want to consider the amount of data you keep and store. Is it just metrics from volunteering activities, or are you looking to store forms, images and possibly video? What data needs to be kept in the system and what can you digitally archive from the system?

Make sure to know your data retention requirements as well and if you don't know what they are you have a proper retention policy. It can be whatever compliance and regulation requirements you may have, as well as what the volunteer organization may need. Don't be afraid to eliminate and purge items that may not be necessary.

Ensure proper cloud-based infrastructure

It may seem like a no-brainer, but you want to definitely work with tools that utilize cloud-based architecture. This typically means cloud-based storage, which scales as your demands increase. Cloud-based storage grows as your demands increase and comes in at a significantly lower price per additional storage that you may need. Remember that while most software tools will charge for extra storage, our platform will not.

Properly utilize your volunteer management system and its database

What's most important is the logic behind your volunteer database system. You want something intuitive that stores data properly the first time it gets logged. Duplicate data is a data storage killer that leads companies to first seek additional data, then go through lengthy processes and a change of its management to eliminate redundant data that never needed to be there in the first place. You won't need to design the database for yourself, as we’ve done that for you.

It's built in a way that will optimize your record-keeping needs as well as minimize your digital carbon footprint that could balloon with additional storage.

Try to be fully digital and centralized with your platforms

Part of this is the process, and part of this is the system capabilities. You want to eliminate as much physical paper as possible; as that will reduce how many images and pdfs you'll need to upload. This helps reduce heavier files and the chances of duplicate file retention.

Switch out to volunteer forms and applications digitally instead, so they are part of the record-keeping and not another file to upload. Eliminate the use of third-party spreadsheets for time tracking and utilize built-in time-tracking solutions within the volunteer scheduling app.

As soon as you’re ready to eliminate those unnecessary additional storage needs as well as optimize your overall record keeping and tracking, we’ll be here ready to get you onboarded.