|
Below are answers to some of the questions that we receive regarding our solutions as well as questions that we often hear regarding web based and hosted solutions for membership management software, online registration solutions, class and event management, alumni management systems, training management and continuing education tracking and other areas where our solutions can benefit a variety of organizations.
What is SaaS or Software as a Service?
As defined by Wikipedia : Software as a service (SaaS, typically pronounced 'sass') is a model of software deployment over the internet. With SaaS, a provider licenses an application to customers for use as a service on demand, either through a time subscription or a “pay-as-you-go” model. Also known as “software on demand,” the SaaS model allows vendors to develop, host, and operate software for customer use. Rather than purchase the hardware and software to run an application, customers need only a computer or a server to download the application and internet access to run the software. The software can be licensed for a single user or for a group of users.
ProClass is delivered via this hosted web based model to provide a more secure, reliable, and less expensive alternative to solutions that are installed locally and require hardware purchases, software licensing, and I.T. staff to manage and maintain the system. With ProClass you do not need any of this as we maintain and backup your data and provide all the infrastructure necessary within our enterprise class hosting facilities.
What has been done to ensure that ProClass is always available?
Our systems have no single point of failure. This means that every component of the system has a backup that can be used in case of some type of failure. Most of these are actually setup in such a way that the system will fail-over without causing any down time. By using redundant systems, clustering technology, and advanced monitoring ProClass is able to maintain a 99.99%+ uptime rate.
Our servers are located in a tier one, state of the art computer hosing facility, built for supporting enterprise class applications, databases, and web servers. This facility was designed for providing high availability and resistance to power outages, environmental disasters, and human error. The data center is engineered with multiple internet connections, high bandwidth capability, multiple levels of security, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), redundant HVAC systems, onsite power generators, fire suppression, as well as 24 X 7 monitoring and management. We are confident that your data is safer, more secure, scalable, and will be more highly available within our facility than within your own in-house computer systems.
How is my data kept secure?
ProClass employs multiple levels of security both within our software solutions and within our hosting facilities.
 Biometric (fingerprint access) scanning technology verifies identity for authorized access into the facility. Magnetic key card access with PIN, in addition to biometric clearance, is required to enter/exit the facility. Secured equipment. All of our equipment cabinets are equiped with combination locks so that no keys can be lost or duplicated. Video surveillance cameras placed throughout the facility, monitored by our 24x7 Network Operations Center (NOC); track and record access throughout the facility. Strategically placed motion and vibration detection devices alert NOC personnel of any attempted forced entry. Redundant, uninterruptible power system (UPS) and diesel powered back-up generators insure that power outages do not impact our customers. Regular testing and maintenance of our backup systems and disaster recovery procedures Is my data secure when being transmitted over the internet?
Yes, ProClass uses the latest secure socket layer (SSL) encryption methods when transmitting data over the internet. This is the same technology that your bank or other financial institutions employ to protect your personal data when working with their systems. With 256 Bit encryption, interception and decryption of data is virtually impossible. ProClass has been providing hosting services for 10 years and we have never experienced a security breach nor lost any customer data. The security and confidentiality of your data is our highest concern. With that in mind, we also employ time out settings, password requirements, roles based security models, security audit logs, and other security features to ensure that your data is protected using the latest industry best practices.
What is the implementation process and timeline for ProClass?
Implementation of our software solutions is done via a guided implementation process with our software specialists who are there to assist you every step of the way. For a small organization implementation can be done in as little as a week or two. For larger more complex implementations we advise organizations to plan for 4-6 weeks to allow for employee training, data conversions, and any customizations that they may desire to be evaluated and implemented.
Webinar and video training is provided for all your employees, volunteers, and staff at no cost and you can have new employees attend future training sessions at any time. ProClass also provides robust help documentation both in an online searchable format as well as via PDF.
Once you have decided to move forward with ProClass we will set you up with our training schedule and begin working on the personalization of your online registration website right away. We will also provide you with our data import template so that you can send us the account and contact data from your existing system for us to import into ProClass. We also provide you with information and signup forms for an ecommerce gateway which will enable you to process credit card charges over the internet.
One you have attended training we will schedule an implementation consultation with one of our software and business consultants to assist you in setting up the numerous configurable areas of ProClass such as terminology settings for your organization, drop down lists, type field selections, locations, and online registration process instructional text, to name a few. Because of the highly flexible nature of ProClass it is important to setup these areas in a way that provides your specific organization with the best possible reporting options and workflow processes.
With these settings configured, the data import completed, eCommerce gateway setup, and online registration pages designed, you are ready to begin entering your current classes into the system, start taking registrations, and begin enjoying the new efficiencies that ProClass will bring to your daily operational processes.
We have been implementing software systems for businesses and organizations for over 20+ years and can make your implementation of ProClass a smooth, easy process that ensures the success of your organizations software conversion project.
How much does ProClass cost?
We have several pricing levels and all our clients enjoy the benefits of our single solution pricing model which means that there are no extra modules to purchase, users to pay for, or incremental registration charges to pay. Every feature of ProClass and all upgrades are provided to every customer under our easy to understand per contact record pricing model. We offer the highest contact record counts at the lowest cost in the industry and with ProClass you also enjoy unlimited locations, unlimited users, unlimited registrations, unlimited emails, and unlimited support, all for one low annual fee.
Will ProClass work on MAC (Macintosh) or just on PC or Windows computer?
ProClass can be used on either PC or MAC platforms. On Windows based PC's we support the latest version of either I.E (Internet Explorer) or Firefox. On MAC based platforms we support the latest version of Firefox. ProClass uses Mozilla based browser standards to make access to ProClass easy from any type of computer with internet access.
Do I have to have a website to use ProClass?
No, ProClass is available to anyone with Internet access and you do not need your own website to utilize the software however many features are best implemented in conjunction with you existing website such as online registration, customer and member portals, and online customer payment options.
If you don't currently have a website we can help you create one using the latest in content management system technology which will enable you to mange an update your own website on an ongoing basis. We provide hosting of any website we develop for our customer free of charge if they are using any of ProClass class management or and online registration solutions.
What type of support is provided with ProClass?
We provide support via email or phone Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00pm EST. ProClass also comes with a fully indexed and searchable help system which provides step by step instructions on all areas of the software. This help system can also easily be downloaded in PDF form for creating a printed manual if desired.
Is ProClass PCI DSS compliant?
Yes, ProClass is PCI DSS compliant. We do recommend that you take your own internal precautions to protect your customers private information within your facility and are happy to share our years of network security and business consulting experience with you to help you develop appropriate security policies internally as well as to create security roles within ProClass to help you best protect customer information. Security is always one of our highest priorities and we are always working to secure and protect the data and information entrusted to us.
Does ProClass share data with any third parties?
No. ProClass never shares or sells any customer data to any third parties.
If I leave ProClass how do I get my data?
Should you decide to leave ProClass you can always export your data to excel or we can provide you with data files within a few days notice. We provide exports in either csv, excel, or tab delimited files at your choice. All customer and registration data is easily exportable by you as well at anytime through our powerful search, query, and export tools.
How does ProClass decide what new features will be developed in the future?
ProClass uses our client's suggestions as well as internal collaboration with our development, implementation, and support staff to determine those features that are most requested and that will either save our customers the most time and effort or provide the most enhanced registration and communication experience for our client's customers.
We recognize that our customers input is our best source for new ideas and suggestions and we encourage them to provide us feedback on what they would like to see in the future as well as improvements that we could make to existing features or processes.
How often does ProClass release new features?
We believe that it is more efficient to release features frequently as they are developed and tested rather than waiting to create a major new release of ProClass. We do this because implementing a smaller set of new features is easier for our clients than trying to absorb major application changes all at one time.
We normally release a new version of ProClass every few weeks and every release is thoroughly tested to avoid releasing bugs into the software. To assist our clients we send out "release notes" to inform them of the new features that will be available to them prior to the release. All releases are done off business hours to minimize any disruption to our clients and normally result in less than 5 minutes of downtime.
|