Comments on: Free IT Help Desk Support for Churches and Ministries http://churchm.ag/free-it-help-desk-support-for-churches-and-ministries/ Exploring the Intersection of Church and Technology Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:00:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Free!! « Beggars Beyond Our Door http://churchm.ag/free-it-help-desk-support-for-churches-and-ministries/#comment-15951 Free!! « Beggars Beyond Our Door Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:47:35 +0000 http://churchit.com/?p=1333#comment-15951 [...] Free IT Help Desk for small churches with 200 hundred members or less. Check it out. [...] [...] Free IT Help Desk for small churches with 200 hundred members or less. Check it out. [...]

]]> By: Bill http://churchm.ag/free-it-help-desk-support-for-churches-and-ministries/#comment-15950 Bill Mon, 21 Jun 2010 21:51:18 +0000 http://churchit.com/?p=1333#comment-15950 We use Web Help Desk in our organization. It definitely a culture-shift to encourage folks who do the hallway stop or throw a "gotta a minute" your way. But, any solution helps funnel those not so urgent and urgent tasks to a place you can track. It helps establish history, patterns and reports. It also does a great job tracking inventory. We use the advanced features as well, including the ties to LANRev. We use Web Help Desk in our organization. It definitely a culture-shift to encourage folks who do the hallway stop or throw a “gotta a minute” your way. But, any solution helps funnel those not so urgent and urgent tasks to a place you can track. It helps establish history, patterns and reports. It also does a great job tracking inventory. We use the advanced features as well, including the ties to LANRev.

]]> By: kennysnow http://churchm.ag/free-it-help-desk-support-for-churches-and-ministries/#comment-15949 kennysnow Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:14:11 +0000 http://churchit.com/?p=1333#comment-15949 I really like the idea of a company that gives help to small churches, I know many churches running with a part time volunteer I.T. person, and it seems a great solution to that. However, in an environment with a more established position, I would highly recommend trying Spiceworks if you have any kind of computer that can be used as a local server. It's completely free (sponsored by ads) and is VERY easy to install. Our team uses it on a daily basis - it keeps hardware/software inventory automatically (makes audits easy!), keeps all of our service provider info (that way no one person has the emergency info), runs our tech help ticking system (no more hallway "could you just look at this real quick?"), and now has a user portal where you can post known issues, FAQs, instructions for common issues, etc. In short, it is an amazing, free product that is continually updated. I tried many solutions before that one, and nothing has come close (to be completely fair, I have not tried WebHelpDesk, but I feel there is no need to look elsewhere!) Browser based too, so you can bring it up at any local desktop. Almost forgot, it has a built-in community for all kinds of technology questions. Can't beat it IMO! The only thing about Spiceworks, it's only going to run as fast as the machine it's running on...the database keeps a lot of info, so if you have a good server I'd run it off of that for the best speed experience. That would be the benefit of the completely web-based solution, but once you grow to a certain size it would seem more cost beneficial to utilize a server on campus that you'll need for other resources anyway. I really like the idea of a company that gives help to small churches, I know many churches running with a part time volunteer I.T. person, and it seems a great solution to that.

However, in an environment with a more established position, I would highly recommend trying Spiceworks if you have any kind of computer that can be used as a local server. It’s completely free (sponsored by ads) and is VERY easy to install. Our team uses it on a daily basis – it keeps hardware/software inventory automatically (makes audits easy!), keeps all of our service provider info (that way no one person has the emergency info), runs our tech help ticking system (no more hallway “could you just look at this real quick?”), and now has a user portal where you can post known issues, FAQs, instructions for common issues, etc. In short, it is an amazing, free product that is continually updated. I tried many solutions before that one, and nothing has come close (to be completely fair, I have not tried WebHelpDesk, but I feel there is no need to look elsewhere!) Browser based too, so you can bring it up at any local desktop.

Almost forgot, it has a built-in community for all kinds of technology questions. Can’t beat it IMO!

The only thing about Spiceworks, it’s only going to run as fast as the machine it’s running on…the database keeps a lot of info, so if you have a good server I’d run it off of that for the best speed experience. That would be the benefit of the completely web-based solution, but once you grow to a certain size it would seem more cost beneficial to utilize a server on campus that you’ll need for other resources anyway.

]]> By: Don Dudley http://churchm.ag/free-it-help-desk-support-for-churches-and-ministries/#comment-15948 Don Dudley Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:09:19 +0000 http://churchit.com/?p=1333#comment-15948 In turn, I have checked out spiceworks and I have to say, it is impressive as well. In turn, I have checked out spiceworks and I have to say, it is impressive as well.

]]> By: Stuart http://churchm.ag/free-it-help-desk-support-for-churches-and-ministries/#comment-15947 Stuart Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:21:52 +0000 http://churchit.com/?p=1333#comment-15947 You are correct - it does require local resources but is "web ish" based as it's all run through a browser after being installed - though a server is not required but a machine that is designated as the spiceworks admin box. I'v had a chance to look now and the features for WebHelpDesk are very mpressive. You are correct – it does require local resources but is “web ish” based as it’s all run through a browser after being installed – though a server is not required but a machine that is designated as the spiceworks admin box.

I’v had a chance to look now and the features for WebHelpDesk are very mpressive.

]]> By: Don Dudley http://churchm.ag/free-it-help-desk-support-for-churches-and-ministries/#comment-15946 Don Dudley Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:07:55 +0000 http://churchit.com/?p=1333#comment-15946 Spiceworks is nice looking, never used it. Do you have to use your own server / network in order to set it up? Spiceworks is nice looking, never used it. Do you have to use your own server / network in order to set it up?

]]> By: Tweets that mention Free IT Help Desk Support for Churches and Ministries | ChurchIT -- Topsy.com http://churchm.ag/free-it-help-desk-support-for-churches-and-ministries/#comment-15945 Tweets that mention Free IT Help Desk Support for Churches and Ministries | ChurchIT -- Topsy.com Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:43:32 +0000 http://churchit.com/?p=1333#comment-15945 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by John Saddington and michael melenka, Ginger Schell. Ginger Schell said: RT @human3rror: Free IT Help Desk Support for Churches and Ministries | @ChurchInfoTech http://bit.ly/bMVyBf [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by John Saddington and michael melenka, Ginger Schell. Ginger Schell said: RT @human3rror: Free IT Help Desk Support for Churches and Ministries | @ChurchInfoTech http://bit.ly/bMVyBf [...]

]]> By: Stuart http://churchm.ag/free-it-help-desk-support-for-churches-and-ministries/#comment-15944 Stuart Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:40:53 +0000 http://churchit.com/?p=1333#comment-15944 What's wrong with Spiceworks then? It's free and includes a helpdesk amongst its many offerings. What’s wrong with Spiceworks then? It’s free and includes a helpdesk amongst its many offerings.

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