Frequently asked questions
Does Trail Blazer software work on a Macinstosh and/or iPad?
Yes. Trail Blazer will work on your Mac and your iPad. We have a server specifically for our Mac users. All you do is use the free Remote Desktop application and connect directly to run Trail Blazer. If you already own Office 2011, Remote Desktop is pre-loaded, so you're set to go. To get your Mac or iPad set up, contact support@trailblz.com.
How much does it cost?
Trail Blazer is affordable at all levels, whether it's a political campaign, PAC or a non-profit organization. To receive an exact quote, please call
Dan toll free at 1-800-446-1375.
Flexible payment options are also available upon request.
1) Very easy and intuitive to use.
2) Trail Blazer's tech support is unparalleled. A human answers the
phone and the people who wrote the application also support it.
Problems are solved. If it’s a question sent to us by email, you often
will get a personalized how-to video that answers your question.
3) Mass email is included in price. This eliminates the
need for emarketing services such as Constant Contact, etc.
What sort of training is available and is the cost of training included in the price?
The webinar styled training (and support) is unlimited and included in
the price. The first session is an ‘open’ class for any customer to
learn the basics. Once the first session is completed, you may
schedule as much time as you need on any particular topic of your choice.
These additional sessions are done via a remote control software where our
trainer is connected to your machine using your database and your examples.
Is there a trial version of your software available for those who would like to test drive it?
No. Trail Blazer is a business-to-business application that requires some initial orientation (training is included for free with your paid subscription) to be fully productive. We provide one-on-one demonstrations of the software. You are free to ask anything you like. You may take as long as you like. You may ask to ‘drive’ if you like. You may repeat the demo as often as you like until you feel comfortable it will do what you need it to do.
What are the system requirements?
Trail Blazer hosts your data on our servers. We provide complete backup and dual mirroring. This ensures your data is always secure. On the client side, at a minimum you will need a
desktop or laptop with Microsoft Windows XP or later, Video/Monitor – 1024 x 768, 400 MB free on Hard Drive, 512 MB RAM and a high speed Internet connection. We recommend Microsoft Windows 7 or later, Video/Monitor – 1024 x 768 or larger, 40 GB Hard Drive, 4 GB RAM, High speed Internet connection 3 Mbps or greater. If you’re using a Macintosh you will sign on using Remote Desktop (Windows is not required). If you choose not to use Remote Desktop, you have the option to load Parallels and Windows on your Macintosh.
Do you have a scaled down low-cost version that we can add to as we grow?
No. Our software comes complete with every module for one low price. There are no upgrades to worry about since every time you log in, the system automatically loads the newest version in seconds.
What do upgrades cost?
There really are no costs since upgrades are included with your subscription. Each time you sign in you get the latest version automatically.
Does your database require we have a server on-site to host it?
No. We host your data on our servers. That way you never have to worry about backing up the data. If a computer crashes or is stolen, your data is secure on our servers. We maintain your data on two mirrored servers in two different geographic locations. So when you save, it saves in two places at once.
How much does technical support cost?
It’s free with your subscription. We offer emergency tech support on nights and weekends at no added cost. Of course, we prefer you call during regular office hours.
Do you do on-site demonstrations?
Normally, we do all of our demos remotely using the GoToMeeting software. On-site in-person demos are riddled with technical problems and they are simply cost prohibitive. By teleconferencing, we can make best use of everyone’s time. We can connect as many people as you’d like on the same demonstration and everyone can see and hear the demonstration on their own computer. We can even record the demonstration for those who cannot be there and send them the link to the recording afterward.
Is there a limit to how many potential donors we can track?
No. It’s unlimited. You may fall into a higher price bracket based on the number of records you import however.
Can we use your software to produce mailings?
Yes. It’s built in. No need to use MS-Word. All mail merges are integrated into our software. You can generate letters yourself, or export the mailing list to your mailhouse.
Can I add customize the donor profile?
You can create unlimited attributes and assign as many characteristics/groups as you’d like. Each attribute you add is a searchable element.
Can I make a contact schedule for thank yous, for instance?
Yes, there is an entire thank you module for handling all of your thank you follow-up work. You can send thank yous one at a time or in batches.
Do you track grants?
Trail Blazer has ‘grant tracking lite’ included. We are able to track pendings, approvals, and denied items from each grantor. In addition, you can add reminders to keep you informed of upcoming deadlines. Trail Blazer does not support document management which is a common need in grant management software.
Do you have task reminders built in?
Yes. Our reminders module is built in. You can assign reminders to any staff member you’d like with detailed notes attached for that individual. Any task that is behind schedule will show up in red on the screen.
What if I want to cancel my subscription?
We sell our software by annual subscription (SAAS - software as a service). So when you sign up, you agree to purchase one year’s worth of our software’s use. Cancellation can only take place upon your annual renewal. We provide a window of time at year end where you can tell us you won’t be renewing at year end. Otherwise, your agreement will automatically renew. There is no cancellation fee because cancellation is not an option mid-year.
Are reports exportable to .CSV and Excel?
Yes.
How many users can I have in the system at one time?
It’s unlimited. There are no per user license fees at Trail Blazer. All staff, volunteers, board members, etc. can use the
system at the same time for different purposes.
What makes Trail Blazer software unique?
Speed. Plain and simple. Speed. The sheer speed of our software is worth money to you when your operating on tight timelines.
Experience the fastest reports, view the full scope of your search results (not just one page) and enjoy the most powerful,
robust search engine in the marketplace.
What makes Trail Blazer’s Political Campaign Manager Software better than others?
Once you try our search engine, you’ll never go back to browser software like Complete Campaigns, for instance.
With browser software, try opening more than one query at a time. You can’t. Try pulling up multiple donor/voter records
at once with browser software. You can’t. Side-by-side comparisons of donor/voter records is not possible with one-page-at-a-time browser software. Trail Blazer makes multi-tasking simple and easy whereas browser software is slow and tiresome.
Does your system integrate with QuickBooks?
Yes. You simply do a journal entry summarizing your overall donations on a periodic basis from Trail Blazer to QuickBooks.
Most of our customers use QuickBooks and we work just fine together.
Can gifts be entered and then transferred in a batch to QuickBooks (to eliminate double entry)? How is this done?
We have many clients that have both Trail Blazer and QuickBooks. Trail Blazer can IMPORT any .CSV file from any source
(including QuickBooks). Trail Blazer can also EXPORT details in a .CSV file to IMPORT elsewhere. QuickBooks is more temperamental.
What we suggest is that all donor detail be maintained in Trail Blazer and a periodic journal entry be added to QuickBooks
that summarizes the data in Trail Blazer.
The biggest concern we hear from our new customers is that they don’t
have their data organized in a way that they can use it. Often the
data is in multiple spreadsheets or a homegrown database they have long
since outgrown. Investing in database software can create organizational
memory and create order out of chaos. You'll love being able to track
just about everything. Best of
all, you'll know exactly what was said to every donor and have a record of
every point of contact with your donors.
Small to medium-sized nonprofits are most commonly attracted to Trail
Blazer -- generally it's those with annual revenue from $25,000 to under $7
million per year. We price the software based on your annual revenue
so the smallest of organizations gets the EXACT same software and level of
service as the largest of organizations, but with a proportionally smaller
expense.
The usual features needed by our customers that we provide are: contact
management, merge letters, thank you letters, integration with their website
(i.e. donations and signups), mass email, full import and export
capabilities, etc.