Creating a Custom Ordering System for KidsFest
The Challenge:
VICF needed a business system that could cater to their specific needs.
They were using Word and Excel to track orders and invoice clients, which was inefficient and time-consuming.
Keeping all data in sync required a senior manager to spend 3 hours daily manually going through the spreadsheets.
They needed a new system that would consolidate all their data, keep it consistent, and issue invoice in the manner their clients expected.
It also needed to present the data in multiple different views for use by different departments.
They needed something custom, but as a non-profit they couldn’t hope to get a fully developed system unless they got a significant grant to cover costs.
That's Where Formever Came In
The Solution:
Rather than making them wait for a grant, Formever could offer a custom build at a price they could afford, now.
A Custom System to Meet the Need
Understanding the Client's Unique Context
Formever worked with VICF to understand their particular requirements and designed a custom invoicing system at an affordable price. Something particular to their situation was working with a lot of schools, and needing the Invoices to come out a particular way to match school administration’s needs.
The new system tracked orders, invoices, and payments efficiently.
The Benefits of a Lean, Tailored System
Data centralized in one place allowed for customized reports for different departments.
Front-of-House Managers could access relevant information easily.
Audience manager could delegate data entry tasks without the need for manual syncing of spreadsheets.
A System That Grows and Changes With the Festival
Changing Needs
Formever continued to evolve the system as per VICF’s changing needs, such as refunds, credits, and new reporting requirements for virtual performances.
Online Integration
Formever worked with VICF’s website designers to automate online orders into the system seamlessly.
Ongoing Support
The Children’s Festival has the comfort of being able to reach out to Formever and get support at any point, so they don’t have to worry about any roadblocks.
“The Vancouver International Children’s Festival has had the pleasure of working with the Formever database since 2018. We use Formever to collect data from the back end of our website and house customer contact, history and sales data. It is the integral tool we use to sell tickets to school groups using a customized order form, schedule Buses and Hosts, create customized invoices/receipts, generate many many customized reports and daily paperwork for our team during the Festival.
Working with the Formever team to craft our database and refine our templates, reports and forms is productive and easy; they respond to our requests for assistance in a timely manner and they always try to offer the most effective solutions at a reasonable cost. Two thumbs way up.”
- Kelly Creelman
Audience Services Manager
Vancouver International Children's Festival
