Message from Steinar (MAF Norge)
CiviRules is live and doing effective automation!
Two weeks ago, Wednesday June 10th, MAF Norway started to use CiviRules on their live production site.
We did set up one single rule, which starting from that day, saves us for approximately 1 hour work pr. day. That is almost 15% of one persons workload throughout the year!
The extension is open for download from github. It has some basics features and some cool stuff already.
If you also download the SMS API (or EMAIL API or PDF API), you could already schedule things like this:
- Automatically send a sms with congratulation every time a contact has birthday.
- Automatically put contacts in a certain group if they contribute over a certain amount.
- Automatically tag contacts that have changed their email adress.
This could again be combined with a report on some back office staff member.
The rule we set up at first, is a custom Thank You Rule, developed by our CiviCRM partner CiviCoop in a separate extension only for MAF Norway. This extension is using the framework of the CiviRules.
This way to model the extension set up, enable NGOs to share CiviRules as an common automation hub, at the same time as each NGO can do their specific things.
CiviRules has so far been funded and initiated by MAF Norway, CiviCoop, Amnesty Vlandern and Ilja de Coster.
However, CiviRules is suited for everyone, and I recommend that your organization look into what they can actually automate within their CiviCRM usage. The benefits could be massive!
To conclude with my tagline for automation: «Let the machines do what the machines can best, and the humans do what the humans can best!"
There have been a couple of blog posts about the CiviRules extension, and a prototype has been demonstrated at CiviCon NorthWestEurope 2015 in Amsterdam. The extension is now available for download in the CiviCRM extension directory (https://civicrm.org/extensions/civirules)! And obviously a session has been scheduled for CiviCon London 2015!
CiviRules is an extension that aims to enable rule based processing, for example: add contact to group MajorDonors if the donor has contributed more than $500 3 times or more. There are many areas where this extension can be extremely useful. The funding of the extension development was done by MAF Norway, Amnesty International Flanders, Ilja de Coster and CiviCooP. During the development we aimed specifically at fundraising. We have developed the extension as an engine, where developers can quite easily add their own specific Conditions and Actions. More detailed information on what the extension can do and how to enhance the extension can be found here: http://redmine.civicoop.org/projects/civirules/wiki
Please note that the extenions can do powerful things, and also create powerful issues. WIth great power comes great responsibility? The configuring of CiviRules requires sound analytical skills about your processes and automating them. We would recommend organizations to get a CiviCRM partner to assist them at least in the initial configuration and thinking about CiviRules.
Comments
Just what I needed! CiviRules looks like it will be really useful for us.
I have only set up one rule so far but, as the alternative was to tie my non-developer brain in knots trying to write my own extension, I am very happy.
Thank you to MAF Norway, CiviCoop. Amnesty Vlandern and Ilja de Coster.