FAQs
We have listed some of our commonly asked questions below. If you have a question that isn’t answered below, please get in touch.
General
Where can I seek support if I need a wider review of our In-Form system?
Over time your service or project may develop along with new staff and new funding. As part of your In-Form subscription you can book in time with our customer success team to do a system review. This review is an opportunity to explore any changes and updates which may be needed. To book in your review please raise a support case and we’ll schedule some time with you.
How do renewals and licences work for our In-Form subscription?
Your In-Form licences are on an annual subscription. Around 60 to 90 days from renewal you’ll receive a renewal notification and reminder about your upcoming renewal. We require around 30 days’ notice before renewal to reduce the number of licences on your account if required, this is to meet the cutoff needed from Salesforce. Throughout the 12-month subscription you can request new licences by raising a support case. Any other queries about licences and renewal please contact the team on inform.renewals@homelesslink.org.uk.
Do you provide access to a trial or test system?
We can provide a free, no obligation, 30 days access to a trial environment. This can be used by up to 4 members of your team, which gives access to all of In-Form’s out of the box features (Essential / Enterprise). Get in touch with the sales team to get setup.
My organisation sits outside of the homelessness sector, can I still use In-Form?
Yes! In-Form was designed by the homelessness sector, however In-Form is designed with clients at its heart. We work with a wide range of organisations who support clients with a wide range of complex needs, including families, veterans, mental health, addiction support and more.
Implementation
When we implement In-Form, do I need to be tech-savvy to be the project lead for my organisation?
No, but it’s best if the person(s) has operational and reporting experience to answer questions about what is important to frontline workers, team managers and senior management.
How long is the implementation period?
It depends how much additional customisation to the In-Form solution is necessary to meet your requirements.
When the project is fully scoped (& costed), an average implementation takes 3 – 5 months but we can complete builds in shorter timeframes for those with less customisation.
How do we move our existing data from our legacy system to In-Form?
We provide excel templates which can be populated with data, e.g. client records, case notes etc. We use the templates to import the data into In-Form. (At an additional cost).
How do you provide progress reports on the implementation?
We provide a project plan and arrange weekly catch ups and progress meetings with you. These are typically done online but we can meet in person if the project requires.
What resources should we provide during the implementation?
A lead contact, who will liaise with the In-Form team member assigned to the implementation.
A core group of key stakeholders, who will answer questions and make decisions during the implementation phase.
Documents such as forms and information around your processes.
How much time should the key contact allocate to the implementation?
On average, around 4 hours per week. It will vary based on your system needs, but your consultant will be able to advise.
What are the key ingredients to a successful implementation?
- Clear and consistent lines of communication
- Timely and decisive responses to questions raised by both parties
- The customer and Homeless Link working together as a team
How do we ‘go live’ with the new system?
You can pilot In-Form with one or multiple services. You can roll it out to one service at a time, or you can ‘go live’ across all services. We discuss the implications with you during the planning phase.
Will you help us get up and running with In-Form?
Once you have purchased your In-Form system, we will set up your In-Form solution and work closely with you and your colleagues to configure the system to meet your recording and reporting needs.
The implementation process and timetable is flexible, allowing you time to review progress and consult with colleagues. Once the system has been built we provide training for your staff and continue to make further changes as you need them.
We understand life in the voluntary sector and how quickly your information needs can change. In-Form and Homeless Link are equipped to support you to respond quickly to these needs as they evolve. With all our In-Form systems you receive support long after your build.
Training
How do we train the staff?
The In-Form team can provide as many training days as required. We also offer a ‘train the trainer’ model where we train a group of champions who go on to train the rest of your staff.
There are flexible training options with sessions available in person, online, or a mix.
Solutions
What are the differences between Enterprise and Essential?
The Essential package is usually recommended for organisations with under 15 employees who require little customisation.
The Enterprise package is scaled and tailored for your organisation. We recommend this package for organisations with a wide range of services, or if you have 15+ employees.
Enterprise includes all the functionality that Essential offers plus rent and property management (at an additional cost). Enterprise is also fully customisable and offers integration with other apps. Please see our page for more information, or discuss with a member of the sales team.
Is In-Form cloud-based?
In-Form is a web-based application, which means it runs completely online – or in the Cloud – and is accessible with just an internet connection on a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Cloud-based systems allow people to access applications through the internet without having to worry about additional software installations, network considerations and server capacity. Cloud computing increases efficiency and allows you to increase or decrease your computing capacity as your needs change.
Can In-Form be adapted to meet our needs?
Yes, In-Form Enterprise can be completely customised for you. With such a wide range of organisations using the system – some with more than 1,000 users, others with just 10 – we’ve worked hard to make sure we can tailor the system precisely to your recording and reporting needs.
We can customise your In-Form by adapting existing modules – or if you need a specific piece of functionality not already available, we can create new modules and screens to suit you. You can have some customisation with In-Form Essential and you can upgrade to In-Form Enterprise when it’s the right time for you. You can’t customise In-Form Community.
Why is In-Form built on Salesforce.com?
We have developed In-Form on the Salesforce.com platform.
Salesforce.com is one of the leading customer relations management systems used by thousands of companies all over the world. 30,000 of these are not for profit organisations and higher education organisations supported by salesforce.org (the Salesforce Foundation).
We are able to pass on the benefits of licence discounts and support from the Salesforce .org to In-Form customers. Salesforce.com takes care of disaster recovery and software updates, and issues new releases three times a year.
Is In-Form accessible?
There are a number of features that make In-Form accessible and adaptable to an individual’s needs. These are a mix of Salesforce native functionality and things that have been built into In-Form. If you have a specific need, please discuss with the sales team or your consultant during sales and build period. If this is a retrospective requirement, please ‘contact In-Form’ from within your system and our support team can advise you.
Is our data secure on In-Form and Salesforce?
Absolutely. Salesforce.com meets the highest international standards for data security. (See the Salesforce Trust website for more information.)
Security features include:
- Multi-factor authentication: unique username and password authentication with the requirement to verify identity from a different device. With the option to enable SSO.
- IP restrictions, and SMS and email identity confirmation if the user logs in from an unknown IP address.
- User profiles can control staff access to confidential information. Access to client data can be restricted if the client withdraws consent.
- Secure socket layer/transport layer security (SSL/TLS).
- Application logs record the creator, last updated, timestamps, and track IP addresses for logins.
All customer data is stored in secure data centres and is replicated over secure links to a disaster recovery data centre. Data is stored in a UK data centre. You will have a subscription to Spanning, who complete daily data backups, so you can rest assured your data can be recovered if the worst should happen.
You can also purchase Salesforce Shield. With Shield, you can customise access permissions, track changes, and encrypt specific fields. This allows for a more tailored approach to Salesforce data management that aligns with business needs.
Does In-Form release new features?
We have regular webinars (quarterly) that detail our product roadmap. We also send regular communications to our mailing list about new product updates and releases.
Do you engage with and take recommendations from users?
We have quarterly user groups where users have the chance to network with each other and also meet the In-Form team. At our annual conference there is a session dedicated to hearing our customers’ product ideas. There is also an advisory board with a representative group of In-Form customers (by invitation only).
Support
Will you provide support once our In-Form system is up and running?
Of course. Our trained and experienced team is here to help you with day-to-day support (charges may apply). Our office hours help desk has quick response times, ensuring you get the technical help you need no matter how simple or complex your issue.
To help you build your In-Form skills, we provide initial training as part of your package when your build goes live, and ongoing you can arrange training with our Training Manager (charges apply). Plus we have a programme of free webinars and training that you can attend, and recordings are available via our customer portal.
Get in touch
Our team is happy to help you answer any questions you may have. Fill out our form to get your question to the right person and we’ll be in touch.
