Our current in use version of the software (PastPerfect: The World’s
Leading Collections Management Software )does not allow coworkers
who share an office to share the CMS. The CMS is available on one
computer and cannot be accessed by multiple staff at the same time.
Our current software does not allow multiple organizations to share
the CMS. At many of our sites, some objects are owned by the State
of New Jersey and some objects are owned by an Officially
Recognized Friends Organization (ORFO or Friends). The current
software does not allow us to switch between these two entities for
the paperwork such as deeds of gift or agreements regarding the
loaning of items. E.g. All paperwork produced at Twin Lights says it is
for Twin Lights Historical Society. But we need to be able to switch
between the ORFO and the state.
The current software is difficult to use with the new laptop computers
that were assigned to all Resource Interpretive Specialists and
Caretakers. These new computers, and any computers that replace
them do not have CD Drives since CD Drives are older technology. We
have had numerous problems where the staff cannot put PastPerfect
4 or 5 on their computers or if they do get it on their computers, they
are having issues because PastPerfect 4 and 5 are old technology.
Leveraging a cloud based version of the collections software will also
address concerns about data integrity. Data now is kept at the local level while the cloud based system will provided added security through backing up of data that is stored in Amazon Web Services.