Building An AI Tool - Marketer's Guide by Nia Joseph
Prompt Engineering Worksheet This document serves as a comprehensive guide and template for Marketing professionals, detailing a systematic approach to prompt engineering. It includes instructional notes and methodologies specifically designed for the field of Marketing. What is Prompt Engineering? Prompt engineering is the practice of crafting and refining input queries to guide machine learning models, particularly language models like Copilot and ChatGPT, to produce optimal and relevant responses. The 3 Main Types of Prompts Generic (No Context) Minimal (Some Context) Data-Fed (Most Context) Broad queries with minimal guidance. Example: What is email marketing? Usage for a Marketer: When looking for a general overview or introduction to a topic. Benefits: Offers a wide scope of information. Good for brainstorming or exploring a new concept. More pointed prompts that give some direction. Example: What strategies are effective for email marketing? Usage for a Marketer: When they know the domain they're interested in but want various insights or options. Benefits: Provides targeted information within a chosen domain. Allows for deeper exploration of a particular subject. Highly specific queries that incorporate particular data or conditions. Example: Considering an open rate of only 10% for my last email campaign selling nostalgic bucket hats, targeting millennials, how can I improve this? I’ll include the email subject line and contents here. Usage for a Marketer: When they have specific data or conditions, they want advice or information on. Benefits: Offers tailored recommendations or insights based on given data. Best for optimization and refinement of existing campaigns or strategies. Choosing Your Prompt Generic: For broad overviews or exploring topics. Minimal: When you have a domain in mind and want diverse insights. Detailed: For more precise advice based on specific data or conditions. Examples of Each Prompt Generic Prompt - Equivalent to asking: Recommend a book Minimal Prompt - Equivalent to asking: Recommend a science fiction book. Detailed Prompt - Equivalent to asking: Recommend a science fiction book set in space, with strong female protagonists, written in the last decade. A Simple Framework for Prompt Engineering ARC(E) - Act, Request, Clarify. Engage. Benefits of ARC(E) Structures interactions to produce precise outputs. Reduces ambiguity in prompts. Can be used across teams. Adaptable for various domains and requirements. A Definition: Define the role or perspective you want the model to adopt. Example: Act as a LinkedIn Ads specialist. Usage: To set the tone and perspective for the response, ensuring it's tailored to a specific viewpoint or expertise. R Definition: Clearly state the task or information you are seeking from the model. Example: Provide audience insights and actionable performance tips. Usage: Gives the AI clear instructions on the type of output desired; advice, information, or a specific task. C Definition: Offer specific data, background, or situational details to inform the model's response. Example: Campaign targeting Data Scientists to sell a new AI Data management tool. Currently has a CTR of 2% and no conversions after being live for 30 days. Usage: Provides the model with essential background information, ensuring the response is relevant, data-informed, and accurate. E Definition: Invite the model to ask for any additional information it might need to optimize its response. Example: If you require more details to assist me better, please inquire. Usage: Promotes a dynamic interaction, allowing the model to clarify ambiguities or gather more context. Examples of How to Use Engagement Prompts Progressive Interaction Start broad and refine based on AI feedback, ensuring the AI knows it can ask for details. User: Help me design a marketing strategy. Ask for details if needed. AI: For which product or industry? Collaborative Inquiry Proactively invite AI to ask clarifying questions to guide the conversation. User: I want to boost user engagement. What details do you need from me? AI: Can you share your platform's current engagement metrics and any patterns you've noticed? Challenge Mode Encourage AI to counter or critique ideas for a holistic perspective. User: I'm leaning towards influencer marketing for our launch. Can you challenge that approach? AI: Certainly. Have you considered potential risks, such as brand misalignment or the fleeting nature of influencer popularity? Use Cases for Marketers Leveraging AI can prove beneficial in many areas of your career as Marketing professionals. The focus should be on user-centric AI, where you are strategically guiding the AI and editing the results. In this way it becomes human-powered AI, helping to enhance your expertise. Content Creation: Crafting social media posts. Generating blog topics or outlines. Producing creative ad copy. Market Research: Analyzing customer feedback and sentiments. Identifying emerging market trends. Generating questions for customer surveys. Strategy Development: SWOT analysis generation. Competitive landscape assessment. Crafting marketing plan outlines. Brand Management: Creating brand taglines or slogans. Generating brand stories or narratives. Ideating brand campaign concepts. SEO and SEM: Keyword research and suggestions. Meta description and title generation. AdWords campaign optimization suggestions. Email Marketing: Crafting engaging email subject lines. Personalizing email content for different segments. Automating responses to common customer queries. Customer Interaction: Responding to customer feedback or reviews. Generating templates for common customer communications. Crafting scripts for customer support teams. Product Positioning: Generating product descriptions or USPs. Ideating names for new products. Crafting product launch announcements. https://techfren.xyz/6-ai-marketing-tools-in-2025/ Image Prompt: I want an image of An astronaut with his pet jellyfish in an underwater world. Style: claymation that is layered. Colors: shades of Deep Ocean Blue: #00578E Luminescent Purple: #800080 Neon Green: #39FF14 Glimmering Pink: #FF69B4. Background: underwater utopia that is futuristic. Content Prompt: Act as [Role]. [Request], I will provide you the details: [Context] Building AI Tools from a Marketing Perspective Here’s a doc I created to explain my process of building an AI tool while working in a Marketing org and what I think might work for someone with a marketing or traditionally non-technical background looking to build or develop an internal tool or process. While this example focuses on AI it can be adapted for any technology stack. Before You Build: Stakeholder alignment: Ensure that any relevant stakeholders or managers are aligned for this tool build. Be sure to keep them updated on progress and small wins. Unique need: the problem you’re trying to solve and is not duplicative, Business impact: this tool will reduce/improve/streamline xyz by x amount of time. Collaboration request: getting your engineering team onboard; creating a v-team and pitching your product for volunteers. Can be seen as a stretch project for engineering and shows collaboration. Post your v-team in different channels and seek out spaces with engineering to understand more of their process and needs. Understand AI Types: Generative AI (Gen AI): Creates new, unique content. Useful for content creation, design, etc. Large Language Models (LLM AI): Understands and generates human-like text based on vast data. Useful for chatbots, customer support, etc. Others (e.g., Image Recognition AI, Predictive AI) Decide on Features & Inputs: What information will the AI need? (Tone, product details, user data) What outputs are expected? Example: For a content creation tool: tone (formal/informal), target audience, content type (blog, social media post). Design the User Experience: How will users interact with the tool? How will errors be handled? Example: For a chatbot: Welcome message, typing indicators, error messages. Continuous Improvement: AI tools benefit from ongoing training and refinement. Stay updated with AI advancements and user needs. Product Requirements Worksheet for AI-powered Marketing Tools 1. Project Overview: Project Name: [___________] Objective: (Briefly describe the goal of this tool) [___________] Target Audience: (Who is this tool intended for?) [___________] 2. Problem Statement: Define the specific problem you aim to solve with this tool. [____________________________________________________________________________________________] 3. Desired Outcomes: List the expected results from using this tool. E.g., Increased conversion rates, improved customer engagement, etc. [___________] [___________] [___________] (Add more as needed) 4. Core Features & Functionality: Describe the main functionalities the tool should have. Feature: [___________] Description: [________________________________________________________________] Importance: (Critical, High, Medium, Low) [___________] (Repeat for each feature) 5. Data Inputs: List the types of data the tool will need access to. E.g., Customer data, sales data, web analytics, etc. [___________] [___________] [___________] (Add more as needed) 6. User Journey & Experience: Describe a typical user's interaction with the tool, from start to finish. Step: [___________] Description: [________________________________________________________________] Expected Outcome: [________________________________________________________________] (Repeat for each step) 7. Integration & Compatibility: List any platforms or systems the tool needs to integrate with. E.g., CRM systems, e-commerce platforms, social media, etc. [___________] [___________] [___________] (Add more as needed) 8. Constraints & Limitations: Identify any potential obstacles, e.g., data privacy concerns, technical constraints, budget limitations, etc. (API internal vs external) [___________] [___________] [___________] (Add more as needed) 9. Stakeholders & Teams Involved: List all departments or individuals who have a stake in this tool's development and usage. (This quantifies the benefits to this tool and how it can be used to help the team). Team/Individual: [___________] Role: [___________] Responsibilities: [________________________________________________________________] (Repeat for each stakeholder) 10. Milestones & Timeline: Define the key phases of the project and the estimated completion dates. Milestone: [___________] Description: [________________________________________________________________] Deadline: [DD/MM/YYYY] (Repeat for each milestone) 11. Budget (Optional): Outline the estimated costs associated with developing and maintaining the tool. (Sourcing a contractor, external tools needed, etc.) Development Costs: [___________] Maintenance Costs: [___________] Other Costs (e.g., training, integration, etc.): [___________] Total Estimated Budget: [___________] A simple tracker to keep items organized (spec sheets, product notes, etc). It’s editable and can link to files from your Google Drive automatically, keeping sharing seamless. Item Status Related files Notes Not started File In progress File Launched FileANNOUNCEMENT: Microsoft 365 Business Premium & Office 365 E1 grant discontinuation
Microsoft 365 Business Premium & Office 365 E1 grant discontinuation on CSP and Web Direct channels Microsoft announced on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, that the Microsoft 365 Business Premium grant and Office 365 E1 grant on CSP and Web Direct Channels will be discontinued for nonprofit customers upon their next renewal date on or after July 1, 2025. To support nonprofits during this transition, Microsoft continues to offer: Up to 300 granted licenses of Microsoft 365 Business Basic. Discounts up to 75 percent on many Microsoft 365 nonprofit offers, including Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Office 365 E1. Please refer to the following partner resources: Office Hours Presentation Deck | Recording from May 20, 2025. Partner Step-by-step Business Premium and Office 365 E1 guide Plan comparison of Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, & Office 365 E1 FAQs for Business Premium & Office 365 E1 grant discontinuation Customer email templates | Office 365 E1: Microsoft Office 365 E1-donaties worden stopgezet [Dutch] Partner email template for Office 365 E1 grant discontinuation [English] La subvention Microsoft Office 365 E1 va être supprimée [French] Der Microsoft Office 365 E1-Zuschuss wird eingestellt [German] La subvención de Microsoft Office 365 E1 se dejará de ofrecer [Spanish] Customer email templates | Microsoft 365 Business Premium: Microsoft 365 Business Premium-donaties worden stopgezet [Dutch] Partner email template for Business Premium grant discontinuation [English] La subvention Microsoft 365 Business Premium va être supprimée [French] Der Microsoft 365 Business Premium-Zuschuss wird eingestellt [German] La subvención de Microsoft 365 Empresa Premium se dejará de ofrecer [Spanish] The aforementioned resources can also be found on the Microsoft 365 Business Premium & Office 365 E1 grant discontinuation landing page. Please reach out to the Tech for Social Impact Partner Desk with any questions.
Enhancing Your Moodle Experience with Plugins
Did you know you can deploy Moodle directly on Microsoft Azure? This allows nonprofits and educational institutions to take advantage of cloud scalability, security, and even use available Azure credits—making Moodle a cost-effective and powerful solution. Moodle, as an open-source learning management system, is incredibly powerful right out of the box. However, its true potential shines when you tap into the wide variety of plugins available. These plugins allow administrators and educators to extend Moodle's functionality, enhancing both teaching and learning experiences. In this blog, we'll explore some of the most useful plugins for Moodle and how they can help you customize your site to better meet your educational goals. 1. Essential Moodle Plugins for Administrators When managing a Moodle site, administrators can benefit from a variety of plugins that streamline processes, improve security, and enhance user experience. Attendance: This plugin allows instructors to track student attendance with ease. It provides a simple interface for marking attendance and even allows reporting by session or student. Backup and Restore: Though Moodle has built-in backup features, this plugin makes it more user-friendly by offering advanced options such as scheduled backups and backup tracking. Moodle Mobile App (Mobile Services): This plugin enhances the Moodle experience on mobile devices, ensuring that all users, whether students or educators, have a seamless mobile experience. 2. Plugins to Boost Learning and Engagement Plugins also allow educators to create more dynamic and engaging learning environments. Here are a few that are sure to boost interaction and learning outcomes. Quizventure: This gamification plugin transforms Moodle quizzes into an engaging game experience. Students answer quiz questions to shoot moving targets, creating a fun and interactive way to reinforce learning. H5P: H5P allows you to create rich, interactive content such as quizzes, games, videos, and presentations. The plugin integrates seamlessly into Moodle, enabling educators to design more engaging lessons. Certificate: This plugin automates the creation and issuance of certificates. Customize templates to match your organization's branding, and easily award certificates to students upon course completion. 3. Collaboration and Communication Plugins Moodle is great for individual learning, but it's also a strong tool for collaboration and communication. Here are a couple of plugins that can help. BigBlueButton: An open-source video conferencing plugin, BigBlueButton integrates directly into Moodle, making it easy for instructors to host live sessions, record lectures, and engage with students in real-time. Forum Plus: This enhanced forum plugin adds additional features like discussion tracking and more intuitive navigation, improving the online discussion experience for learners and instructors. 4. Customization Plugins for a Personalized Moodle Every Moodle site is unique, and many plugins can help tailor the platform to the specific needs of your users. Theme Selector: Want to change the look and feel of your Moodle site? The Theme Selector plugin allows you to choose from various themes and even create your own, giving your Moodle site a distinct, personalized design. User Profile Fields: This plugin lets you add custom fields to user profiles, enabling you to collect the specific information you need from your learners, such as certifications, experience, or preferences. Conclusion Moodle's flexibility is one of its biggest strengths, and plugins are the key to unlocking that potential. Whether you're an administrator looking to streamline operations, an educator hoping to engage students, or a learner in need of a personalized experience, there's a plugin for every need. By carefully selecting the right plugins, you can enhance your Moodle site and create a more effective and enjoyable learning environment.May the Power Be with You with Power Query in Excel (With Instructional Video)
Data cleaning is a crucial step in the data analysis process, but it can be time-consuming and tedious. Fortunately, Power Query in Microsoft Excel offers a powerful solution to automate data cleaning, saving you valuable time and effort. In this blog, we'll explore how to use Power Query to streamline your data cleaning process and ensure your data is ready for analysis.In this blog, we'll explore how to use Power Query to streamline your data cleaning process and ensure your data is ready for analysis. To complement the blog, we've also included an instructional video that walks you through the key steps, making it even easier to follow along and apply what you learn. Instructional Video: Blog: What is Power Query? Power Query is a data connection, cleaning, and shaping technology that is part of the Microsoft modern analytics suite of business intelligence tools. It allows you to connect to various data sources, transform and clean the data, and load it into Excel or Power BI for further analysis. Benefits of Using Power Query Automation: Once you set up your data cleaning steps, Power Query can automatically apply them every time you refresh your data. Efficiency: Power Query simplifies complex data cleaning tasks, reducing the time and effort required. Consistency: By automating the process, you ensure that your data cleaning steps are applied consistently every time. Getting Started with Power Query Step 1: Launch Power Query and Connect Data To launch Power Query in Excel: 1. Open Excel and go to the "Data" tab. 2. Click on "Get Data" and select the data source you want to connect to (e.g., Excel, CSV, database). For this demo we will use From File > From Excel Workbook to connect to a single Excel source. 3. This process launches a Windows Explorer window, where you can navigate to the source data's folder and select the workbook to Import. Power Query supports a wide range of data sources, including Excel files, CSV files, databases, and online services. Select your data source and follow the prompts to connect to your data. 4. The Navigator window launches, showing the selected file's contents. Most data sources follow this general layout, with different types of objects represented by different icons. For an Excel workbook, the object types include worksheets and tables. 5. Select the Transform Data button. This selection launches the Power Query editor window. Step 2: Clean and Transform Your Data Once your data is loaded into Power Query, you can start cleaning and transforming it. Here are some common data cleaning tasks you can automate with Power Query: Remove Duplicates: Identify and remove duplicate rows from your dataset. How to: In the Power Query Editor, select the column with duplicate values, go to the "Home" tab, and click "Remove Duplicates." Filter Rows: Filter out unwanted rows based on specific criteria How to: Click on the filter icon in the column header and select the criteria to filter out unwanted rows. Replace Values: Replace incorrect or missing values with the correct ones. How to: Right-click on the column with incorrect values, select "Replace Values," and enter the old and new values Split Columns: Split a column into multiple columns based on a delimiter. How to: Select the column to split, go to the "Transform" tab, and click "Split Column" > "By Delimiter." Choose the delimiter and click "OK." Merge Columns: Combine multiple columns into a single column. How to: Select the columns to merge, go to the "Transform" tab, and click "Merge Columns." Choose a separator and click "OK." Step 3: Apply and Save Your Changes After cleaning and transforming your data, click "Close & Load" to apply the changes and load the cleaned data into Excel. Power Query will save your steps, so you can refresh the data and reapply the same cleaning steps automatically. Conclusion: Power Query is a powerful tool that can automate and streamline your data cleaning process, making it easier to prepare your data for analysis. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can save time, ensure consistency, and focus on deriving insights from your data. Start using Power Query today and transform your data cleaning workflow!Understanding the Fundamentals of AI Concepts for Nonprofits
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a cornerstone of modern technology, driving innovation across various sectors. Nonprofits, too, can harness the power of AI to enhance their operations and amplify their impact. In this blog, we'll explore fundamental AI concepts, common AI workloads, Microsoft's Responsible AI policies, and the tools and services available through Azure AI, all tailored for the nonprofit sector. Understanding AI Workloads AI workloads refer to the different types of tasks that AI systems can perform. Here are some common AI workloads relevant to nonprofits: Machine Learning: This involves training a computer model to make predictions and draw conclusions from data. Nonprofits can use machine learning to predict donor behavior, optimize fundraising strategies, and analyze program outcomes. Computer Vision: This capability allows software to interpret the world visually through cameras, video, and images. Applications include identifying and tracking wildlife for conservation efforts or analyzing images to assess disaster damage. Natural Language Processing (NLP): NLP enables computers to understand and respond to human language. Nonprofits can use NLP for sentiment analysis of social media posts, language translation for multilingual communities, and developing conversational AI like chatbots for donor engagement. Anomaly Detection: This involves automatically detecting errors or unusual activity. It is useful for fraud detection in financial transactions, monitoring network security, and ensuring data integrity. Conversational AI: This refers to the capability of a software agent to engage in conversations with humans. Examples include chatbots and virtual assistants that can answer questions, provide recommendations, and perform tasks, enhancing donor and beneficiary interactions. Responsible AI Practices As AI technology continues to evolve, it is crucial to ensure it is developed and used responsibly. Microsoft's Responsible AI policies emphasize the importance of fairness, reliability, safety, privacy, security, inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability in AI systems. These principles guide the development and deployment of AI solutions to ensure they benefit everyone and do not cause harm. To learn more about Microsoft Responsible AI Practices click here: Empowering responsible AI practices | Microsoft AI Azure AI Services for Nonprofits Microsoft Azure offers a suite of AI services that enable nonprofits to build intelligent applications. Some key services include: Azure Machine Learning: A comprehensive platform for building, training, and deploying machine learning models. It supports a wide range of machine learning frameworks and tools, helping nonprofits analyze data and make informed decisions. To learn more or get started with Azure Machine Learning click here: Azure Machine Learning - ML as a Service | Microsoft Azure Azure AI Bot Service: A service for building conversational AI applications. It provides tools for creating, testing, and deploying chatbots that can interact with users through various channels, improving donor engagement and support services. To learn more or get started with Azure AI Bot Service click here: Azure AI Bot Service | Microsoft Azure Azure Cognitive Services: A collection of APIs that enable developers to add AI capabilities to their applications. These services include vision, speech, language, and decision-making APIs, which can be used for tasks like image recognition, language translation, and sentiment analysis. To learn more about the various Cognitive Service please click here: Azure AI Services – Using AI for Intelligent Apps | Microsoft Azure Conclusion AI has the potential to transform the nonprofit sector by enhancing efficiency, driving innovation, and providing valuable insights. By understanding AI workloads, adhering to responsible AI practices, and leveraging Azure AI services, nonprofits can unlock the full potential of AI to better serve their communities and achieve their missions. Embrace the power of AI to take your nonprofit organization to new heights and make a greater impact. For a deeper dive into the fundamental concepts of AI, please visit the module Fundamental AI Concepts. This resource will provide you with essential insights and a solid foundation to enhance your knowledge in the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence.Video Tutorial: How to Migrate Your WordPress Site to Azure for Nonprofits
Before you migrate your WordPress site, ensure you have deployed a WordPress site on Azure. If you're unfamiliar with this process, scroll down to the reference section at the bottom of this blog. There is an article that will guide you through creating a WordPress site in Azure, complete with a helpful video. Why Azure for Nonprofits? Azure offers various benefits for nonprofits, including cost savings, scalability, and robust security features. Migrating your WordPress site to Azure can help you leverage these advantages to better serve your community. Step-by-Step Guide Access the WordPress Admin Portal: Go to your personal WordPress site and navigate to the admin portal by adding /wp-admin to your site's URL. Install the WP Migration Plugin: Select Plugins > Add New. Search for "WP Migration" and press enter. Install and activate the "All-in-One WP Migration and Backup" plugin. Export Your Website: Click on the plugin itself where it says "All-in-One WP Migration". Select Export > Export Site to File. Download the exported file. Access the WordPress Site on Azure: Navigate to the admin portal of your WordPress site on Azure by adding /wp-admin to your site's URL. Install the WP Migration Plugin on Azure: Select Plugins > Add New. Search for "WP Migration". Install and activate the plugin. Import Your Website: Click on the plugin and select Import. Choose Import from File and select the file you downloaded earlier. Handling File Size Limits If you encounter a file size limit error (WordPress has a 50 MB limit), you can either purchase the unlimited extension or manually increase the limit: Access Azure Portal: Go to your Azure portal and type in "App Services". Select your app service. Use SSH to Modify File Size Limits: Scroll down to Deployment Tools and click on SSH. Click on Go to access the backend of the app service. Create a file in the home site wwwroot directory named .user.ini. Edit the File: Use the command nano /home/site/wwwroot/.user.ini. Add the following lines to increase the upload and post max size: upload_max_filesize = 1G post_max_size = 1G Save the file by pressing Ctrl + X, then Y, and Enter. Verify and Import: Refresh your WordPress site on Azure. Import the file again, and it should bypass the previous limit. Final Steps Once the migration is complete, you may want to delete the .user.ini file you created earlier. Use the command: rm /home/site/wwwroot/.user.ini References techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/nonprofittechies/deploying-a-wordpress-site-on-microsoft-azure-a-guide-for-non-profits-with-video/4415254?previewMessage=true Resolving Host Restrictions on File Sizes Exceeding 50 MB in WordPress on Azure for Nonprofits | Microsoft Community HubStreamlining Non-Profit Operations with Power Automate Templates (Video Tutorial Included)
Power Automate is a powerful tool that helps automate repetitive tasks and workflows, allowing non-profits to focus more on their mission. Benefits of Power Automate Time-Saving: Automate daily operations to save valuable time. Error Reduction: Minimize errors in routine tasks. Enhanced Efficiency: Allow staff to focus on strategic activities. Consistency and Accuracy: Maintain uniformity in processes. Exploring Power Automate Templates To get started, navigate to make.powerautomate.com. Scroll down to find various templates that can help you automate tasks without starting from scratch. Types of Templates Instant: Triggered manually. Automatic: Triggered by specific events. Scheduled: Runs at designated times. Templates for Remote Work For teams working remotely, Power Automate offers templates to improve collaboration and workflow. Explore these templates to streamline your remote operations. Data Collection and Email Templates Data Collection: Automate data collection and task creation based on collected data. Email Templates: Automate sending emails to donors or volunteers. One commonly used template allows you to send a thank-you email to volunteers who sign up for events. Instead of manually sending emails, Power Automate can handle this for you. Step-by-Step Guide to Using a Template Select a Template: Choose a template that fits your needs. Connect Accounts: Ensure your Microsoft 365 license is active. Select the Form: Choose the form you created in Microsoft Forms. Customize the Email: Modify the subject line and body of the email. Test the Flow: Validate and test the flow to ensure it works correctly. Example: Thank-You Email for Volunteers Select the Form: Choose your volunteer registration form. Customize the Email: Add a personalized subject and body. Test and Validate: Ensure the flow runs successfully. Once the flow is set up, it will automatically send a thank-you email to volunteers who register for events, saving you time and ensuring consistency. Conclusion Thank you for joining us today! We've explored how to use Power Automate templates to streamline non-profit operations. For more creative content, follow us on Tech Community. Have a great day!Kalen's Corner: How Nonprofits Can Use Azure Repos
Welcome back to Kalen's Corner, where we delve into Microsoft's comprehensive suite of tools for nonprofits, with a particular emphasis on gaming-related or gaming-adjacent tools. In our previous discussion, we examined Azure Boards in DevOps. Today, we will focus on Azure Repos and its potential to enhance collaboration in nonprofit projects. Overview of Azure Repos Azure Repos offers version control tools to manage your code. It supports Git (distributed) and Team Foundation Version Control (centralized). Azure Repos enables you to track code changes, collaborate with your team, and maintain a project history. Git repositories in Azure Repos offer a robust environment for managing your source code. They enable branching, merging, and even pull requests, which facilitate code reviews and collaboration. TFVC, on the other hand, is more suited for teams that prefer a centralized approach to version control, where changes are checked into a single repository. How Nonprofits Can Leverage Azure Repos Nonprofits often have tight budgets and limited resources, making efficient project management crucial. Azure Repos helps teams collaborate on code by tracking every change and streamlining the process. Here’s how nonprofits can use Azure Repos for their projects: Collaborative Code Development: Azure Repos facilitates collaborative development by allowing multiple team members to work on the same project simultaneously. This is particularly useful for nonprofits developing software or maintaining websites, where contributions from different team members need to be integrated efficiently. Version Control: With Azure Repos, nonprofits can maintain a detailed history of their codebase, making it easy to revert to previous versions if needed. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of projects and ensuring that any errors can be quickly rectified. Pull Requests: Azure Repos' pull request feature allows team members to review each other's code before it is merged into the main branch. This ensures that high-quality code is maintained and that any potential issues are identified early. Branch Management: Teams can create branches to work on different features or fixes without disrupting the main codebase. This is particularly useful for managing large projects with multiple contributors. Integration with Azure DevOps: Azure Repos integrates seamlessly with other Azure DevOps services, such as Azure Pipelines and Azure Boards, providing a cohesive environment for managing the entire project lifecycle. Accessing Azure Repos: Security and User Roles To ensure secure and efficient use of Azure Repos, access is granted based on predefined user roles within your Azure DevOps organization. Administrators can assign permissions such as read, write, or branch management to individuals or teams, tailoring access to project needs while safeguarding sensitive code. Multi-factor authentication and integration with Azure Active Directory further enhance security, guaranteeing that only authorized users can interact with repositories. This structured approach ensures that nonprofits maintain robust control over their codebase while fostering seamless collaboration among team members. Getting Started with Azure Repos To help your nonprofit get started with Azure Repos, here are some practical tips: Set Up Your Repository: Begin by creating a new repository in Azure Repos. You can choose between Git and TFVC, depending on your team's preference. Initialize the repository with a README file to provide an overview of your project. Organize Your Branches: Establish a branching strategy that suits your workflow. Common strategies include 'main' for stable code, 'develop' for ongoing development, and feature branches for specific tasks. Commit Regularly: Encourage your team to commit their changes frequently. This ensures that work is regularly saved, and that the repository reflects the most up-to-date state of the project. Utilize Pull Requests: Make pull requests a mandatory step for merging code into the main branch. This helps maintain code quality and encourages team collaboration through code reviews. Automate Workflows: Integrate Azure Pipelines to automate your build and deployment processes. This reduces manual effort and ensures that your code is continuously tested and deployed. Leverage Azure Boards: Use Azure Boards to track work items, plan sprints, and manage your project's progress. Linking work items to commits and pull requests provides a clear view of the development lifecycle. Code for Good: A Success Story Code for Good, a nonprofit focused on social software solutions, created a platform to connect volunteers with community service opportunities. They used Azure Repos to efficiently coordinate their team of developers. With Git repositories and strategic branching, they managed development cycles and maintained code quality through pull requests. Azure Repos seamlessly integrated with Azure Pipelines for automated build and deployment, and with Azure Boards for clear project tracking. This enabled Code for Good to stay on track and meet their goals, successfully launching a platform that has connected thousands of volunteers with meaningful opportunities through effective collaboration via Azure Repos. Conclusion Azure Repos offers a flexible version control solution beneficial for nonprofits. It supports collaborative development, maintains code integrity, and integrates with other Azure DevOps tools, helping nonprofits achieve their project goals efficiently. I hope this blog has shed light on how Azure Repos can boost your nonprofit's collaboration. Stay tuned for the next Kalen's Corner, where we'll explore more Microsoft tools and services for nonprofits. Happy coding!Using GitHub Copilot: Code Suggestions for Nonprofits
What Is GitHub Copilot's Code Suggestions Feature? At its core, GitHub Copilot is an AI pair programmer powered by OpenAI. It analyzes your code, learns from your patterns, and provides intelligent suggestions in real time. The Code Suggestions feature is particularly useful for generating code snippets, automating repetitive tasks, and even writing entire functions or classes based on descriptive comments. This dramatically reduces the time and effort needed for coding and debugging. For nonprofit organizations, this means more time can be spent on impactful projects rather than navigating technical roadblocks. Whether your team is building a donor management system, a volunteer scheduling app, or an advocacy platform, GitHub Copilot can help bring these visions to life with efficiency and precision. Step-By-Step Guide: Using GitHub Copilot with Visual Studio Step 1: Install GitHub Copilot Ensure you have a GitHub account with an active Copilot subscription. Download and install Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code, both of which are compatible with GitHub Copilot. Install the GitHub Copilot extension from the Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code Extensions Marketplace. Step 2: Set Up GitHub Copilot Once the extension is installed, open Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code. Log into your GitHub account to authenticate Copilot. Follow the prompts to enable Copilot in your environment. Step 3: Start Writing Code Begin typing code or comments in your editor. For example, typing a comment like // Create a function to calculate total donations will prompt Copilot to suggest a function tailored to that description. You can accept the suggestion using the Tab key or refine it further. Step 4: Explore Customization Adjust Copilot’s behavior by modifying its settings. You can enable or disable inline suggestions, tweak its verbosity, and choose how much automation you want in your workflow. Step 5: Iterate and Collaborate As you write code, GitHub Copilot will continuously provide relevant suggestions, helping you work smarter and faster. Collaborate with your team by sharing code snippets and ensuring everyone benefits from Copilot’s insights. Unlocking Innovation for Nonprofits By automating mundane tasks and providing intelligent coding support, GitHub Copilot encourages developers to think bigger and aim higher. Nonprofits can channel their resources into high-impact initiatives, confident that their technical tools will keep pace with their ambitions. Call to Action GitHub Copilot is more than a tool; it’s a partner in innovation, empowering nonprofit organizations to maximize their impact and achieve their missions more efficiently. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting your coding journey, GitHub Copilot can help bring your projects to life. Ready to transform your coding experience? Visit GitHub Copilot to learn more, explore pricing for nonprofits, and start your free trial today. Take the first step toward a more productive future and ensure your nonprofit’s technology is as impactful as its mission.How Nonprofits Can Effectively Utilize Azure Cost Management Tools
Understanding Azure Cost Management Tools Azure Cost Management tools are a suite of services provided by Microsoft Azure to help organizations gain insights into their cloud spending, set budgets, and optimize resource usage. These tools are designed to empower users to make informed decisions about their cloud infrastructure, ensuring alignment with financial goals. Key Features of Azure Cost Management Tools Cost Analysis: Provides detailed insights into resource usage and spending patterns, helping nonprofits identify areas for optimization. Budgets: Allows organizations to set spending thresholds and receive notifications when they're approaching or exceeding limits. Recommendations: Offers actionable suggestions to right-size resources, reduce waste, and take advantage of available discounts. Export and Reporting: Enables users to generate customized reports and export cost data for further analysis. Integration with Azure Advisor: Combines cost insights with best-practice recommendations for performance, security, and efficiency. The Importance of Budget Tracking and Optimization For nonprofits, effective budget tracking and optimization can be the difference between advancing their mission and facing financial constraints. Here are some reasons why these practices are critical: Enhancing Financial Transparency: Transparency in financial operations builds trust among donors, stakeholders, and beneficiaries. Azure Cost Management tools allow nonprofits to clearly demonstrate how cloud expenditures align with organizational goals. Maximizing Resources: By identifying underutilized or unnecessary resources, nonprofits can redirect funds to mission-critical activities. For example, if a nonprofit discovers that unused virtual machines are incurring costs, they can deallocate those resources and reinvest the savings. Facilitating Strategic Planning: Budget tracking helps nonprofits forecast future expenses and allocate funds more strategically. With Azure's budgeting capabilities, organizations can set realistic financial goals and monitor progress in real-time. Integrating Azure Cost Management Tools with Financial Systems For nonprofits already using financial systems like QuickBooks, Dynamics 365, or other accounting platforms, integrating Azure Cost Management tools can further streamline operations. Seamless Data Flow Azure's reporting and export features allow nonprofits to integrate cost data directly into their financial systems. This ensures a unified view of expenses, making it easier to prepare budgets and reconcile accounts. Enhanced Collaboration Financial teams can work alongside IT departments to create comprehensive strategies for budget allocation and cloud optimization. Shared dashboards and reports enhance visibility across departments. Streamlined Grant Reporting For nonprofits that rely on grants, accurate cost tracking is essential. Integration with financial systems ensures that cloud expenses are correctly categorized, enabling organizations to meet grant reporting requirements with ease. Conclusion Azure Cost Management tools are more than just a resource for tracking expenses—they are a pathway to financial empowerment for nonprofit organizations. By leveraging these tools, nonprofits can optimize their cloud spending, enhance transparency, and redirect savings to their core mission. Whether through real-time budgeting, actionable recommendations, or seamless integration with financial systems, Microsoft Azure provides nonprofits with the means to maximize their impact. For more detailed guidance, nonprofits can refer to the Azure Cost Management Documentation and explore best practices for optimizing cloud spending. For nonprofits aiming to do more with less, embracing Azure Cost Management tools is not just a technological step forward—it’s a commitment to their mission and the communities they serve.
