A GoProof recommendation from Todd Nelson, Associate Director of NYSPHSAA
We did have a proofing software prior to GoProof - unfortunately they priced themselves right out of our market. There was a dramatic price increase from one year to the next.
We tried to work with them to negotiate a more suitable price from what our needs were. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to meet or accommodate us based on our budget so we had to go out and look for another proofing software and we were fortunate to come across GoProof.
It was very similar, the features were very similar to the proofing software we had in the past, so the transition was going to be very seamless when it came to our users using it. And then the accessibility and the people that are at GoProof made the transition very seamless as well.
I just think the ease of making the comments and changes in the comment box and in the different functions that you have in there, that’s the one thing we really enjoy. And I think that the collaborators and the proofers that we have using it, that’s something they find very simple. It’s easy to use and it’s pretty straightforward.
Our main collaborators are the people that are here in our office. We have 8 of us here in the office. So our program designer is in Rochester, NY, about 4 hours away from us here in Albany, NY, so they’re on the western side of the state and we’re on the eastern side of the state.
So the main collaborators are here in the office but then we have 32 championship programs that we’re putting together throughout the school year and for every one of those championship programs we have a score committee that is also collaborating, along with our school coordinator on the program.
Those people are located all over the state of New York. It’s a fairly large state - our sessions go from the Canadian border down to Pennsylvania, from Buffalo, NY down to Long Island, NY. So it’s a very spread out geographical area and people on our committees are all over the state.
Bringing them all together and being able to see the proof and being able to work on one document has been extremely beneficial for us. Before we used to use paper and Word documents, updating things like that.
I can’t believe we even did it that way after using GoProof!
Our number one goal, obviously, is we want accurate information for our championship programs. And I think what our collaborators like the most is that they can see exactly whats going to go in the program and if there is a mistake, they are able to identify what that mistake is, they are able to identify what the correct information is.
We have probably, in one championship program, 15-20 people looking at the program and so when someone sees a mistake and they know what the mistake is and what the correction should be, everybody else sees it at the same time.
So we don’t have duplication of everybody saying ‘Oh, the data’s wrong’ on this particular item on the program and then everybody makes the same comment that the data’s wrong! Everybody can see who has been on there, who has made the corrections and it’s a very seamless process.
I think in the past we weren’t able to catch as many mistakes that we do now. And the fact that we get so many eyes on our championship program just helps the overall quality of the program.
I think it is a very easy process, the links are very easy to use. The comment sections like I said before.
The fact that you can add documents right to the proofing program, that’s something that our designer on the program wishes more people would use!
We do have a Dropbox system that we use where people can send us stuff and we can make comments that are used in the Dropbox, so that is helpful too but our program developer really likes the fact when things are already attached to the proof - then it’s much easier for her, she doesn’t have to go to another location.
Our program developer uses Adobe® InDesign® and it has worked our very well on our end. I don’t know the particulars on that - it’s more her area of expertise - but I haven’t heard any complaints from her so I’m sure she’s very pleased with it!
It’s hard to believe that we have an ocean between us! The people that are over in England running GoProof; the billing and everything else has been seamless.
If we do have issues or concerns - just the other day I had emailed the company, Fran got right back to me within an hour and was very responsive to my request.
So I’m very happy and we’re very pleased with the staff that is at GoProof. They do a tremendous job, they are very friendly. I always enjoy my talks with the Brits over there!
We have been very pleased with the customer support and the customer service we’ve received from GoProof!
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NYSPHSAA Overview
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association was established in 1923 off the back of the success of The New York State Public High School Association of Basketball Leagues set up in 1921.
NYSPHSAA assumed control of inter-state school athletics responsibilities from the local school authorities, colleges and commercial agencies with the primary remit of bringing consistency to eligibility rules and to conduct state tournaments.
The NYSPHSAA became a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations in 1926 and was incorporated in 1975. It has grown impressively through dedicated service and leadership from its diverse team, helped by invaluable contributions from school representatives along the way.
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Todd Nelson was talking to Emerson Welch, Marketing Director of GoProof. If you would like to share your own experience of GoProof under our Spotlight, please reach out to us with your contact details and an idea if what you’d like to share with the GoProof community.
