Mastering CiviCRM #10: Staying current with new developments

Just like your organization, CiviCRM is an active community-driven project, constantly working to improve and reach new goals.

New things are always happening.

Here are some easy ways to keep up:

System Status console

This in-app tool will tell you when there's a new version of CiviCRM available, and specifically highlights security releases. It also informs you of available updates for your extensions, and provides notice of a wide variety of potential issues on your site that may sometimes appear. Navigate to Administer > Administrator Console > System Status, or click the “System Status” link in the footer of any CiviCRM backend page on your site. It's worth checking frequently.

“CiviCRM News” dashlet

This handy dashlet pulls info from civicrm.org on the latest news, events, and trainings, and more. It's enabled on your CiviCRM dashboard by default, and if you don't see it there you can add it.

CiviCRM blog

The CiviCRM Core Team and others in the community regularly post to the blog with new ideas, new projects, upcoming events, and user success stories. The volume of information is manageable, maybe five or six new posts per month. Give it a look every week or so to stay informed..

Extensions directory

CiviCRM community members have created hundreds of extensions for CiviCRM, and the number keeps growing. Give the Extensions Directory a look once a month or so. There's a good chance you'll find something that fits a need you've been trying to fill. There's no point in building it yourself if somebody else is already giving it away.

The usual suspects

On top of all that, you've got Twitter, Stack Exchange, the MatterMost chat, and the GitLab repository.

Here's the thing

You don't have to obsess over knowing every up to the minute detail that's happening throughout the world of CiviCRM — just like you don't have to keep the 24-hour weather channel running in your living room all day.

But but mastering CiviCRM for the sake of your goals is something like navigating a sea of new opportunities and potential challenges.

Checking the weather report now and then will make for much smoother sailing.

All the best,
A.