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Hello. I would like to make several suggestions that I would find useful...

1. I would like to see a calendar option that would show me who had accepted what activity for all events. For example, last Sunday, when I finished running Sound for 2nd service, I had no idea who I was supposed to be showing up to relieve me and run 3rd service. Also, if I have a conflict at the last minute (get sick), I would like to be able to see who is available to substitute for me, since this system cannot get the job done in minutes.

2. I would like to see fewer steps to accept a pending activity. From an email location, I would like to be able to click a link, enter my password, and click 'Accept'. Having to click a link, click another link, enter my username, enter my password, click another link, and click again is just overkill.

3. I would like to be able to accept any event that has not been accepted yet - even if my status is not pending for that event. For example, I would like to be able to jump ahead a few months and plug in my accepted dates directly. If I know I am going to be out-of-town for two consecutive Sundays, I want to volunteer for two other consecutive Sundays - something the system would not handle by default and would end up doing only after others decline. It would be good if the system marked any events that I had directly signed up for, as compared to events the systems assigned by algorithm.

3. I would like to see the system work more than a month ahead. Two months would be better.

4. I would like to see the system have timetables for 'normal', 'harass', and 'crisis' mode that are set by the location administrator. In normal mode, the system should notify the volunteer a couple days before it proposes a schedule, so that volunteers can make sure their blackout dates are set, and request any events they especially want to volunteer for. Then after the system proposes a schedule, it should send out notifications at a frequency set by the location administrator (such as every 3 days). In 'harass' mode, notifications should be sent to pending statuses at an ever increasing frequency (such as every day for 2 days, then every hour), as set by the location administrator. In 'crisis' mode, the system should send notifications to every potential volunteer until someone accepts, at a frequency set by the location administrator.

5. I would like to be able to accept an event that I would not normally be assigned. For example,when my wife is involved in music, I would like to run sound for both 1st and 2nd service, eve

Tim Lors , 12.05.2014, 13:42
Idea status: under consideration

Comments

eaifah, 28.06.2014, 21:28
Hi Tim,
Please see responses below:
1) Currently, we have a button on the Home page (All Schedules) that shows all the teams and the scheduled volunteers. The button is viewable if your administrator has enabled it.
Concerning last minute assignment declines, the system is setup to automatically find the next available person, assign them to the shift and send email and text notifications immediately. If the next person declines, then the system moves on to the next available volunteer until it runs out of options. In the case where there are no other options, the system notifies the admin about the vacancy.
We are currently working on features that will automatically notify all volunteers with the same skill if a vacancy has no available volunteers to automatically fill it. Additionally, another feature will allow volunteers to swap assignments with each other when needed.

2)Having fewer steps to accept an assignment is very important to us. We have added this to our enhancement list.
In the mean time, each volunteer summary email shows the ID or the instance workgroup; you can use that ID to text back YES/NO + ID to 1-845-377-3783 (currently only available in the U.S.)

3)The system does allow each workgroup to be setup as 'Sign up only' which basically means the auto-engine will not assign a person; instead, it will leave the assignment for volunteers to pick up themselves.
Currently, the option for 'Signup only' and auto-schedule is either or. We are working on an enhancement that will automatically make a 'auto-schedule' workgroup 'signup only' if the system cannot find anymore volunteers to schedule.
Additionally, the system currently allows volunteers to set preferences for which activities/services they want to be considered for, how often they want to be scheduled, which dates they want/don't want to be scheduled for, and several other options. Please see the Availability and Schedule Preferences tabs on your profile page.
The system does have an option for scheduling volunteers on consecutive Sundays, however, it is currently restricted only to administrators to set for each specific workgroup.

The system does currently allow the admin to set how far in advance schedules should be created. This feature is available for each Activity (recurrence offset). Please see your administrator if you prefer for the system to generate dates further in the future.


4) Your suggestions for the various notification options are very interesting. I have noted them for additionaly round table development discussions.
We do already have a task on our enhancement list to allow the admin to specify when and how notifications are sent out.
One of the features we are currently working on will auto-notify all eligible volunteers when a vacancy cannot be filled. Furthermore, it will allow the volunteers to self-signup for those vacant assignments.

5) Currently, volunteers have the ability to specify which activities and workgroups they prefer to be scheduled for. The schedule preferences options allow you to even specify other volunteers you would like to be scheduled with. Although being scheduled together is not guaranteed, the system will give you a higher probability of it.
If this request is only for special occasions, I would recommend requesting the admin to manually assign you to the desired assignments.
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