Google Apps for Non-Profits

[A.Member]

One thing I have done, which should be a practice for any/all units using GApps, is create an administrative-level account and record its credentials in the 'Internet Operations' section on eServices. This will make continuity much easier if something happens to the person managing GApps.

Not only a best practice, it's required by CAPR 110-1.

[Tim Day]

Does anyone who uses Google Apps have an operating instruction (OI) governing how emails and documents are transferred, acceptable use policy, etc?

[Tim Day]

Has anyone using Google Apps with the .gov domain had any problems using the web access to gmail?

[Eclipse]

Has anyone using Google Apps with the .gov domain had any problems using the web access to gmail?

No issue for me - I aggregate al lthe accounts together, but can go to the web gmail as well no issue.

[A.Member]

Anyone have a Google Apps domain as a .org and have their Gmail domain as a .gov?  Any issues in doing that?

Thought is to use a .gov as an external site and use Goggle Apps/Office 365 as a member only intranet site (.org)...less restrictive (regulations).

[Eclipse]

That would break many of the advantages of gmail's SSO.

What would you want to do that's restricted?

[A.Member]

That would break many of the advantages of gmail's SSO.

What would you want to do that's restricted?

How would that break the SSO?  The .gov gmail address would still be the username.

There are additional disclaimers and restrictions that need to be adhered to with the use of a .gov domain.  We're not necessarily looking to do anything really wazoo but a .org  domains allows more freedom/leeway in a few respects.  We'd like to allow the director/duty officer for each specialty to update their own pages on the intranet site (think: blog/CMS).   We'd rather not worry about links that people may add to a specialty page (ex. Ops Officer may want to link to an interesting AOPA article...doing so would require a disclaimer).   

[Eclipse]

Yes, GApps can support multiple domains under a single account, but it's an overcomplication that is unnecessary
if all you're looking to do is link articles.

Site can do everything the average unit/group/wing needs to do web-wise.  If you need more, you're probably
overthinking things.

[a2capt]

That's kinda what I can't believe about that whole agenda item from the CSAG. They want to force us to all use the .gov stuff, and we can't do a lot with it, including run php/mysql apparently.

Because between the BS hoops you've got to jump through with the DNS administrator, and the hassles the host providers don't want to deal with.. no wonder everyone that has any kind of "modern" web page has switched to xxxxcap.org, with exception of NER and NJWG which both appear to be hosted by the same Charter or Comcast business service.

I've got a spreadsheet that has every Wing and Region, with their domain and what their site is, (Pagemill pages, CMS, etc)

[Eclipse]

I can't imagine why anyone would want to bother rolling their own CMS for a CAP webpage - all you really
need on those is marketing and contact type info, docs, policies, etc.

All more then possible and simple with template-based sites.

I "get" the whole "craftsman" vs. "technician" argument, but those complex pages (even simple php and CMS is
"complex" to someone without an IT background) tend to die when the "craftsman" moves on, quits, or dies.

Then you have the mess we have now.

[A.Member]

I can't imagine why anyone would want to bother rolling their own CMS for a CAP webpage - all you really
need on those is marketing and contact type info, docs, policies,

Agreed for an external facing website, ie your sales brochure.  Not so for an internally targeted site/intranet.  The benefit of CMS functionality is that once the framework is set, your IT person can step quite a bit further away and just let page owners update content, ex, emphasis items, event info, news/announcements, pictures, etc. We spend WAY too much time updating content for users; they can do this on their own with the right tools.

Slight change of topic...but related...for those that utilize CAPWATCH, how are you consuming this database?

[JeffDG]

One thing I really like is the Calendar functionality.

We set up calendars for the units, and they can put their events on it as they wish.  Then at the Group Level, on the webpage, we can put each of the subordinate unit calendars on there, so we have a consolidated picture of what's happening in all the units (each calendar gets its own colour on the screen)

Wing works much the same way, each department has their own, and the wing Webpage pulls all of those together for the wing-wide events happening.

What's important is I don't need to give a squadron guy access to the Group calendar to make his changes, and he can embed his squadron calendar on the squadron webpage, and add an event once, and it shows up on both automagically.  He doesn't need to do the squadron calendar, then remember to add his event to the Group calendar too.

[A.Member]

One thing I really like is the Calendar functionality.

We set up calendars for the units, and they can put their events on it as they wish.  Then at the Group Level, on the webpage, we can put each of the subordinate unit calendars on there, so we have a consolidated picture of what's happening in all the units (each calendar gets its own colour on the screen)

Wing works much the same way, each department has their own, and the wing Webpage pulls all of those together for the wing-wide events happening.

What's important is I don't need to give a squadron guy access to the Group calendar to make his changes, and he can embed his squadron calendar on the squadron webpage, and add an event once, and it shows up on both automagically.  He doesn't need to do the squadron calendar, then remember to add his event to the Group calendar too.

Interesting.   That's almost the opposite of what we do.   

Here's our current approach (and the process while largely remain the same with our new solution):

• All activities (regardless of level) must be submitted for approval before they may be scheduled or appear on any calendar (online request form is used)
• Activity request is approved or declined at Wing level
• Within the request form, the requester indicates whether they want the activity to appear on a Wing calendar (most unit activities should not appear on a Wing calendar but rather remain on a unit calendar)
• Wing calendar "moderator" receives online form and confirms the event truly should appear on Wing calendar and posts accordingly

A surprising number of calendar/activity requests received (maybe 75%+) do not belong on anything more than a unit calendar and should be managed at the unit level (ex. pancake breakfasts, unit meetings, etc.). 

Keeping calendar events at the correct level avoids unnecessary noise/clutter and allows for focus/emphasis, particularly at the Wing level, on key events and activities (ex. SAREX, Encampment, Training, etc.).  If someone is interested in knowing what's going on at unit x, they view that units calendar or contact CC for that unit.

[JeffDG]

We don't roll unit calendars onto the Wing Calendar...we roll departmental (ie. ES, Cadet Programs, etc.) calendars onto the Wing Calendar.  If something is "worthy" of appearing on the Wing Calendar, the appropriate Wing Staff member (ie DOS, DCP, DC) is generally aware of it at least.

My group rolls unit stuff onto the Group Calendar...but that's our decision, not pushed by anyone...gives an overall view of what's happening in our corner of the state at a glance.

[A.Member]

We don't roll unit calendars onto the Wing Calendar...we roll departmental (ie. ES, Cadet Programs, etc.) calendars onto the Wing Calendar.  If something is "worthy" of appearing on the Wing Calendar, the appropriate Wing Staff member (ie DOS, DCP, DC) is generally aware of it at least.

My group rolls unit stuff onto the Group Calendar...but that's our decision, not pushed by anyone...gives an overall view of what's happening in our corner of the state at a glance.

I see...I think.   So, each speciality has it's own calendar?  Is there a consolidated view of events/consolidate calendar across specialities anywhere? 

[JeffDG]

We don't roll unit calendars onto the Wing Calendar...we roll departmental (ie. ES, Cadet Programs, etc.) calendars onto the Wing Calendar.  If something is "worthy" of appearing on the Wing Calendar, the appropriate Wing Staff member (ie DOS, DCP, DC) is generally aware of it at least.

My group rolls unit stuff onto the Group Calendar...but that's our decision, not pushed by anyone...gives an overall view of what's happening in our corner of the state at a glance.

I see...I think.   So, each speciality has it's own calendar?  Is there a consolidated view of events/consolidate calendar across specialities anywhere?

Yes.

Generally, the department calendars are shared broadly (so everyone can read them for example), so in Google Calendar, you can just click which calendars you want to see among those shared with you.  You can also, when you embed a calendar on a website, select multiple calendars to display on the web page (with events that are readable to the public at large presumably).

So, the DOS can edit the ES calendar, the DCP can edit the Cadet Programs calendar, etc.  Then on the main webpage (http://www.tncap.us) we include multiple calendars on the main display.  I figure the directors can decide if something is important enough to go on there without going through some other person for approval.

Also, squadrons can choose to include "Wing" events on their web pages (for example:  http://tn393.tncap.us/), so they get the big-picture of events occurring, along with their local events.

[A.Member]

I like your general template.  Is that something you put together or did you modify an existing Google Sites template?

What kind of stuff do you have behind the member login?  Is that simply used to access Google Drive and Gmail? 

[JeffDG]

I like your general template.  Is that something you put together or did you modify an existing Google Sites template?

What kind of stuff do you have behind the member login?  Is that simply used to access Google Drive and Gmail?

I didn't build the template, more of a back-end guy!

We put anything that is FOUO behind the login...for example, on the Communications page, there's a call-sign list.  On "event" pages, we'll have a registration form on the public side, and people need to log in to see the registered member list.

[A.Member]

I like your general template.  Is that something you put together or did you modify an existing Google Sites template?

What kind of stuff do you have behind the member login?  Is that simply used to access Google Drive and Gmail?

I didn't build the template, more of a back-end guy!

We put anything that is FOUO behind the login...for example, on the Communications page, there's a call-sign list.  On "event" pages, we'll have a registration form on the public side, and people need to log in to see the registered member list.

Got it.  Makes sense.

Maybe you can twist an arm or two to convince whoever built that template to share.   

[A.Member]

Anyone with an API setup that authorizes/authenticate users at sign based on a daily download from CAPWATCH (assume you're just using Member table?) willing to share their code/API set up with me? 

Essentially, we'll look at the member status in CAPWATCH to activate/delete user accounts/gmail.