I've had the honor of being appointed our Encampment's Admin Officer and am looking for best practices or prebuilt tools to simplify our registration and in-processing procedures.
1. Does anyone have any experience with online registration tools?
I've used Eventbrite in the past but it still has limitations. Google forms is to limited.
2. Does anyone have any databases or spreadsheet tools?
Of particular benefit would be being able to use a barcode reader for CAPIDs during in processing.
3. Does anyone have any insight into the online event registration tool in eServices?
Like, when it will actually be available?
4. And finally, should I just buckle down and use the good old paper registration packet model.
Any insight is appreciated!
You asked about databases. While it won't do all of that above, it does do a substantial slice: Encampment Management Program, developed in NYWG and used in a ton of other encampments in other wings (http://burns-computing.com/emp/who.php) since, is an MS Access database that automates and organizes a healthy chunk of the admin work at encampment.
QuoteThe Encampment Management Program is a MS Access database which substantially aids the administration of encampment. It handles all personnel records associated with the activity, including medical and financial. It features:
Automatic P-1 report
Automatic MSA report
Automatic CAPF-7 report
Financial reports, including money paid and owed, and total funds collected
Certificate of Accomplishment template, to give to base support personnel and helpful CAP members
Sign in/out reports for in/out-processing. These allow cadets to run the inprocessing.
Label report to print on label sheet to aid in issuing yearbooks, t-shirts, or workbooks and OI's(see NETM section above).
Staff listing report to publish on website + email.
Attendee report, by home group/squadron, and by assigned flight
Automatic welcome and acceptance letters, addressed to all attendees
Uses CAPWATCH database to display pertinent information
Much more
It's been regularly updated, with the most recent version released in Dec 2014.
Link: http://burns-computing.com/emp/ (http://burns-computing.com/emp/)
Shotgun, please contact me offline. The Encampment Command Staff is already talking about different options for changing the Registration Process this year for encampment.
Phil Argenti, Lt Col, CAP
Commander, 2015 MIWG Encampment
Eventbrite is great, but you must note that when you charge an activity fee, they tack on an Eventbrite service fee. So you might want to look at other means of collecting registration fees. I'd definitely encourage the use of Google Drive where you see fit, as well.
The Encampment Management Program is fantastic and can save you an unbelievable amount of time throughout the encampment process. Pylon gave a good outline, but it really has even more features than you can imagine. In NJ, we've been fortunate enough to have Lt Col Michael Sperry (Squadron Information Management System) make it work even better for us. Since you brought up barcode scanners, I believe it is possible to scan into the EMP (maybe? or was it just a spreadsheet? the answer is evading me). However, there was a period of time when the CAP IDs weren't coming out with the standard Code 39 barcodes on them. I'm not sure if this batch is all gone now, but it was an issue for us in the past.
Define "standard" bar code.
The older cards had a 3 of 9 code; the current ones have a QR code. both of these meet industry standards. As discussed elsewhere/when, the code on the card is for the manufacturer's benefit, not CAP's. We were able to take advantage of their process for our own uses.
The 3 of 9 bar code has been returned, to the back of the card while that faux QR looking thing is still on the front.
I think the CAPTalk squeaky wheel must have had some influence ;-)
I will second the endorsement for the New York wing database. I used it for 2 or 3 encampments and it took my admin work to close to nil. MSAs, certificates, even payment batches and check in. And that was 13 years ago. Is even better now!