So what things would you like to see added to, subtracted from, or fixed on CAP's e-services and/or WMIRS?
I think the thing that would be most helpful would be having all awards tracked in services along with an electronic system for recommending and approving them like we have for ES qualifications.
In WMIRS I would like to see mission summary statistics available at the Wing and National levels, along with their outcomes (for SAR missions). Right now you can manually figure some information out on your own, but even that capability is pretty limited.
A way to download (all at once) a member's 101's and SQTR's as pdf's so they can be saved to a thumb/ external drive/ CD ROM for electronic document storage
How about:
1) User interfaces designed by someone who actually knows how to do one.
2) Code written by someone who can add a flight to a tiny database in two seconds instead of two minutes.
Some of the Awards are allready tracked by NHQ but not available to members through Eservices.
SMV
BMV
DSM
National Commanders ESA
National Commanders MSA
National Commanders CC
National Commanders Unit Comm
It seems like it would be very tasking to put all awards received in the system. Would these be all levels of awards and decorations
or just a few?
Put them all in.
Just for comparison, the CG Aux has an online system that tracks:
1. All member awards
2. Member demographics
3. Member qualifications (similar to our ES quals, but includes many others)
4. Info on member boats, airplanes, radios
5. Individual and Unit level hours spent on CG Aux activities
All this information is open and available to all members nationwide.
Quote from: RiverAux on August 17, 2008, 01:37:06 PM
All this information is open and available to all members nationwide.
Hopefully not for much longer with the CG-6 mandates and migration to a .mil... Why it was not put behind a login like the eDirectory is beyond me.
You're talking about prohibiting access by the public rather than access to members. I've got mixed feelings about that.
Quote from: smj58501 on August 17, 2008, 04:05:27 AM
A way to download (all at once) a member's 101's and SQTR's as pdf's so they can be saved to a thumb/ external drive/ CD ROM for electronic document storage
Why? Those change frequently enough that your data will out of date within a day or two.
The stuff on-line is always current.
WMIRS needs to clearly show who was on the given missions/sorties for later credit on SQTR, or rather for confirming the signoff on SQTRs.
E-services needs to track membership awards be a bit more user friendly. When updating SQTRs, and on a few other applications, there are not enough choices of where to "go back to," so sometimes one has to go back to the "main" page and follow the tree back to get another members. I guess I would ask for a better navigation window that could let you go "up and down" the tree with greater ease.
Tracking for Flight Officer Grades
If its a grade, award, mission, activity, or anything else that a member or commander would care about down the road enough to have to validate receipt or participation, it should be in eServices.
If its on the CAPF 2, 2a, 24, or similar forms, it should be in there, including conferences, directorships of PD activities, and
former staff positions held.
Right now there is no way to tell if anyone was ever a CC before, staffer, or any other important job.
Oh that's the other one. Not only past staff positions but date of appointment for current one's. It's hard to track TIS without knowing when the commander was appointed. Also, don't really know when to put them in for the command service ribbons either.
They could make the duty assignment titles correct. "Information Technologies Officer" should be just "Technology" for one.
A matrix-type report showing all ES tasks down one side, unit members across the top (or vice versa), and task completion status in the "middle" where names and tasks would intersect. Commander's could crosswalk tasks to see which ones need focus for squadron ES training
Some summary reports on just about everything in e-services now would be nice. For example, a report squadron, group, and wing levels showing the number of people holding each ES qualification. As it is now, you have to figure that out manually.
Quote from: RiverAux on August 17, 2008, 03:56:48 AM
I think the thing that would be most helpful would be having all awards tracked in services along with an electronic system for recommending and approving them like we have for ES qualifications.
I suggested this a little bit back, here is the response I got from one of the developers
QuoteIT Developer 6/9/2008 2:10:53 PM
Here is the answer I get about the application suggestion:
"National Headquarters is moving toward a totally automated personnel system. The Cadet Achievement/Promotion module has just been released and the Professional Development Awards module is the next on the list. Other personnel actions will follow as soon as possible."
This suggestion was made using the eServices Help Desk. I certainly recommend using the Help Desk to pass along ideas, IT
DOES listen, even if they do tend to get busy.
Quote from: caphistorian on August 17, 2008, 01:20:27 PM
Some of the Awards are allready tracked by NHQ but not available to members through Eservices.
SMV
BMV
DSM
National Commanders ESA
National Commanders MSA
National Commanders CC
National Commanders Unit Comm
They now have a National CC ESA and MSA? I knew of the National Commander's Comm-Comm. Same silver star to denote the Nat CC award?
If this is correct, time to go fix my ribbon guide...
Ability to search for members based off of any of the criteria that is or should be tracked by e-services.
Random example- Senior member, Capt or higher, w/3+ years of service, that does IT professionally.
All of this information is available in e-services but you have to wade through an entire roster to find what you are looking for
Quote from: IceNine on August 18, 2008, 06:29:17 AM
Ability to search for members based off of any of the criteria that is or should be tracked by e-services.
Random example- Senior member, Capt or higher, w/3+ years of service, that does IT professionally.
All of this information is available in e-services but you have to wade through an entire roster to find what you are looking for
Most of the data is in the CAPWATCH download. You do not have to use the user interface (UI) that they provide. Some basic MS Access knowledge can yield very usefull lists.
True, but basic Access knowledge is stretched pretty thin in CAP in my experience. On the other hand, queries as specific as was suggested are unlikely to be used very often so I'm not sure it would be worth the time to develop them.
Quote from: RiverAux on August 18, 2008, 09:53:26 PM
True, but basic Access knowledge is stretched pretty thin in CAP in my experience. On the other hand, queries as specific as was suggested are unlikely to be used very often so I'm not sure it would be worth the time to develop them.
and people need to
have Access. Besides, when I downloaded CAPWATCH into Access 2007, Access was mad. That was fine for me, but maybe not for people who never use Access outside of CAP.
Some things I would like to see:
Better automatic restricted apps assignment. As it is, the Squadron Commander is the only one able to enter in member training info, which is something that I think the ESO or at least ESTO should be able to enter.
As so many have said, more personnel info. My view is that if it's on the Cadet or Senior master record, it should be on eServices. Not just promotions, but everything.
As for WMIRS, I don't use it enough to know what needs fixing.
Quote from: jeders on August 22, 2008, 03:31:34 PM
Some things I would like to see:
Better automatic restricted apps assignment. As it is, the Squadron Commander is the only one able to enter in member training info, which is something that I think the ESO or at least ESTO should be able to enter.
As was mentioned at the National Boards, this will be coming with the new release of the Duty Assignment restricted application, which will hopefully be coming soon.
Also, there is a report available in eServices to everyone that details which positions are automatically assigned restricted applications, I have attached it below.
From my perspective as a DP, DA, and Asst PD, I would like to see the following added to eServices:
Duty assignment history: This is needed for proper administration of specialty tracks. Currently, the system only provides the assignment date for duty assignments the member is currently assigned to. If you're taken out of that position, eServices has no record you ever held it. This information would be tied to assignment actions made in eServices and reflected on the Member Search Report.
Promotion history: This is available on the promotions restricted application, but should also be included on the Member Search Report so DPs and DAs have better access to it.
Awards and decorations application: With this application, a DP or CC at the appropriate level could enter an award for a member after approval of their CAPF 2A. You could even take it one step further and make the entire recommendation and approval process automated, whereby the recommendation workflows to the appropriate commander for approval. Once approved, it is recorded in eServices and reflected in the Member Search Report.
Professional Development application: This would be similar to the cadet promotions application that was recently introduced, and the SQTR entries under Ops Qual. With this application, the member could enter specific parts of senior member achievements (i.e. conference attendance, etc. similar to the way SQTR entries are currently made). When a member completes the requirements for a level (i.e. Level 1, Level 2, etc.), the commander (or other designated staff officer) approves the award of that level. The higher awards would need to be validated by higher commanders, but the concept would be the same.
Just my thoughts.
Expired ES specialties should also be carried, at least for two years.
Also, a separate data entry screen for ES qual renewals might make sense.
Quote from: BrianH76 on August 22, 2008, 04:17:28 PM
From my perspective as a DP, DA, and Asst PD, I would like to see the following added to eServices:
Duty assignment history: This is needed for proper administration of specialty tracks. Currently, the system only provides the assignment date for duty assignments the member is currently assigned to. If you're taken out of that position, eServices has no record you ever held it. This information would be tied to assignment actions made in eServices and reflected on the Member Search Report.
Promotion history: This is available on the promotions restricted application, but should also be included on the Member Search Report so DPs and DAs have better access to it.
Awards and decorations application: With this application, a DP or CC at the appropriate level could enter an award for a member after approval of their CAPF 2A. You could even take it one step further and make the entire recommendation and approval process automated, whereby the recommendation workflows to the appropriate commander for approval. Once approved, it is recorded in eServices and reflected in the Member Search Report.
Professional Development application: This would be similar to the cadet promotions application that was recently introduced, and the SQTR entries under Ops Qual. With this application, the member could enter specific parts of senior member achievements (i.e. conference attendance, etc. similar to the way SQTR entries are currently made). When a member completes the requirements for a level (i.e. Level 1, Level 2, etc.), the commander (or other designated staff officer) approves the award of that level. The higher awards would need to be validated by higher commanders, but the concept would be the same.
Just my thoughts.
I've heard that Senior Member PD is the next app on deck for e-Services. I would imagine all of these will be addresses
A working member-search utility (like mentioned before) that can be utilized via the regular methods (name, unit, wing, etc.) and by other methods (profession, specialty, ES ratings, etc.) - which is actually made available to Cadets. I've been in many a situation during which this function would've helped immensly.
Quote from: PhoenixCadet on August 24, 2008, 04:17:37 AM
A working member-search utility (like mentioned before) that can be utilized via the regular methods (name, unit, wing, etc.) and by other methods (profession, specialty, ES ratings, etc.) - which is actually made available to Cadets. I've been in many a situation during which this function would've helped immensly.
The existing member search can be assigned to cadets. It would then show up under restricted applications on the right side of the E-services home page. You unit Web Security Admin (WSA) can assign permissions for it
Quote from: phirons on August 24, 2008, 12:26:35 PM
The existing member search can be assigned to cadets. It would then show up under restricted applications on the right side of the E-services home page. You unit Web Security Admin (WSA) can assign permissions for it
At the time at which you've just started a squadron, and you don't have too many senior staff members - I would assume the default WSA would automatically be the unit CC?
You can look up who has WSA access to your unit by clicking on the "My WSA Contact Listing" report in eServices, it will show all WSAs for your unit, group, wing and region.
Great - thanks!
Here's a question. How hard would it be for them to make it so that you can't take the SET test until after you have an actual specialty to evaluate. It's really annoying sometimes when people go in and take the set test before actually doing anything to get involved in ES.