Getting Serious About a New Enrollment Program
Okay, it's finally down to the wire... we're really going to get a new web-based enrollment system. Really.
Last week, I asked 12 "volunteers" to take the system I've chosen for a test-drive. The system is called 4HOnline, and it's from a company in Texas. They have a test server, where my volunteers are "playing" right now. Let me give you some short details as I know them now, and then I'm going to turn the forum over to the Guinea Pig Group to talk about what they're finding, ask/answer questions, lalala.
4HOnline is compatible with ShoWorks, a fair management package. Just as Fair Management is now a separate county purchase, ShoWorks would also be a county decision/purchase. I've seen it, and I like it. But it's a county decision--I won't be the one using it, so won't make that decision for you.
My plan AT THE PRESENT TIME is to convert data for the Guinea Pig Group this fall, and they will do the bulk of the re-enrollment process in the new program. We'll learn from them about what works, what's different, etc. The rest of the counties would have data sometime around January, when the bulk of the re-enrollments would be done--then just use the program for the rest of the year.
We will use the program as "county-based" for at least the 2009-10 year... what that means is that county staff would still enter all data. Beginning in the fall of 2010, each county will have the option to allow their RETURNING families to re-enroll on-line, ALL families to enroll on-line, or to continue with county-based entry. There's lots more to know about that, but trust me for now.
4HOnline has an available Events Registration component. At some point in the not-so-distant future, we may set that up. But we all need to get comfortable with the enrollment portion first.
I had a group of folks in last week, and they were split about whether they'd like to start with empty datasets (entering all members in the new program) or starting with existing data. There are advantages to both. Once we see how well the Guinea Pig Group's data converts (is there still lots of clean-up going on?) we'll have more info to make that decision. I'm TOYING with the idea of giving you opt in/out choices for the data conversion. It's a flat fee--all or none, so I guess in the end it doesn't matter if some want one thing and some want another.
One teensy caveat--this is the system that I believe (TODAY) that we will be purchasing. There are still contracts to be signed and deals to be made. There is another system out there that is making a hard pitch to the state directors, so there is a teensy-weensy chance that I'm going to end up having to change my mind. Just truth in advertising.