13 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Scott I was speaking to Brad who told me there is a feature in the trips doc area that shows payments made and possibly who is over due on a payment (or possibly we could extrapolate it).

 

I have a volunteer who is very savvy with spreadsheets and with help from Brad could log in and pull down the info and then help us once a month see who is behind on payments.  If people get underwater they just walk away from the trip and I may or may not be able to sell the spot.  The more pro active we can be with this the better especially going forward in time.

 

1. So does someone have to be added to the TC group so they can see the trip coordinator docs? If so can Butch do that or is that a 'you' task?
2. Any suggestions on how the payment data being downloaded can most easily used to see who is behind on payments and by how long?  (Brad is going to send me a sample of the info he can download and that may answer my question)

 

My thought is to proactively look at payments every 30 days to see who is behind on payments and follow up before a serious problem arises. Or if they are going to bail... we know sooner vs later.

 

Thank you for any insight on how to best approach this.  Kamala

[Cmdr. Clownfish]

I believe this is available in the trip roster and any TC should be able to see it without going to the database.  I know butch and pam can see it in the database.  This is actually where the trip balance that members see on screen when making a partial payment is stored.  I am surprised it is not currently being exploited by the TC's.  

 

If they claim they are walking away because they cannot see their balance then I call BS on that.  They can see and pay it if they bother to make a partial payment.  The whole explanation they are walking because they are behind on payments is BS also.  The dates are not enforced and they definitely know the deal up front. The payments are easy to make. 

[WreckWench]

Thank you Scott. They are not walking away because they do not know their payments ...if they get behind on payments its usually because they are under water or have a health issue etc. But us being more proactive to see who is behind and send reminders that they are behind...we discover if there is a real problem or if they just were busy.

 

The sooner we know if there is a real problem...the better. I am trying to become more proactive as we enter a more troubling economy.

 

Brad usually starts looking at things a couple of months before a trip. That used to be enough time to resell a spot but with air so high...it no longer is a safe fall back. I'd rather know 6 mo in advance than a couple of months.

 

I want to have a new person who is learning to be a jr TC help with this endeavor so that is why I asked about the permissions aspect of it. The team we have is too lean and so we are slowly trying to expand.

[Cmdr. Clownfish]

I am not sure about the permissions.  I've slept sporadically since then and don't remember.

[WreckWench]

I am not sure about the permissions.  I've slept sporadically since then and don't remember.

LOL. Understood. Hopefully we can figure it out as the new helper does not have access as of now. I'm guessing you did not really document this part of it? Or maybe just asking the question now will encourage your brain to recall the answer.

[Cmdr. Clownfish]

as I recall, the detailed payment records are only viewable by someone with accounting privileges per your requirement.  Those would be the records of individual progress payments made.  Balance I believe is viewable by TC's.  But I don't really remember.  It wouldn't really be hard to answer this just by looking in the back end and seeing what is viewable outside of Accounting.  The detail records with all the numbers are probably hidden under Accounting privileges though since that is what you wanted. 

 

A work around would be for the volunteer to log in as the member and see their My Trips.  That would require a trip to each member individually though.  There could be some value to this to make sure they are up to date on everything though.

[WreckWench]

If we can give them TC access like Brad and myself...then they can get the info out of your docs download info. In the same area you show who has done their docs...you show who has paid what so far on their trips and any discounts taken.

 

We just want the new volunteer to be able to access that info.

[Cmdr. Clownfish]

sounds like you have an answer??

[WreckWench]

sounds like you have an answer??

Yes Brad says he sees the money they have paid and still owe in the docs section of the TC download. But we have no idea how to give anyone access to that? Make them a TC and then they can see the see the same info?

[Cmdr. Clownfish]

can you download it into a spreadsheet and give them that?

[dive_sail_etc]

can you download it into a spreadsheet and give them that?

Scott. great minds or words to that effect: I already provided examples of raw Electronic Docs spreadsheet (RTB NYE) as well as scrubbed copy used to track both cmpleted docs and payment / balance summary.

[Cmdr. Clownfish]

Ok Brad, I was sick last night since I ate out and I can't really do that anymore.  That's good since its too crazy expensive anyway.

 

I downloaded a "spreadsheet" of the electronic docs this morning and can confirm that at least I can see the balance, invoiced price,  amount paid, and discounts.   This can see offline.  So the path that Brad around found before I was asked is to

 

1) download the spreadsheet, which is actually an html file and not a spreadsheet as it turns out. 

2) send it to whoever this deckhand is.

3) have them find the people with a balance that tell them whenever the next progress payment is due and their balance.

 

Let them know that they can read it in an html browser.  If they use a Mac like me then that is easiest way.

[WreckWench]

Ok yes that will work however my idea is to take some work load off Brad and cross train others to eventually take on some or all TC duties. (He likes the individual we are working with so has agreed to take these baby steps to see if it will work)

 

So the idea is to let them do the download and follow up on both outstanding docs and monies. This will take some pressure off Brad and allow us to manage this sooner in the cycle.

 

Brad try to make the TCHelper account (or your test account) a TC and see if that allows them the same access. Thank you!

[WreckWench]

Sorry you are not feeling well...and glad we figured this out before you had to put too much energy into it!