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For
a step-by-step explanation, consult the Internet
Rechartering tutorial.
The tutorial includes screen captures and examples.
It is recommend that users review the tutorial
before using Internet Rechartering. There has been improvements made this
summer, review Software Update.
You will still receive a
rechartering packet two months before your unit's expiration date, along with an
access code to enter the system. To get started, after reviewing the
tutorial above, click Internet Rechartering link above. Don't worry about making mistakes,
you can just call the office to get assistance or check out the Help link.
If needed, the council can even do a reset. Each unit will have access up to two
months prior to the unit’s expiration through to two months after the
expiration date. Your goal should be to turn your completed recharter
packet to the district commissioner at the roundtable meeting of your rechartering month.
The process is not
complete until turning in the signed "Charter Renewal Report Package",
collection of fees, and posting of the prepared charter
file by council.
Things to remember: The council has the authority, through the
administration module, to reset a unit that initialized its data too soon.
The council will be able to reset passwords for units, reset data so the
unit can begin again, block a particular unit from access, view rosters, and
track the progress of each unit.
Overview
(return to top)
Internet Rechartering is a Web-based
software application designed to make the unit charter renewal process more
efficient and accurate.
What
are the benefits of Internet Rechartering?
There are two key benefits from
using Internet Rechartering:
·
More accurate member
data, and
·
Freeing up of scarce
council resources.
These benefits are really two sides
of the same coin. Moving some of the data entry for charter renewal from the
council to the unit leads to more accurate member data (because a unit member is
entering the information). Also, the council will need to only double-check and
potentially edit the submitted Internet Rechartering data before it is posted to
PAS.
Internet Rechartering was designed
to accommodate the widest variety of users without a need for specific training.
The users of Internet Rechartering should have a basic knowledge of Boy Scouts
of America terminology and familiarity with a computer and the World Wide Web.
Internet Rechartering contains an optional tutorial that will walk users through
each step.
Internet Rechartering will require
that the user have access to a computer with a 56 KB or faster Internet
connection and a browser that is IE 5.5 or greater. The computer
also needs of be connected to a printer.
Internet Rechartering is only for
charter renewal. New charters cannot be established through Internet
Rechartering. Internet
Rechartering is for traditional units only – Packs, Troops, Teams, Crews, and
Ships
The unit renewal processor (RP), the
person assigned by your committee who is renewing the unit's charter, follows the process on the secure
Internet site to create a charter renewal file. The RP provides Internet
Rechartering with the data necessary to create the file in a series of intuitive
steps.
To renew a
unit's charter:
1. The unit
eligible for Internet Rechartering designates an adult member as the RP.
2. The RP gathers all the information needed for a traditional charter renewal
(e.g., new applications, fees, data of which adults are holding which paid
positions, etc.).
3. With the charter renewal information at hand, the RP navigates to Internet
Rechartering via the council website.
4. In Internet Rechartering, the RP registers/logs in to Internet Rechartering
and follows the intuitive process. Fundamentally, the process requires the RP
to:
a.
Load
the Roster – use PAS or third-party unit-management software (UMS) to
create the initial work-in-progress roster.
--OR--
Upload
UMS File - upload the file created in unit-management software.
b.
Update
the Roster – update charter information, select which current members to
renew on next year's roster, add adult members, add youth members, update member
data, update member positions.
c.
Check
the Roster – validate that the data to be submitted conforms with BSA
rules.
d.
Update
Member Fees – update fees (e.g., assign “Multiple” status) and sign up
unit members for Boys' Life.
5. After double-checking the information, the RP submits
the file to the council and prints
the "Charter Renewal Report Package".
6. The RP sends the paperwork and fees to the local council for processing.
Timeline
for effective Unit Rechartering (return
to top)
At Least 90 Days Before Renewal
Date - The
unit commissioner visits the head of the chartered organization to renew
the
Scouting relationship and to discuss the current state of the unit.
60 Days Before Renewal Date
- The
unit commissioner and unit committee conduct a membership inventory of youth and
adults. Visits are made to inactive members. The charter review date is
set, and all unit adults are urged to attend.
60-45 Days Before Renewal Date
- Units
choosing to renew their charters online will visit the local council's website,
complete the steps through the submittal process, and print a revised charter
renewal application.
45 Days Before Renewal Date
- The
commissioner and unit committee chairman conduct the charter renewal meeting
with the unit per the standard charter renewal process. Additional changes may
be made to the application. The renewal application with appropriate signatures,
applications for new youth and adults, appropriate fees, Quality Unit
recognition qualifications, and commitments for the coming year are all
completed at this meeting. All forms and fees are then delivered to the
council office or to the district commissioner at the district roundtable meeting.
Following the Renewal Meeting
- The
council's registrar receives the charter renewal application, new youth and
adult applications, and appropriate fees following the charter renewal meeting.
If the unit has renewed its charter using the Internet, the registrar selects
the unit's on-hold recharter batch from the PAS program. All changes that were
made by the unit, including new members, dropped members, and editing of member
data are reflected in the on-hold batch. The registrar reviews the recharter
information and posts the batch to create the new charter for the unit.
30 Days After Renewal Date
- The
commissioner makes a formal presentation of the new charter and membership
certificates at an appropriate gathering of the chartered organization.
More
Details (return
to top)
What
the Unit Does:
The
charter renewal processor (RP) for the unit will complete several stages during
Internet Rechartering. The first stage is called "Load Roster".
In this stage: The
processor accesses current unit data directly from ScoutNET at that point in
time. The ScoutNET data is saved to another database for the unit. The two
databases (ScoutNET and Internet Rechartering) are completely separate while the
unit completes charter renewal.
The
RP may choose to upload the unit's data from unitmanagement software
and complete a reconciliation process between unit-management software data and
the ScoutNET data. During the Internet Rechartering process, the unit must
validate its member information against the BSA's membership regulations. The
system checks this automatically and provides either errors (which must
be corrected) or warnings (which may be corrected) for any violations.
When completed, the unit will submit its Internet Rechartering file. This
submittal process creates the charter renewal batch for the unit within PAS and
places it on hold. The unit prints the charter renewal application, acquires the
appropriate approval signatures, and follows the council's regular rechartering
plan.
New
Members:
Members
recently added to the unit in PAS are available during the Load Roster stage,
eliminating the "stale" recharter roster. However, any
additional enrollments added to this unit, by council, after the Load Roster stage is
completed will not be available to the unit. The council will strive not
to let this happen, all new applications filled out two months before the unit
expires should be entered during the Internet Rechartering process. Each unit will have access up to two
months prior to the unit’s expiration and up to two months after the
expiration date. No access is granted to either the unit or council outside of
this access window.
Annual
Recharter Process:
Internet
Rechartering is only a portion of the whole annual charter renewal process. Once
the unit has completed Internet Rechartering and printed the charter renewal
application, the application is taken to the unit charter renewal meeting. The
commissioner and unit leaders review the charter application, new member
applications, appropriate fees, dropped youth, and Quality Unit requirements.
Then the paperwork and fees are delivered to the council office or to the
district commissioner at the
district roundtable meeting.
What
the Registrar Does:
The
registrar reviews the unit's charter renewal application for signatures, new
applications, and appropriate fees. It is then ready to process in PAS. This
is what the registrar will now do in PAS:
Find
the on-hold batch. From the List Batches menu, find all batches with the user
ID: UCRS_USER and select the unit for processing.
Verify
chartered organization information, Quality Unit status, 100% Boys. Life, and on-time rechartering.
Proceed
to the posting screen and view the Show Errors report. If the Show Errors button
is not available, then the unit is ready to be posted. If the button is
displayed, then review the report.
There
should be no errors because all BSA requirements have been checked already;
however, there may be warnings that need special attention, including transfers.
See section below for details.
Once
all errors are corrected and warnings appropriately handled, check fees and post
the unit. Process certificates and cards as usual.
Transfers:
The charter renewal application paperwork from
Internet Rechartering will identify
the council and unit where transferring members are currently registered. The
Show Errors feature in PAS includes a warning message for transfers. For
in-council transfers, the registrar should use the normal transfer process and
then delete the original entry for this member in the recharter batch. This will
expire the member in the previous unit and register the member in the new unit.
After rechartering, complete the Merge Person routine to combine these person
records so only one record remains.
Frequently
asked questions (return
to top)
Q Will the
Internet Rechartering application work through any Internet connection?
A
Internet Rechartering is supported by Microsoft
Internet Explorer version 5.5 or higher and no other browser
provides full functionality. The system works with a minimum 56-KB dialup modem
connection to the Internet. Faster connections such as DSL and cable will speed
up data transmission from the Web site.
Q How does the
unit get its access code for Internet Rechartering?
A
The council provides it. The council prints the
access code from PAS, Membership Reports, Recharter and
General Ledger. Select the report called UCRS Access Code Report. The council
decides the best method to distribute access codes to the units.
Q Can the access
code the council gives a unit be used to see another unit's data?
A
No. The access code is unique for each BSA unit and
must be used in combination with the proper unit
type (pack, troop, team, crew, or ship) and number.
Q Should the
council prepare a charter renewal packet for each unit as it has in the past?
A
Yes, and the council may decide to include elements
of the Internet Rechartering process in the packet. For
example, the packet may include the council's Web site address, instructions for
linking to Internet Rechartering, and the timeframe for completing electronic
renewals. It may also include the Internet Rechartering access code.
Distribution and control of the access code is part of the council's charter
renewal campaign plan. Other materials in the packet may be general BSA
guidelines for unit charter renewal, extra forms, and a current unit roster.
Keep in mind that the "manual" charter renewal application includes
the member inventory worksheets.
Q What is the
local council's role as far as support and administration for Internet
Rechartering?
A
The council serves as the "help desk" for
its units using Internet Rechartering. Council staff must know how
Internet Rechartering works. They will answer questions from units, referring to
a Help file designed especially for council support. The council will administer
the process by providing units with their respective access codes, monitoring
unit activity, changing passwords, resetting data, and creating reports
requested by council management for staff and commissioner use.
Q What about
questions concerning unit-management software (UMS)?
A
The council should be able to answer questions about
uploading a UMS file to start the Internet Rechartering
process. If there is a problem with a UMS file, however, it is the unit's
responsibility to contact the vendor who sold and supports that product and
request assistance.
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