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Mandatory Service Overview

Volgistics includes features for tracking mandatory service. Use these features if you challenge or require some or all of your volunteers to perform a certain amount of service in a certain period of time. The mandatory service feature makes it easy for you and your volunteers to see how much service they have performed toward their goal, and how much they have left to perform. It even lets you track recurrent challenges (for example, for students who have a new challenge every summer), and overlapping service obligations.

Enable the Mandatory Service Features

To set up Volgistics to use mandatory service:

  1. Choose Setup from the menu
  2. Expand Service Tracking.
  3. Click Mandatory Service
  4. Check Use the mandatory service features
  5. Customize any of the setup options on the Mandatory Service setup page.
  6. Click the Save button.

Enter the name(s) of your mandatory service program(s)

For example, a mandatory service program might be called 2017 Summer Volunteer or Community Service. To enter a mandatory service program name:

  1. Choose Setup from the menu
  2. Expand Field Options.
  3. Choose Service Tab.
  4. Under the Mandatory service box heading, select the Program field.
  5. Use the Add a new item field to enter the name of the program.
  6. Click the Save button.

Add Mandatory Service to Volunteer Records

To enter the number of hours an individual volunteer is challenged or required to perform:

  1. Choose Volunteers from the menu.
  2. Locate and click the volunteer you would like.
  3. Click on their Service tab and scroll down to the Mandatory Service box.
  4. Use the Add box to select the Program along with any applicable fields such as Starting date, Due by date, hours, and other Service Measures required.
  5. Click the Save button.

If a group of volunteers all have the same mandate with the same dates, hours required, etc., you can enter the information for the entire group at once by using the Tags menu. To do this:

  1. Tag the volunteer records that the mandate will apply to.
  2. From the menu, choose Tags.
  3. In the Add this Mandate to all of the tagged volunteer records section, select the applicable Mandatory Service program from the dropdown list.
  4. Choose a Starting date for the service mandate, if applicable.
  5. Enter a Due by date for the service mandate, if applicable.
  6. Enter the number of Hours and/or Service Measures required.
  7. Click the Go button.

Collect Service Information for Mandated Volunteers

You post or collect volunteer service information for mandated volunteers the same way you do for other volunteers. As service is posted for these volunteers, their Service tab will show you where they stand.

When a service entry will be applied to a mandate:

  • When posting service from within Volgistics (with the Post feature or manually on a volunteer's Service tab):

    If an Apply to value is selected, that service entry is applied to whichever mandatory service program the System Operator selects from the Apply to dropdown list. If the volunteer only has one unfulfilled service mandate, that mandate will be selected in the Apply to dropdown by default. If the volunteer has more than one unfulfilled service mandate, none of their mandates will be selected by default, and the System Operator will need to select which mandate the hours should apply to manually.

  • When posting service through VicTouch:

    If a volunteer has one unfulfilled service mandate and uses VicTouch to sign-in and out when they serve, the VicTouch system will automatically apply that service to the mandate. However, if the service mandate has a specified date range (Starting date and Due by date), service posted from VicTouch will only be applied to that mandate if it is posted for a date that is within the mandate's date range. If the volunteer signs-in at VicTouch for a date that is outside of their service mandate's date range, that service will not be applied to their mandate.

    Additionally, if a volunteer has more than one unfilled mandate, the service entered through VicTouch will not be applied to any mandatory service program. In this case, a System Operator can later edit the service record to make it apply to a specific program if necessary.

  • When posting service through VicNet:

    If a volunteer has one unfulfilled service mandate and makes a service entry on the Service Page of VicNet, the service will automatically be applied to that incomplete mandate. Volunteers can view their progress in the Service Goals portion of the Service page in VicNet. The Enable mandatory service progress chart section below shows how to set this up.

    However, if a service mandate has a specified date range (Starting date and Due by date), service posted from the Service page will only be applied to that service mandate if it is posted for a date within the mandate's date range. If a volunteer uses the Service page to post service for a date outside of the mandate's date range, that service will not be applied to the mandate.

    If a volunteer has more than one unfulfilled service mandate, each of their incomplete mandatory service programs will be available from a dropdown list. Volunteers can select which mandate to apply their service to when making their service entry. If the mandate the volunteer selects has a specified date range, their service will only be applied to the selected mandate if it falls within that date range. If the service is posted for a date outside of the selected mandate's date range, that service will not be applied to any service mandate.

Enable Mandatory Service Progress Chart

If you use VicNet, you can configure the Service Page to display a chart showing their progress on mandates.

To enable the mandatory service progress chart:

  1. Select Setup from the menu.
  2. Choose VicNet.
  3. Select Service Page.
  4. In the Service History section under Service Goals, select Yes to show the progress chart.
  5. Use the dropdown to select if you'd like the progress information to continue to be shown after the mandate is completed. You can select No or a monthly interval from 1 to 6 months.
  6. Click the Save button.

The chart appears on the Service page for every volunteer who has a service mandate while the mandate is incomplete and for the time frame selected after it is complete.

FAQs About Mandatory Service

Q: Does a mandatory service program need a Starting date and Due by date?

A: No. When a service mandate is given to a volunteer on the volunteer's Service tab, the Starting date and Due by fields are not necessarily required. You can choose whether or not Starting dates and Due by dates are required for mandatory service programs in your account's Field Options. Do note that if a mandate is given to a volunteer with a Starting date and Due by date, these can affect which service entries apply to that mandate as described in the When a service entry will be applied to a mandate section above.

Q: Why are the Completed checkbox and the Completed on field disabled when I add or edit a mandate for a volunteer?

A: The Completed checkbox and the Completed on field will be disabled when the system has been configured to manage mandate completion automatically. This setup option can be viewed or changed on the Mandatory Service Setup page.

Q: How should I deal with annual or recurring mandatory programs?

A: If your organization has a mandatory service program that is re-introduced in successive years or time periods (e.g. a Summer Intern program), be sure to give the mandatory service programs unique names. That is, you might enter a Summer Intern 2017 program, a Summer Intern 2018 program, and so on.

This can become significant if, for example, a volunteer has not met the service requirements of the first year of the program, but continues to participate in the Summer Intern program in future years. In this case, this person would have multiple unfulfilled service mandates, all within the Summer Intern program. If each service mandate given to this volunteer were called simply Summer Intern, it would be difficult to distinguish which program should be selected when posting hours at VicNet or within Volgistics.

Note that if you choose not to have the system automatically manage mandatory service completion for you (see the Enable the mandatory service features section above), you could mark the mandatory service program from a previous year or season Complete for volunteers--even if they have not completed the required service. When this is done, the program will no longer appear as an option for service to be applied to at VicNet or in Volgistics.