When volunteers request swaps, MSP can record their requests. You can then merge this information into the Web Terminal and into emails to let volunteers know about open swap requests that match their availability. You can even include links next to each position to allow volunteers to accept the swap via the Web Terminal. To flag a position as “Swap Requested,” select it in an open schedule and then click the yellow flag at the top of the schedule window, or choose “Flag as Swap Requested” from the Schedule menu. When exporting schedules in any format, or posting as Live schedule posts on the web, “(Sub Req.)” will appear next to any position for which a swap has been requested.
Tracking Swaps Made
When a swap is made, it is useful to track who has swapped out and who has volunteered to fill. MSP can automatically track both of these pieces of information. Whenever you click on a filled position in a schedule, the ”Fill position” mode on the right side of the schedule will display all volunteers who are qualified to fill the selected position. You can replace the scheduled volunteer by double clicking on a new volunteer in the list to the right, or by dragging and dropping them onto the position in the schedule. You may also select a filled position in a schedule and click the button at the top of the schedule window that shows a picture of a person with a wavy green arrow.
After you select a new volunteer for the position, a “swap made” is recorded for the original volunteer, and an “Extra” service is recorded for the new volunteer (see below). You will see an “Extra (swap made)” status flag next to the name of the new volunteer. The “swap made” part of the flag indicates that the original volunteer has been recorded as having made a swap from that position. The “Extra” part of the flag indicates that the extra service volunteer has been recorded for the new volunteer.
You can review totals of how many times each volunteer has made swaps by choosing “Show Swaps Made” from the Reports menu at the top of the schedule window. All functions of this report are the same as the Distribution Report.
Note that when a swap is made via the Web Terminal, the position is automatically flagged as a swap made for the replaced volunteer, and as an extra service for the new volunteer.
Tracking Extra Services
Services that each volunteer has taken on for which he was not originally scheduled are recorded by MSP as “extra” services. These extra services include unfilled positions filled with the volunteer as well as the swaps that a volunteer has volunteered to take on (see above). After a schedule has been completed, any time a volunteer is used to fill up an unfilled position, or used as a swap for another volunteer scheduled at a service, MSP automatically flags the new volunteer’s position as an “extra” service for that volunteer. You can also manually flag additional services as “extra” services for the volunteer, or remove the “extra” flag for a service, by clicking on the green or white flags at the top of the schedule window, respectively, or selecting “Flag as extra” or “Clear Flag” from the Schedule menu in an open schedule.
You can review extra services totals for each volunteer by choosing “Show Extras” from the Reports menu at the top of the schedule window. All functions of this report are the same as the Distribution Report.
You can also merge this information into emails, schedule cover sheets, and rosters in the same manner as other attendance data using attendance related tokens.
