Create and manage groups

General

Groups are used to link extra characteristics to members. This is done on the membership tab. A member of the association can perform several tasks and / or functions within the association. Or you register members' skills, for example, so that you can consult them if a question unexpectedly arises that does not directly answer. If you then have created skills and linked to members, you can do a selection on the basis of a filter or list to highlight all skills. Groups is just like Filters a powerful function to quickly and properly understand the qualities of members.

The advantage of the use of groups is that spelling for fields that are also used in filters and the reporting generator to get information from e-Captain has been written in a universal way and that you do not get a typo error in e-Captain.
Especially if several users in e-Captain are allowed to make changes to the members, it is important that everyone writes in the same way. By already defining the predefined fields in Maintenance groups for all users, a typing error in these fields is excluded.

Maintain groups

In maintain groups, you will find standard tables that are used in different places in e-Captain. You will encounter a number of selection tables specifically under the membership card; these tables contain specific information that you can use.

Groups are used to tag members with extra characteristics. This happens in the membership tab. A member of an organisation can have several tasks or functions within the organisation. Or you can record the skill sets of members so that you can approach these members in case it is necessary and ask questions. Once you have created skill sets and linked these to members, you can create a selection by filtering a skill set list. Groups, just like Filters, are a powerful tool to obtain a fast insight in the skill sets of members.

The advantage of using groups is that information (in fields, filters, and reporting) is standardized which reduces mistakes. If more than one users are allowed to enter/edit information, this is specifically useful for consistency. By setting defined fields for all users in Group Maintenance, you reduce the chance of making entry errors. To create groups:

• Select Magement centre from the main menu
• Select Groups
  
• Select Maintain Groups
  

• If you select New for Group, you can enter a group name
• Select Add next, (in this example we create a Diploma group)

• Immediately following the entry, the screen will show extra information to complete the table that you are creating.

• By selecting the New button (on the right-hand side of the Group items table), you can add a name that you intend to use later.
• You can link an amount to group items here.
• If you link an amount to the table, it will be linked to the member. When calculating the automatic subscription fees, the amount will be added to the invoice for that member.
• Select Add next. The name appears in the Group items table. You can create several group items.

In the chapter on Subscriptions you will find more details on calculating subscriptions on group basis.

This way, you create a table that you can use in the membership card of groups. In the membership card, that part of the Groups tab looks like follows.

You can also edit an existing table. In that case, you select an existing table under groups. You will then see all the names in that table. Now you can add, deleted or edit names.
In case you deleted a name, it will also be removed from all other members that have this name linked. So check beforehand if a removal of a name can will have negative consequences!

Archiving groups

If you are not using groups but would like to keep them for future use, you can archive groups. An archived group will not be displayed in you membership summary unless you specifically ask for it. This way you can keep your list relatively short with Quick Sort and the group reports will be generated faster. You can archive an existing group as follows:

• Select Management Centre in the main menu
• Select Groups and Teams
• Select Group Maintenance (In this example we will archive the Diploma group)

• Select the group that you intend to archive and select the Archive button.
• The message below will appear. Select OK.

• You can check the archived groups in the membership card by selecting active files.

Restore archived groups

Report Archived groups

If you want a report including archived groups, you will have to change a setting in the report.

• Select Membership Administration from the main menu
• Select Report Generator from the sub-menu
• Select your report and select Advanced.

• In the pop-up screen, you can set the option Archived Groups to Yes.

• Select Save.
• Now you can create reports that include the archive.