We are happy to announce a new update to VolunteerMatters!

VolunteerMatters is excited to announce a new release of VolunteerMatters. This release represents a significant investment in improving Risk Management functionality and its related volunteer administrator and organizer experience.

These updates while extremely helpful will not substantial change the system's interface so there's no "training" required. We just want to make sure you know these features are now available to you. There is nothing you need to do to receive these improvements and they are all included.

The update includes the following highlights:

• Less stringent signature matching on credentials
• Full credential agree-to-statement displays
• Date of Birth added to Credential Conflict reports
• Parent/guardian signature filtering and signature fields on the volunteer credential list
• Minor credentials consent expiration dates
• Ability to set expiration dates on all Exempt credential opportunities (including integrated credentials)
• Ability to set an integrated credential from Expired to Exempt
• Send emails from the Volunteer Credential list
• Improved strict credential signup messaging

The release also includes some non-credential related updates:

• Pledged numbers added to Assignment Roster
• Run-time customizations of subject lines in manual email templates
  
  

Details:

Less stringent signature matching on credentials

The update includes less stringent signature matching on credentials to prevent volunteer frustration during credential signatures.  The process now includes in the error message what exactly the system is looking for the volunteer to enter: 

It also allows different case as well as spaces: 

Full credential agree-to-statement/disclosure displays

Now with credentials, the agree-to-statement language and disclosure language (if applicable) are displayed in their full height to encourage volunteer reading and allow ease of printing via browsers. 

Date of Birth added to Credential Conflict reports

With this release the Date of Birth field has been added to credential conflict onscreen reports as well as exports to assist administrators and organizers when resolving conflicts. 

Parent/guardian signature filtering and signature fields on the volunteer credential list

Now when an administrator is on the Volunteer Credential list (https://customercode.volunteermatters.org/admin/credentials) they will be able to filter the credential list by the Parent/Guardian signature to quickly review those credentials for volunteers who fell under the Age of Consent on the credential.  The filter has three options:

1. Include All
2. Guardian Signature Exists
3. No Guardian Signature

In addition to the filter opportunities, the Parent/Guardian Signature, as well as the Volunteer Signature also now appear onscreen as well as exports to assist administrators.

Minor credentials consent expiration dates

With this latest release, credentials with or without expiration policies that are signed by minors will now have an automatic expiration date set to match the volunteer's birthday with the Age of Consent on the credential so the volunteer will be forced to sign the credential on their own as an adult.  So for example if the credential has an Age of Consent of 18 and I sign the credential when I am 16 it will require my signature as well as my parent/guardian's signature but instead of never expiring like it would for people above the Age of Consent, it will set the expiration date on my credential to my 18th birthday. When I sign it above the Age of Consent it will follow normal expiration policies.  NOTE:  If the credential has an expiration policy, that will be followed as long as the expiration policy is lower than the Age of Consent.

Ability to set expiration dates on all Exempt credential opportunities (including integrated credentials)

With this latest release an administrator can now set the expiration date on all credentials (integrated or not) when setting a credential to Exempt status.
 

Ability to set a credential from Expired to Exempt  (including integrated credentials)

With this latest release an administrator can now set an Expired credential (integrated or not) to an Exempt status. Previously a volunteer would have to login and re-initiate the credential process by signing the credential.  Now the Administrator can move it straight to Exempt. 

Send emails from the Volunteer Credential list

This is a huge update! Now from the Volunteer Credential list (https://customercode.volunteermatters.org/admin/credentials), an administrator can contact the list of volunteers via email to inform the volunteer on what is still needed of them.  For example if you have a list of volunteers who still have not submitted their necessary files or completed a training you can filter by the credential, then status, and then click the Email button. 

From there you can customize the subject and messaging.  If desired we can provide your system with an email template that will include the credentials and their statuses in the email.  Just contact support to request.   If a volunteer appears more than once in the list they will only be sent a single email with their different credentials included in the email (if requested). 

**The Volunteer Credential email utility is limited to 500 volunteers per email.  You may need to filter the list or use the search box to limit the results.**

Improved strict credential signup messaging

With this update the messaging presented to the volunteer when a Strict credential is involved has been improved to let them know exactly what has occurred. 

Pledged numbers added to Assignment Roster

This update added the "Pledged" number to the Assignment Roster report (Per Project AND Cross Project versions) to quickly sort those shifts that may have included a group sign-up.  A normal sign-up has "1" pledged volunteer and a group sign-up is any number above "1".   This number is included in the onscreen report as well as the export. 

Run-time customizations of subject lines in manual email templates

This update allows the run-time customization of the subject line for the Project Invitation, Portal Invitation, and Assignment Note email utilities. This allows your administrators and organizers greater freedom to customize the subject to the opportunities when contacting volunteers.