INTERNET Rechartering HELP

Welcome to the 21st Century with Internet Rechartering. You will still receive a rechartering packet two months before your unit's expiration date, along with an access code to enter the system. 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. Your goal should be to turn your completed recharter packet to the district commissioner at the roundtable of your rechartering month. The process is not complete until the council reviews the paperwork and collects the fees and finally posts your prepared charter file.
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.

For a step-by-step explanation, consult the Internet Rechartering tutorial.

The Internet Rechartering tutorial is a step-by-step explanation of how to use the Internet Rechartering system. It includes screen captures and examples. We recommend that users take the tutorial before using Internet Rechartering.

Overview:

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.

What do users need to use Internet Rechartering?

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.

What can I NOT do in Internet Rechartering?

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

What are the steps in the Internet Rechartering process?

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 Internet Rechartering Charter Renewal package.
6. The RP sends the paperwork and fees to the local council for processing.

Timeline for effective Unit Rechartering

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:

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:

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.