Friends of the Elephant Seal Docents: This document contains instructions on how to use VolunteerSpot.com, a scheduling website that we are going to try out in an attempt to give you more control over your bluff schedule. WHAT WILL NOT CHANGE: 1. The schedule for each month needs to be posted by about the 17 th of each month so that those with flexible schedules will know what their FES schedule is for the next month. 2. Because of #1, schedules need to be input into VolunteerSpot or submitted to me by the 10 th of each month. 3. Once the schedule for each month is posted in the office, if you need to change one of your bluff times you will need to find your substitute by either swapping a shift with someone else or by calling someone on the substitute list. WHAT WILL CHANGE: 1. IF YOU SCHEDULE FOR THE SAME SHIFT EVERY MONTH: I will put your shifts into the VolunteerSpot schedule when it is first released; you go in and delete any that you cannot do. If you want to schedule another shift to replace the one you deleted, you look for shifts that are not yet full and schedule yourself. Instructions for doing both of these things are in the enclosed instructions. 2. IF YOU PICK PARTICULAR SHIFTS EVERY MONTH, BUT NOT THE SAME DAY EACH TIME: Take a look at the day/shift combinations that you are interested in. If there is an open slot in the shift, schedule yourself in it! Instructions on how to do this are in the enclosed instructions. 3. IF YOU HAVE A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE: Please continue to give me the monthly schedule request of when you can or cannot do your shifts as you have been doing. After the 10 th of the month I will fill in the 'holes' in the master schedule with your requests and the requests of the other docents with flexible schedules. About the 17 th of each month I will post the schedule for the following month in the office. The schedule will continue to be available through the fordocents.htm website and in paper form in the office. QUESTIONS? Call or e-mail me, Ellen Stoner, fes.docent.coordinator@gmail or 805 439 2081. 1
VolunteerSpot.com "New Software Version" Signing Up for Shifts The website will ask you to verify your email address in the "Welcome to VolunteerSpot" box. If someone forwarded their email to you then this will show that person's email address, not yours. So you will be signing up for someone else. Make certain that you are in the schedule under your own email address (unless you are purposely signing up someone else). Click "Yes" on this welcome screen. At the top right is the calendar for the month that needs to be scheduled. If you are already scheduled for a day then it will show as light green. If you are not scheduled on a day it is blue. If you normally do the same shift every week I will have already signed you up for that shift; you can verify that it is right, or delete a shift, or add a shift. The calendar might not have any light green days for you; this one is showing me that I am already signed up on four Sundays. When you come back in the future you can easily see what days you are already signed up for; they will be light green! (By the way, the "Next" button shown here now says "Save".) 2
Here I scrolled down the page to the first day where I'm signed up. It shows that I signed up for the Table (one of the two slots) on Sunday July 7. See the trash can on the right of the My Spot (1) button? If I want to delete that shift all I have to do is click on that button. Find the day that you want to schedule to be on the bluff. Click on the "Sign Up!" button. Here is August 4 th. The little dialogue bubble on the left of the My Spot button has a (1). That means that someone entered a comment. I clicked in the entry (or click the + sign) and the day opened. It shows the comment that was made, and it allows you to respond or make another comment. Also, I clicked on the small ^ arrow which allowed me to reserve two spots on the shift. If you are a couple or if you are carpooling and the other person in the carpool asked you to, you can enter 2 instead of 1 to reserve two spots in the schedule. When you do so, please indicate in the comment field who the second person is (unless you are a couple in which case I already know!) When you are done with this month scroll back up to the top. You can access another month using the down arrow next to the current month (July in this case) at the top right or the next arrow in the blue area. If you can't get to a particular month, I have not set it up you! Or indicate you are done scheduling for now by clicking on Save just below the small calendar. If a page tells you I wanted more information and gives you the opportunity to receive savings and email updates, it isn't true and you do not need to check any of those boxes. Unfortunately it will require your telephone number, I cannot do anything about that. 3
Next there is a page of ads. You do not need to sit there and stare at the advertisement until it times out. Just click on Continue to see a page that will summarize your schedule, or close the window, or navigate to some other website. Now it shows you what you signed up for. It also gives you the opportunity to add your assignments to Outlook, ical, Cozi or Google calendars. If you do not know what that means or do not do much with these calendars, Do Not click on it. If you know what you are doing, go ahead. The process is done! Your login was automatic, and so is your logout. Just close the window or navigate to wherever you want to be on the web next. The E-seal LiveCam would be a good choice! On the right is the email that VolunteerSpot sent to me with my assignments. Note that the emails come from mail@volunteerspot.com, so if it does not come in a few minutes look for it in your spam folder. QUESTIONS? Contact Ellen Stoner at 805 439 2081 or Fes.docent.coordinator@gmail.com. 4
OCCASIONALLY ASKED QUESTIONS How Do I Remove A Shift From My Schedule: When you first enter VolunteerSpot the days that you are signed up will look like this: You can click the red garbage can on the right side to delete your assignment. How Do I Find Out Who Is Already On The Shift? On the same line shown above anyone who is signed up will be listed. Or click the little plus sign + in the upper left and you will see who is on the shift and allow you to make a comment. This works whether you are signed up on that shift or not; you can click that symbol on any day. I Lost the E-mail With My Login Link Go back to any email that the software sent to you in the past. It is frequently in there, near the end. If not, let me know by emailing me at fes.docent.coordinator@gmail.com. I will have the software resend the link to you. Can I "Favorite Places" or "Bookmark" My Login Link? The first time you click on the link in the email, try it. It worked for me using Firefox/Windows. Hopefully it works universally. But save that initial email just in case! What Will Get Posted in the Office? I will continue to post the schedule in the office. I will continue to target having the following month schedule ready by the 17 th of each month. If I Cannot Do A Shift that I Signed Up For, Do I Just Delete It? Before the 10 th of the previous month, yes. From the 10 th to when I post a schedule, contact me. After I post the schedule you are responsible for finding a substitute and notifying me and/or the office of the change. Get rid of the advertisements! Not an option yet with this software. Hopefully it will be in the future. Questions? Comments? Complaints? Contact me, Ellen Stoner, FES Docent Coordinator: fes.docent.coordinator@gmail.com or 805 439 2081. 5