I know, I know, Aptify progress seems to be an oxymoron, a two word phrase where the words mean opposite things. But seriously, folks, some very dedicated people have been working diligently to bring progress to our database. Remember, it took many years before the old AMS was useful, and Aptify is already churning out many, many more bits of useful data. Most of our data fields are dependent on the local chapter and or member’s input. Garbage in, garbage out, but that’s what we have to work with. So here’s a short progress report:

Chapter Officer Reporting for 2009. eBiz is the easy-to-use repository for creating a Chapter Role record for all chapter elected and appointed positions. HQ, your district and other Society members use these records to contact the various positions within your chapters to share information or seek chapter solutions to common circumstances.

Approximately 15% of all Society chapters are yet to complete their submissions of these 2009 roles. Please help a chapter nearby if you see it is missing that information.

Dues Renewals via eBiz. On-line renewal with a current (working) credit card is the quick-n-easy way to get the renewal accomplished. It speeds the clearance of the payment and the card renewal processing. If you’re worried about contest, the fastest way to renew is on-line.

Chapter Secretary Dues Payments. Chapter Secretaries have the authority to look at all overdue chapter members and pay their dues with a credit card via eBiz. For those members who procrastinate or “never remember” what their renewal dues are, the secretary has a quick way to view, select and pay for any member in this category.

Find Member Proximity Search. Want to find BHS members who might have moved to your area but have yet to visit? Do a search from Find Members > Proximity Search (fill in zip code and miles radius). Invite them to a meeting or a show! Want to try and find some of the chapter former members that you are lost? Do a search from Find Members > Proximity Search and UNCHECK the “current members” button. This list will contain both deceased and former members at their last known addresses. Mail a card to the former members and invite them back for an alumni night at your chapter.

 Update to Record. When Joe Barbershopper has an update to his personal record, he can go onto eBiz himself and update it, or his chapter secretary or other chapter officers can edit Joe’s record for him with the updated info. In that way, the Harmonizer, District Bulletins or just other singers will be able to find Joe and he won’t fade away.

Chapter Dues Changes. When your chapter board votes to change your chapter dues, the local chapter secretary can go onto the chapter eBiz page and input the new dues records at least 60 days in advance of their effective date. It is quicker than calling or sending an email to HQ.

Reporting Deceased Members. The current procedure is to have the chapter secretary or friend of the member send an email to membership@barbershop.org to report a deceased member. We need date of death, name/relation of person reporting, and then any additional information that should be kept with that member’s record. Upon the member update, that member will no longer show on the chapter roster. The “former members and deceased members” can be found via the member proximity search (described above) by unchecking the “current” box.

So, there you have some updates to Aptify. Note the part about “not all chapters have updated their 2009 officers.” this is May. All levels of the Society – HQ-Districts-Chapters-Members have got to play their parts. See my Harmonizer column entitled “Help Yourself”. I know I’m preaching to the choir, but maybe you can let others know and we’ll have a better Society for it. Thanks.