“Using feeds in vTools.Meeting” and “Schedule a meeting Doodle“.  The first tutorial goes in detail over HTML, RSS, iCal, and XML feeds available in the Meetings tool for integration with web pages, RSS readers, calendars, and custom software. The second tutorial will quickly show you how to easily coordinate calendars of multiple meeting attendees to schedule a meeting at the most convenient time for all.

IEEE is upgrading a number of Web sites and systems to bring you enhanced capabilities and an improved experience. As a result between 5AM – 6AM and 9AM – 2PM, Wednesday, 9 May, the following vTools functions will not be available:

vTools.Meetings
- there will be no ability to validate member numbers for discounted price levels

vTools.WebInABox
- there will be no ability to create new or modify existing sites
- “Officers” and “Other units” pages will not show any officer or unit data

vTools.Voting
- there will be no ability to create new or modify existing ballots
- voters should still be able to vote in open elections

vTools.OfficerReporting will not be available

WebEx will not be impacted

vTools.StudentBranchReporting will not be impacted

FluidSurveys
- there will be no ability to create new or modify existing ballots
- survey takers will still be able to submit their responses

ReviewRoom will not be impacted

Please contact us if you have any questions.

vTools.Meetings introduces a number of new features and usability enhancements as well bug fixes:

New features and usability enhancements

1.  System now has “Find Meetings” functionality. “Find Meetings” replaces “View Meetings” and introduces flexible meetings search similar to L31 reports search added in version 4.0.
2. System now allows to search meetings within 5, 10, 50, or 100 miles within specified zip code or address.
3. The system now includes the meeting’s region and section as part of the meetings search results.
4. System now supports virtual meetings such as web conferences and webinars via virtual meeting flag. Meeting organizers can indicate that meeting is “virtual” by checking a check box on meeting creation page. “Virtual” meetings can be found via the new “Meetings Search” page and dedicated virtual meetings RSS feeds.
5. System now allows specifying more than 3 Menu Selection Options.
6. The system now emails meeting contact whenever someone with special requests registers for a meeting.
7. The system now offers meeting organizer an option to email meeting registrants whenever meeting is cancelled/un-cancelled.
8. To enhance Concentration banking reports, system now sends meeting ID and title through PayPal to the CBRS.
9. In the ‘View Meeting Statistics’ page, the system now shows ‘Cancelled’ to describe registration that was cancelled.
10. CSV file containing registration data now includes meal options selected by registrants.
11. System now shows units in OU drop downs based on their activation/deactivation dates.
12. The meeting registration statistics page now has the following functionality:
• By default the data should is sorted by registrants last names;
• “last name” column is now be the first of the columns, followed by the “first name” column;
• Last and first names now link to registrants e-mail addresses. Clicking on the registrant name should launch e-mail client (dependent on your mail client configuration);
• “Payment Status” now has a drop down that allows filtering out data shown: rows with any payment status, paid, unpaid, etc.
13. CSV export of L31 report search now includes a breakdown of total attendees on IEEE members and non-members.
14. L31 search results table shown on a screen is now sortable.
15. System now includes reporting Unit Name and Meeting Date on L31 report submission confirmation e-mail.
16. Section names are now shown on top of the meeting announcement and L31 pages.
17. The event registration form now displays the name and date of the event at the top of the page.
18. The system now makes iCal feed readable by Google Calendar.
19. System now prevents registration for meetings with closed registration.
20. System now shows data for the new section and prevents accessing data from the old section when a volunteer changes his home section.
21. Multiple code optimizations and security enhancements.

Bug fixes

1.  After searching L31 reports using L31 search an authorized user is now able to delete reports by clicking on the delete (destroy) link.
2. System now validates meeting contact e-mail and meeting address information upon meeting announcement submission.
3. System now shows if there is an admission fee on the meeting announcement screen (bug fix for conflicting messages shown under certain scenarios).
4. System now validates meeting address and date information upon submission of an L31 report.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

For more details on PayPal downtime see post from PayPal’s technical team  - https://www.x.com/node/304976

For time zone conversion see – http://www.time.is

IEEE is upgrading a number of Web sites and systems to bring you enhanced capabilities and an improved experience. Starting Thursday, 29 March through Monday, 1 April, the following functions will not be available: IEEE Shop, join and renew IEEE and IEEE societies, myIEEE, article purchasing on IEEE Xplore and some vTools applications.  If you need assistance during this time, please direct your inquiry to the IEEE Support Center

Please note that due to this upgrade parts of the vTools will be inaccessible between Thursday, 29 March, through Monday, 1 April:

vTools.Meetings
- there will be no ability to validate member numbers for discounted price levels

vTools.WebInABox
- there will be no ability to create new or modify existing sites
- “Officers” and “Other units” pages will not show any officer or unit data

vTools.Voting
- there will be no ability to create new or modify existing ballots
- voters should still be able to vote in open elections

vTools.OfficerReporting will not be available

WebEx will not be impacted

vTools.StudentBranchReporting will not be impacted

FluidSurveys
- there will be no ability to create new or modify existing ballots
- survey takers will still be able to submit their responses

ReviewRoom will not be impacted

Please contact us if you have any questions.

https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meetings/xml/0/90/asc/1/PRINCETON~CENTRAL%20JERSEY

If you would like to retrieve a year’s worth of meetings, simply replace 90 on 365:

https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meetings/xml/0/365/asc/1/PRINCETON~CENTRAL%20JERSEY

If you would also like to see past meetings, change ’0′ on the number of days with a minus sign in front of the number. For example, this link will get the meetings for the past 360 days and no future meetings:

https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meetings/xml/-360/0/asc/1/PRINCETON~CENTRAL%20JERSEY

Same concept applies to the HTML feeds:

Meetings for the next 360 days – https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meetings/html/0/360/asc/1/PRINCETON~CENTRAL%20JERSEY

Meetings for the past 360 and the next 360 days – https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meetings/html/-360/360/asc/1/PRINCETON~CENTRAL%20JERSEY

You can also modify the data order by replacing ‘asc’ on ‘desc’. For example,

https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meetings/html/-360/360/desc/1/PRINCETON~CENTRAL%20JERSEY

vTools.Voting is a free tool that enables volunteers to setup electronic ballots to allow members submit votes in their Section, Sub-Section, Chapter, or Affinity Group officer elections online (please note that this is different from the general IEEE elections). Based on the feedback from some of the over 250 elections conducted using the system, when conducted electronically, elections can double the voter participation rate. System features include:

• on demand availability (no webmaster  involvement needed)
• intuitive user interface for creating election ballots
• online tutorials for voters and volunteers
• professionally looking ballots
• printable ballots
• ability to send e-mail to voters from the tool
• IEEE branded look and feel
• secure access
• voter authentication via IEEE web accounts

Who can create ballots

The current security model automatically allows use of the tool by any volunteer who appears on the section roster including section, sub-section, chapter, and affinity group officers. Only the original ballot creator has ability to modify data, while all other officers have a read only access to the ballot data. This ensures transparency and data integrity at the same time.

What is needed to create ballots

Assemble required candidate data, including positions they are running for, their biographies, and pictures (optional). Login at https://voting.vtools.ieee.org and create a ballot in 7 quick steps using simple user interface:

- Specify ballot name

- Specify election start and end time

- Provide custom voter instructions or use default text provided

- Provide contact e-mail address in case voters have any questions

- Add positions and associated candidates (write-in option is available)

- Retrieve and a voter list from SAMIEEE database using pre-defined query and load it into the ballot

- Save and activate the ballot

High level process for running elections after ballot is activated

-       Contact voters via e-mail directly from the tool announcing the election. Please note that the tool will not e-mail those voters who requested IEEE not to contact them via e-mail. Those voters will need to be informed of the election via other means, such as paper mail.

-       Monitor voter participation rate and adjust election end date if necessary

-       Print paper version of the ballot if requested

-       Once election is over, view and certify the results. If necessary, update the results based on the votes received offline (for example paper ballots).

-       Report results to IEEE headquarters Voter status report (shows who voted online and who did not)

Requirements and limitations

-       Security model automatically allows use of the tool by any volunteer who appears on the section roster including section, sub-section, chapter, and affinity group officers. 

-       In order to get a voter list, volunteer running the election needs access to the SAMIEEE database. Alternatively, volunteer running the election, can work with another volunteer who has SAMIEEE access to get the list.

-       vTools.Voting does not currently provide functionality to support nominations process.