Hi Brian. Thanks for the response.
Here are my thoughts:
Other than the issue with "Multiple Name" what else can we enhance with the Activity Log feature to resolve this need? The ability to attach files to the activity log entry and have those files be searchable would also be useful. Reporting on these may be the better solution also in that you can get the fields needed for export but we can certainly entertain ideas you have on making this feature useful for your needs.
KG: Yup I see where files can be attached, and I was thinking minutes of the meeting is one such document that can be included in the log - we are currently using that to upload certificates of completion in the Education Department, and I have been using it to log milestones in key member profiles (e.g. Member Transfers from one County to Another, Member Resignations/Terminations, Other Member Updates - which we use when someone passes away, or has otherwise left the county). It is a two-step process, however, where you have to drop a file in the Resource Manager before you can even insert it in the activity log...rather counterproductive if you do not remember to or instruct a user to do this before creating a new log. It would be easier to insert a file from an outside source (i.e. your local hard drive, a server, or a flash drive) --- ideally using that nifty Drop to Upload Your Files Here box that you have for doing just that, and then have YM somehow save that file into a designated location in the Resource Manager.
I imagine the editor is the place where a brief description can be added, and while I can write up a procedure that would clearly state a user should include Who, What, When, Where, Why, I cannot guarantee it will be done consistently. I suppose that is true with everything, but I have to try, right?
I would really like it to be easy for our users to document that information.
Let's assume the Multiple Names item is fixed and it shows each member who matches the search criteria. Will the Enterprise Departments or Legislative Departments want to print the page or is exporting it the better end result? What do they need to take to the meeting with the member? Is it face-to-face or virtual?
KG: Their meetings may be either face-to-face or virtual (conference call or GTM)
My thinking is they will need both the ability to see it as a list on-screen and to export.
For example, if the Enterprise Department would like to see which corporate partners have received the latest pricing for booths, there is no way to track it because an activity log was not created for it and bulk email doesn't tell you exactly who it was sent to. If I create a category called Enterprise - Outgoing Correspondence, and in the editor, wrote down Sent latest booth pricing for Annual Conference on December 15, 2015 then boom, I would be able to pull up that company in a list.
If I were on the Legislative Team and I wanted to recall what was said in the last 3 conference calls with the members of the Public Safety Committee on the topic of traffic light cameras, and managed to bring up that information, I would like to see the minutes of the meeting for each of those calls --- or if information was saved in the Editor, I would like to know what the highlights were (of course it would be important if the keywords traffic light cameras were in there so I can find it) --- if the contents of the Editor could also be exported into a table then I would know what major points each committee member may have had that were going to be crucial to the next conference call, or if any action items were addressed, etc.
As you can see the possibilities are endless after that point. But having worked with a number of web-based applications I understand that the decision to front-load this information in a profile may slow down loading or otherwise impact how YM performs on a mobile handheld device.
Which is why I think it would also be great if there was an "offline mode" kind of feature that could allow someone from Enterprise or Legislative Departments to save pertinent notes on their tablet in Word or PDF format perhaps so they have some ammunition before they go into a meeting that may or may not have a WiFi/Internet connection.
If it is easier for us to have a chat about the above items please do not hesitate to reach out to me and we can get GTM scheduled.
KG: I would love to chat with you about this at length. I may need to touch base with both these departments to see what other needs they may have, and we can schedule it then.
