Onboarding and Setup Timeline

Last updated 24 November 2019

This timeline is intended to help you (and us!) take you from contract to planning for next year with a minimum of mystery.

And for easy reference and delegation, the graphics needs are summarized in a separate document.

First Time Setup

There are a few things you’ll only need to think through the first time around, but it wouldn’t hurt to read over this checklist annually to ensure nothing major has to change.

• Access
  • Names and email addresses for the handful of people bootstrapping setup
• Cosmetics
  • If your organization has a formal web style guide, please share it with us
  • Provide header logo image (max 60px tall, transparent background png)
  • Identify header background color
• Events and registration structure
  • Share prior-year registration site and or event list with AlumnIQ
  • Discuss and document specific event nuances that may impact registration
  • Discuss reporting apexes - classes, affinities, schools, etc. that are necessary and desirable
  • AlumnIQ will make recommendations for how to structure reg based on those conversations
• Financial
  • Secure and provide credentials for your registration payment gateway
  • Secure and provide credentials for your gift payment gateway
• Registration Identity
  • Identify whether public registration is unmatched, self-match, or login required (and if so, source of auth)
• Data Warehouse
  • Don’t be intimidated. There’s a whole separate document for your favorite advancement services colleague to read over.

Annual Setup

The timeline below is a sample, not a ruleset. The months are indicated based on a June or October event, respectively.

8 Months Out (November | February)

• Decisions
  • Decide and document shared commitments to updates/revisions
• Events and registration structure
  • Any material programmatic changes that we should be made aware of?

6 Months Out (January | April)

• Configuration

  • AlumnIQ can roll over prior year events if desired (just ask)
  • Begin reviewing, updating, adding, and removing events
  • Begin creating packages and reviewing pricing
  • Discuss post-event budget reconcilation with AlumnIQ; we may recommend the creation of new virtual accounts to ease the work
  • Review all dates and text blurbs
  • Double check the list of recipients for the nightly gift report and decide if you want them daily or weekly (Monday)
  • Determine if you want gift officers to receive emails when their prospects register

• Preview/Testing

  • Once you have the first package prepared, you should be making use of the “Preview/Test Registration” button to review.
  • Make note of any text blurbs that require revision

• Cosmetic Edits

  • Review/update images (see the graphics needs document for a comprehensive listing)
    • header logo image (60px high, transparent background, png)
    • default hero image (1900x300 jpg, no embedded copy, focal point centered)
    • per-org override hero image (optional)
    • confirmation logo image (300x60, transparent background, png)
    • confirmation subhead image (optional)
  • The graphics specs are embedded in the admin as well.

• Copy Edits

  • Update blurbs for
    • Registration pre-open
    • Regsitration open
    • Registration post-close
    • Gift Page Intro
    • Contact Info
    • Self Mod Intro
    • Waiver text/photo release
    • Refund Policy
    • Confirmation email (one per registration group)
    • Check in/headquarters/parking
  • consult the what’s where guide to locate each of these fields; some may need updates in multiple locations

• Name Tag

  • Sketch your name tag and map each field back to a registration or warehouse field. Unmapped fields warrant discussion.

Three Months + One Week Out (March | July)

• Testing
  • If necessary, request a refresh of the QA environment so you can go end-to-end with testing (usually only necessary year 1)
• Self Mod
  • Decide whether your self mod environment will be active and, if so, in add/remove or add only mode at launch.
• Users
  • Add additional user accounts for those who will be pulling reports, managing registration data, and/or handling remote check in
• Training
  • AlumnIQ to conduct (if necessary) admin training for those handling registration changes

Three Months Out (March | July)

• Data Warehouse
  • Push data set (if applicable) to AlumnIQ
• Process
  • Schedule date/time for registration opening with AlumnIQ
  • Jointly open registration
  • Set date for confirmation email resend
  • Keep tabs on lingering open balances
  • Clean up unmatched registrants
• Reporting
  • Set up and activate your initial scheduled reports for campus partners (if any)
• Printing (if applicable)
  • Prepare layout graphics and send to AlumnIQ for creation of a proof

One Month Out (May | September)

• Data Warehouse
  • Push refreshed data set (if applicable) to AlumnIQ
• Maintenance
  • Aggressively collect open balances
  • Decide whether you will keep self mod in its current operating mode or restrict changes
• Printing (if applicable)
  • Final stock layout and order quantity approval
• Planning
  • Schedule date for AlumnIQ post-event call

Two Weeks Out (May | September)

• Prepare copy for updated confirmation blurb to ride along with conf resend
  • this could include attire/weather notes and other timely FYI notes

Week Of Event

• Data Warehouse
  • Push final refreshed data set (if applicable) to AlumnIQ
• Communications
  • AlumnIQ can resend your confirmation email if desired
• Printing (if applicable)
  • AlumnIQ will share printed sample name tags

During your event

• Monitor remote check in use
• Adjust central check in staffing based on overall check in statistics

Week After

• Ensure self mod is closed
• Clean up missed check ins
• Settle all open balances (including refunds)
• Notify AlumnIQ when the books are ‘cloed’

Month After

• Hold recap/debrief call to capture notes for next year