Completely Paperless Application Process

Senusret I · #1 03-30-2011, 08:34 PM

For those of you in organizations which have an application process for membership (doesn't have to be a GLO), how much of the process is paperless?

When I became an Alpha, we still had to find a typewriter to fill in the application. (This was 2003 - I believe it changed a few years later.)

Having seen the other side of a membership database before, it seems to me like even the smallest of organizations would benefit from the prospective member entering their own info into a database and paying fees via credit card portal.

Just curious. Save a tree and stuff.

DSTRen13 · #2 03-30-2011, 09:39 PM

For Junior League, I could email my application or mail it, and everything is always paid online with a credit card. (I *love* being able to pay online - so much easier!)

DeltaBetaBaby · #3 03-30-2011, 10:19 PM

Not an organization, but every scholarship application I've done this year has been totally paperless.

Senusret I · #4 03-30-2011, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

For Junior League, I could email my application or mail it, and everything is always paid online with a credit card. (I *love* being able to pay online - so much easier!)

Me too. All my bills are direct deductions now.

I didn't know you're in JL!

LatinaAlumna · #5 03-30-2011, 11:25 PM

Our application is still paper and I have no idea why. We should go green immediately.

preciousjeni · #6 03-30-2011, 11:31 PM

We're in a cross-over state right now. Some people still use the paper documents and checks, while others use the online forms and payments. I was a bit lonely paying dues/fees online for many years, but recently, more and more members are paying online.

I'm strongly in favor of 100% digital communication, unless there's a real reason not to. For instance, I can understand paper newsletters for people who want them and also archiving tax/governing documents in paper form as well as digital form.

victoriana · #7 03-30-2011, 11:37 PM

For sorority, everything is paperless, except forms we have to turn in to Panhellenic. Pretty much everything school-wise is paperless, like tuition statements, financial aid, ect. except for some scholarship applications. As far as personal finance goes, I'm 100% paperless. I'm all for saving some trees!

LatinaAlumna · #8 03-30-2011, 11:43 PM

Hmmm...our alumnae dues are paid online, and sisters make payments for national events online as well. Now I'm really curious as to why our membership app is still on paper.

Senusret I · #9 03-30-2011, 11:50 PM

Paperless financial documentation would typically be on a different system than membership information due to the way it's collected or even the size of the org.

For example, unless you have the money for an enterprise system like APhiA's AlphaNet, which we can pay national dues through AND maintain personal data, an organization might use PayPal, Razoo, or another third party financial thing for payments and get biographical data otherwise.

If a website has built in member management, like Celect or the GIN System (I presume) then it seems to me that a prospective member could use a form to input their data, upload an essay, and automatically have it sent to the relevant people via email.

Just thoughts.

Gusteau · #10 03-31-2011, 12:02 AM

This is timely because I'm in the middle scheduling application review for my chapter of Order of Omega.

I would love, love, love to transition to a paperless application. I currently have countless manila envelopes filled with every application we have received since 2007. Why?!?!? Who saved these, and more importantly, why haven't I shredded them yet?!

Not only would this be so much easier logistically, I feel like it would make the application more accessible to prospective members. For an optional thing like an honor society a lot of applicants would be more receptive to the ease of an online application. It would also be great to be able to distribute a direct link to the application via our facebook page and other social media outlets.

aephi alum · #11 03-31-2011, 01:03 AM

In my day, EVERYTHING was on paper. Paper rush registration forms, paper new member forms, paper everything.

Senusret I, I can't imagine having to scare up a typewriter in this day and age - when did you pledge? My dad had a typewriter (and I remember him using those little white-out strips - if you made a typo you inserted a white-out strip between the ribbon and the paper and re-typed the incorrect letter) and it was a bit dodgy. In my day, things like college applications read "please hand-print or type" so I hand-printed everything except the checks.

VandalSquirrel · #12 03-31-2011, 02:57 AM

I'm in a non-Greek fraternal organization where we still have paper applications we fill in by hand, however membership is highly skewed toward senior citizen age so it won't go away for a long time. Our newsletter/magazine is also mail only and is not online.

If electronic submission isn't possible, having forms in Word or as a PDF one can fill out, save, and print would be ideal. I love that Alpha Gam has made our recruitment forms available online so I can access one elsewhere and type in information. With my smartphone I can have one and make sure I get the information I need and put it on the form which I can either print out or email to myself.

My only issue with paperless is security. For some organizations forms could end up on personal computers, a hard drive that is passed around, a college member computer, or somewhere it can be hacked. If there is enough information it could be an issue for identity theft and if bank accounts or credit cards are listed, fraud. With full government names, DOBs, addresses, family names or addresses for legacies (home address as opposed to school), SSN if that group uses it, As long as information can be guaranteed secure, why not. However even paper forms not kept safe or shredded can be at the same risk, so Gusteau better get to shredding

LatinaAlumna · #13 03-31-2011, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senusret I

For example, unless you have the money for an enterprise system like APhiA's AlphaNet, which we can pay national dues through AND maintain personal data, an organization might use PayPal, Razoo, or another third party financial thing for payments and get biographical data otherwise.

.

This is probably the answer to my question. We use PayPal for alumnae dues and to collect payment for conferences, etc. and each chapter keeps a database of all members (actives & alumnae) that is fed into a national database. Perhaps when we reach a certain number of members nationally, we will move to a different system. Even so, with some chapters having 2-3 applicants per "membership period," I can see why it still might not be advantageous to have an online system for applicants.

psusue · #14 03-31-2011, 12:13 PM

I know for sure that Sigma uses billhighway for all of our local and national dues. We also have a sister directory on SigmaConnect which is searchable by all members. However all new members have to fill out their registration cards in paper and the vice president (new member educator) puts them into the system. This makes sense however because the new member fee has to be paid before they are officially new members and have access to the new member education materials on SigmaConnect. It also gives a permanent paper record of all NMs that we've ever had.

Recruitment registration and fees can all be paid online as well though.

KSUViolet06 · #15 03-31-2011, 08:50 PM

^^^Sue beat me to it. It's crazy to think that when I joined (not even that long ago) we didn't have ANY of that. I filled out everything on paper and paid my dues with checks.

I'm also part of a faith-based national service org where everything is still paper-based. Everything. Applications, reports, dues, etc. It's all still paper and checks, but we are moving toward online in the next few years.