Keeping your Availability Updated

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Until recently, basketball assignors have always tried to keep track of each official's availability by saving a file of his/her open dates, which were sent to them either by email or in paper form. As you can imagine, this was cumbersome, and not always very efficient. If  there was a cancellation or if a game was added on a certain date, assignors scrambled through the sheets trying to find an official who was open/available on that date. Often, the first few calls were made to officials who had closed the date since the last time they had set an update. No More!

Effective immediately, 
Do not send, mail or fax any more open date sheets to your assignors. 
They will only go into the circular file. Too much paper!!

Instead, all officials' availabilities are being kept in an database called "(200*-0*) Availability for Basketball Assignments." It is housed online at a site called Quickbase.com.

So that Harry Bohn or Wes Fritz or Octavio Herrera or Bob Brown or Chuck McNellis or Ed Curtin or Frank Wleklinski or Charlie Schaefer or Jerry Heidlauf or Gary Schiefer or other assignors can contact you for any openings, here are the steps you need to follow to add your availability record to the database. It may be seem a bit daunting at first, especially for the technologically challenged, but over 300 other officials have done it, and you can, too. 

Here we go:

1) Use this link to go to Quickbase.com. Be sure to bookmark the site, or add it to "Favorites".

2) A free one-time registration is required. Click on the "SIGN IN/ REGISTER" box in the upper right corner, then on the "Register" button on the left side of the next screen. Fill in your email address, a screen name and your full name, and a password. Be sure to write all that information on a card that you can keep handy for reference. (The biggest problem officials have had accessing their records is that they have forgotten their user name and/or password. The system won't work if that happens to you, and you'll have to start all over!)  

3) Finish your registration, answering the questions, and then send an email to me telling me what email address that you've registered with, especially if it's not the address that you used to email me.    I don't want/need to know your password.

Write your Quickbase Info here:        

My User Name: ________________   
My Password: _______________
(Be sure to then keep this printed page in a safe place)

4) I will then add your name to the list of people who have permission to access the database, and you will get an email to that effect from me. Click on the link in the email (or AOL users should copy (CTRL-C) and paste (CTRL-V) the link into their browser window and hit "Return") and it will take you to the database. Bookmark the Main Page, so you can come right back to that spot the next time. Follow ALL the directions in the"Instyctions" box on the right side of the page.  

5) "Add" your new Availability Record, making sure that you accurately represent all of your open and closed dates. Note that a check-marked box represents a CLOSED date, either for a game or other conflict, and an unchecked box represents an OPEN date. If you're not sure what to answer or fill in, put your cursor on one of the question marks on the right side for help. When you're finished, click on "SAVE". You then see your completed record. Do not email it. Just click on "(Year) Availability" title in the upper left, and you are all set. If you email it to me, I will know you can't follow instructions, and you will be deleted from the database.

For this system to work,

ALL OFFICIALS MUST KEEP THEIR RECORDS UP-TO-DATE!!!

6) Whenever you close a date, or if one of your phone numbers or email address changes, be sure to go back to Quickbase.com (did you bookmark it?) and update ("EDIT") your record. If you are contacted for a game based on your record, and you are not available, it is because YOU have not updated your record, and you will probably be less likely to be called the next time. Please also be sure that your email address and all your phone numbers are current.

Be sure to close off important birthdays, anniversaries, and other dates that you will not be able to work, even if you don't have a game on those dates. It is vital that you keep your record accurately updated. Any records that are not updated risk being deleted.

6) If you have any problems with this process, go back and read the instructions again. We want to make it as easy as we can for all to participate.

6) Did I mention how important it is for you to always keep your record up-to-date? You may get an occasional email if your record has not been updated in the last 45 days or so. If you do not update your record, it will be automatically DELETED!

EMAIL ADDRESS PROBLEMS 

The biggest problem officials have had in using Quickbase is when they change their email address.  Quickbase associates your record with your email address. Therefore, if you create a record as JayLyons@aol.com you can only edit that record if you log in as JayLyons@aol.com. If your email address changes to jlyons@comcast.net, and you try to log in that way, Quickbase will not recognize you as the same person, and therefore will not let you edit your record.

So the solution to this problem is this: If you change your email address after creating your availability record, remember that you can only log in using the same (old) email address you used when you created your record. Changing the field in your record that shows your email address is not a problem, just don't try and log into Quickbase with the new address. That's why it's really easier to always log in with your "Screen Name"; then you don't have to remember WHICH EMAIL address you used.

 

FAQ's

Why do I sometimes have trouble logging in?

Quickbase only recognizes "members" by either their "Screen Name" or their email address. Since email addresses may change, I recommend that you log in every time by using your "Screen Name", and your password. Even better, if you always/usually log in from the same computer, mark the "Remember me until I log off" box the next time you log in. Then, if you bookmark this page, every time you click on the bookmark, it will take you directly to this page with no log-in necessary. Yes, this will add a "cookie" to your computer, but that's really nothing to worry about - it will just save you time and trouble.

How do I use Quickbase to help me find a sub who is available for a game that I need to get off?

From the main page, click on the view "List All, by Last Name." This takes you to a master view of all the records in the database. At the very top, scroll to the right until you see the box for the date for which you need a sub, and click on that box. This re-sorts the entire database, putting the officials open on that date at the top. Scroll down A-Z until you find someone you know or want to contact. You can either click on that official's email link to send an email, or use the phone info to contact him/her. If you come again to the "A" names, the officials listed after that point are closed on the date upon which you sorted.

What should I do if I forget my password or user name?
If you forget your password:

1. From the QuickBase home page, click "Sign in/Register," and then click the "Forgot your password" link.
2. Enter your e-mail address or user name, and then click OK.
3. Answer the challenge question, and click OK.
4. Enter a new password, reconfirm it by entering it again, and then click OK. An e-mail with a verification link is sent to your e-mail address. Once you click the link in the e-mail, you can sign in with your new password.

If you don't remember the e-mail address or screen name with which you registered:

1. From the QuickBase home page, click "Sign in/Register," and then click the "Support" link located in the top right corner of your screen.
2. On the QuickBase Support page, click the "send a message to our support staff" link.
3. Fill out the form, and then click "Submit".

How do I change my password?

1. Go to your "My QuickBase" page and click "Edit Your User Profile."
2. Click on "Change Password".
3. Follow the instructions on the screen to update your password. Your new password must be at least 8 characters long.