Manual: Features

RidgeStar Sites can contain a wide variety of Features, completely dependent upon the functions required to satisfy Client requirements. Each Feature is given a distinct identity (Name) within RidgeStar, which is then incorporated and integrated into your site. The following list contains currently identified Features that have additional documentation available for them.

Accounting - A table recording fiscal operations

The Accounting table contains a single entry for each Chapter fiscal transaction between the Chapter and a User. Commonly used as a respository for Referee Match Reports, the Accounting table can also hold Dues, Penalty assessments, Bonuses, and miscellaneous Chapter Debits or Credits that are associated with an individual User (Referee) or Match.

Entries are generally created by Referee: Match Report, directly manipulated by Administrator: Manage-Accounting, and processed by a variety of Finance functions (Process, Export, Invoice, etc.).

Anchor - Referential Field Value Setting support

Implements an optional mechanism that permits (on a table by table basis) the definition of an individual Anchor field. The Anchor field (such as a Matches table's League field) can then contain a Value that provides an index to other dependent Fields and related Values within the table (such as relating specific Levels, Divisions, Genders, etc. to a specific League value).

Audit - A table to record significant User Activity

The Audit table typically contains a date and time stamped record of all database updates, deletes, or adds, as well as other significant elements of site processing.

The Audit table can be quite handy when attempting to diagnose which User did what to a specific Database record (e.g. who changed the Match, when, etc.)

Audit table entries are automatically deleted during Manage-Audit processing (you control the expiration for Audit entries via the Setting=Auditing value, which defaults to 6 months).

The Audit table is searched and displayed using Administrator: Manage-Audit.

BulkLoad - Upload a CSV file and Bulk Load it to the database

This feature permits authorized Users to upload a digital file (in Comma Separated Value format) to the Server and, subsequently, use it to load in mass a series of data records to a Database table.

The mechanism does permit Bulk Loading to any database table, but is typically used to load Matches in bulk.

BulkMail - Create and generate messages to multiple recipients

Implements the ability to specify a User based criteria, a Message Subject and Content, and initiate (E)Mail to a targeted subset of Users.

An individual (E)Mail message is transmitted to the recipient (Bulk Mail does not utilize CC or BCC to transmit the Email). Email can be distributed via the standard RidgeStar Mail Server or via a specific Email Account via SMTP on an active Mail Server.

See http://www.ridgestar.com/settingbulkmail for additional detail about configuration options.

Conflicts - Confirm Assignments have passed SelfAssign Rules

This Feature adds logic to test whether current Assignments for Match Positions successfully pass applicable SelfAssign Rules. It operates after the fact of Assignment to double check that Referees and/or Assignors are complying with the specified Rules.

Directory - A white pages listing of Site Users

Permits Site Users to lookup contact information about other site participants. The specific information available to the Visitor is normally controlled by the disclosing User by indicating his/her desires on Services: Profile.

The individual Directory entry is also what is displayed when a hyperlinked User name is displayed on other site pages. Thus, a Visitor clicking on a Name will receive the User's Directory entry (theoretically, showing the forms of communication available for that User).

Finances - Virtual User Accounts

Implements a double entry Accounting mechanism, permitting fiscal Debits and Credits to be managed for each User of the site

Fragments - Accept string patterns as search criteria arguments

Portions of character strings may be entered as criteria elements such that data will match that contains the entered data.

iCalendar - ICS Calendar Exchange

Adds the ability for the Site to be able to generate iCalendar (Internet Calendaring and Scheduling) support to the Calendar function. Visitors to the site can Subscribe using a suitable desktop Ciient (Outlook, Lightning, iCalendar, etc.) and dynamically retrieve Calendar related events from the Site.

KeySearch - Flexible Key Criteria specification

Permits a flexible format for Criteria data entry that can be utilized to select more than a single database record for processing.

Locations - A table to establish geographic Locations

Creates the Locations table containing a Location name and corresponding geographic street address (for mapping via GoogleMaps). Each Location contains 1 or more Fields (see the Fields feature).

Contents are directly managed via Administrator: Manage-Locations and are normally queried via the public Information: Locations.

Mail - Site based Mail mechanism

Creates an Email like, Site based mechanism for correspondence between two Users of the Site. Mail is designed to also completely replace the pre-4.4 Notices mechanism.

MessageHelp - Extend Message Interpretation via Topics

Permits each Site to establish a Topic for their site that will be hyperlinked to via a Help symbol at the end of a specific Message (when issued by the Site). This is most useful for Sites with a large number of Users that need to be empowered with more detailed information about a specific message and what they can do to address the condition represented by the Message.

Method - Utilize a Position Method to determine assignment mechanism

Each Position that can be associated with a Match has a Method value associated with it to describe the current methodology used to assign the Position.

Method=None means the position is not required for the Match and will not be assigned. Method=SelfAssign means it is available for Referee: SelfAssign (an Assignor can still manually make the assignment). Method=Manual indicates the Position will be manually assigned (usually by an appropriate Assignor) and is NOT available for SelfAssign.

Multiple - Permit multiple Values in Grouping specifications

This feature expands the general ability to specify Pattern (etc.) values for Site Grouping elements to support more than a single value per Pattern (etc.).

Options - A table for holding operational values

The Options table is a simple repository for small operational values that control the various Features that may be implemented in the site (Criteria, Methods, Ranks, Fees, Rules, and/or Settings).

Entries can be manually managed via the Administrator: Options panels. This is particularly true of the Fees, Methods, Ranks, Rules, and Settings functions. The Criteria entries are usually allocated by the individual User through page based use of the Reset and Save symbols.

PageText - Provide Topics based alternative to internal fixed text

Permits the Webmaster to override the content of internally specified fixed text presented by various web pages.

PasswordReset - Permit an end User to reset the Password

This feature implements a series of Questions and stores the Users responses for subsequent use during a Password Reset request.

The number of Questions is established via Administrator: Database-Questions, responses are provided by the User at Services: Profile-Questions.

Logon: Password Reset is configured via a series of Settings, controlling the number of questions that will be asked, etc.

Passwords - Use secret strings to identify a User

Permits a Site to associated a secret combination of letters and numbers for each User to identify themselves to the site with.

Photos - Store photos of the User

This feature permits the end User to upload a suitable graphics file (.PNG, .GIF, .JPG) representing a photo of himself/herself to introduce them to other site users.

The uploaded photo is converted to PNG format, a variety of pixel resolutions, and stored into the Users table for subsequent display.

SelfAssign - A Methodology permitting Referees to assign themselves

A Feature that implements a mechanism permitting Referees to assign themselves to suitable Assignments (within Chapter specified constraints).

Referee: SelfAssign utilizes a series of Chapter defined Rules to determine if the individual Referee can SelfAssign to the Assignment or not. Some typical Rules:

• proper Ranking
• proper Grade
• properly licensed and registered
• hasn't seen the team too often
• hasn't had too many Assignments in a single day, week, month
• is an appropriate Age
• has filed all required Match Reports
• etc

Shortcuts - A table for entries in the Role based shortcut bar

Adds a Shortcuts database table and permits the Administrator to specify keywords and related hyperlinks that should appear for various Roles.

The objective is for complex sites to be able to reduce commonly utilized pages/functions to a single click activity.

Reminder - Interval Reminders for Site Users

Implements an extension to the Events table to add Type=Reminder, which can be used to remind one or more Users of a System Event that may need attention. Reminders can be one-time, Daily, Weekly, Monthly or Annual in their nature and are activated via Setting=Alerts Reminder operand.

Responsive - Responsive Website

Adds logic and a design approach that permits the site to "respond to" or resize itself depending on the Visitor's screen size and orientation.

SSL - Secure Socket Layer Support

Indicates that the Site will support SSL (HTTPS) protocols. This requires a third party Certificate Issue (RidgeStar normally utilizes Thawte) to issue a trusted third-party certificate

Topics - A table enabling simple HTML page composition

The Topics mechanism permits authorized individuals (typically, Administrators) to create a series of data records containing HTML-like specifications to present information to the Users in HTML format without having to have detailed HTML knowledge.

The mechanism also permits the use of specific formatting directives that are translated to the appropriate level of HTML constructs to conform with the Site standard. The objective is to permit the creation of simple HTML based pages without the requirement for specific HTML constructs or syntax. The resulting page WILL conform to the Site Standard XHTML constructs when processed by the Display processor.

This Feature will also allocate a second database table called Text to contain the individual elements associated with the Topic.

Turnback - A Methodology permitting Referees to return a prior Assignment

A Feature that implements a mechanism permitting Referees to return a current assignment to a "generally available" pool of Assignments for other Referees to SelfAssign. The Turnback is subject to a series of Rules, such as:

1. Referee is assigned to the Match
2. the Referee has provided an acceptable period of time prior to the Match to assign another Referee

If the Rules are not passed, the Turnback is rejected and the Referee is directed to an Assignor for assistance.

UID - Universal IDentification

Establishes a common repository at RidgeStar.com to associate a distinct, numeric value (the UID) with each specific individual, for the purposes of having an identifier that can be used Inter-Chapter to identify the individual.

WSYSARMA - WSYSA Risk Management interface

Activates an interface between the Site and the WSYSA's RiskMgmt, where identified Users will have their RMA information retrieved and checked periodically during their usage of the site.

This is an interactive connection requiring no information from the User or SiteManager (once the User Name and BirthDate for the individual has been properly established in the Chapter Users table). The Feature supports both the Affinity and the Bonzi provided APIs (or both).