Manual: Versions-Version 3.0

October 2003

The entire concept of putting a Version Number on a Interactive Site initially seemed without merit (after all, interactive Sites are forever evolving...). However, over time we have found that RidgeStar clients like to be able to reference functions as a group. This becomes particularly useful when one particular feature (e.g. SelfAssign) incorporates and/or requires other elements for successful implementation.

Thus, recognizing that organizing, introducing, and implementing new features in logical sets for ease of reference helps everyone communicate more effectively, RidgeStar will make it's best effort to methodically identify the fundamental elements that are currently being incorporated into new and existing Referee Management Sites.

Features

The new Version (usually referenced as Version 3.0) is intended to continue to develop the extensibility of the Referee Management concept, place more effective controls over how SelfAssign relates to other Assignment methods, as well as extending bulk data management to the Site Point of Contact.

Specifically, this means that the following primary functions are actively being developed and will be available to all Referee Management Sites upon completion of a proper testing interval:

Area Naming and Structure

As the Sites have evolved, Administrator oversight and management has been accomplished in an Area of the Site normally named Administrator: Database. This collection represents an effort to group functions that directly manage the Database into a single Area. As more and more Chapters have come on board, this naming has usually been a point of confusion. Thus, the pages in the Administrator Segment that directly manipulate the contents of the database tables (generally without editing controls involved) will be now identified as Administrator: Manage instead of Administrator: Database. It is hoped that this naming will be more intuitive to new Chapter Administrators.

Similarly, the Administrator: WebSite area has been renamed to Administrator: Operations to more properly reflect consistent use of Terminology within the Sites. Note that this change is completely organizational in nature and there are no corresponding or underlying operational changes in how the Site operates as a result of these changes.

Assignment Method

This replacement for the prior Rqst... position flags will not only permit the Administrator to indicate which Positions on a Match will be filled, but will also permit the Administrator to indicate the type of Assignment methodology that will be used (SelfAssign, Manual, None). For more detailed information, see Manual: Concepts-Method.

BulkLoad

Systems operating with pre-Version 3.0 concepts prepare data for "bulk load" in a variety of ways, but virtually all of them follow two basic steps:

1. creation of a flat file on a local system containing Match descriptions (usually Excel, but occasionally other formats, too)
2. transmission of the flat file to a RidgeStar Account Representative (usually, via Email) who manually loads the data into the Chapter's Matches table within 24 hours

This has been generally effective (not particularly efficient, but ... effective), but suffers from the requirement that RidgeStar personnel be involved in the data preparation and bulk loading operation. Version 3.0 offers a Bulk Data Load process where the Administrator can upload a properly prepared comma separated value (.CSV) file to the Server and invoke Bulk Data Load from within the Administrator Segment. If the data compares favorably with the selected data load specifications, the Bulk Data Load can be accomplished without any RidgeStar personnel involvement.

Expanded Options

The existing Options table is primarily used to contain SelfAssign variables between Leagues. Version 3.0 will expand the manner in which the Options are defined to include League, Level, Division, Client, Gender, and Session as "criteria" and to permit the dynamic specification of the applicable Fees, default Ranks and Assignment Methods for Matches, as well as incorporate a more robust manner to specify SelfAssign values.

It is possible (likely....) that there will be other small enhancements introduced during the development and testing of Version 3.0 of the Referee Management System (remember, this is a constantly evolving implementation). So ... stay tuned for Version 3.0 availability.

In anticipation of the inevitable question: Yes, Version 3.0 and it's implied features and functions is available to all RidgeStar Referee Management Sites as a standard portion of the RidgeStar Services - NO additional fees are related to these new functions.

See you on the Pitch!

- The Development Staff