How-To: Best Coordination with Shiftboard
Who "owns" our Shiftboard information?
Can we keep our Shiftboard information in sync with another database?
What about privacy? Who sees our information?
Does Shiftboard have advertisments?
Is Shiftboard yet another job-board?
How does my organization get started with Shiftboard?
Can other people send email or contract our members?
Q: What is Shiftboard?
It's a new way to grow and manage your database of people, schedules, reports and daily business. Shiftboard provides a place, sometimes called a Portal, where organizations establish their own customized web scheduling, coordination, communication, reporting and member recruitment hub. Workers and other members can view schedules, join teams, pick up shifts, get reminders, communicate with managers, track availability, refer friends and colleagues, and generally stay much better connected than when using traditional methods of coordination.
Using Shiftboard, site owners create and manage an unlimited number of Teams or Workgroups, appoint co-workers, managers, and other site members to those teams. By using the power of social networking and 24/7, web-based self-service business management tools, Shiftboard lets organizations work with partners, cut bureaucracy and scale their business, daily management and recruiting potential beyond office walls, telephone budgets and the 9-to-5 workday.
Q: Who "owns" our Shiftboard information
You do - We just store it. Organizations that use Shiftboard control their membership and all other information. Unless a member joins the main Shiftboard site or another organization that also uses Shiftboard, when you delete that members account, the account will no longer be in Shiftboard. Furthermore, organizations can always download all of their sites membership, scheduling and related information.
Q: Can we keep our Shiftboard information in sync with another database?
Yes you can. There are a few easy ways to do this and all of your account, scheduling and other information can be downloaded in multiple, standard spreadsheet-like text formats. Shiftboard can also store your unique database key information to allow better syncing to offline and other systems.
Q: What about privacy? Who sees our information?
Only your managers. For each organization, Shiftboard is private but organizations can optionally choose to recruit new members by exposing and syndicating special team information and current opportunities within their Shiftboard to other non-members who search the Shiftboard portal and partner websites for additional activity.
Q: Is Shiftboard Free?
Shiftboard accounts are free - and members might belong to multple organizations and workgroups. Organizations that create their own custom Shiftboard site to build and manage their members pay a low, flat-monthly or yearly rate - no license, software, annual, or connection fees.
Rate plans for Shiftboard make sense for even the smallest organizations. The flat-rate charged to run Shiftboard for an organization is only based on how large or how much activity a site generates on the monthly or yearly basis. Discounts and discretionary sponsorhip programs are available to not-for-profit and social service organizations.
Q: Does Shiftboard have advertisments?
Not at all. Organizations that operate a Shiftboard site do not have advertisments but they can include their own sponsorships, partner banners, advertisments, co-branding and other discretionary messaging. At this time, advertisments do not exist on the main Shiftboard website either, however we may include select banners and other preferred placements in the future.
Q: Is Shiftboard yet another job-board?
Not exactly. But, people everywhere are using Shiftboard to schedule work, recruit new workers, meet new people, pick up additional work and to get involved with new organizations, at home or while traveling.
Generally, Shiftboard is a work, contract and event management and communications hub that is used by independent contactors, hourly workers, volunteers and full-time staff who can provide special coverage needs ranging from hospital critical care staff, contract delivery agents, to volunteers at international film festivals, musical events and public radio stations around the world.
Q: How does my organization get started with Shiftboard?
We make it easy. At this time, Organizations that want to get started with Shiftboard should contact us directly or simply register their organization here. You can upload your lists and information into Shiftboard as easily as you can download it out of Shiftboard.
Currently, Shiftboard is referral-based and we are somewhat selective in the types of organizations we include in order to create a terrific, productive and rewarding environment for everyone. Depending on your custom or specific business integration requirements that your organization may need, a one-time set up fee may estimated and required to get started.
Q: What about recruiting fees?
Recruiting services are Free. Recruiting is a terrific and totally free "side-effect" of using Shiftboard. Shiftboard is a great place for people to get connected, communicate, make money, and have fun.
Q: Can other people send email or contact our members?
No. Not unless your site member shares their information or is already a member of another organization or team for which the message sender is a manager or for which the member is also a team contact for a team that is currently recruiting new members.
The Shiftboard messaging system does not expose email addresses to non-managers or other people who are not currently sharing their information.
