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Foireann an absolute disaster

  • 13-04-2021 11:23pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 725 ✭✭✭


    Just wondering how other clubs getting on with Foireann? We decided to go with Clubforce this year to take the online registrations from members as Foireann was so far behind and we couldn't get any response from the helpdesk for queries. Only thing is we now have to register all our members on Foireann. The importing from Clubforce has been a disaster, half the members are missing and a lot of the others missing things like phone numbers need those details entered too before it's complete.
    We now have a total mess with a huge number of duplicated members also. Even in my own family all the kids showing up as not registered when they are (their duplicates!). God knows whats going to happen from the 26th when training back and everyone logging in seeing that they're not registered even though they are. Any advice anyone?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 514 ✭✭✭Neewollah


    I don't have any advice personally but it has been poor to date. We couldn't log in for the last 2 months and only got access last week.


  • Registered Users Posts: 76 ✭✭HurlyBurly


    Have started with Foireann this year as first year going online route and seems ok so far, but only just starting the membership process so will see how that goes.

    Took a while to get the Stripe account setup and still haven't got all the verification they want done.

    Definitely an issue there with duplicates. Not sure how they plan to resolve that but they said they'd wait till all the memberships were completed before trying.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,922 ✭✭✭Ceist_Beag


    With juvenile training starting back has anyone been able to complete a Health Questionnaire on Foireann? I keep getting "Unable to load COVID declarations: Error: 401" on the home screen. Even after submitting a health questionnaire it doesn't display it (presumably due to the error). How are people planning to manage this for training sessions given it is supposedly still a pre-requirement as it was last year?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,336 ✭✭✭arctictree


    Looks like the website has problems with high load. Surely this was tested?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,907 ✭✭✭munchkin_utd


    arctictree wrote: »
    Looks like the website has problems with high load. Surely this was tested?
    testing with test data and real live people doing unexpected things are 2 different things!

    There could also be inefficient code in there for the search or other functionality that only comes to light when you release it to the public, and then it takes a while to find and fix those issues.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,014 ✭✭✭slegs


    testing with test data and real live people doing unexpected things are 2 different things!

    There could also be inefficient code in there for the search or other functionality that only comes to light when you release it to the public, and then it takes a while to find and fix those issues.

    You can test and simulate load before releasing to the public. Any large scale public facing product would do some load testing. A bit of a shambles if they didn't do this especially considering they probably paid a fortune to get this developed.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,922 ✭✭✭Ceist_Beag


    Ceist_Beag wrote: »
    With juvenile training starting back has anyone been able to complete a Health Questionnaire on Foireann? I keep getting "Unable to load COVID declarations: Error: 401" on the home screen. Even after submitting a health questionnaire it doesn't display it (presumably due to the error). How are people planning to manage this for training sessions given it is supposedly still a pre-requirement as it was last year?

    Just in case anyone else had similar issues, I found a workaround that seems to do the trick (at least for me). Click on Logout, then log in again - the error disappears and you can see the health questionnaires! I tried this on a couple of devices and it works on both (and I was getting the error on both although it had changed to Error: 500, not 401!).


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    Our club had been using Sportlomo to collect membership online in 2019 and 2020. We were very very happy with Sportlomo.

    On researching Foireann, we figured that it was going to be a major pain managing two systems and the upload from one to the other. Plus Foireann has lots of other features. We knew there would be downsides to dropping Sportlomo, but we took the chance and went full-on Foireann-only. 100% online for membership. And it's working out great. 211 of our ~300 members have already registered. Only significant problems were some members (or mostly parents of members) getting used to the new system, and a tendency of some parents to enter their child as the account holder (ticking the "I'm 18 or older" box regardless). But we sorted all problems really.

    There are some minor problems - all of which I have opened support tickets for, and they will get to them when they get to them.

    The thing that grates the most is that the CSV download does not contain all the information, and in particular does not contain the communication consent information which is a real problem for us because we feed the CSV to a club texting system and we would like to be able to programmatically exclude the mobiles for which there isn't consent (based on the type of communication). I'm optimistic that Foireann will address this in time.

    In summary though, we're thrilled we went whole-hog Foireann.

    Great deal too BTW - only charge is 1.35% of a payment! Great negotiation by the GAA & other associations.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    tigerboon wrote: »
    Just wondering how other clubs getting on with Foireann? We decided to go with Clubforce this year to take the online registrations from members as Foireann was so far behind and we couldn't get any response from the helpdesk for queries. Only thing is we now have to register all our members on Foireann. The importing from Clubforce has been a disaster, half the members are missing and a lot of the others missing things like phone numbers need those details entered too before it's complete.
    We now have a total mess with a huge number of duplicated members also. Even in my own family all the kids showing up as not registered when they are (their duplicates!). God knows whats going to happen from the 26th when training back and everyone logging in seeing that they're not registered even though they are. Any advice anyone?

    If it's of any assistance, here's our experience on the challenges you mention:

    (a) We also have loads of duplicate members. There are so many reasons for this (not least members/parents creating multiple accounts! It pissed me off at the beginning, but when I saw how it could happen and I changed to taking the perspective that the only ones we care about are the ones that are registered then we just from there on ignored the unregistered duplicates and no more stress.

    (b) We also had been using an online system in previous years that we were very happy with. But we had been using returntoplay and so we anticipated that there would be difficulty matching the profiles between another online system and the profiles already in Foireann and accessible by the members/parents for the return to play health declarations. So we took a risk and dropped our old online system and went full-hog Foireann to avoid those problems completely. Perhaps too late for you this year, but perhaps something to think about for next year (Foireann is very cheap too).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 528 ✭✭✭fitzcoff


    We have gone with Foireann as well but I am having trouble creating teams.

    When I go to the U17 team and add a player, it gives me the option of players born 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    I thought that the players eligible to play at this level were players born 2004,2005 and 2006. As per GAA rules Under 17: A Player shall have celebrated his 13th. birthday
    prior to January 1st. and his 17th. birthday on or after January
    1st. of the Championship Year.


    It's the same for all teams down.

    I have raised a ticket but not heard anything back yet. Can anyone confirm that I have the dates correct or is there a solution to this


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  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    fitzcoff wrote: »
    We have gone with Foireann as well but I am having trouble creating teams.

    When I go to the U17 team and add a player, it gives me the option of players born 2003, 2004 and 2005.

    I thought that the players eligible to play at this level were players born 2004,2005 and 2006. As per GAA rules Under 17: A Player shall have celebrated his 13th. birthday
    prior to January 1st. and his 17th. birthday on or after January
    1st. of the Championship Year.


    It's the same for all teams down.

    I have raised a ticket but not heard anything back yet. Can anyone confirm that I have the dates correct or is there a solution to this

    Go over to the right, select the filter, and select the ages you are interested in. I think that it filters based on their age today rather than the age they will turn in this calendar year, so you will have to carefully look at their DOBs in the list too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 528 ✭✭✭fitzcoff


    luasaigh wrote: »
    Go over to the right, select the filter, and select the ages you are interested in. I think that it filters based on their age today rather than the age they will turn in this calendar year, so you will have to carefully look at their DOBs in the list too.

    Thank you so much, never thought of the filter. Much appreciated


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,477 ✭✭✭finbarrk


    I'm having difficulty logging on. When I request a new password, it says its sending it, but it never arrives.


  • Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭radius345


    finbarrk wrote: »
    I'm having difficulty logging on. When I request a new password, it says its sending it, but it never arrives.

    Have you checked your spam folder?


  • Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭Northern lassie


    We're just getting started with Foireann and think we if can get over the teething problems that it will be great. I'm the Registrar so it will really lighten my load once we get Stripe activated.

    I'm trying to help the Covid officers set up the medical questionnaires. So I set up an event for a training session tonight and emailed the parents to login in and complete the medical questionnaire. Most of them haven't been able to do it. They can't see the event. They are able to submit the questionnaires but they are appearing at the bottom of the home page and when I view the event I can't see who has resubmitted.

    Do anyone have any suggestions?

    Thanks


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,477 ✭✭✭finbarrk


    radius345 wrote: »
    Have you checked your spam folder?

    Yep. Not there either.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,477 ✭✭✭finbarrk


    I got in to it now by registering a new username. But it's now saying I don't have any club membership paid. Which I did do about 3 weeks ago. When I try to submit an online question about this, It tells me to correct errors, and it won't tell me what the errors are. It's a poorly designed system.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13 cosdec


    Issue I am having is no "Register" button . SO We have members who have paid "offline" (cash mostly) and now when I go into Foireann to try and register them as having paid the Register button is greyed out. This is the same for any combination I have tried

    - older existing members who were definitely the same in old ServaSport system (and I could manually register them there).
    - New members who I create as a Club Admin
    - new members who have registered themselves and chose the "Pay Later in Club" on membership options (so they can do cash in the club)

    I have tried this for members but with and without the blue "verification" tick


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    We're just getting started with Foireann and think we if can get over the teething problems that it will be great. I'm the Registrar so it will really lighten my load once we get Stripe activated.

    I'm trying to help the Covid officers set up the medical questionnaires. So I set up an event for a training session tonight and emailed the parents to login in and complete the medical questionnaire. Most of them haven't been able to do it. They can't see the event. They are able to submit the questionnaires but they are appearing at the bottom of the home page and when I view the event I can't see who has resubmitted.

    Do anyone have any suggestions?

    Thanks

    1. They can submit a questionaire without seeing the event.

    2. They (or their child) have to be a member of a team to see the event for that team


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 855 ✭✭✭Deskjockey


    luasaigh wrote: »
    1. They can submit a questionaire without seeing the event.

    2. They (or their child) have to be a member of a team to see the event for that team


    I don't think you have to set up an event.

    Just tell the parents to do the initial health questionnaire, send a whatsapp message to do it or recertify before 1hr before training and hey presto you can filter it for your team and see who has completed /recertified.

    We have been using it for the Covid side and has worked perfectly fine


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  • Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭Northern lassie


    Thanks for replies Deskjockey and luasaigh. Very helpful. I'm going to stop worrying about the event so as can see using the filter for submitted forms works well.

    Now what I'm struggling with is the Family Membership. I have it set up as 2 parents and 4 juveniles. But its not available to select when I tick a number of members and try to register them as a family. Is this working for anyone else?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 855 ✭✭✭Deskjockey


    Thanks for replies Deskjockey and luasaigh. Very helpful. I'm going to stop worrying about the event so as can see using the filter for submitted forms works well.

    Now what I'm struggling with is the Family Membership. I have it set up as 2 parents and 4 juveniles. But its not available to select when I tick a number of members and try to register them as a family. Is this working for anyone else?
    Out club are doing the membership via Clubforce so they told us to just ignore the membership stuff on foireann.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    Deskjockey wrote: »
    I don't think you have to set up an event.

    Just tell the parents to do the initial health questionnaire, send a whatsapp message to do it or recertify before 1hr before training and hey presto you can filter it for your team and see who has completed /recertified.

    We have been using it for the Covid side and has worked perfectly fine

    Correct (though I do think the event-based approach is easier).


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    Thanks for replies Deskjockey and luasaigh. Very helpful. I'm going to stop worrying about the event so as can see using the filter for submitted forms works well.

    Now what I'm struggling with is the Family Membership. I have it set up as 2 parents and 4 juveniles. But its not available to select when I tick a number of members and try to register them as a family. Is this working for anyone else?

    When you set up a family membership option in Foireann, that option is only a collection of different Foireann-recognized memberships (e.g. adult non player, youth player, etc.). You can't register a set of people as a family. The only options that will show up for you to register OTHER PEOPLE - AS THE ADMIN - are the options where there is only one Foireann-recognized membership.

    So you might create an option for an adult non player, and an option for a single youth player. Select the parents and then register them as adult non players, and select the children and register them as youth player.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4 ExcuseMeSir


    I must say I think people are being extremely nice on here. I can't believe how wrong the GAA or at least the people who built this got it wrong here!
    I am also surprised there hasn't been more public ackowledgment of the fact. Foireann is causing headaches for everyone and there is 0 support being provided for all the issues that have occured!
    I personally highlighted the time out issue that exists on the system over 3-4 nmonths ago, it took them over 2 months to even reply and the issue still isn't fixed. There was no communication from people in Foireann that that duplictaes would exist and what was to happen.
    And as for the Import in bulk for all of us that are using external systems has just been a joke. So many issues from a technical point of view, I hate to imagine the money that has been spent on this to date!
    Has anyone on here tried esculating their issues through the ranks within the counties?


  • Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭Northern lassie


    luasaigh wrote: »
    When you set up a family membership option in Foireann, that option is only a collection of different Foireann-recognized memberships (e.g. adult non player, youth player, etc.). You can't register a set of people as a family. The only options that will show up for you to register OTHER PEOPLE - AS THE ADMIN - are the options where there is only one Foireann-recognized membership.

    So you might create an option for an adult non player, and an option for a single youth player. Select the parents and then register them as adult non players, and select the children and register them as youth player.

    Thanks Luasaigh, yes, as an Admin, that is what I'm currently doing. But families can register themselves as a family online ... must be done by an Administrator ... is that right?


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    Thanks Luasaigh, yes, as an Admin, that is what I'm currently doing. But families can register themselves as a family online ... must be done by an Administrator ... is that right?

    In our club, we made it easier for ourselves by doing the following:
    (a) We discontinued entirely our use of the online registration system we had used in 2019 and 2020 - i.e. we moved to Foireann only.
    (b) We take NO registration by any means other than members, or their parents/guardians, or somebody acting on their behalf, creating an account on Foireann and performing the registration using Foireann.

    But it sounds like that's not the situation you find yourself in.

    In terms of member registration, families can select a family package (if you have created it as an admin), but in there they register family members (they don't register the family). An admin can also register members who so happen to be members of a family - but again the admin is not registering the family.

    If you (as logged in as admin) look at your "MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS" you will see that it says some are "Not suitable for bulk registration", and some which are "Suitable for bulk registration". The latter are those which include a single membership and no options as to which type of membership - and those are the only ones that you as an admin can use to register a member (if you are in the unfortunate position where you are registering them rather than they registering themselves).


  • Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭Northern lassie


    luasaigh wrote: »
    In our club, we made it easier for ourselves by doing the following:
    (a) We discontinued entirely our use of the online registration system we had used in 2019 and 2020 - i.e. we moved to Foireann only.
    (b) We take NO registration by any means other than members, or their parents/guardians, or somebody acting on their behalf, creating an account on Foireann and performing the registration using Foireann.

    But it sounds like that's not the situation you find yourself in.

    In terms of member registration, families can select a family package (if you have created it as an admin), but in there they register family members (they don't register the family). An admin can also register members who so happen to be members of a family - but again the admin is not registering the family.

    If you (as logged in as admin) look at your "MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS" you will see that it says some are "Not suitable for bulk registration", and some which are "Suitable for bulk registration". The latter are those which include a single membership and no options as to which type of membership - and those are the only ones that you as an admin can use to register a member (if you are in the unfortunate position where you are registering them rather than they registering themselves).

    Yes we're kind of on the back foot alright! Only started this a few weeks ago and as far as I can figure out most people just registered to do the covid/back to play stuff and didn't complete their registration properly i.e. set up the family, add their child to the teams so trying to get them to do that now. The problem is they think they've registered but they've no link to the team and I think that's why their medical questionnaire's aren't visible. At the moment just trying to get something out there giving them instructions about registering properly! Bit of a nightmare alright!

    But thanks for your help ... its invaluable!


  • Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭Northern lassie


    Two more questions:

    Has anyone had club members that are saying they are having problems registering because Foireann won't accept their email address ... some (but not sure all) with a hotmail email address?

    Secondly if there is a child (or an adult) registered and there is a 7 digit number on that registration does that mean this is their registration from the old system and that child hasn't been registered on Foireann? Or can the parent see that "old" child registration when they set up their family? If not, should I then send that parent (if I can find them on the system) on invite to register on Foireann?

    Thanks


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  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    Two more questions:

    Has anyone had club members that are saying they are having problems registering because Foireann won't accept their email address ... some (but not sure all) with a hotmail email address?

    Secondly if there is a child (or an adult) registered and there is a 7 digit number on that registration does that mean this is their registration from the old system and that child hasn't been registered on Foireann? Or can the parent see that "old" child registration when they set up their family? If not, should I then send that parent (if I can find them on the system) on invite to register on Foireann?

    Thanks

    No - we've had lots of members successfully register with hotmail email addresses.

    A 7-digit number does not, of itself, mean what you are asking it means. You can tell that a member is registered by the presence or absence of the green chip/pill in the list of profiles associated with your club.

    When a parent creates a family, they cannot see any child in that family - they have to add children to their family, and each child so added will get a new profile.

    You could if you wish send the parent an invite, though I didn't bother.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 917 ✭✭✭Stationmaster


    As well as the officers ID what other documentation have clubs uploaded to finalise the stripe registration process?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭gogo


    As well as the officers ID what other documentation have clubs uploaded to finalise the stripe registration process?


    Club constitution will work, I actually got away with a screenshot of the club crest and address details from club force but that was when it was relatively new and I’d imagine they were just flying through the approvals, when I tried it again for the camogie club it wouldn’t work, the constitution worked for them .


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,452 ✭✭✭gogo


    I have to say now that I have a handle on Foireann, I really think it will be a great system, it certainly solves the problem of what’s app group, which are the bane of my life, trying to stamp them out.
    Foireann allows coaches to put up training and match schedules which I love.
    There timing of it was wrong, especially this year when everyone just wanted to get back to playing, it’s was a headache on top of all the covid related issues, but I do think it’s the way forward. It’s a good system, but takes time to get used to, especially the way most clubs are run, as you need most of your admin proficient on it .. and most clubs will have at least one executive com. Member who can barely work there own email..
    All in all though, I’m impressed with it!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 917 ✭✭✭Stationmaster


    gogo wrote: »
    Club constitution will work, I actually got away with a screenshot of the club crest and address details from club force but that was when it was relatively new and I’d imagine they were just flying through the approvals, when I tried it again for the camogie club it wouldn’t work, the constitution worked for them .

    Thanks. I put the constitution through and there was one issue alright with our club name in English on the constitution and registered in Irish with Foireann but once I changed that it was fine.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    gogo wrote: »
    I have to say now that I have a handle on Foireann, I really think it will be a great system, it certainly solves the problem of what’s app group, which are the bane of my life, trying to stamp them out.
    Foireann allows coaches to put up training and match schedules which I love.
    There timing of it was wrong, especially this year when everyone just wanted to get back to playing, it’s was a headache on top of all the covid related issues, but I do think it’s the way forward. It’s a good system, but takes time to get used to, especially the way most clubs are run, as you need most of your admin proficient on it .. and most clubs will have at least one executive com. Member who can barely work there own email..
    All in all though, I’m impressed with it!

    Yes, I think they're doing a great job with Foireann. We need to keep that feedback going because we need them to keep making it better.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,810 ✭✭✭Mr Velo


    luasaigh wrote: »
    Yes, I think they're doing a great job with Foireann. We need to keep that feedback going because we need them to keep making it better.

    Support is absolutely non existent though which is very disappointing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭Northern lassie


    I agree. Now that I am getting my head around it, think its a great system. Definitely some things could be improved and hopefully that will happen but overall think its a great step in the right direction.

    Struggling a bit to get people to register their children on it. Slow enough uptake from parents. Has anyone any tips on this? Will probably keep at it for the rest of this season and hopefully get a good few registered and then for next year come out earlier and insist on online payment.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    I agree. Now that I am getting my head around it, think its a great system. Definitely some things could be improved and hopefully that will happen but overall think its a great step in the right direction.

    Struggling a bit to get people to register their children on it. Slow enough uptake from parents. Has anyone any tips on this? Will probably keep at it for the rest of this season and hopefully get a good few registered and then for next year come out earlier and insist on online payment.

    Yeah, it's difficult to change members that way. You kind of have to force it for a few years before the member expectations change and the change embeds.

    Get the committee and coaches onside with carrot and stick. Explain to them that coaches are required to register themselves, and required to ensure that anybody training or playing under their care is registered. Explain to them that players aren't insured otherwise, that those are the rules of the association and thus the rules of the club, and advise them that if they don't intend following those rules then they would be advised to get professional advice as to where any liability might fall. Explain to them the benefits of the Foireann system from their perspective (schedules, teamsheets they can print, covid tracking, etc - try to get them hooked).

    But yeah, it'll still be a struggle for a few years.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    Mr Velo wrote: »
    Support is absolutely non existent though which is very disappointing.

    I understand that the small team developing it are absolutely overwhelmed with support tickets. I don't think there is any way they can be expected to keep up to be honest.

    One idea would have been for them to start a forum where users could assist each other. We've done it locally with a few clubs (a WhatsApp group) and its helped. I suppose boards.ie is a forum too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭Northern lassie


    luasaigh wrote: »
    I understand that the small team developing it are absolutely overwhelmed with support tickets. I don't think there is any way they can be expected to keep up to be honest.

    One idea would have been for them to start a forum where users could assist each other. We've done it locally with a few clubs (a WhatsApp group) and its helped. I suppose boards.ie is a forum too.

    Think you should get a job in the support end Luasiagh ... very well paid of course :):)

    Another question, if you have a team that isn't using Whatsapp at all and all notifications are done by the coach on Foireann, is there any way of notifying the parents when a new event (say a match) has been added or are you dependent on all parents checking Foireann?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,354 ✭✭✭jprboy


    .........
    Another question, if you have a team that isn't using Whatsapp at all and all notifications are done by the coach on Foireann, is there any way of notifying the parents when a new event (say a match) has been added or are you dependent on all parents checking Foireann?

    I wouldn't expect parents to check Foireann for events at all.
    It means they have to remember to log in and not all of them will do this. It's much easier for them to passively receive a text/WhatsApp.
    All I'd expect them to use Foireann for is to re-confirm the Health Questionnaire before each training session/match.

    Until this year I had been using only text messages to communicate with parents. This was in line with the GAA's advice that WhatsApp not be used. However, the club of which we are a part is constantly sending the various Team Managers messages that they want circulated to our respective distribution groups. The easiest way to get these out is via WhatsApp.

    So, this year I have set up a WhatsApp Broadcast group. This is different to a "normal" group in that only the creator of the group can see who the other members are. This addresses concerns about GDPR and data privacy. I have one parent who doesn't use WhasApp so requires a separate text to be sent to them before each session.

    One thing to note with WhatsApp Broadcast groups is that the recipients must have the sender's number saved in their phone contacts. If not they won't receive any of the group messages.

    I send out a message the day before each event and then a few hours beforehand on the day itself send a reminder asking them to re-confirm the Health Questionnaire. Works well.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    jprboy wrote: »
    I wouldn't expect parents to check Foireann for events at all.
    It means they have to remember to log in and not all of them will do this. It's much easier for them to passively receive a text/WhatsApp.
    All I'd expect them to use Foireann for is to re-confirm the Health Questionnaire before each training session/match.

    Until this year I had been using only text messages to communicate with parents. This was in line with the GAA's advice that WhatsApp not be used. However, the club of which we are a part is constantly sending the various Team Managers messages that they want circulated to our respective distribution groups. The easiest way to get these out is via WhatsApp.

    So, this year I have set up a WhatsApp Broadcast group. This is different to a "normal" group in that only the creator of the group can see who the other members are. This addresses concerns about GDPR and data privacy. I have one parent who doesn't use WhasApp so requires a separate text to be sent to them before each session.

    One thing to note with WhatsApp Broadcast groups is that the recipients must have the sender's number saved in their phone contacts. If not they won't receive any of the group messages.

    I send out a message the day before each event and then a few hours beforehand on the day itself send a reminder asking them to re-confirm the Health Questionnaire. Works well.

    The advice I received is that, while the WhatsApp Broadcast is an improvement in respect of compliance to regulations, it still does not completely address them - issues that were mentioned related to:
    (a) whether or not data is stored outside of the EEA.
    (b) whether the member (or parent/guardian) was advised at the time of supplying their number that the data would be stored outside of Foireann (and where).
    (c) Challenges wrt compliance in respect of Subject Access Request, or request for deletion.
    I'm not an expert, though so who knows - in any case the broadcast in Whatsapp is certainly an improvement.

    Wrt remembering login details - certainly an issue. Parents/Guardians, and adult players remember their Foireann login details for purposes of entering the health questionnaire, so they could remember it to check their Foireann calendar too (which they have to scroll past to reach the health questionnaire entry). It's just a matter of expectation, and motivation. It'll likely take a few years. No doubt proactive notifications must be coming soon, and probably later a mobile app. I have suggested that the notification be in the form of a calendar invite so that the recipient could accept it and it would then go to their smartphone calendar too. In any case, this is the direction things are going in, where members (or their parents) gradually move from being passive to being active participants in the management of their own data. And realistically it'll be an ongoing process to move to that perspective, and people won't do it all of a sudden.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 luasaigh


    Think you should get a job in the support end Luasiagh ... very well paid of course :):)

    Another question, if you have a team that isn't using Whatsapp at all and all notifications are done by the coach on Foireann, is there any way of notifying the parents when a new event (say a match) has been added or are you dependent on all parents checking Foireann?

    If I were involved with a team (which I have been in the past but I'm not right now), I'd text them - but I wouldn't put the event details in the text. Rather, I'd say something like:
    "u15 challenge match next week - check Foireann for details and indicate there whether going or not so that we can cancel if we don't have enough numbers for the match".

    The rationale would be to pull them into using Foireann regularly.

    There would of course be one or two that I might phone because of family situations I might know of where a call might help. That's hard too though as you know - no perfect solution.

    A number of years ago one of my sons was playing with a soccer club who used teamer, and parents had to login into that to indicate whether or not their son planned to attend each event. It worked - they logged in.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 415 ✭✭ureds


    Trying to get on Foireann.Looks to be down?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 415 ✭✭ureds


    Trying to get onto Foireann but the site looks to down?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,779 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    ureds wrote: »
    Trying to get onto Foireann but the site looks to down?

    Seems to be fine from here anyway.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 415 ✭✭ureds


    kippy wrote: »
    Seems to be fine from here anyway.
    Just tried now and all good again.Thanks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 99 ✭✭Northern lassie


    Back again, with another query. I've had queries from several parents this week saying that they can't reconfirm the medical questionnaire this week but it has been working fine for months. Maybe connected with Cul Camps which was on this week. I've looked at the profile of the kids concerned and they look fine - both club and cul camp selected. Anyone else come across this issue?

    Thanks



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,779 ✭✭✭✭kippy


    Yeah, we get it from time to time (both personally and through out the club) only way round it that I've seen is to create a new return to play entry.

    I've raised it with Foireann support but like a lot of things I've not heard back on it. Don't think its related to camps as I've this issue on and off and not had anyone in camps.



  • Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭Swamp_Cat


    Big difference between inhouse testing and using Open Source software that can tested & even forked by anyone.


    Julie catch a rabbit by its hare...



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