Service Categories 2012 Update Utility

The Service Categories show up in the Reporter in the Jobs section, because Service Categories are specific to individual jobs. They are defined by the Corporation. Service Categories are editable, but we never recommend editing them except for updating to the Corporation's changes. In January of 2012, CNCS revised the Service Categories and Focus Areas. In the Reporter the Focus Areas are still called Issue Areas which correspond to the formerly called Service Category Groupings.

We updated the Data Utilities to automatically update all service categories and Issue Areas to the new ones. The utility is posted on the web at www.volsoft.com/support/utilities.htm. Running it will upgrade your Srvice Categories to match the new official list from the CNCS.

You can check and/or update your Service Categories by using the Utility.

• It must be downloaded and saved, it can't run it off the web.
• It must be put into the Reporter's program folder replacing the one there with this one.
• It will only work with 5.9 data.
• Issue areas are still called Issue Areas, not Focus Areas.
• It will update in the data set you are currently in.

It's fairly automatic. It will work so fast you'll think it didn't do anything.

Quick Overview

1. Download the utility into the Reporter's Program folder.
2. Backup the Reporter database (refer to backup steps).
3. Close the Reporter. Run the Data Utility.
4. Follow the steps in the To-Do List.
5. Delete the Out-of-Date Issue Areas.

First: Determine the Path to the Reporter Program Folder

Warning! datautil.exe MUST be saved to the Reporter's Program folder. To locate the Reporter's Program folder, in the Volunteer Reporter click on the Help menu | About the Volunteer Reporter.
Note the path to the Reporter\Program Folder.

• The path is probably C:\Program Files\Reporter\Program
  or it may be simply C:\Reporter\Program as illustrated.
• or however it is installed on this computer.

Download the Utility

1. Download www.volsoft.com/exes/datautil.exe:
2. Save it to the Reporter\Program folder.
3. Close The Reporter.
4. In Windows view of your computer directories find datautil.exe in the Reporter\Program folder.
5. Click on the Program folder.
6. Click Save.
7. If it says, "DataUtil.exe already exists, Do you want to replace it?" Click Yes.

Run the Data Utility

After downloading, Click Run to start the datautil.exe. Follow the instructions on each screen.

Click Check Service Categories.

Click the second Check Service Categories button.

You will receive a message like either of these.

Click Convert Service Categories.

If you haven't already, please stop and make a backup of your data before continuing.

Stop and make a backup? Choose: [Yes | No]

Finished. I'll show you the results now.

The To-Do List

The "To Do" List should automatically open a file named BHNConversion.txt in NotePad or other text editor. Or you can click: View "To Do" List to open it. (Otherwise, look for it inside the Reporter's Program folder.)

Each "To Do" List will be different.

Reassign every job's Service Category on your list:
Jobs/Clients | Info tab | Edit | Select new Service Category.

When you are finished, delete the Service Categories with ZZZ prefixed to their titles.

• Open: Reference Codes
• Job/Client Codes
• Service Categories
• Highlight each code, one at a time, with ZZZ on it
• Click the Delete button.

If the Reporter will not let you delete a Service Category after you have reassigned all your jobs, the job is probably terminated. Check your terminated jobs and reassign all those. Then you can delete all the obsolete Service Categories.

Final Step: Delete Out-of-Date Issue Areas

At the end a section tells you to delete up to 3 left over issue areas once you have deleted all of the ZZZ service categories. There are 3 issue areas that are no longer used, but they won't be automatically deleted during the process if some of the ZZZ codes still refer to them. They are "Human Needs," "Homeland Security," and "Housing."

At the end of your custom report, the To-Do List, the following section refers to the 3 obsolete Issue Areas:

-----------------------------------------

Lastly, delete any of these left over Issue Areas (Focus Areas).

Out-of-Date Issue Areas
Human Needs
Homeland Security
Housing

-----------------------------------------
End of "To Do" List

Reference Codes | Job/Client Codes | Issue Areas