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1 AARP Tax- Aide Activity Reporting In 2011 for Regional Meetings Nashville, TN – October 2010

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Activity Reporting In 2011. for Regional Meetings Nashville, TN – October 2010. AARP Tax-Aide. Administrative Survey Highlights: Objective: Collect the input needed from our SC, ADS, DC and LC leaders to - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: AARP Tax-Aide

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AARP Tax-Aide

Activity ReportingIn 2011

for

Regional Meetings

Nashville, TN – October 2010

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Administrative Survey Highlights:

Objective: Collect the input needed from our SC, ADS, DC and LC leaders to be able to identify and prioritize the administrative areas we need to better understand and evaluate, so that we can better serve our volunteers and the program.

All SCs, ADSs and DCs along with 400 LCs were surveyed 40% of SCs and ADSs along with 25% of DCs and LCs responded

Activity Reporting ranked as the #1 most time consuming task

42% do not view Activity Reporting as essential to the program

67% say Activity Reporting can be improved

Activity Reporting ranked as the #2 top priority to evaluate and improve

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Survey results coupled with other known and/or potential issues presents the following concerns:

Workload - The amount of time our volunteers spend on activity reporting is greater than that of any other area and impacts SCs, ADSs, DCs and LCs

Communications – We do not adequately convey the importance and/or relevance of activity reporting

Training - Complicated and highly manual processes and instructions [to obtain our most critical and valuable program information]

Accuracy – All of the above and more results in inaccuracies (e.g., some sites do not track stats, some sites only copy/paste e-file IRS stats, etc.)

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Important Considerations:

Performance reporting is required by our sponsors to secure funding

IRS counts returns – paper & e-file

AARP counts people helped

The total number of people we help is a critical statistic – Almost 600,000 are helped without filing a current year federal return

Improving tax return accuracy through documented Quality Reviews is critical

Our Approach

Over 2 years – Reduce activity reporting workload by 80+%

This year – Meet our reporting obligations and maintain data quality

and accuracy by testing a new activity reporting system using the

evolving AARP Volunteer Portal web interface.

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What we are doing in 2011:

Launching a TEST of a new volunteer-reported stats web form (LC/DC):

Access through the new Volunteer Portal Volunteer reporting of only Paper Returns and Q&A (no reporting of e-filed returns) Available on a voluntary, opt-in basis at the District/State (not site) level May be used by e-file and paper sites – no requirements for participation Cannot, however, exceed an ~80% opt-in/participation rate

Maintaining the traditional volunteer-reported stats web form (LC/DC):

Continued access through the existing Extranet Continued requirement to report all returns (Paper + e-file) and Q&A Default reporting web form/system Continued usage by e-file and paper sites Must maintain ~20% usage

“E-File” designated sites (using either web form/system) will track Quality Review for only Tax-Wise prepared returns in Tax-Wise; “Paper” designated sites (using either web form) will continue to track Quality Review on the Site Sign-In Sheet and in the volunteer-reported web form/system.

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Summary Chart:

Site Sign-In SheetReporting Tasks

2010

2011Traditional

Access Users – E-File Designated

Sites

2011 Portal

Access Users – E-File Designated

Sites

2011Paper

Designated Sites

Manually track all e-Filed Federal Returns

X ---

Manually track all paper filed Federal Returns

Manually track prior year, amended, State/Local Only and Q&A Only Returns/Assistance

Manually track Quality Review X X

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Why Two Reporting Systems?

Choice -

New system delivers the #1 requested change [cease manual reporting of IRS data] without forcing adoption by all in first year.

Best Practice -

“Testing” a new system and processes before full conversion [especially one as critical as Activity Reporting] is important.

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AARP Tax-Aide Volunteer Portal

A web-based and centralized access point that provides:

• Single and Secure access to All AARP Tax-Aide Information, Applications, Databases and Reporting

• Personalized presentation and accessibility to information, applications, databases and reporting based on volunteer title and other requirements

• Simplification and consistent presentation of the forms, tools and interfaces used for data entry, search and reporting

• Centralized program communications

• Standardized and Automated workflow/tracking

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Current

Access AARP

Extranet

Site Activity Reporting & Site

Information Management

E-Mail, Fax, Snail Mail, Telephone – Expense Statements, Order Forms, Inquiries, Communications

VMIS

Forms, Manuals and Other Info

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Portal

Self Service, Forms, Manuals,

CommunicationsInterfacesWorkflow & MORE!

Order FormRecruitment System

Activity Reporting

Single, Secure and Personalized Access to Everything You Need

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Important Details:

State Coordinators may:

1) Move their entire state to the new activity reporting system2) Keep their entire state in the existing activity reporting system3) Empower their DCs to choose – all sites under the DC must use the DC chosen system (e-file and paper sites)

By October 25, the National Office will send a request for “opt in” to all State Coordinators. The email will contain a link to a form in which the SC will provide the information needed for new Activity Reporting System participation. Default is the existing activity reporting system.

Decision to “opt-in” to use the new activity reporting system must be made by November 22. Selection will “hold” for the entire 2011 tax preparation season

Maximum participation of ~80% in new activity reporting system. National Office will closely monitor opt-in percentages and if necessary, communicate if limit has been reached.

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Important Details, continued:

By December 15, all DCs [and LCs] along with SCs and ADSs using the new activity reporting system will be pre-registered to access the Portal and will receive log in information [if they haven’t already registered], applicable training materials and schedules by email. Users of the existing activity reporting system will also receive updated training materials.

Two versions of the Site Sign In Sheet will be available in printed and Excel form. Existing activity reporting system users will use a mostly “as is” version titled “Traditional Activity Reporting System Users”, while new activity reporting system users will use a modified version titled “Portal Activity Reporting System Users.” Excel versions of these forms will be available on the Extranet and can be modified as needed.

Quality Review for all E-File designated sites will be recorded in Tax-Wise (Preparer Use Field #14), for only Tax-Wise prepared returns. Quality Review percentages for E-File designated sites will be based solely on Tax-Wise filed returns. Paper designated sites will continue to manually track Quality Review. Training for Quality Review in Tax Wise will be delivered by the National Training Committee.

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Next Steps and Goals:

National Office will validate and compare the accuracy and effectiveness of the new activity reporting system

Feedback on the new system and the development of Phase II enhancements will commence soon after the 2011 Tax Preparation Season

Top 2012 Goals:

Convert all to the new activity reporting system accessed through the Portal

Eliminate the manual tracking of Prior Year and Amended Federal Returns along with State/Local Only Returns

Manually track only Q&A

Utilize “Sampling” (e.g. ~20% of Districts) to extrapolate national-level performance reporting stats.

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APPENDIX

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Portal Home Page

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Portal Registration Form - National Office will be pre-registering users of the new

Activity Reporting System.

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Portal Login Screen

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Portal AARP Tax-Aide

Home Page

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Portal District Coordinator Activity Reporting

Form –

Note that the reporting of QR for efile sites is not an

available field.

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Portal Local Coordinator Activity Reporting

Form –Note that the

reporting of QR for efile sites is not an

available field

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Site Sign In Sheet for “Portal”

System Users –

Compressed for display purposes

(actual form includes 20

rows.

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“Portal” System Users

Instructions –

Compressed for display purposes

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Site Sign In Sheet for

“Traditional” System Users

– Compressed for display purposes

(actual form includes 20

rows.

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“Traditional” System Users

Instructions –

Compressed for display purposes

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Activity Reporting

Q&A

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AARP Tax-Aide

Online Ordering of AARP Tax-Aide Produced Materials

for

Regional Meetings

Nashville, TN – October 2010

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Phase I Web-based Ordering:

Access through Volunteer Portal, 24 x 7

Web form delivered directly to AARP Fulfillment

Optional use [in 2010/2011] to any Volunteer Leader that orders materials

Suggested and maximum ordering quantity alert pop ups

Ability to ship to locations other than volunteer’s address

Confirmation of order receipt

Phase II enhancements for 2011/2012 TBD

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Communications & Training:

eMail will be sent to all State Management Team volunteers by October 15

Webinar Training beginning week of October 25

Training materials and system utilization information will also be available on the Extranet at www.aarp.org/tavolunteers

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AARP Tax-Aide

Site Information Management

for

Regional Meetings

Nashville, TN – October 2010

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New IRS Database:

SPECTRM replaced STARS on August 1

SPECTRM is a web-based, centralized database that automatically updates Local SPEC site information in real time, eliminating the need for local SPEC offices to manually sync to the IRS national database

SPECTRM prohibits local SPEC offices from editing information fed by VMIS (National Office sends VMIS site information 2x week to IRS)

We expect that the system change will significantly reduce the frustration and issues experienced by our volunteers

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AARP Tax-Aide

Volunteer Expense Reimbursement

for

Regional Meetings

Nashville, TN – October 2010

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What We Are Doing:

Working with a volunteer committee of SCs, DCs and LCs to develop automated solutions for and improvements to our manual expense reimbursement processes for both Flat Rate and Itemized – Multi-year project

2011 Reimbursement Season Goals:

Provide an automated and optional alternative for Flat Rate reimbursement processing through the Portal

Improvements to current, manual processes

2012-2013:

Fully automated solution for all aspects of expense reimbursement processing and reporting

Elimination of all manual, paper processing

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AARP Tax-Aide

Volunteer Recruitment System

for

Regional Meetings

Nashville, TN – October 2010

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Phase II Functionality:

Direct access through Volunteer Portal (also available by link through the Extranet)

Ability to register new prospects locally through “same” application form access by PVC, Volunteer Leaders

New, optional “Activity Summary Page” and on line reporting to track “final prospect status” through assessment, training and assignment process by Split State, District, Prospect

Redesign of pages to more user friendly, easy to navigate design through Volunteer Portal

On boarding /Off boarding process analysis through end of season surveys, possibly to Split State level

Expanded access to additional titles (through Portal access) as requested

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Communications & Training:

eMail sent to all SCs, PVCs and DCs on 9/30

New User Webinar Training: Thursday, 10/7 – 1:00 p.m. (ET) Tuesday, 10/12 – 11:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, 10/20 – 2:00 p.m. (ET)

Existing User Webinar Training:Monday, 10/4 – 3:30 p.m. (ET) Friday, 10/8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET) Friday, 10/22 – 1:00 p.m. (ET)

Reports and VMIS:Thursday, 10/28 – 2:00 p.m. (ET) Monday, 11/1 – 2:30 p.m. (ET)

Training materials and system utilization information will also be available on the Extranet at www.aarp.org/tavolunteers