FAQ for Using the ACA Online Community
General Questions About Web Terminology
Logging into the Site
Using the ACA Online Community
Profile
Discussions, Communities and Subscriptions
Libraries and Files
Blogging
Events
Vendor Directory (AKA the old Resource Directory)
Online Store
Points, Ribbons and Top Contributors
More Questions? Have a question not included in the FAQ? Click here!
What is the ACA Online Community?
What is a Community?
What is a Network?
What is a Forum or Discussion Forum?
What is an eGroup?
What is a discussion thread?
What is a blog?
What is an RSS feed?
What does "authenticated" mean?
What is the ACA Online Community?
It is an online network for members of ACA and their staff. ACA members can use the site to build relationships and network with others who share their interests, specialties or questions. You can also do research and find solutions to your day to day issues in the libraries.
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What is a Community?
A Community is a group of people organized around a common subject or theme which is defined by the community name and description. Communities are categorized by community types which include Advisory Groups, Board Committees, Task Forces, User Groups, Study Groups and Member Created Communities.
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What is a Network?
Networks link people to each other based on matching criteria. Networks are automatically built based on information you’ve specified in your profile, such as address, job history and education. A network is meant to be a quick way to find people that have something in common with you that you may want to connect with. It lets you know how many people share and lets you find these people.
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What is a Forum or Discussion Forum?
Forums can also be referred to as a discussion forum. Forums are all of the discussion threads around a community, and function in a similar fashion to listservs.
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What is an eGroup?
This term may be seen on the ACA Online Community. It simply means "Discussion Forum."
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What is a discussion thread?
Discussion threads can be found within Internet boards, blogs, E-mail list servs and even on news sites where comments can be posted. It is generally defined as one topic under discussion by a group. The thread is a single focused topic, in most cases, and all comments concerning the topic are listed with it.
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What is a blog?
A blog (a contraction of the term “web log”) is a Web site that allows users to reflect, share opinions and discuss various topics in the form of an online journal while readers may post comments. It is a more relaxed version of an opinion article that would appear in print media, and different from a forum, which is more of an online conversation than article.
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What is an RSS feed?
An RSS feed is a family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, forum discussions, audio and video—in a standardized format. They benefit readers who want to subscribe to timely updates from favored Web sites or to compile feeds from many sites into one place. Instead of visiting multiple Web pages to check for new content, a Web user can look at summaries and choose which sites to visit for the full versions.
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Any user that logs into the website is authenticated. Logging into the ACA Online Community allows the user to post, comment and rate site content including discussion forums, blog entries, and library entries. Please note, advisor staff and virtual assistants are provided logins upon ACA member request.
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Logging into the Site
How do I log into the ACA Online Community?
How can I change my password to access the site?
Having trouble logging in?
How do I log into the ACA Online Community?
Login to http://community.acplanners.org using your ACA username and password. Your username is your business email address. Your default password is ACA1234.
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How can I change my password to access the site?
The first time you log in you will be asked to change your password. If for any reason you need to change your password in the future please contact a member of the ACA staff.
Having trouble logging in?
Contact any ACA staff member, dial 910-769-1569, and enter the appropriate extension.
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Using the ACA Online Community
Profile
How can I update my profile?
How can I control what information is displayed in my profile?
There are so many tabs? How do I know what the public sees on my profile?
I want other ACA members to learn about my practice and to learn about them. Where is all of the information about us?
I have more than one office. How do I display this information?
Discussions, Communities and Subscriptions
How do I post to a Discussion Forum.
How do I create a Study Group or User Group?
How do I join a Community?
How do I invite others to a community?
How do I change the frequency at which I receive e-mail notifications?
What does "Legacy" Subscription mean?
I received an email stating my subscription was put on "hold."
Libraries and Files
How do I upload a file?
What types of files can I upload?
Where are the Advisor Sharedocs!?!
I updated one of my files, should I just upload it? (HINT: NO! Click here!)
How can I share an item from the Libraries?
How can I bookmark an item for future reference?
How can I rate or comment on a file or blog post?
What is a permalink?
Blogging
When posting a new blog entry, how do I control who can view or comment on the post?
How do I delete a blog entry posted by me?
How do I import my external blog to the ACA Online Community?
How can I manage my RSS Feed to the the ACA Online Community?
Events
How do I find upcoming events in ACA?
How do I sync events to my calendar?
How do I add or update events?
Vendors and the information formerly known as the Resource Directory
What is a Vendor?
Where is the old Resource Directory?
Can I add my own vendors?
How do I know if a vendor is good?
Online Store
How do I order new training materials or training for my staff?
Points, Ribbons and Top Contributors
What are the points I see on the Community Site homepage under "Most Active Members”?
How can I "Complete your profile?"
How do I earn points?
How can I be featured under "Top Contributors This Week" on the homepage?
What are Ribbons?
What is a Top Contributor?
Profile
How can I update my profile information?
Click on My Profile on the menu bar or on Profile directly below your name.
Click on "Update My Contact Information" just below your address block on you profile. A new tab or window will open. If prompted, log in using your member Login ID and Password. Complete all of the fields that apply to you. (If you don't have time to complete them all in one session just be sure to complete the first three sections.)
Click "Proceed to Review" at the bottom of the page. Review your information, then click "Save My Profile" at the bottom of the page.
Close that tab or window and return to your profile on the member site.
Click "Refresh My Profile Now" (located just under the "Update My Contact Information" link.
There are several fields on your profile that are managed right on the member site rather than pulled from the database. You update these fields by clicking the "Add" or "Edit" links next to the heading. These fields include Additional Office Locations, Bio, Professional Associations, Honors and Awards, Education, and Job History (all on the Directory Profile tab) and Personal Interests (on the Individual Profile tab).
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How can I control what information is displayed in my profile?
Roll your mouse over the My Profile tab at the top and click the My Privacy Settings option from the drop down menu that will appear. From there you will have the option to select who can see various components to your profile including your photo, address, e-mail address, Web site and phone number. You can choose between the following privacy options: My Contacts, Members Only, Public and Nobody.
There are so many tabs? How do I know what the public sees on my profile?
The public does not see multiple tabs, those are only displayed in the online community. The items you may choose to display to the public are:
Name
Company Information
Picture
Street Address
City and State
Country
Email
Phone Number(s)
Accepting New Clients
Your Online Community Blog
Current Job
Designations/Advanced Degrees
Job History
Education
Associations
Specializations
Honors and Awards
Biography
Serving Clients Living In
Additional Office Locations
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I want other ACA members to learn about my practice and to learn about them. Where is all of the information about us?
Your Practice Profile Tab may be set to display
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Company Name
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Ideal Client Description
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Ideal Practice Description
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Practice Matrix Level
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Office Environment
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Number of Office Locations
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Type of Market
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Engagements Offered
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Fee Types
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Custodians Used
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Number of Employee
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Staff Types
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Software Used (Client)
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Software Used (Office)
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Region
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Solo or Multi
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Transition Clients
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# Annual Limited Retainer Clients
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# Annual One-Time Reviews
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# Full Retainer Clients
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# Tax-Only Clients
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# Wealth Mgt Clients
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Your Individual Profile Tab may be set to display
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Communities
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Networks
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Areas of Expertise
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DFA Advisor
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Speakers' Bureau
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Link Exchange Participant
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Background
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Desig/Adv Degrees in Process
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NAPFA Membership
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Other Memberships
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Conferences Regularly Attended
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Avg Hours work/week
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Personal Interests
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Marital Status
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Your visiting Advisor Host tab fields should be set to everyone or members, so that your availability is readily accessible, however remember, your availability is editable at any time!
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I have more than one office. How do I display this information correctly?
This field is the only field that will require you to use HTML tags for formatting. When editing simply add a break tag (<br />) to begin a new line. For example to get the following:
123 Main Street
Suite 201
Highland, MI 48357
you will enter: 123 Main Street <br />Suite 201<br />Highland, MI 48357
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Discussions, Communities and Subscriptions
How do I post to a Discussion Forum.
To post to a Discussion Forum, you must first subscribe to the forum. To do this, find “My Subscriptions” under the Discussions Tab. This will provide you with a list of communities you may subscribe to. You select the frequency at which you receive E-mail notifications. Click “Save” at the bottom of the page. Once you have done this you will find the community in your drop down list when you post a message.
Click on "Post a Message" under the Discussions tab; click Discussions in the Click 'n Go section, then click "Post a Message" or click one of the Quick Post links in the Point & Post section. Select the group you wish to post to, enter a descriptive subject, then enter your message using the WYSIWYG editor. Click send.
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How can I create a Study Group or User Group?
You can create a Study Group, User Group, Accountability Group or any other group of members you wish to. Click on Communities in the Click 'n Go section or click on "My Communities" under the My Profile tab. Click on the link "Create a New Community" or the green plus sign. From here you select the name, type (study group, user group, etc.), who can join and view your community and whether or not you want an eGroup and Library associated with your community, both of which are strongly recommended, but not required.
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How do I join a community?
You may join study groups, user groups and knowledge centers that are established as open to all members or open to all authenticated users. Some groups are invitation only, and you will need an administrator of the group to add you.
To join an open group go to the Directory tab and either Find a community or you may pull up a list of communities to select from. Click on the name of the community you would like to join. Click on the “Join Community” box. Click OK to confirm, then select the type of notifications you wish to receive.
To leave a group at any time you may click on “Leave Community” and confirm by clicking OK.
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How do I invite others to a community?
Only an administrator of a community can invite others to join. To determine the administrator go to the Directory tab and either Find a community or you may pull up a list of communities to select from. Click on the name of the community. Click on the Members tab. In the window with members listed click “Show community administrators”.
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How do I change the frequency at which I receive e-mail notifications?
You can control notifications regarding Contact Requests, Community Invitations, Regular Messages and Comments by clicking My Profile, then My Privacy Settings. From there you can change the e-mail address there notifications are sent to as well as whether or not members can contact you.
For e-mails from communities and their respective forums, you can select your e-mail preferences when you join each community. You can choose to receive e-mail notifications daily, in real time, or you can opt out of receiving e-mail notifications. If at any point after joining a community you want to change your e-mail notification settings, roll your mouse over the Discussions tab at the top and click the My Subscriptions option from the drop down menu that will appear. From there you can change your settings.
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This is a discussion forum subscription option which is real-time and presented in plain text format and allow you to reply from your email client using the standard email message functions "Reply" and "Reply All".
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Your subscription has been held because at least 3 recent discussion forum messages have been either bounced by your email system, or could not be delivered at all. Your membership can be restored to "normal", by sending the command "unhold" to arlenem@acplanners.org. You can also add noreply@egroups.acaplanner.org and noreply@notifications.acplanners.org to your send sender list.
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Libraries and Files
How do I upload a file?
On the Libraries tab select Add a New Entry. Then complete the following steps:
1. Enter a Title - make it descriptive, not "Article", but rather "Tax Changes 2012 - an Article by John Doe"
2. Enter a brief description.
3. Select a Library from the pull down menu.
4. Select a folder.
5. Select the type of entry you are creating. (see below on What types of files can I upload? for further information)
6. Click Next
7. Depending on the type of entry you upload you will be given a variety of options. If you need more step by step instructions see Tutorials and User Guides.
8. Add tags when prompted to aid in searches.
9. Click Finish
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What types of files can I upload?
When you upload a file you will be prompted to select one of the following "Entry Types":
The following file types are now supported:
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Where are the Advisor Sharedocs!?!
The shared documents and core tool documents are all located in the same libraries. The main libraries are Financial Planning and Practice Management. You can access files through folders based on topic or in a list organized alphabetically, by upload date and a variety of other methods. For more information visit the tutorials and user guides for libraries.
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I updated one of my files, should I just upload it?
You can add a file to one previously uploaded and delete the older version, you do not have to go through the whole process of giving it a title, tags, picking a folder again. Use the following steps:
1. Click "Edit" in the right hand menu area when you are looking at the document you are updating.
2. On the Attach Files page "Browse" to find the file you want to upload
3. Click "Upload Files"
4. Click" Next" once the upload is complete.
5. Click "Next" and skip a screen of descriptions
6. Click "Finish" unless you feel like changing tags
7. Click "Delete" next to the old version you don't need any more. NOT the "Delete" with the red X in the Actions box.
The red X deletes the entire document.
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How can I share an item from the Libraries?
When you’ve found an item you want to share, click the title of the document. The title is a hyperlink. This will then be the only document appearing on your screen. Click the Share option on the right side of the box. A pop up will then appear prompting you to enter the first and last name and e-mail address of the person you want to share the document with. You may edit the prefilled message and the click “Send”.
Note: You will only be able to share items that the recipient is authorized to view.
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How can I bookmark an item for future reference?
If you want to bookmark the document for your own future reference, click either the heart on the right side of the document, or the words, “Add to Favorites.” The same document will then be included in the “My Favorite Files” section under Libraries.
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How can I rate or comment on a file or blog post?
Blogs and library items can be rated by clicking on the stars next to the entry. You can click as few or as many stars as you want to convey your rating. Five stars denote the best possible rating, while zero stars indicate to rating at all. To comment on a blog post, scroll to the bottom of the blog entry, click “Add a Comment,” type it in the pop up box and click save. To comment on an item, be sure you have clicked the title, so that you only see one item on the page. Please note that one item may have multiple files attached to it. Click “Add comments and type your comment in the pop up box and click save.
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What is a permalink?
To share a resource in the library or glossary, use the Permalink listed below the star rating. The URL in your address bar may change and not work for others. The permalink will always work. "Perma" stands for "permanent."
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Blogging
When posting a new blog entry, how do I control who can view or comment on the post?
There are four options available to you for viewing:
Public: Anyone can view this blog. They do not need to be logged on.
Authenticated: Members, Members' Staff and ACA Support Team will be able to view the blog.
ACAPlanners Members: At this time ACAPlanners Member is the same as Authenticated.
My Contacts: Only people in your My Contact list are able to view your blog posting.
There are four options for allowing comments on your blog:
Authenticated: In order to comment on your blog, a site user must be logged into the site.
ACAPlanners Members: Full ACA Members, this excludes staff who may have access to the site.
My Contacts: Only people in your My Contact list are able to comment on your blog posting.
No Comments Allowed keeps all from commenting on your blog.
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How do I delete a blog entry posted by me?
View your blog entry, and on the right side of the entry you’ll see a box with your profile photo and links to click for rating or commenting on the post. Below those links, you will also see a red “X” next to the words “Delete Blog.” You can click either the words or the “X” to delete the blog post.
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While you cannot set an automatic importing of your external blog to the ACA Online Community, you can copy and paste a blog entry into the body of the Create New Blog page.
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Go to My RSS Feeds under the My Profile tab. Select the discussion forums, resource libraries and/or blogs from which you would like to receive notifications and select save. (Please note the only communities that you are a member of will be listed as options.) You can utilize your unique URL or the buttons at the bottom of the page to send the feed to any of the feed readers of your choice.
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Events
How do I find upcoming events in ACA?
The calendar and events list are found under the Events tab. You can view as a monthly calendar or in a list format. You can search for events based on keyword or event type. In the Upcoming Events view click on “Details” for additional information on each event. In the calendar view double click on the event for additional information.
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How do I sync events to my calendar?
When displaying at the details for an event you wish to add to your calendar you will see a link to “Download to your calendar”. This will create an iCalendar (.ics) file you can import.
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How do I add or update events?
To have events added to the calendar or update existing events please contact a member of the Administrative Team.
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Vendor Directory
What is a Vendor?
A vendor is any company or person that your fellow members have used and wish to recommend. You will also find our Conference Sponsors, Community Sponsors and Resource Affiliates here. These are companies that provide a variety of levels of support to ACA members.
Where is the old Resource Directory?
The old Resource Directory is now the Vendor Directory. We found the word "resource" being used in too many places and adding to confusion on locating materials within the Online Community. To access the directory go to the Directories tab and click on Find a Vendor. The full vendor listing will display along with search fields for you to find more specific listings.
Can I add my own vendors?
Yes, you can. You will find the process the same as adding any library entry, the fields are just a bit different so that contact information about the vendor is captured. You can upload associated files, webinars - any type of file that you would normally be able to upload to a library. You can also add tags so that others can search for vendors more easily.
How do I know if a vendor is good?
You and other members can rate vendors and leave comments regarding your experiences. Upon accessing the entry for a vendor you can see the ratings to the right side of your window and comments listed at the bottom of the page below related links.
Online Store
How do I order new training materials or training for my staff?
For more information on the training available for members and their staff go to the Resources tab -> ACA System Training
You may download the most recent training materials here as well. If you wish to purchase hard copy of the training materials please contact a member of the Administrative Team.
Points, Ribbons and Top Contributors
What are the points I see on the Community Site homepage next to “Top Contributors Last 7 Days”?
Points are a way of measuring online engagement for all members. It’s also a way for ACA to recognize and our most active members. The homepage reflects the most active members for the past week, not since the Web site’s inception.
Point totals are tabulated automatically with various actions you take on the site. Actions that contribute to the site and engage other members earn the most points.
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You may notice a link on the top right of the page that says "Complete your profile." In order to complete your profile, you need to accumulate 100 points. See the exact break down below of how the points are calculated.
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Name
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Weighting
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Max Points
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Areas of Expertise
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5
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25
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Avg Hours work/week
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2
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10
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Background
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2
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10
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Bio/Summary
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25
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25
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City
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5
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5
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Company Name
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10
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10
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Contacts
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1
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20
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Custodians Used
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2
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10
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Desig/Adv Degrees in Process
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2
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10
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Designations/Advanced Degrees
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2
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10
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DFA Advisor
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2
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10
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Education
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5
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10
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Email Address
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5
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5
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Engagements Offered
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2
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10
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Fee Types
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2
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10
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First Name
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5
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5
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Job History
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5
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10
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Job Title
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5
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5
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Last Name
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5
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5
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Link Exchange Participant
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2
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10
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NAPFA Membership
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2
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10
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Office Environment
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2
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10
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Personal Interests
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2
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10
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Phone Number
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5
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5
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Picture
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25
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25
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Practice Matrix Level
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25
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25
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Region
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2
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10
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RIA In
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2
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10
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Software Used (Client)
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2
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10
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Software Used (Office)
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2
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10
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Solo or Multi
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2
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10
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Speakers' Bureau
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2
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10
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Specializing In
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2
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10
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Staff Types
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2
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10
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Type of Market
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2
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10
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Besides completing your profile, here is a brief list of most of the actions you can take to earn points. Points for the week are tabulated by multiplying the number of each item by the weighting factor. For example 3 real time subscriptions is worth 18 points.
| Name |
Weighting |
| eGroup Posts Written |
30 |
| Library Entries Posted |
30
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Blogs Written
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20
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Rating a Library Entry or Blog
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10 |
Commenting on a Library Entry or Blog
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20 |
Creating a Community
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50 |
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The points mentioned above are a way of measuring online engagement for all members. It’s also a way for ACA to recognize our top contributors. The homepage refreshes the box automatically once a day with the profiles with the most points. If you are not in the top ten, Contact Us to learn how many points you have.
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There are a variety of ribbons that may appear on a profile underneath the photo. These include blogger, top contributor, instructor and mentor, among others. If you have any specific questions regarding ribbons, please Contact Us.
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A Top Contributor ribbon is placed on a profile each time a certain point value is reached:
- Bronze Most Valuable Member - above [999] points and less than [2000] points
- Silver Most Valuable Member - above [1999] points and less than [4000] points
- Gold Most Valuable Member - above [3999] points and less than [6000] points
- Platinum Most Valuable Member - above [5999] points
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More Questions?
Have a question not included in the FAQ?
E-mail Arlene Moss at arlenem@acplanners.org , or post your question to the Discussion Forum, "Tech Support & Suggestion Box."
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