Using the Feedback Form: A Primer

[jungrrl]

Ok, so in cleaning up the feedback database I thought I'd give a little primer to let everyone know how the way they enter feedback effects how things show up. Here are things that cause the most common errors we run across.


1. Whatever you enter into the database actually goes into the database.  

      Even if feedback doesn't show up on a person's profile, if you entered something into the feedback form it is now in the database in some form 99.999% of the time. The form doesn't eat information. It goes into the database even if you don't see it on someone's profile.  It's incredibly important that the information in this database is accurate. Feel free to open a help desk ticket if you feel you've added inaccurate data to the database.

The only time information doesn't get entered is if you have a blank entry beforehand. In other words, always start with space number one!


2. The form does not compare what you entered to the list of Craftster usernames.

       If the swapper's username does not match exactly (minus capitalization), the feedback will not show up.  If I type in "jungrrl" the feedback WILL show up.  If I copy and paste and "jungrrl " gets put in the system, it will be accepted, but because of the pesky space at the end of my username, it will not show up.  It will assume I meant the non-existant user "jungrrl " was supposed to get the feedback.  (We are trying to change this but for the moment, that's the way it is.  )  Likewise, if I have an underscore or a dash or what have you, those characters also have to match.  "crafty_dame" does not equal "crafty dame".


3. If the username or swap organizer name is different, even by capitalization, when updating feedback, a new entry will be created.  

     Say when I was putting in progress feedback into my account for the XYZ swap, I put my username as "Jungrrl".  This feedback would show up on my profile because it is formatted correctly as far as spaces, etc.  However, when I want to update my feedback to be positive, I enter my username as "jungrrl".  The database does not recognize that this feedback already exists because the names are formatted differently by capitalization.  I will now have an In Progress and a positive feedback.  It's ridiculous, I know.  The best thing to do is copy and paste (but make sure there's no space at the end!)


4. Do not use apostrophes in the Swap Name field.

      Using an apostrophe in the form causes lots of unnecessary headaches, so they should not be used under any circumstances.  For example, the swap name "My Country Doesn't Have That Round 302" will cause lots of problems, but "My Country Doesnt Have That Round 302" works fine. They should be avoided in the Comments section as well.


5. Enter dates in mm/dd/yy format.

         I know it may not be the way you’re used to doing it, but it is the way that the database is formatted. Also, make sure ALL of the dates you enter are identical throughout the swap:
                09/10/6 is different than 09/10/06
                09-10-06 is different than 09/10/06
                10/09/06 is different than 09/10/06


6. When entering the swap url, make sure it is the sign-up thread, not the idea thread or the gallery thread, and make sure it follows this exact format: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=274755.0

      Any of these formats would be wrong:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=274755.msg3002124#msg3002124
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=274755.msg0#new
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=274755.msg3084337#new
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=274755.0;topicseen
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=274755.new;topicseen
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=274755.new#new
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=274755.10


Feel free to ask questions.

[Lilyvanilli]

Thanks for this, it's all very helpful! I actually had something like #1 happen to me in the Set of Tea Towels swap recently. I was changing someone's feedback from "In Progress" to "Positive" and it didn't show up in their profile. I just thought it was a mistake so I did it again and that time it showed up. I don't remember which person it was for but I know that no one ended up with 2 sets of feedback in their profile. Should I still open a Help Desk ticket even though I can't remember who it was for?

[craftydame]

yes, please do lilyvanilli! that feedback is floating around the system somewhere!

[Lilyvanilli]

Thanks! Will do!

[babalina58]

I think the issue with me is the cut and paste...I did not think about that aspect of being the root of all my issues ROTFL...

[jungrrl]

Yea that cut and paste can get ya!    

[SpottedFrog]

I am one of the hopelessly inept organizers who prompted the need for this guide. THANK YOU from the bottom of my ornery little keyboard

[PerachYafeh]

Boy I was also got by the cut and paste and the double "trouble" feedback. Luckly we have these Angels (= crafster mods) that catch our bloopers.
I will try my best to avoid giving these gals " more thing to do"  Thank you !!

[Eliea]

perhaps I'm missing something but what is the difference between the "good" url and the last "bad" url on the list?
I only see a difference of 1 number and don't understand how that would be bad?

[jungrrl]

You're talking about the one that ends with .10?  That takes you to the second page of the thread.  .20 takes you to the third, etc. 

[Eliea]

You're talking about the one that ends with .10?  That takes you to the second page of the thread.  .20 takes you to the third, etc. 

Yep And that is exactly what I was wondering. Thanks for explaining it!

[shelina]

I am doing my first swap and am confused on where I am suppose to go to give feedback? Can someone help me?

[jungrrl]

If you're a participant in a swap, you don't give feedback. That's what your organizer does. Please make sure you have read through the Swapper information here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=6553.0

[Staar84]

I've been entering people into the feedback form as I get their questionnaires, and no one shows up from the first time I did it. Is that ok or is something wrong? And it's a round 2 swap but it doesn't say that in there, should I change it?

[jungrrl]

You mean that the form doesn't hold the information from the previous times you've entered it? Yes that's correct, unfortunately it does not show you the names you've already entered.    You're doing it almost completely right though! (just try to put the url that ends in .0 if possible) 

[Staar84]

Thank you!

[sweetyetevil]

Okay so if the form does not keep the info I put in then I have to keep track of what order I put everyone in so I can leave feedback under the correct line #? People are signing up for my swap but I am afraid to enter them in since my name did not show up on the form.....thanks!!

[alteredmommy]

No, you do not have to enter previous feedback on the same line.  Each time you go into the form to add new people to your swap, it will come up blank and you will start again at the first line.  What you do need to remember is to enter each piece of information the same-swap start date, swap name, organizer name, and link for each person.  When you update someone's feedback to POSITIVE after they complete the swap the line # again doesn't matter, but all the other info needs to be input the same to prevent a double entry.

If you look down below the SUBMIT button there is a handy list of all the feedback you have entered

[jungrrl]

Right, so the username/date/etc need to be the same, but they don't need to stay in the same line of the form. In fact, you need to just use the lines from top to bottom, since if you don't put something in line one, it doesn't accept it!

[tinybits]

i am organizing a swap at the moment and we ended with a odd number so i decided to withdraw myself from the swap and remain only as swap organizer. however i still have the feedback in my profile. any mod can help me to delete it? the swap name is atc small grab bag swap.

[jungrrl]

You need to keep feedback for yourself, actually. Just add to the comments "organizer only" and still only give yourself positive when 90% of people are done.

[alteredmommy]

Actually this does randomly happen on occasion (apparently the database is very nostalgic for the sixties?)  One of the swap mods can fix it for you, just open a Help Desk ticket with the details

[calluna]

I'm a bit rusty, so I want to figure this out before I go do any harm...
I'm a co-organizer, responsible for half the participants in this one swap, but my name isn't listed as one of the organizers. Does it need to be, in order for me to give my people their feedback?
And how do I go about adding my name without it creating a duplicate entry or some other madness?--do I list all the participants, without updating their feedback, and all the original swap info, just adding my name in the "Swap Co-Organizer Username" box? That's my guess, but please let me know if that's incorrect. 

[alteredmommy]

You will need to open a Help Desk ticket and one of the swap mods will add your name as co-organizer.  Once you are added in on the data base, you can update feedback without doubling up on entries; your organizer will need to remember to add your name in when updating or opening new feedback as well

[motherconfessor]

i've been thinking about organizing for the first time, i'm a little confused about the feedback form. Is it something i'll be able to use once i actually organize a swap?

[jungrrl]

What exactly are you confused about? I'll try my best to explain.

[motherconfessor]

Once i create a new swap and people start to sign up, how do i make it so their profiles show they participating. And what is the database that the feedback gets entered into?

[lapoli]

The swap feedback form is here. Basically, as swappers sign up, you'll go to the feedback form and enter details for each of the participants.  This is how the swap shows up as "in progress" on their profiles.  Does that help?

[motherconfessor]

The swap feedback form is here. Basically, as swappers sign up, you'll go to the feedback form and enter details for each of the participants.  This is how the swap shows up as "in progress" on their profiles.  Does that help?

Thanks so much, i understand now

[lapoli]

Great!

[jungrrl]

Make sure you've also read the Swap Info Guide: http://www.craftster.org/swapsinfo.html

[AlwaysInspired]

I just had someone drop from a swap. The sign up dates are not over yet, but they already have in progress on their swap feedback. How do I remove the in progress from their profile? Do I need to start a help desk ticket to fix it?

[jungrrl]

Yep! That's something a swap mod has to do.

[suereal]

I'm co-orging a swap, and it looks like I have the feedback form basics worked out.  But I have been changing people to positive as soon as I can, to get it off their dance cards.  My plan is to take a day after everyone (or nearly everyone at least) has changed to positive and go back and leave comments all at once.  I thought I read some where I could do that.  But I haven't seen how.  I'm guessing I just enter everyones names again and then leave the positive positive and then type in my comments?  Or will that make everyone have 2 entries to there swap list?  Just want to make sure I do it right the first time.  Next time I will add the comments as I go along.....Thanks in advance
suereal

[jungrrl]

I'm guessing I just enter everyones names again and then leave the positive positive and then type in my comments? 

Yep

Or will that make everyone have 2 entries to there swap list? 

Nope

[suereal]

Awesome!  Thanks

[alteredmommy]

Do make sure you check the notes that come up after you hit enter, for each name it should say something about thank you for updating.  If it says No entry found, creating new entry you have created a double (if you for example spelled the user name differently).  I've gotten in the habit of always checking the notes when I update which is an easy way of seeing my mistakes

[suereal]

AH!  Thanks for the tip alteredmommy.  Things are slowly starting to make sense

[suereal]

OKies..so...I want to change a swappers comments that I have put in all ready.  Do I take the old comment out first?  OR Do I just type in the new comment and it replaces the old one?

[jungrrl]

Just type in a new one and it will replace the old one. (As long as all the other information is exactly the same that is.)

[suereal]

Sweet!  Thanks

[jungrrl]

I just added a caveat to #1! I'm not sure if we've made this clear before. Addition is in bold!

1. Whatever you enter into the database actually goes into the database. 

      Even if feedback doesn't show up on a person's profile, if you entered something into the feedback form it is now in the database in some form 99.999% of the time. The form doesn't eat information. It goes into the database even if you don't see it on someone's profile.  It's incredibly important that the information in this database is accurate. Feel free to open a help desk ticket if you feel you've added inaccurate data to the database.

The only time information doesn't get entered is if you have a blank entry beforehand. In other words, always start with space number one!




I hope that makes sense! I don't quite know how to word it!

[A2K]

I did it!  I added my second participant! 

Thanks for this thread!  It answered questions I had as I fussed with the feedback form. 

[alteredmommy]

excellent  

[jungrrl]

I did it!  I added my second participant! 

Thanks for this thread!  It answered questions I had as I fussed with the feedback form. 

Awesome! You're welcome!