Using the Web-Based Reporting System (WBRS) for data collection and reporting
Abstract
The data collection and reporting system known as WBRS reduces duplication of information and increases coordination, speeds up the process of data collection at all levels, helps make data collection requirements clear to all parties, and improves availability of data collected for grantees' own use. This effective practice is excerpted from the State Commission Manual, on the Project TASC website, and outlines what's in the system, how to use it, and how to get help if necessary.Issue
Using the Web-Based Reporting System (WBRS) for data collection and reporting.Action
The Web-Based Reporting System (WBRS) streamlines the following aspects of data collection and reporting:
Member Information
Members complete their enrollment form, sign it, and it is kept at the Program or site level. After that, much of the work of tracking members' service is done online. Grantees and Sub-grantees enter in WBRS:
- Member Information Profiles
- Enrollment forms
- Change of status information
- Timelog information
- Exit Forms
- Unfilled slots
- Members's roster
- Members' status
- Members' hours
- A selection of other views and reports
All member information can be downloaded from WBRS for use by Grantees with local applications.
Financial Information
Grantees and Subgrantees complete periodic expense report worksheets. These data automatically fill in all but two of the required fields on the Financial Status Rpeort. Additionally WBRS offers an Income Report that can help track in-kind contributions.Financial forms include:
- Budget
- Periodic Expense Report (PER)
- Financial Status Report (FSR)
- Income Report
- Aggregate Financial Status Report
Progress Report Information
Grantees can also complete their report to the Corporation on service accomplishments through WBRS, as well as gather information on these issues from their subgrantees or sites. Sub-grantees or grantees enter into WBRS:
- Objectives
- Implementation plans
- Evaluation plans
- Accomplishments
- Summary of outcomes
- Great stories that have occured during the period
- Overall commentary on their progress, obstacles faced and strategies used to overcome them.
Context
The Web-based reporting system (WBRS) is a data collection and reporting system developed in partnership by Corporation grantees, the Corporation administration, and the T/TA provider, Aguirre International. The intent of the WBRS system was to reduce duplication of information and coordination, speed up the process of data collection at all levels, make data collection requirements clear to all parties, and make data collected more available for grantees' own use. A users manual for WBRS is available online through the application.Citation
The State Commission Manual, produced by Aguirre International under contract with the Corporation for National and Community Service, consolidates and updates a variety of resource and reference materials to assist State Commissions in fulfilling their many different responsibilities under the National and Community Service Trust Act. The manual also incorporates several updated materials to give a more in-depth look at selected aspects of Commissions' activities. This manual is not a step-by-step formal guide, but rather a bundle of resources useful to Commission staff and Commissioners. Some of the summary materials, resources, checklists, and review instruments may also be useful to Corporation program officers, technical assistance, and grants officers in the course of their work with State Commissions.Outcome
Tools for Users
WBRS aims to be a management support tool for grantees and it fulfills this function through a variety of strategies:
Compliance alerts
WBRS has pre-programmed some of the requirements in the National Community Service Trust Act, and alerts grantees when data entered conflicts with those requirements.
Special views for monitoring fulfillment of service requirements
WBRS has several views that can alert the manager to members in trouble. They also can alert the manager to sub-grantees having trouble with member retention, supervision and or/support.
- The Members Hours Table and Time Log View show the status of hour completion for all members and the number of hours per week that would have to be completed to fulfill the specific requirements for that member.
- Member Status: The Member Status View shows an aggregate for a grantee of the members' active status and termination. Members who have left early, terminated without an award, in special status categories, and those who are active in service are displayed in the report.
Tracking of special circumstances
WBRS assists in tracking programs or sites that have members with a lot of modification records; those who have changed status a number of times; and those who have a substantial proportion of their members behind an expected curve of service hours indicating they may need some special attention or support.
Financial and Management Indicators
The Periodic Expense Report (PER) shows the grantees' original budgets for both their share and the Corporation's. It also contains their current expenditures that were reported and their cumulative expenditures to-date for that program year. The PER can assist managers by giving them the ability to compare their planned expenditures to their actual rate for the various budget line items.
- The Periodic Expense Report should be prepared at least every quarter and is needed to generate the Financial Status Report. Each section of the report (i.e., budget, current expenditures, year-to-date expenditures, and balance) calculates the grantee and Corporation's percentage in relation to each other for the main categories.
- The Income Report, provided in WBRS, but not required by it, allows tracking of grantee match.
Progress Report
Review of what grantees and subgrantees are entering in as their accomplishments, how many members are working on each area, and their evaluation plans can indicate whether grantees are on target or are having difficulty fulfilling their agreement.
- Objectives and Accomplishment DataReview of the accomplishment data entered into the APR module can show the manager if grantees or sub-grantees are on target in fufilling their objectives or whether additional support is necessary.
- Objectives and Evaluation PlansReview of evaluation plans should indicate whether grantees or sub-grantees are developing appropriate plans, if they have figured out how the plans will be implemented, or whether they need assistance with those plans and their management of them.
- Outcomes DataReview of outcomes data from evaluations indicates whether grantees or sub-grantees are conducting evaluations as scheduled, and show the results of those evaluations.
Posted On
August 16, 2002For More Information
Resources
To find more information about WBRS, file a help request online: Click on "Help Desk" under the "basics" tab on the WBRS menu, then click on "initiate new request."
WBRS also has a hotline: 1-877-FOR-WBRS, staffed 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific time)
Additionally, under the "basics" tab on the WBRS menu, through the "Help Desk" link, there is a manual that can be accessed online, and a response to Frequently Asked Questions.
Finally, for an overview of the concept and basic procedures, there is a CD-ROM, that was sent to each grantee and sub-grantee, which provides a general overview of how the application works.