Getting Started as a Leader with Bilby

Items such as the activity description, estimated metrics, and how you wish to handle bookings will be needed to create the activity. Some information (marked with *) is required to be entered in Bilby. Other items are optional.

1. Sign in to Bilby (if not already signed in)
2. Access My Profile > My Activities
3. Use Create new activity
4. Enter mandatory items marked *
   Note: The New Bookings Status categories of Pending, Waiting, Valid and Void allows you to control vetting of each booking as it is made. If you want to run a “no bookings required” activity, set this value to Valid and each booking request will be automatically accepted.
5. For optional items, enter if you can. The information will provide additional detail to allow participants to assess their suitability for the activity. Some optional items trigger additional Bilby functionality. For example, if you include Approx Finish date and time, Bilby will send you an alert if you neglect to Finish the activity. If you enter Maximum Participants, Bilby will generate ‘n Spots Left’/’Activity Full’ on your activity when viewed via the Activities list.
6. Use the Create new activity button.
7. Switch to the Details tab, enter mandatory items and any other information you have. Save.
   Note: The gradable distance = distance to be covered + 1km for every 100m climbed. This is per day.
8. Switch to the Media tab. Note that any image to be uploaded must be less than ~4MB. If you have to resize an image, preserve the aspect ratio. Portrait-oriented images do not display well. Use Upload Image.
9. Switch to the Maps tab. Specify the start location of the activity and use Save. If you do not, the default location shown is that of CBC monthly meetings.
   Note: It could be useful to Toggle the full screen view to pan and zoom to mark the start location. Satellite view is also helpful.
10. You can make as many changes as you want to the activity whilst it is in Draft status. Save changes to a particular tab before moving to the next tab.
    Hint: You can even switch to the Manage Users tab, use Actions … and use Add User to add yourself to your draft activity. Then use the Details link to change your booking status to Valid.
11. You can alert the Walks Secretary that your activity will be coming for Review by sending a tagged note via the Administration tab. If you want your activity to be published to Members Only, include that in the note.
12. When you have finished, use the Admin button, select Change Status and set the activity Status to Review. This will alert the Walks Secretary to vet and publish your activity.

If you haven’t already, use the Admin button, select Change Status and set the activity Status to Review.

This will alert the Walks Secretary to check your activity details. Whilst your activity is in Review, you cannot edit it. The Walks Secretary then publishes your activity by changing its status from Review to Open to Public (or Members Only if that has been requested).

You are now again able to edit your activity details. This means that responsibility for the activity details has now passed from the Walks Secretary to you.

One detail you cannot change is to set the activity status to Members only. If you wish to limit participation to CBC members after the activity has been published, ask the Walks Secretary to change the activity status from Open to Public to Members Only.

If you haven’t already, add yourself as a valid booking. Access the Manage Users tab, use Actions … and use Add User to add yourself to your activity. Then use the Details link to change your booking status to Valid.

For other participants, access the booking by using the ‘Manage this booking’ link in the email alert.

Another way to access the booking is via My Profile > My Activities, use the Manage Users link and use the Details link for the user.

Alternatively, you can access the booking via the Activities list, open your activity, use the Edit My Activity link, access the Manage Bookings tab and use the Details link for the user.

Information that the user has decided to share with the activity owner is in the Booking Info tab.

1. Accept the booking – Change the booking status from Pending (or whatever status is showing) to Valid
2. Decline the booking – Change the booking status to Void.  As the CBC walk leader, you have the right to do this, but it would be appropriate to tell the declined participant why
3. Add the user to a waitlist – Change the booking status to Waiting.
4. Communicate further concerning the booking – Change the booking status to Interested.
   For example, you may wish to determine the participant’s suitability for the walk by 1-to-1 Bilby Notes, or by contacting the Walks Secretary for any walk history concerning the participant. Such actions are valid within CBC’s safety and risk mitigation frameworks.

Bilby provides 2 ways of communication between users.

The activity owner and participant can exchange private, 1-to-1 Notes. Each Note generates a Bilby email alert to the recipient.

1. The default view of a user’s booking shows the Notes tab.
2. Enter a message in the text box. Use Add Note to send.
   An example is: “Thanks for your interest in this activity. Since we have not met, could you give me a short rundown on your recent walks and current walking capability?”
3. All Valid participants (including the activity owner) can communicate via the Message Board. If the message is tagged, the recipient(s) receives a Bilby generated email alert.

Note: If no tag is used, no Bilby email alert is generated. But you and Valid participants can see the messages if you or they happen to access the Message Board.

1. Access the Manage Users, Message Board tab
2. Tag the recipient by typing @ in the text box and selecting one of the displayed valid users or activate the @ Mention link. Ensure tags are separated by a space or, ideally, press enter to start a new line for the next tag. Repeat this process for multiple recipients
3. Use @everyone to communicate with all Valid users
4. Enter your message, then use Add Note.

Find additional details about a prospective user’s booking by switching to the Booking Info tab.

If required information is not available (eg. an Address to organise in-town pickup for a multiday activity), send a note to the participant asking them to expose such details.
Note: Bilby provides each user with preferences to control the display of their personal information. These preferences are found in your My Profile, Preferences. Each user can choose ‘Visible to any activity owner’, ‘Visible to any active member’ or ‘Visible to admin officers only’. Use the Update button after any changes are made. Users’ preferences determine what information is available via the Booking Info tab and also in the Manage Users, User List tab.

It is preferable to communicate activity arrangements via Bilby, rather than via email. Details can be accessed by Admin officers in case of emergencies, and the ownership of an activity can be transferred to another valid participant if the original owner becomes unavailable.

Bilby provides unlimited space to do this. Each Message Board entry can be 2,000 characters long and there can be an unlimited number of entries.

Hint: A method of harnessing this facility might be to write separate entries for multiple logistical aspects (eg. one for weather, one for transport, one for costs) and post them without tags. Finally, post a MB entry tagging @everyone, saying “read all the MB posts below. Please confirm to me that you have seen them”.

Hint: If circumstances change, a new MB entry can be made. To keep all details current, the replaced MB entry can be removed from view by using … and using Hide Note.

1. Use the Message Board (MB) to communicate final arrangements such as meeting place and time. You might ask for valid participants to confirm receipt by a MB entry tagged to you.
2. If you want no more bookings, set the activity status to Closed.
3. If you want Bilby to send you a reminder to Finish the activity, specify an Approx Finish date and time.

If you have waitlisted bookings, send a Bilby 1-to-1 Note to each wait-listed participant, advising that the activity is full and their booking could not be accepted.

1. Print the list of participants. From the User List, activate Options…, Download CSV. Use basic Excel functionality (eg. hide columns, wrap cells) to obtain a list for printing.
2. Print the appropriate Acknowledgement of Risks and Obligations form. Acknowledgement of risks and obligations and Acknowledgement of risks and obligations – under 18 if required.
3. Print an Incident report form.
4. Print an Emergency Contact sheet, Emergency information sheet and Ground and Air Rescue Advice procedure.

1. Expected participants, both members and guests (booking status Valid in Bilby) – mark off their name on your list of participants. (It is not necessary for them to sign an AoR&O form, as members have acknowledged risks and obligations when purchasing membership or renewing. Guests have made the acknowledgement when registering as a guest.)
2. Unexpected participants – complete the AoR&O form. The participant must read and sign the AoR&O form.
3. For Wednesday Walks led by CBC – complete the AoR&O form. All participants must read and sign the AoR&O form.

Do not enter any CBC-led Wednesday Walks attendance details in Bilby. If, for any reason, a participant has registered, access the booking via Manage Users, Details. Change the booking status to Void..

1. Scan or photograph the AoR&O form.
2. Email the AoR&O form to the Check-in Officer.