Training and Migration

The SiteWorks roll-out is now a much more stable process. We have had numerous emails asking why certain things have happened and what happens next. You are, of course, welcome to respond to our mails but perhaps this article will save you some time.

This is an outline of the main steps to a live SiteWorks site from a Web Manager perspective. It assumes you will be working on a u3a site, but the process for a Network/Region is essentially the same.

While this list may seem pretty long the majority of steps are specific short actions.

  1. If your u3a hasn’t done so, register your Web Manager(s) contact details (email address) with us using this form https://forms.office.com/e/EC5cAZ8aTh

  2. An Invite & Engage (I&E) team member will email you asking you to facilitate the electronic signing of Terms & Conditions (T&Cs) by your committee.  We ask you as your email address will already be registered with us.  Note that we use Beacon as the communications tool and you are welcome to reply to the email even though ‘From’ will be ‘noreply@beacon.u3a.org.uk’.  Please check your email throughout the process. If you want to see the T&Cs in advance they are linked from the FAQ Terms & Conditions (see FAQs menu on the ribbon above).

  3. Forward the request to the committee for approval and signing. Signing is electronic via the u3a Portal by the authorised committee member (usually the Secretary) who holds the Portal login details. Note, the u3a Portal is managed by the TAT staff in the London office.

  4. TAT advise our I&E team your T&Cs have been signed. This might take up to five working days.

  5. One of our I&E team members invites you (and assistant if registered) to book onto one of our Zoom sessions entitled Introduction to Training & Migration

  6. End-to-end training and migration process is explained at the Zoom session.  There is plenty of time for Q&A.  A training workbook (pdf) is sent via email after the Zoom session.

  7. You complete the training workbook using Local WP with a u3a SiteWorks demo file for the practical elements.  Full details of how to find and install these are in the workbook and on the Web Managers‘ menu above. You need either a Windows, MAC, or Linux system to run Local WP.  In this phase you learn how to use SiteWorks to a level where you can complete the migration from Site Builder (or compose a site from scratch) and publish an attractive and informative website.

  8. While studying the Workbook you will be invited to the optional Monday afternoon drop-in support sessions to discuss issues or concerns and potential solutions.

  9. You advise the I&E team when you are ready for the next step* and a Migrator will contact you.

  10. Your personal Migrator will order you an export of your Site Builder site.  From this you can create a migrated site on Local WP where you can seen the results and practice your new knowledge. You will be able to plan your final site with help from your Migrator, but it’s important to note that a Local WP site cannot be moved or copied to a live SiteWorks site.

  11. You advise your Migrator when you are ready for them to request setting up your live site.

  12. You prepare your live site for publication (note that it will not be publicly visible at the stage). Your Migrator is on hand to guide you and helps check your site before going public.

  13. You make your site live and final tasks such as redirection take place.

  14. A Training Guide for Authors is available on request (see Author Training on the Workbook v1.1 onwards).

Note that all of the above is covered in much more detail on the Zoom session, in the training workbook, or at the appropriate time during the programme.

* Between the Zoom session and going live is self-paced so there is no need to delay starting the process to fit around your commitments.  That said, please don’t book a Zoom session if you know you are going to be out of touch for several weeks.  We want this process to be as easy and stress-free as possible, but do encourage you to keep the momentum going once you get started.

An optional Author Training guide is available post-migration via the Training team (details in workbook).

A question often asked is why have we developed this as a batch process?  The short answer is that we are a fairly small team and need u3as flowing as a manageable stream rather than a river in full flood that would drown us.

We look forward to guiding you through the training and migration process.