Accessible registration options for events, sales, or community outreach is a common need in the extension community. Moving to online registration has the added benefit of allowing you to store and share responses without having to track down physical paperwork. Below we have outlined two convenient options to ensure registrations are deployed to meet accessibility standards…. and to help get folders off your desk!
DestinyOne
DestinyOne is available for more than just payment processing! The only fees you will incur for using DestinyOne are related to credit card transactions. You can use the services but accept checks or cash as payment without incurring a fee.
The Extension Registration Portal (DestinyOne) provides registration forms for programs which can easily be deployed across multiple web platforms. DestinyOne allows you to manage every aspect of your event from start to finish, including sending email and event updates directly from the platform to registered attendees. As your event will be part of the Registration Portal, you can easily share resources across extension services and track attendance for records. We have information available to staff via the Extension Intranet to help you with DestinyOne Registration.
Use cases…
- Sales where you need to send invoices for payment upon delivery (ex: plant sales when preordering then paying by check on collection of items). You can set invoice dates and reminders.
- Events that require ongoing updates to registered attendees like conference updates, retreat information, etc.
- Collecting medical information and medical release forms for retreats. DestinyOne is HIPAA compliant.
- Space limited events where you need to set a maximum number of registrants and manage a waitlist.
- Seamlessly managing payments and registration in one place if you are already using DestinyOne as a payment processor.
For assistance with setup please email extregistration@uga.edu.
Microsoft Forms
For simple registrations that require basic information, extension employees have access to Microsoft Forms, one of the tools within the Microsoft 365 suite. Microsoft Forms is pre-populated with templates for registration and signup forms . Microsoft provides a step-by-step guide for creating a form. Once your form is ready to use, you can post a descriptive link on your webpage. These forms are designed with accessibility in mind. However, Microsoft Forms should only be used in cases where non-sensitive information needs to be collected.
Use cases…
- Small one time events like volunteer signups for community activities
- Initial registration for an event or retreat, where you will be providing separate payment and release forms to interested parties once registered
- Quick scenarios where you need a headcount and contact information
- Note: Microsoft Forms should never be used as a payment processor or to collect sensitive information like medical history or medical forms. Never provide a section on your form to enter payment information like credit card numbers or check/banking information.
Best Practices
- You should never have clients input payment information like banking or credit card numbers via a webform like Microsoft Forms or Google Forms. Only use a secure payment processor to collect payments from clients.
- Certain legally binding documents, like release forms, require a signature. These can be made available on your website if you indicate that they are print only for signature. Review Linking to Documents under our Links resources.
- DocuSign is a safe and secure option to digitally collect signatures for legal documents that require a signature. Accounts are available for faculty and staff in CAES including Extension County offices. Once you have an initial list of registrants, you can forward them necessary forms to sign and maintain a record of important documents. Interested? See our article on using DocuSign to collect digital signatures to get started.
Need help determining if a webform is needed or what option would be best to deploy a registration on your site? Email caesweb@uga.edu for assistance.
