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Reports

July 06, 2015 10:16PM
I need advice on submitting my reports. I seem to be struggling to submit them on time especially when they are at 12 hour deadline. How do you submit your reports if you are out the whole day and have to submit 8+ reports and also work the next day? Is there a way to submit them on your cell phone; has anyone done that? Some of the companies offer an all day shops like a zoo trip of a amusement park. How can I stay awake and submit a report that takes 2-3 if you are quick. Any hints are appreciated. Thanks.
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More About Reports
July 06, 2015 10:20PM
I can't really offer you much advice. Perhaps you are taking on too much work. I've always submitted my reports on time without a problem.
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July 06, 2015 10:23PM
I make sure to do the reports in the order of how long the report window is, one with an 8 hour window is done before the one with the 24 hour window. I also used to be a reporter and am used to generating lengthy narrative on a tight deadline.

Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain
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July 06, 2015 10:34PM
When I'm scheduling myself, I build in time to do the reports in my daily schedule. I do, sometimes, use my phone to upload photos to my reports or answer short questions, but I find that trying to write anything detailed is difficult on the phone, so I wait to do that when I get home. I also complete my reports in the order that they are due, as opposed to the order that I did the shop. Since some reports must be completed in 12 hours, some by midnight the same day, some within 24 hours, and so on, I know which ones I have a little more room to "put off" than others.

Also, when I'm scheduling shops, I have a pretty good idea of which ones are going to be simple multiple choice and which will need more detailed narratives. Then, I try to not book myself with a day full of long, complicated reports to write. As you do them, this will be second nature to you too, I'm sure.

I keep a day-planner, where I list every shop I have to do that day, along with the MSC I'm doing the shop for. Then, I make a check-mark when the shop is done and another when the report is done. This way I know what needs to be completed and which reports I have left.

The trick is really to be organized in whatever way works for you and systematically knock them out.

Good Luck!
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July 06, 2015 10:40PM
If you take on too many, of course you are going to have hell to pay trying to get them all in ...without spending all night in front of your computer. What I do: I schedule as I grab jobs and put them nearest each other on the board. (like 4 on one street as an example) or 4 near each other within 5 miles etc. ..I make sure I allow time to get to each one, perform the shop, get home and put them all in on time. I never had a problem getting them in very early (that's my nature) but there is no way I would take so many that I knew I would never get them all in.
When you do this over a period of time (assuming some are late submits) you hurt yourself and your scheduler will be reluctant to give you more shops because you might be known as "the shoppers who gets them in under the wire or mostly 12 hours, or worse, the late shopper.
Slow down. You don't need 8 until you have built up your experience. I do 5 and that is enough. 4-5 is perfect for me. No more or I stress!
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July 07, 2015 12:16AM
When I first started in this biz, I used to submit my reports in chronological order of how I performed them. I quickly learned that was not the best system and switched to the "submit in order of deadline" system.

Staying on top of reports really starts before you even accept the shops. When you are scheduling, keep the deadline time frames in mind and mix them up if you are doing several shops in one day. I usually bring my laptop and tablet with me so if/when I get a break, I will work on editing photos and/or submitting reports. I am also a creature of the night so staying up late to work on reports is not big deal to me.
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July 07, 2015 03:13AM
when i did amusement advantage...they allowed you to submit the next day but gave a small bonus to submit that night....

you may need to cut back on shops if you can't get reports done...

but some companies will say something like midnight deadline, but really mean midnight is a warning time....and your really don't need to get it in until 6am.

i saw one recently that said submit within 8 hours....so if you do the shop at 10am....and continue to do other shops through 6pm...you can't get it in on time...it makes no sense to have that time limit...

unless the shop pays a lot it is not worth it to lug my laptop and find someplace to get online....in the past I have tethered my cell phone and used that data...but it doesn't do secure websites without a premium plan that I am not about to pay for....and i just don't trust free wifi security.
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July 07, 2015 03:21AM
You may be taking on too many shops or spending too much time on each report. If it's possible to scale back your narratives or comments, try doing so.
I report in order of reporting deadline, modified by knowing which MSC's just send a nasty message when the deadline is past, vs. which ones deduct points, vs. which ones reduce pay or don't pay. Many times and for many reasons I am faced with deciding which reports to file late. Knowing the actual consequences is critical.
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