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Connect with ACA

CONNECT
Creating a Community
Joining a Community
Subscriptions
Find a Member
Find a Visiting Advisor Host
Be a Visiting Advisor Host
Adding a Contact

Ribbons & Points


Creating a Community

You can create a community from many places within the Online Community. Just look for the Create a New Community link and the green plus sign. 

The Create a New Community links are located in: 
  • My Communities
  • Find a Community
  • Committees & Volunteer Groups
  • Ad Hoc Volunteers
  • Study Groups & User Groups
Step 1. Click on the Create a New Community link
Step 2. Create your community  
 
  • Enter the name of your community.
  • Use the drop down menu to select the type of community.
  • Enter a brief description of the group's makeup or purpose.
  • Indicate who can join your community:
  • Invitation Only
  • ACAPlanners Members - Members, Members' Staff and ACA Support
  • Authenticated - currently this is the same as ACAPlanners Members
  • My Contacts - your contacts within the Online Community 
  • Indicate who can view your community
  • Invitation Only
  • ACAPlanners Members - Members, Members' Staff and ACA Support
  • Authenticated - currently this is the same as ACAPlanners Members
  • My Contacts - your contacts within the Online Community  
  • Public - anyone can join your group
  • Indicate if you wish to create an eGroup for discussions and/or a library for file storage for your group. 



    • Step 3. Finish OR Save and Invite Members
    Finish allows others to decide to join your community on their own. 

    To save and invite others: 
    • Enter your invitation message or use the default message created.  
    • Select any of your contacts you wish to invite to the community. 
    • Search for additional members you wish to invite, that may not already be in your contact list. 
    • Click on those members you wish to invite. 
    • You can repeat your search until you have added all the members you want to add to your community. 
    • Click "Add Selected to Invite List".
    • When your list is complete click "Invite".

    Joining a Community

    In order to join a community go the the Directory tab and either Find a Community or go to a listing of communities.

    Click on the name of the community you wish to join. 
    		  
    Click on the Join Community button. 
    		  
    Click Yes to verify that you want to join. 
    		  
    Set up your email preferences.

    You may leave a group at any time you may click on "Leave Community" and confirm by clicking OK. 

    Subscriptions

    In order to be able to post to a Discussion Forum you must first subscribe to the forum. To do this go to "My Subscriptions" under the Discussions tab. This will provide you with a list of communities you may subscribe to. You will then select the frequency at which you receive email notifications. The options are:
    • Real time - You receive the email as the items are posted to the forum. 
    • Daily Digest - Each morning you receive a listing of the postings made the day before. 
    • Legacy - Sends you a real time text only version which allows you to use the Reply and Reply All options in email to respond to the posting. 
    • No Emails - Allows you to post to the forum, but you check the postings on your own through the Online Community   
    Once you have selected your subscription options click Save.

    Find a Member

    Under the Directory tab are the Find an Advisor and Find a Colleague areas. 

    Find an Advisor is the public search tool. You can search for advisors that serve clients in specific states or by all or part of the advisor's name.

    Find a Colleague Advanced Search for a more in depth search of ACA members, members' staff and ACA staff. You can search based on a number of practice profile items as well as personal interests.

    To access a list of all ACA members, enter the percent symbol (%) in the Last Name field.

    Find a Visiting Advisor Host

    Under the Directory tab is the Find a Visiting Advisor Host.


    Select the months you wish to visit.


    Click Find Hosts for a list of advisors available.


    Be sure to download the additional information you need to prepare for your visit.

    Be a Visiting Advisor Host


    On your profile select the Visiting Advisor Host tab.


    You may indicate which months and days of the week you wish to host by clicking Edit below the category.  


    Make your selection, then click Save.


    There is additional information on being a Visiting Advisor Host HERE. 

    Adding a Contact
    Following an advisor search you can add a contact.

    Click the "Add ___ as contact" link.

    Verify that you want to add the person selected as a contact by clicking "Send".

    The contact will receive an email giving them the options to accept or decline your request.

    Having contacts allows you to further customize your profile and add members to your groups more quickly.     		  

    Ribbons & Points 

    On your profile you may see ribbons indicating areas within ACA where you active.  

    Some ribbons relate to when members volunteer. You may see Instructor, Mentor, Financial Focus Author among others.

    Ribbons also represent membership on the board or a committee.  

    "Valuable Member" ribbons are awarded based on points earned reflecting online community involvement. These do not reflect your overall contribution to ACA. 
     

    A Top Contributor ribbon is placed on a profile each time a certain point value is reached:

    • Bronze Most Valuable Member - above [999] points and less than [2000] points

    • Silver Most Valuable Member - above [1999] points and less than [4000] points

    • Gold Most Valuable Member - above [3999] points and less than [6000] points

    • Platinum Most Valuable Member - above [5999] points 

    		  



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