Updating Multiple Meetings at Once

Hi Scott,

It is and it is not…
First issue: the development team, as far as I am aware, has not yet tackle the fact that the Export Meetings feature contains the same information as the Import Meetings.
Second issue: WordPress does not offer batch modifications (i would truly LOVE to see that as a feature)
I would suggest you wait and see if the development team can help you with this.

If you rely on just WordPress and the plugin for your data management, it might become a painful exercise for you.

But… here is something to consider in future: have an off-website repository in which you maintain the details about groups and meetings and do it in a tool that allows for the automatic creation of a csv.export file that the plugin can handle in its import.

My area (Al-Anon) has over 300 groups/meetings and I can update the lot within 10 minutes thanks to the import feature.
I maintain all data in a custom-built solution (this happens to be my daily job, so the choice was easy, keeping in mind that I do not want to depend on WordPress or plug-ins for my core group/meeting data). I use Claris FileMaker.

It’s not as if I never make small changes on the website manually in WordPress: I do. But if I have to make more than a few adjustments, I prefer to do it as a batch, so I understand where you are coming from for your website.

If you do not have knowledge or access to a custom solution, you could make a one time effort to capture website details in an Excel worksheet and then convert that into an ‘importable’ format for the plugin. The steps I take when I do a complete refresh would be scary if I did not have the independent solution because it requires deletion of all existing details and then a new import.

If you are AA, the team might not like you doing it this way, because the plugin website is synced with their accompanying meeting app, but in Al-Anon we do not have that app so there is no reason for me not to do a refresh like that.

If you feel like putting in the work, maybe starting from the export is a good first step, no pun intended ??

The export can be opened in Excel and you can then use that to add missing information.
The format of the import csv I use has the following columns:

Time,Day,Name,Notes,Location,Address,Region,Location Notes,Group,District,Group Notes,Types,Conference_URL

The change you are looking to make needs to be done in the ‘types’ column.

There is a bit more to it than the above, but feel free to contact me if you want more background.

This is just how I do it, others might have their own routines.

Best,
Nicky

On the opening edit page for the Meeting Guide plug-in over on the side of the menu bar is a pop-up option labeled “Bulk Actions”.
There is a choice for “Add Temporary Closure” and one to “Remove Temporary Closure”.
Will add or clear to entire list in one shot.
Hope this helps.
Cory

Hi Cory.
the issue with this is: how do you build your found set? As far as I know, the WordPress interface only allows for one type of search at the time. So using the function you are describing would require me to go to the full list and then tick the selection box for the meetings that have gone online or closed. It is just not very practical.

I would love to have an advanced search option so I can build a found set and then use this option.

Too much work right now with over 300 meetings, 175 closed and 80 online. When those closed meetings re-open (and they are scattered throughout the 30 districts in my area) I’d have to tick them all manually to include them in this option.

It will work find in a District with 30 some meetings but in bigger areas it just is not practical.

To make my life a bit easier I have renamed all online meetings so I can find them in one search and same with the closed ones. But I think I will keep using the re-import from my database.

I don’t blame the plugin for this complication: it’s just part of WordPress. It may be a content management system, but until it allows us to do more advanced batch actions, I am happy with my choice to manage data off-website and use the import functionality of the plugin – which makes it into an awesome tool for me.

Just my five cents…

Nicky

@scottvanwa2, @niaawebmaster is correct. We added the ability to bulk set/unset TC which should make things easier for admins.

If you need more help, please let me know.