Hi fellow Rangers!
 
I just got the latest Filemaker Pro 5.5 developers edition.  Cost was $550.00 smackers..ouch!
I busted my piggy bank so to speak and sent off fer it.  I know it is not like a North Face Tent or a fancy new table saw...but hey it was time to update the Ranger Database to the latest and greatest! 
 
The last version I released was in march of this year.  Since that time I have put in a lot more that makes keeping up a RR outpost a lot easier. 
 
Enhancements:
Calendar:         2002, 2003, 2004 (District, Outpost) plus bitmap calendar with text sections to keep track.
Contact Book: to track your family and or RR contacts other than your outpost.
District Email Picture book  contact database.
District Forms Database. Sectional, Leaders, Outpost, Outpost SA/BR Award Evaluation Sheets (So. MO)
Advancements: Track all your outpost advancements with order form and GPH Lookup Database it even   calculates prices.
Outings: Track all your Rangers outings easily.  Most fields pre populate..track a bunch guys in just a few minutes.
Permission Slips Database: Yup not only has permission slip, includes related, shopping list, menu, activity list, check off list and balance sheet (that calculates the figures) quick and easy and relational.  Looks up your Rangers information and puts it all together.
 
These items I just mentioned are just a few of the enhancements.
 
You can still track every Ranger in your outpost.  All ranger info is kept track of.
 
I have been a Sr. Commander for 9 years.  Sectional Commander now for 2 years.  Area Commander about one month and outpost commander for 8 months or so and a Lt. commander for a year or so also had Straight Arrows, Pioneers and Trailblazers.  Our outpost has been averaging 30 outpost events each year so most of the Ranger Database has that experience in it. 
 
The Ranger Database is compiled using Filemaker Pro.  A graphical database that allows Desktop publishing as well.  The neatest part is I compile a FREE runtime program that is royalty free for you to use and or give away.  If you don't like my format or want to change a layout buy Filemaker Pro  for about a 150.00 smackers and change what I have given you to use.  Either way  it prints out most every form you could imagine or at least everyone that I use. 
 
The best part is the Ranger Database is free for download.  If you want all of my templates, meeting plans, permission slips so you can just edit them and other extras that make the database handy I can mail you a Cd that auto installs on most Win95 and up systems.  The download version is just enough to get your Outpost up and running still at 14 meg it takes a while to download.
 
Future Program.  Yes as soon as National Office releases materials I will quickly get up to speed and provide a free download with updates to the new program in it. 
 
This database is as easy as pouring water into a bowl.  You can pour your old data right into this new database. Any format that I know of will import easily into this database.  So if your tracking your rangers using excel or Dbase or a comma delimited database simply export your data and import it right into the correct RR database. 
 
Am I in this for money?  No.  I am a phoneman for SBC now almost 23 years.  I am the guy they send out if your Residence-Business, T-1, DS1, DSL, T-3 or anything in between is broken.  That is what God has given me to put food on my table and live.  If I want to make money I can just work overtime as far as I am concerned 1 hour of overtime is tooooo much.  I live on what God has given me and my family to live on.  We are blessed indeed.   So I ask $7.00 to cover the cost of the CD. It takes time to burn them off and mail them out but some want the extras so that is available. 
 
National Office maybe releasing something similar as I told them it was ok with me if they used any part of my templates.  I do know that Filemaker INC gave them a complimentary copy of the authoring software. 
 
One thing I do want you to know is I hope this software will make keeping track of your Rangers fun and professional. 
 
As always. If you have a report that you would like to see.  Email me. If its a good idea I can put it in there.
The CD version will soon have mpeg movies that show how to do things in the database.  It now has autorun feature as well 
 
Well if you can't tell I am excited about this new version.  I understand it will allow me to put mpeg movies in the database as well. 
 
A few stats on our outpost only takes seconds!!!!
 
71 Active Rangers
453 people on outings
9108.25 hours of outings (besides wed night meetings)
I went on 30 outings with 495 hours so far this year!!!
119 people in meetings
290.5 hours in meetings
I went to 24 meetings with 64.75 hours attended at them.
Meetings:
 Challengers Meeting
  Spfd N. S. Staff Meeting
  SW Div. Staff Meeting
  Outpost Leaders Meeting
  PW Track update
  LTC sunday School Class
  Commanders Conference
  LTC Tuesday Night LTC Cla
  Work Day for Float
  Work Night for Float
 
Outings:
PW Derby Car Crafting Lock in
Bat Cave Recon Trip
The Bat Cave Campout
Mileage Report
PW Derby Craft Day
PW Sectional Setup at Praise
Sectional Pinewood Derby Race
Spfd N and S Sections ROY
SW Div. Pinewood Derby Setup
SW Div. Pinewood Derby Race
Arkansas campout and Day hike
Timber Trip for LTC Campout and Lashing
Coopers Farm Spring Bash Campout
LTC Campout
Dist. Pow Wow Work Week Campout
FCF Spring Outing
Pow Wow Work Night
Pow Wow Work Day
Pow Wow So. MO District
Caving Trip to Arkansan
Buffalo Back Pack Outing
TubeORama
Between Churches Swim at Linden
Between Churches Tubeorama and Clift jump
SA/BR Day Camp
SW Div Pow Wow at Coopers Farm
Evangel Temple Fun Fair
Nick Carris Log Cabin Visit
Hercules Glades Backpack
Christmas Parade
Springfield North and South Advancement Lockin
16 merits given out plus another 18 earned last weekend(commanders haven't turned in for them yet)
32 Rank Advancements including Leaders Awards, LTC etc.
83 Uniform Items totaling $1200.57
 
I pulled reports of the above with out tallying any of it in less than 5 minutes.
 
Any of the above outings or any of the Rangers or leaders can have a report pulled that tells them exactly what they did in this year, last year, year before last...ect.  I track it as I go.  Some weeks can go by without alot of input.  Other days it can take some time.  Best part is at Evaluation time.  Boom you got the data.
 
 
Besides all that!  5 boys saved this year in our outpost!  Many more reached!
Good news  Jesus is coming!!!!
 
Mark Jones
p.s. I do this to encourage you to track your rangers. 
I haven't uploaded the update yet.  Will take a few to get it there.  March 2001 version is available.
 

Mark Jones, Ozark MO, [EMAIL PROTECTED]  Download a Free Royal Ranger Database visit my website at: http://home1.gte.net/mjones02/index.html

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