Using the Exchanges feature, organizations can offer their members, staff, constituents, etc. the opportunity to operate public or private exchanges for the purpose of selling products, promoting jobs, posting resumes, and other sharing networks. Once an exchange is set up, visitors can access it from the website home page. Exchanges are highly customizable so it is difficult to demonstrate all the possibilities in the document you are reading. So, we’ll demonstrate the general possibilities.

 

Exchanges typically have two levels of security: that which is accessible to the public for browsing and searching an exchange; and that which is accessible to a private group for adding and updating items to an exchange.  For example, a Job Exchange might allow all visitors (the public) to search for jobs while only allowing member employers (private group) to post jobs. Furthermore, an Art for Sale exchange might allow all visitors (the public) to search for Art while only allowing members (private group) to post art for sale.

 

 

Visitors clicking on the public link are presented with the Exchange Search page. By entering criteria into the fields, visitors narrow the list of items that will be presented. Clicking on the  button executes a search for matching items.

 

Search results are displayed in the Exchange Listings window. The visitor can view more details by clicking on an item’s title.

Visitors can be provided with images as well as descriptive text. Unlike the Products Catalog feature which allows online purchases from the organization through the website, Exchanges simply provides the visitor with a way to contact the individual that submitted the listing to an exchange.  Clicking on the Reply button executes an email to the individual that submitted the listing.

 

 

One of the features that can be enabled for Exchanges is a Confidential Listing option.  When a listing is made confidential, the listing’s contact information is hidden from visitors and replies are sent via PORTALPRODIGY.  This maintains the confidentiality of the listing contact’s email address.  PORTALPRODIGY acts as an intermediary, so the replying party does not need to know the other parties email address.

 

 

When the Confidential option is disabled, replies are sent via the visitors email browser.  The following is an example of what a visitor will experience when they use Outlook Express:

 

 

The To: and Subject: of the email are automatically filled in.  The visitor then types their message in the body of the email and may optionally attach files.

 

Authorized visitors can add and update the exchanges. Visitors clicking on the private link, for example  are first asked to login.

 

 

The authorized visitor is presented with an Exchange Listing page which lists ONLY the active listings input by their login in the past. The visitor can click on a listing title in order to update a listing or click on  button to add a new listing.

 

A special feature for System Administrators displays the button only on their display. This allows Administrators to enter and update listings for a user other than themselves. This feature helps make member and customer support easier.

 

 

Descriptive data is typed into the appropriate fields and images may be imported from the visitor’s local computer or network.

 

The organization can even setup exchanges which charge for listings. For example, a Job exchange could allow job hunters to search the listings for free but charge employers to list jobs. In such a case, Administration presets pricing for the exchange and acceptable payment options such as online payment. When the visitor enters a job listing, they are presented with the payment option which states the fee amount and requests a credit card type choice.

 

The visitor is presented with the credit card payment input window where they can enter their credit card information and submit it.

 

Their listing is confirmed