Electronic Application Form Guidance Notes

These notes are intended for museum personnel making applications through the separately-hosted Accreditation online application form. Those who wish to apply for Accreditation should contact their Assessing Organisation in the first instance. the Assessing Organisation will be able to provide access to the online form to which these notes refer.

These guidance notes cover the following subjects:

1. About the Electronic Application Form
2. Before you start using the Application Form
3. Moving around the form and saving your work
4. Answering the questions
5. Finishing and submitting your form
6. Multiple applications
7. What to do if a problem arises
8. What happens to your application when you have completed it

1. About the Electronic Application Form

1.1 The Electronic Application Form is presented as a secure web page. In order to fill it in, you must be connected to the Internet. You do not need to be connected while reading these guidance notes or preparing to fill your form in. Users on dial-up systems should plan their work in order to limit their connection time. You will need an email address to save your work. If you do not already have one, we recommend that you obtain one from a 'webmail' service such as Yahoo! or MSN Hotmail.

1.2 The questions in the form will ask you to respond in a variety of ways.

• Free text boxes - These boxes ask you to supply a specific piece of information, such as the name of the museum, its post code, or its telephone number.
• Drop-down menus - These lists sometimes offer a choice between Yes and No, and sometimes selecting from a longer list of options.
• Tick boxes - a few questions have simple tick boxes. Click in the box to tick if this is applicable. If you wish to empty the box, simply click again. (Depending on your Internet software, a cross may appear instead of a tick - this is normal.)

1.3 The form is divided for convenience into pages, which are longer than the screen, so you will need to scroll down to reach the end of the page. The pages are:

1. Contact Details
2. Section 1 of the Standard: Governance and Museum Management (Questions 1.1-1.3)
3. Section 1 of the Standard: Governance and Museum Management (Questions 1.4-1.12)
4. Section 2 of the Standard: User Services (Questions 2.1 - 2.3)
5. Section 2 of the Standard: User Services (Questions 2.4 - 2.8)
6. Section 3 of the Standard: Visitor Facilities
7. Section 4 of the Standard: Collections Management (Questions 4.1 - 4.4)
8. Section 4 of the Standard: Collections Management (Questions 4.5 - 4.9)
9. Formal Declarations and uploading documents

1.4 The numbering of the questions matches the Requirements in the Accreditation Standard e.g. 2.5, 4.1. Within that, however, the questions are broken down into parts as 2.1.A, 2.1.B, 2.1.C.

1.5 There are two passwords associated with your application. The Initial Password will have been emailed to you by your Assessing Organisation along with the web address which gives access to the form. You will also choose an Individual Password, as described in 3.3 below, when you first save your work. This password, along with a second web address which will be emailed to you automatically, enables you to continue with an application you have already started.

1.6 When you save your work, it is not saved on your own computer, but on a central server. This will enable you to work on your application from any computer with an Internet connection.

2. Before you start using the Application Form

2.1 Study the Accreditation Standard. You should also draft your application before starting to fill the form in online. Printing off a blank version of the form will help you with this drafting process:

• A sample of the paper-based version of the Application Form in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format is available for download from the MLA website (PDF 462KB) , and may be printed off and filled in by hand. This version is laid out differently to the online form, but covers the same information under the same question numbers and sub-headings.
• Alternatively, print each section of the online form, and write on the print-outs before starting to type your answers.

You do not need to have the online form open while working on your paper draft. Ensure that you have the draft and all the supporting documentation to hand before you start to fill in the electronic form.

2.2 Your Assessing Organisation will have sent you the URL (World Wide Web address) and Initial Password in your introductory letter or by e-mail. Be sure to retain this information. Copy the URL into your web browser software, or simply click on the link if your Assessing Organisation has emailed you one. This will take you to a screen which will prompt you for your Initial Password. When you enter it, you will gain access to the electronic application form. (It is likely that you have already completed this stage. However, it is important to retain the details sent by the Assessing Organisation.)

3. Moving around the form and saving your work

3.1 At the foot of each page, except for the final page, is a button labelled 'Next'. Clicking this button will take you to the next page of the form. You may also navigate between pages by clicking the numbered links at the top of each page.

3.2 At the foot of each page there is also a button labelled 'Save & Finish Later'. This button enables you to save your work, and to create an Individual Password if you have not already done so. When you click on this button, a screen will appear entitled 'Account Login', saying 'Please sign in'.

3.3 If this is your first application , select 'I am a new online applicant'. Enter your e-mail address, but no password, and click 'Continue'. A screen entitled 'Account Creation' will appear. You will be asked to select a password. This will be your Individual Password. We strongly recommend that you choose an Individual Password which is not otherwise associated with the e-mail address. When you have made your choice, click 'Create Account'.

The system will send an e-mail to your chosen address after a few minutes. Please retain this e-mail, as it contains the web address you will need to return to your form. Make a careful note of your chosen Individual Password, and store it safely, as you will need it to continue your application later, and to make other applications with the same e-mail address. If you lose your password, it is possible to replace it using the 'Forgot your password?' link on the 'Account Login' screen. Do not attempt to bookmark the form or any of its pages directly, as the URLs used contain session IDs which can change, leaving the bookmark useless. If your web browser allows you, you may create a new bookmark by copying the URL from the email in question.

Once you have chosen an Individual Password, the 'My Account' screen should appear, as described in 3.4 below.

3.4 If you have already created an Individual Password , you should enter your e-mail address and the Individual Password on the 'Account Login' screen, select 'I am a returning online applicant', and click 'Continue'. This will bring you to the 'My Account' screen, where you can see applications that are open, and that you have submitted. You can also use this screen to change your account details if necessary. Even if you use another computer to continue your work, you should always use the e-mail address you originally used when saving. The e-mail address serves as your user name.

3.5 It is wise to save your work often to avoid losing data in the event of any difficulties such as power failure or the loss of your network connection.

3.6 The final page of the form has a button entitled 'Review and Submit' in place of 'Next'. This button is only used when you have completed your application, as described in section 5 below.

4. Answering the questions

4.1 Essential fields  - A number of fields are marked as essential by a red star beside them. If you miss out any of these mandatory fields, you will be prompted by the system when you try to submit the form. You will only be able to submit the form when you have filled in all the mandatory fields. However, be sure that you have answered all the questions which apply to your museum, and not only those which have been marked with a star.

4.2 Free text boxes  - Unless the form states otherwise, it should not be necessary to refer to external documents at these points, or to quote extensively from them. Please ensure that your free text answers are brief, while addressing the appropriate points.

4.2 Drop downs - A drop-down menu which is mandatory (see part 4.1, above) will show 'Select One' if nothing has yet been chosen from it. You must choose before finally submitting your form. Other drop-down menus from which no option has been chosen show ' ' . If no option listed applies to your museum, or you have already chosen all the applicable options from other, identical menus in the same question, you may leave these as they are.

Often, a question will offer several identical menus, so that where several of the options apply, you can select them all. If some options do not apply, simply leave the remaining menus unchanged. If a menu includes an 'Other' option, it will be followed by a free text box in which you can provide a brief appropriate description.

4.3 Region/Country - The first page of the form asks you to confirm, in a drop-down menu, which area your museum is located in. If you find that the correct region/country is not listed, you should contact your Assessing Organisation.

4.4 Dates  - the system requires that every date is specified by month and day as well as by year. The Accreditation Standard, however, sometimes only requires the year, such as 'year of completion' in question 4.4. In such cases, we recommend that you enter the last day of the year. For example, if the year in question were 2010, the date fields should show 'December 31 2010'. The 'year' fields only go up to 2030. In the event of a later date being needed, please leave the drop-downs as 'Day', 'Month' and 'Year', and enter the date in an appropriate free text field.

4.5 Numeric answers - certain questions require numbers, e.g. for percentages or numbers of years. These numbers must be integers (whole numbers), without any letters or punctuation. Notes on the form which suggest you can enter '0.5' years for 6 months are incorrect and should be ignored. The incorrect notes will be removed shortly.

4.6 Attachments - at various points the form will ask you, by means of a drop-down menu, to indicate how you are submitting supporting documents. Please make sure that you submit all the documents you indicate.

The final page of the form allows you to attach electronic documents, so that they are sent directly when you submit the form. A drop-down menu on the last page lets you choose which question each document is associated with.

Documents longer than two pages should carry an indication of which pages or paragraphs are relevant to the application.

If a document relates to more than one question, please ensure that each document states clearly on it which question(s) it relates to, but do not enclose more than one copy of the same thing. Similarly, if a document relates to several applications from one service (see 6.4, below), it need only be included with one application, but should carry a note stating clearly which applications it applies to. Documents which do not exist as electronic files may be copied and posted separately, along with the Declaration (see part 5, below).

5. Finishing and submitting your form

5.1 When you have finished filling in the form to your satisfaction, you will have an opportunity to review it as a continuous document before submitting. In order to do so, and then to submit your application, click on the 'Review & Submit' button on the final page of the form. You will also be warned if you have not completed any of the mandatory parts of the form. The following checklist should help you to make certain your application is complete.

• Declaration statements - Until such time as electronic signatures are more widely used, we will continue to require an ink-on-paper Declaration that all relevant legal, safety and planning requirements are complied with, made by someone who is authorised to take such a responsibility on behalf of the governing body. The same applies to the Curatorial Adviser's Declaration. Please ensure that these Declarations are signed and sent in to the Assessing Organisation when you submit your form. Electronic copies of both Declarations may have been emailed to you by your Assessing Organisation along with your introductory letter, and are also available to be downloaded from the MLA website .
• Attach electronic supporting documents . This process is described in detail at 4.6 above. Before submitting your form, be sure that you have attached every document you need. Each question on the form which asks you how you are submitting evidence must be answered correctly, and each document must indicate which question(s) it relates to.
• Print a file copy. View the Printer Friendly Version of the form by using the appropriate link at the top of any page, and print off a hard copy for your own records. It is not necessary to print the form or accompanying documents in colour. We advise you to print a black and white copy of the 'Printer Friendly Version' of the completed form before submission and keep this for your records.
• Double-check your application. The system will not allow you to return and edit the form once you have submitted it, so make certain at this point that your application says all that you want it to say. Click 'Review & Submit' to see your application as one continuous document, with any errors highlighted in red. If any errors appear, it is important to resolve them before continuing or returning to other areas of your application.
• Submit the form by clicking the 'Submit' button at the very end of the 'Review' copy of the form. You will be sent an e-mail confirming this, and giving you an identification number for your application. Please retain this number, as it may be needed later.
• Send in printed documents. Collect copies of any supporting documents which are in paper form. You should annotate them to indicate which question they relate to, and which pages or paragraphs are relevant. Then post them to your Assessing Organisation along with the printed Declaration signed by the appropriate person. A covering statement should list what documents are enclosed, and you are advised to label each one with your museum name if they are extracted from longer papers.

6. Multiple applications

6.1 If you are applying on behalf of several museums, please note that you must complete a separate form for each site. Forms with sections left blank or containing only references to other forms will not be accepted. We require this so as to be absolutely sure the correct information is included, and because the information is automatically fed into a database which holds specific data about each site.

6.2 Creating and accessing the form for each museum  - When you start each museum's application, begin by using the original web address and Initial Password supplied to you by the Assessing Organisation. Fill the form in as a new application, as described in parts 2 to 4 above. When you come to save it, use the same email address and Individual Password for each one. The automated email confirming your Individual Password contains a web link which gives access to the 'Account Login' screen, as described in 3.3 and 3.4 above. When you use this link and your Individual Password, you will be presented with a list of applications on the 'My Account' screen. They will all appear with the same name, as each will be based on the same Assessing Organisation's form. This is a fixed feature of the underlying software system. Your applications may be told apart by means of the dates in the right-hand column, or by clicking their links and then pressing 'Save & Finish Later' to return to the 'My Account' screen.

6.3 Preparing common answers  - Often, museums which are members of a group will have the same answers to corresponding questions on the form. We advise you first to type the answers which are common to all of them into a document in Word or another word processor or text editor, and then copy it across to each form in turn. Your word processor and web software should have 'copy' and 'paste' features to support this.

6.4 Common documents - You do not need to submit electronic documents more than once. Simply attach them to the first application form in the group, and state clearly on each document which applications it relates to.

7. What to do if a problem arises

7.1 If you have a problem when filling in your form, the first thing you should do is to read through this document again. We have tried to cover as many aspects of using the form as possible here, and the answer you need may already be included.

7.2 If you have difficulty connecting to the internet or accessing the pages giving access to the form, it may be that there is a local system problem. It is worth while to check your system settings, and to consult with your system administrator where appropriate.

7.3 If you are still unable to resolve the problem, contact your Assessing Organisation. They should be able to offer access to advice and assistance, and to help you carry on with your application. The Assessor may not be able to answer technical questions immediately, but will be able to pass them on to someone who can assist you.

8. What happens to your application when you have completed it

8.1 Your Assessing Organisation will check that your application is complete and that all associated evidence (both electronic and paper) has been received. You may be contacted by the Assessing Organisation for clarification or further information. The Assessing Organisation will assess the application, make a recommendation on it and then forward the application to MLA for a decision by an Accreditation Panel.

8.2 An Accreditation Panel (comprising members of the Accreditation Committee) is held monthly to take decisions on Accreditation applications. Representatives of the relevant Assessing Organisations are present when applications from their areas are assessed. The Accreditation Panels consider each application and will decide whether a museum attains:

• Full Accreditation meaning that the museum satisfies all the Accreditation criteria;
  or
• Provisional Accreditation meaning that the museum is unable to meet all the Accreditation criteria immediately, but has demonstrated a willingness and intention to work towards achieving what is required within an agreed timescale.

8.3 Your Assessing Organisation will inform you of the result of your application. If you have been awarded Full Accreditation, MLA will send you your Accreditation Certificate and a publicity pack to assist you in promoting your achievement.