Frequently Asked Questions
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What are vTools?
“vTools” stands for “Volunteer Tools.” vTools simplify the administrative tasks to our volunteers via the use of online tools, reducing time spent managing activities, and assisting in member development.
vTools are sponsored by IEEE Membership and Geographic Activities (MGA), which serves the needs of IEEE members by supporting IEEE Regions, Councils, Areas, Sections, Chapters, Affinity Groups, Student Branches, Student Branch Chapters and HKN Chapters and is responsible for IEEE membership, and member development.
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Are vTools free?
Yes, vTools are free to use.
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Who can access vTools?
The current security model automatically allows use of the tools by any volunteer who appears in the Geographic Units section of the IEEE Corporate Roster. Volunteers can create meetings, administer WebInABox sites, run elections, etc. Visit the Automatic Access Information page for more detailed information on who can access the different vTools applications. Members, and in many cases, the general public can view meeting and event information, visit WebInABox sites, etc.
To verify who is listed on the Section roster please see this page (access is limited to current officers). Please note that IEEE now records more positions for Chapter and Affinity Group officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer. New officers can be reported here. In addition, Sections can now report a ‘vTools Coordinator’ position (see grade restrictions below).
Please note that according to the IEEE Bylaws all officers (with exception of Webmaster and Newsletter Editor) must be active IEEE members with Graduate Student Member, Member, Senior Member or Fellow grade. Chapter officers must also be members of the parent Society.
Volunteers should use their IEEE Account username and password to login. If you do not recall your IEEE Account information, you may go to: https://www.ieee.org/profile/public/forgotpassword/forgotUsernamePassword.html to recover your username and/or password.
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What is my vTools log in information?
Your vTools log in information is the same as your IEEE Account.
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How can I request training for vTools?
If you are new to vTools and would like to request a training session, please send an email to [email protected]. You can also check out the vTools Knowledgebase which may answer some of your questions.
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Where can I view vTools Tutorials?
Please see the vTools Tutorials page to find the answer to any questions you might have regarding the vTools applications.
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What is the Membership Validator?
IEEE Membership Validator is an online utility that allows volunteers and staff to easily and securely check IEEE member status, grade, and society memberships and offer discounts available exclusively to IEEE members. Information can be looked up by either a member number or a member’s primary email address and is automatically available for IEEE staff and volunteers with recorded roles.
In addition, a membership validation API is available for large conference registration systems that are approved by IEEE Meeting and Events Planning for cases where a programmatic integration with a custom registration system is required. Request the Membership Validator API
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Where can I access the Membership Validator?
Access the Membership Validator here: https://services20.ieee.org/membership-validator.html
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What information would I need to provide?
You would need to provide a member number or a primary email address. For example, 01234567 or [email protected]. Note that the member number must be 8 characters long including leading zeros.
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How do I request a Webex meeting?
Use this link to request a Webex meeting: https://vtools.ieee.org/webex-registration/
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For whom is Webex available to use?
Webex is available for use by MGA Board members, MGA Board Committees, Region, Council, Section, Chapter and Affinity Group ExCom Officers.
For Student Branch and Student Branch Chapter officers:
At this time, we do not have the capacity to set up WebEx meetings for Student Branches and Student Branch Chapters. However, we have been using Google Meet with great success and it comes with your IEEE.org email account. If you don’t have one, you can find out more at https://www.ieee.org/googleapps
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Can I include the Webex information in my vTools event?
Yes. In the “Location” section of the create event form, copy/paste the Webex link in the “Virtual & Registration Info” field.
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What alternatives are available besides Webex?
If you are unable to get your WebEx event started, you can use https://meet.google.com/ as a backup solution. Schedule your Google Meet in advance and include it in your invitation.
This is a great alternative and everyone with an ieee.org account has access to it.
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What tool does IEEE use to conduct surveys?
IEEE uses Survey Sparrow to conduct surveys.
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How do I request access to use surveys?
To request access to use surveys, complete the request form here: https://vtools.ieee.org/survey-access-request-form/