Based on my experience, there are a number of things that you should plan on having on hand in order to competently entry clerk a cat show. This includes:
- Computer with monitor, keyboard and DOT-MATRIX printer
- Entry clerking software such as CompuShow
- Stamps for mailing confirmations and requests for flyers
- Envelopes
- Maps for including in confirmation or on flyer
- Extra copies of flyers - one must be included in each confirmation
- Fax machine or fax board in computer - not a necessity but highly recommended
- Copy of the current CFA Show Rules
- Labels for first mass mailing of flyers
- Binder(s) for filing entries
- 3-hole punch
- At LEAST one extra printer ribbon, preferably two
- 3 part NCR paper for Judges books (supplied by CFA)
- 2 part NCR paper for Master Clerk catalog (3 part supplied by CFA upon request)
- PATIENCE and A SENSE OF HUMOR!
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You will need to install the entry clerking software and set up the specific details for your show. You will need to enter judges, ring types, fees, club name, entry clerk info, and show specifics. My experience has shown me it is extremely important for the person setting the fees for each show to understand how the entry clerking software works. If fees are set that the program cannot handle, the Entry Clerk's job becomes a nightmare. Often too many discounts are a problem as is making a For Sale price different than that of an Exhibition Only cat.
The next thing the Entry Clerk is usually tasked with is to mail out the show flyers to potential exhibitors. This is generally done no later than 3 months before the show. You will need copies of the show announcement, mailing labels of local exhibitors, CFA entry blanks, stamps, and at least one stapler - I couldn't have survived without a power stapler! The entry clerking software generally has a master database of exhibitors. This database can be sorted by state or zip code so you can narrow down how many labels to print.
Our club will generally bring all the items to a club meeting about 4 months prior to the show and we all work together to fold, staple and stamp. A good tip is to make sure the Entry Clerk's return address is printed when the flyers are copied so an additional return address label does not need to be placed on each flyer. Our club usually sends out approximately 400 to 500 flyers before a show. This does not include the extra requests that come in by phone.
It is likely you will receive a number of returned flyers that no longer have an accurate address. It is important to change the information on that exhibitor in the master database so it is ready for the next mailing.
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If I can make one suggestion that I feel is the most important it would be that an Entry Clerk work on entries every day that they come in. This is especially important if you are entry clerking and are also employed outside your home. You should also make time to print confirmations each day. After printing the confirmations you will need to include a copy of the show flyer, fold, staple and stamp. There is a CFA show rule that requires an entry to be confirmed within 15 days of receipt. If an Entry Clerk is diligent about entering daily and mailing confirmations daily, exhibitors should receive their confirmations long before the 15 days pass.
When an entry is received, the first thing an Entry Clerk should do is proof the entry. You will probably be amazed at how many things people will do wrong with their entry! Most importantly, check the color class number. Many exhibitors do not know their color class number so they either put down a wrong number, or leave it blank. This field must be entered in the entry clerking software. Entry Clerks can get the correct color classes out of the CFA Show Rules, Article XXXI.
Another thing to check for is that the entry is readable and you have all the information necessary to enter it in the computer. If not, you will need to call the exhibitor to get the information clarified. Most Entry Clerks feels it is their right to call collect to check on any missing or incorrect information.
One of the things you will quickly learn is that your phone will constantly ring if you are entry clerking a show. People will call for the darndest reasons! I try hard to be polite and informative whenever possible. At times this requires a great deal of patience and most people are pretty easy to please. Our club chooses to make a fax available for entries but we do not make it available until about 2 weeks before the closing date. Anyone looking to enter the show before then will certainly have ample time to mail their entry. Remember, when an entry is faxed the money is not received with the entry so I try to find ways to discourage faxing entries unless it is the last minute. You will also find some people will send entries without checks and enclose a note that they will pay at the door. I've also had some people send entries with checks that they ask you to hold for a couple of weeks. Whether to allow these sort of things are up to the discretion of the club but should not be encouraged.
The club should discuss how they would like the Entry Clerk to handle the incoming checks. I would recommend the club Treasurer give deposit slips from the club account to the Entry Clerk so he/she can make weekly (at the least) deposits into the club account. In the past, I've worked with groups that had the Entry Clerk mail the checks to the Treasurer for deposit but I feel sending large amounts of money through the mail is risky. If an envelope were to be lost, the club could stand a significant loss. Most people live in an area where a branch of the bank the club uses is available.
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In my experience, the majority of the entries for the show will come in during the last week before close - usually the last 2 or 3 days. I plan ahead for this by not scheduling anything else important during that time. I usually take a day off from work in order to close the show, although some people prefer not to.
Once you have entered the last entry in the computer and printed the last confirmation you will still have many things left to do. Entry clerking programs generally have a number of different reports that now need to be run. The first thing to do is to change your printer ribbon and run the master catalog! You will need to read instructions on the software to make the appropriate settings. Our club has often assigned the catalog composition and printing to someone other than the Entry Clerk. This helps share the load of work. We also will often assign the benching to yet another person(s). If the Entry Clerk will be handing off these tasks, they need to make sure all reports available within the entry clerking software are run for the person who will need them.
The Entry Clerk will then need to run the master clerk catalog and the judges books. I've found when printing either of these, it is best to find a way to keep the cats out of the room. My cats seem to find the paper draping out of the printer into a pile on the floor beyond irresistible!
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The entry clerk should be present at check-in during the first day of the show. It is important for them to be available to exhibitors that may have a question on their entry. The Entry Clerk should have all necessary reports with them. Most importantly, the Entry Clerk should have a binder with all the original entries received. These are generally handed off to the Master Clerk during the show.
Once all the exhibitors are checked in and any outstanding fees are collected, it is finally time for the Entry Clerk to breathe a collective sigh of relief!
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CFA Show Rules, Article XVII explains the responsibilities of a show entry clerk. Anyone taking on the job of Entry Clerk, should carefully read these rules and know them.
17.01 The show entry clerk shall distribute a show announcement and official CFA entry forms or facsimiles thereof to prospective exhibitors.
17.02 The entry clerk shall be responsible for reviewing each entry form received to verify that all necessary information is included. The entry clerk is prohibited from accepting Championship, Premiership, Provisional (kittens or adults) and AOV entries (kittens or adults) whose entry form does not contain a registration number.
17.03 The entry clerk should advise exhibitors attempting to supply a kitten's registration number after entry has been made, that is is the exhibitor's responsibility, upon arrival at the show, to confirm that the registration number has been printed in the catalog; and, if the registration number has not been printed in the catalog, it is the exhibitor's responsibility to provide the registration number to the master clerk at the show using a catalog correction request form.
17.04
a. The show entry clerk must acknowledge receipt of all entries within 15 days of receipt. The entry confirmation must include the name of the club sponsoring the show.
b. In confirming an entry, the entry clerk shall at least provide the full name of the entry or entries. It is preferable that the confirmation provide a complete listing of the entry as it will appear in the catalog.
c. When the show entry limit(s) have been reached or when the entry has arrived after the closing date or when the entry is not accepted for any other reason, a note of explanation must accompany the entry being returned to the exhibitor.
d. The entry confirmation must be accompanied by a show announcement and driving directions from nearby major highways to the show hall.
17.05 The show entry clerk must enter a cat or kitten in the breed and color class indicated on the entry form regardless of the cat's registration number.
17.06 The show entry clerk must pass on to the show
management all information received regarding benching requests
for reasonable accommodation by handicapped/disabled exhibitors.
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