Software for LETS
Some groups are using commercially available e-lists or have adapted html websites, tweaked social networking software, or hand-coded interactive sites. However these tend to be a compromise, and will require in-house expertise. Meanwhile, a number of dedicated programmes have been written to run LETS. We survey them on this website and enable people in our developer community to update their progress on our CXSS site on an ongoing basis.

Our quest has been to find software that organisers will be able to use without further reference to us, enabling them to run their groups in a familiar way, but improving the extent to which tasks can be shared out. Based on these criteria we have homed in on "Local Exchange" as the best option we can offer groups at the present time, and have enhanced it considerably for use in the UK.

The software creates an attractive, user-friendly, customisable website, which can be added as a private "members' area" to an existing "brochure" site. The public can view notices on parts of the site plus Offers & Wants, but no member-details are visible. People cannot sign themselves up to the site, so the organisers will still be able to exercise the usual cautions when enrolling new members. Adjacent to the software we therefore provide an enquiry and/or application form which delivers an email message to one or more of the organisers.

New members receive a random password, which they can change on the profile page, where they can also edit their own personal information. They can view, sort, and select by location from the list of members -NB street addresses are not visible. Members can also create, edit and delete their Offers and Wants listings, and turn off their listings if they are going away. They can view their own and any other members' balance and exchange history, record exchanges, view their own and other members' feedback, make payments to other members' accounts, and give feedback after a trade. They can also view the trading history of whole scheme, including payments from the system account.

Core-group members have access to another set of functions, enabling them to create and edit accounts on behalf of other members. They can view a list of members not yet logged on, so they can be aware and make arrangements for any members who need support to start trading or manage their account. They can also create and edit news items and upload and delete newsletters. So a range of technical and pastoral functions can be shared amongst committee members and the tasks of enrolling and supporting members can be devolved to local representatives.

Another set of functions apply at the administrative level, including making transactions on behalf of members, reversing any errors, taking monthly fees, activating or inactivating accounts, creating or deleting listing categories, and exporting data for back-up purposes. Email enquiries are received from the enquiry box and messages can be sent to all members. These functions may be carried out by a single co-ordinator, or will more usually be shared between an "administrator" and a "chairperson".

Links to groups already using the software are now being logged on www.localexchange.org.uk - in most cases you need to click to members area to view the interactive site. Enquiries about the software should be directed not via these websites but to: admin@letslinkuk.net