Adding coupons to the coupon database correctly

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Originally Posted by vwdentley I was at a website that I had signed into. I was allowed to print some coupons twice, so I printed them off while I was there. I left the website, cut out the coupons. I went to key the ones I didn't need into the db and it would not let me key them in as printables without a link, which I no longer had because I left the website and cut out the coupons. I keyed them in as "others", but was contacted and told this was wrong. For future reference, what should I do when I do not have a link to put in and it will not let me go any further? Thanks for everything you do for us!

The important thing about printable coupons in the coupon database is that when you add coupons you are sharing information first and foremost before the importance of trading. So it is important that you include the link to print the coupon. So its a good idea to take note of the links when you find a good printable so that you can share with the rest of the users of the coupon database. But, if you cannot remember the link, try googling the printable or failing that shoot me a PM and tell me what the coupon was for and I will see if I can find the link.

Additionally I am asking that folks do not enter printables that are no longer able to print. So if you printed a coupon 2 weeks ago from lets say, coupons.com but that coupon is no longer able to print, then please do not enter it at all. It makes our job, those that verify, a little bit more complicated to send you a PM and ask "hey where is that coupon" LOL

BTW if you get a PM from us about an entry in the database, don't take offense or anything we do it routinely when we have a question. I just want to make sure we have all the correct information in there so if I am not sure, I ask.

I have been spending the last couple of weeks really getting into the printables and making double sure that everything is good in there with new entries. A lot of people have been sent PM's asking them where the coupon can be found. And I am also adding in if the coupon is a bricks, coupons.com, smartsource etc so that those that have troubles with certain types of coupons will know before even clicking the link to print.

Ill be in there later today verifying.

You guys are awesome at entering and keep us busy!

I have seen some good improvements this week in new entries.

Still getting a few that are starting the description with "Save" and "Any" and other things besides the brand name. Please remember to start each entry with the brand name.

Also noticing with the inserts that we get a few people that don't put the insert type (SS, RP, PG, etc) but put "Issue" which is not a valid insert type. If you don't know what the insert was, please put UNKNOWN.

But even then, I am noticing that the coupons are already there...so you would know what insert if you search first.

[carisal]

Originally Posted by queenofthehivemomof5 ...But even then, I am noticing that the coupons are already there...so you would know what insert if you search first.

what helps me when I have inserts to enter is to choose insert from the source tab, then type in the brand information. it almost always pops up with a matching coupon (description, value, and expiration).

makes it alot easier than searching through all the other types of coupons when I am looking for an insert (works the same way when I enter blinkies, peelies, etc. I divide my coupons up by source/type then choose that on the drop down and go through all my blinkies, then move on to peelies, etc....) ...makes for quick list-making. HTH somebody

[queenofthehivemomof5]

My prefered method for searching before entering insert coupons is to choose "insert" from the drop down menu and type the insert date in the description search field first then start searching by brand

So I would type

05-03-09 Tide
05-03-09 Gillette
05-03-09 Dawn

etc.... only changing the brand each time I search....

You guys always beat me to the inserts though. LOL

The same concept works for any type of coupon though. Choose your type (blinkie, tearpad, winetag, etc) and then start searching by brand....helps so that you do not have to wade through 40 Pillsbury insert coupons when you have a blinkie...

[carisal]

Third, make sure you put your coupons as the right source and give all the important fine print when adding.

so is it correct to report an entry that does not have the fine print/edit it in? and when it is changed will it also change to reflect the edit - in our have list.

example: today I received a home mailer from American Spirit tobacco for $10 off any product - that info was there (DB) but did not reflect the stipulations like "of greater value - one per consumer 21 yrs or older" etc. I reported the entry and edited the stipulations in, and then added the 2 I got to my haves. so when that change is approved it will change in my haves too, right? or do I need to set that aside and wait til it is changed for that to show up?

[isis]

carisol, you don't have to do anything, it will reflect the change in your hl.
i traded for a q a few months ago and when i got it, saw there were state restrictions. Since that info wasn't listed, I reported and added the states, along with adding it to my HL. A few days later, when I was scrolling through my HL, I saw the q was updated with the additional info.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Yes the changes will reflect once we get to them and make the changes. I am working my butt off this weekend to try and get everything verified and all the reported coupon entries fixed but this thread needs to be bumped.

99% of every new coupon entry needs to be fixed by me to be formatted properly. About 40% of all new entries are duplicates.
80% of all reported entries have no information attached to the report so I don't know what is wrong with it.
And tons of printable coupons are entered with links that do not contain the coupon. Lots of people enter coupons.com, smartsource and the like printable coupons when those coupons are no longer available to print anymore.

And there are tons of mail in rebates that are listed as tearpads, peelies, ect. Please list all rebates as "Mail In Rebate" or if it is TMF list it is a "Try Me Free" don't list it as a insert, tearpad, peelie, hangtag, winetag etc.

And winetags...if the coupon is sponsored by a wine, beer or other alcholic beverage company and you find it in store...it is a wine tag. Does not matter if it is a booklet, hangtag, peelie tear pad etc. Put all booze sponsored coupons as "Winetag" if you want to note that it is a booklet or tearpad etc you can do that in the description.

I cannot stress enough the importance of searching the database before entering new stuff and filling out the report fully so that we know what is wrong with the entry.

Because of the nature of the Hotcouponworld coupon database there are going to be error and duplicates but if members would take a moment to read and understand how it works you can cut the work out that is required of me and the small handful of mods that help me with the database.

[kval07]

Originally Posted by queenofthehivemomof5 Yes the changes will reflect once we get to them and make the changes. I am working my butt off this weekend to try and get everything verified and all the reported coupon entries fixed but this thread needs to be bumped. 99% of every new coupon entry needs to be fixed by me to be formatted properly. About 40% of all new entries are duplicates. 80% of all reported entries have no information attached to the report so I don't know what is wrong with it. And tons of printable coupons are entered with links that do not contain the coupon. Lots of people enter coupons.com, smartsource and the like printable coupons when those coupons are no longer available to print anymore. And there are tons of mail in rebates that are listed as tearpads, peelies, ect. Please list all rebates as "Mail In Rebate" or if it is TMF list it is a "Try Me Free" don't list it as a insert, tearpad, peelie, hangtag, winetag etc. And winetags...if the coupon is sponsored by a wine, beer or other alcholic beverage company and you find it in store...it is a wine tag. Does not matter if it is a booklet, hangtag, peelie tear pad etc. Put all booze sponsored coupons as "Winetag" if you want to note that it is a booklet or tearpad etc you can do that in the description. I cannot stress enough the importance of searching the database before entering new stuff and filling out the report fully so that we know what is wrong with the entry. Because of the nature of the Hotcouponworld coupon database there are going to be error and duplicates but if members would take a moment to read and understand how it works you can cut the work out that is required of me and the small handful of mods that help me with the database.

I appreciate your hard work with updating these.

It is very frustrating to see that people can't enter things in correctly. What can we do about it? I keep reading the same instructions on how to enter things, but obviously other people aren't because the same mistakes keep happening. And really, it isn't hard to look at an entry already in there and copy it!

Can you see behind the scenes who is entering in duplicates and putting things in the wrong format? If so, I think a warning/infraction system would make people stop for a minute and make sure they do it right. Or is there a way to specify exactly how to enter things in when that add coupon box pops up?

[carisal]

I agree it is really frustrating coming across ones that aren't entered correctly, or duplicates. What frustrates me THE MOST is when I enter what I have, then go back in and instead of whatever I entered, it shows as "---" or "duplicate" and I have NO WAY of knowing what was there! I have stopped entering my inserts right away, now I wait several days to enter them hoping any issues get worked out before I enter them into my have list, because I dont have time at all to go through and figure out what is now missing when that happens.

I'd be ALL FOR a W/I system for folks who cant follow the rules on entering correctly!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Originally Posted by kval07 I appreciate your hard work with updating these. It is very frustrating to see that people can't enter things in correctly. What can we do about it? I keep reading the same instructions on how to enter things, but obviously other people aren't because the same mistakes keep happening. And really, it isn't hard to look at an entry already in there and copy it! Can you see behind the scenes who is entering in duplicates and putting things in the wrong format? If so, I think a warning/infraction system would make people stop for a minute and make sure they do it right. Or is there a way to specify exactly how to enter things in when that add coupon box pops up?

I can see who enters coupons, and I do send out a few PM's to members to let them know that they are entering coupons incorrectly. However the time and effort it takes to write up a PM to each and every person would be most time consuming. It is easier to just correct them and call it a day and keep this post bumped in hopes that someone will read it and learn about how to enter coupons. The database is not perfect, as many of you know I have a long list of wants to get done and we should be working on some of those things this summer. One of those wants is adding a tab to the database for learning about how to use it. Right now though we don't have the technical assistance to make any coding changes to the database. I get enough flack for our warning/infraction system as it is, I cannot see doing them for funky entries in the database. Again that would be time consuming and tick off a lot of members. Going by my statistics above...that would be whole lot of warnings and infractions! Once we have the new changes made to the database I will probably be recruiting to see if there are any members that might want to help with the database. It is getting to be a bigger project that I ever imagined it it be with so many new coupons entered each day that it is very hard to keep up with and still have time for life. LOL In the meantime the best way to help, is to report those bad entries and fill out the report form and let us know what is wrong. Blank reports get ignored and marked as "normal" unless I can tell just by looking at the entry what is wrong with it. Letting me know about duplicates, typos, invalid links and what not is the best way that the general membership can help with the database. And of course, searching before entering. I have even seen entries where they obviously copied and pasted an existing entry and made a new entry of the exact same coupon. I don't understand the reasoning behind that, unless just to make more work for me...

Originally Posted by carisal I agree it is really frustrating coming across ones that aren't entered correctly, or duplicates. What frustrates me THE MOST is when I enter what I have, then go back in and instead of whatever I entered, it shows as "---" or "duplicate" and I have NO WAY of knowing what was there! I have stopped entering my inserts right away, now I wait several days to enter them hoping any issues get worked out before I enter them into my have list, because I dont have time at all to go through and figure out what is now missing when that happens. I'd be ALL FOR a W/I system for folks who cant follow the rules on entering correctly!

This is a total mistake on my part. Without going into too much detail the way the admin function of the database works is that we have various different status for each coupon. Unverified, Normal, Problem Reported, Admin Note, Broken Link and To be Removed. What happens when there is a duplicate entry is we merge the duplicate entries into one entry and the duplicates are marked as "to be removed". This merges the trading info into one entry. What I was doing was marking the extra coupon "Duplicate" and it was status "to be removed" so I thought that members trade lists would be changed to the "normal" entry. But while the numbers of how many you have on your lists or what have you changes over, the description of the coupon does not change in your have/wish/keep lists. I was unaware of this. NOW I change the all duplicate entries to match the normal entry exactly so that the wording changes on your lists. The only time I mark anything as ------------- is when there is a fraudulent coupon entered in the database (rare), or if there is a totally messed up entry that dispite my efforts to contact the member that entered it I cannot make heads or tails or if someone enters an online coupon code or spam. It is the only way to totally get rid of an entry so that folks are not trading bad stuff. So to wrap all that up, I no longer change out entries to "Duplicate" because I realized months ago that totally dinks things up!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

I gotta say that besides a few entries entered as RP and PG the 6-14-09 inserts (there was just a SmartSource) were pretty clean and entered in pretty well!