Finance Working Group and Tech

I'm starting this thread because Social.Coop went down today, and, coincidentally, I accidentally opened Element instead of WhatsApp because both apps' icons are green. So, Social.Coop went down this month and last month because of payment problems with hosting. Both times, the credit card payment had an error; and, it could have happened to any of us, as I understand the history. [Last month, the error was that the credit card on file had expired. That has happened to me in my personal finances!]

The problem as I see it -- and I am partly joking -- is that nobody likes paying bills!

@Flancian asked me a while back about whether we (Social.Coop/FWG) could get a credit card so that the TWG could use it to pay the hosting service. In the meanwhile, it is one person's name, paid by a second person, then reimbursed to that person using Open Collective. Tech Working Group manages it as best they can. I don't think there is a better way, but I am curious. Also, I have no interest in taking on the management of a credit card in Social.Coop's name; I wonder if it would create more problems than it would solve.

Also, a problem like Social.Coop going down ... how does it get reported and addressed? My current understanding is that somebody on the Tech Working Group happens to notice and act because they can and care. Today, it was Dan Phiffer to the rescue.

I think a credit card would have to be enabled by the fiscal sponsor, and I don't think they can do that. Hope I'm wrong. This is a bad situation!

Oct 16, 2024 2:17:20 PM Caitlin Waddick, Finance Working Group for Social.Coop and Organizing Circle (via Loomio) :



CWF

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Caitlin Waddick, Finance Working Group for Social.Coop and Organizing Circle commented in: Finance Working Group and Tech ( https://www.loomio.com/d/n2uAURIN/comment/3142221?utm_campaign=new_comment&utm_medium=email )

I'm starting this thread because Social.Coop ( http://Social.Coop ) went down today, and, coincidentally, I accidentally opened Element instead of WhatsApp because both apps' icons are green. So, Social.Coop ( http://Social.Coop ) went down this month and last month because of payment problems with hosting. Both times, the credit card payment had an error; and, it could have happened to any of us, as I understand the history. [Last month, the error was that the credit card on file had expired. That has happened to me in my personal finances!]

The problem as I see it -- and I am partly joking -- is that nobody likes paying bills!

@Flancian asked me a while back about whether we (Social.Coop/FWG) could get a credit card so that the TWG could use it to pay the hosting service. In the meanwhile, it is one person's name, paid by a second person, then reimbursed to that person using Open Collective. Tech Working Group manages it as best they can. I don't think there is a better way, but I am curious. Also, I have no interest in taking on the management of a credit card in Social.Coop's name; I wonder if it would create more problems than it would solve.

Also, a problem like Social.Coop ( http://Social.Coop ) going down ... how does it get reported and addressed? My current understanding is that somebody on the Tech Working Group happens to notice and act because they can and care. Today, it was Dan Phiffer to the rescue.

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I can look at the possibility of a card - I seem to remember Open Collective were doing/offering something around this but have paid no attention. That aside, my questions/comments would be: why isn't the finance working group paying the bills rather than leaving it to tech people; and while cost is an issue, why not look for a hosting provider that is more aligned and won't shut you down the moment a bill is overdue?

@Graham That would be amazing if you could do the card. But it's a good point. We currently budget under working groups, and WGs are responsible for spending their budgets. Maybe we should rethink that.