IDA Module — User Guide

RCI Card · International Diplomatic Alliance (IDA) · How to use the IDA application and admin tools

Who This Guide Is For

This guide uses simple language and short steps so that anyone can follow it. If a step is unclear, ask your administrator or IDA staff for help.

Applicants are officers who want to apply for IDA (International Diplomatic Alliance) membership. This guide explains how to fill and submit your application, pay (if required), and track your status.

Admins are staff who review IDA applications, verify payments, and update application status. This guide explains how to use the IDA admin pages and what each action does.

Part A: Applicants (Officers Applying for IDA)

Getting to the IDA Section

Only users with an officer profile can apply for IDA. You must be logged in as an officer. If your account is not linked to an officer profile, you cannot open IDA pages.

1. Log in to the RCI Card app (use your officer login; see the Officers User Guide if you need help logging in).
2. In the sidebar (the menu on the left), open the IDA section. You will always see IDA Dashboard. Other links appear only when you need them:

• Apply for IDA — Shown when you have no application yet, or when your application can still be edited (draft or status "Waiting").
• View IDA Application — Shown only after you have applied. You will not see it until you have submitted an application.
• IDA Payment — Shown only when payment is required (status "Waiting").

How to Apply Step-by-Step

Required Fields and Formats

Before you can submit, these items must be completed correctly:

• Membership level — Select one (e.g. Chaplain, Active).
• Passport — Country of issue, passport number, and expiration date (must be a future date).
• Membership statement — You must tick to accept the IDA membership statement and terms.
• Signature — Upload a clear image of your signature (e.g. PNG or JPG). The file must be uploaded successfully; a text-only signature is not accepted.

Format rules:

• Phone — Must start with + and country code (e.g. +234 8012345678). No spaces required between digits, but the full number must be valid.
• Email — Must be a valid email address (e.g. name@example.com).
• Date of birth — Must be in the past; you must be at least 18 years old.
• Passport expiration — Must be in the future.

Personal details (name, address, occupation, rank, etc.) are often required for the form to be complete; if they are missing, the application may be rejected or flagged. Ensure your officer profile is up to date, as some fields may be pulled from there.

How to Submit Payment

If your chosen membership level has a fee, you must submit payment proof after your application is submitted.

• Go to IDA → IDA Payment.
• You will see the expected amount (e.g. in Naira) and any previous payment attempts.
• Upload a clear image or PDF of your payment proof (e.g. bank receipt, transfer screenshot).
• Submit. Your payment will be marked as pending until an admin verifies it.

When an admin verifies your payment, your application status will move to In Progress and you will be notified. If your payment is rejected, you will receive a message (and possibly a reason); you can submit a new payment proof from the same page.

Your Dashboard and Status

Go to IDA → IDA Dashboard to see:

• Your current application status (e.g. Waiting, In Progress, Ready for Pickup).
• A timeline of status changes (who changed it and when).
• Shortcuts to View IDA Application, IDA Payment, and Messages.
• If an official PDF has been generated, a link or button to download your IDA application PDF.

If you have not applied yet, the dashboard may prompt you to start an application.

If Your Application Is Flagged

An admin may flag your application when something needs to be corrected or clarified (e.g. wrong passport date, unclear payment proof). When that happens:

• You will receive a notification (in the app and possibly by email or browser push).
• The message may include a reason or instructions (e.g. “Please upload a clearer payment receipt”).
• Your application may be unlocked so you can edit it again, or you may be asked to submit a new payment or document.

Go to IDA Dashboard or Messages to see the details. Fix the issue (e.g. update the form or resubmit payment) and, if needed, reply in Messages to confirm. Staff will then review again and update the status.

Messages

You can exchange messages with IDA staff about your application (e.g. questions, requests for more information). Use the Messages option under IDA (or the link from your dashboard) to open the thread. You can send text and, if supported, attachments. Staff may mark threads as resolved when the issue is closed.

What Each Status Means

Part B: Admins (Reviewing IDA Applications)

IDA Admin Menu

If you have IDA admin permissions, you will see IDA Administration in the sidebar (under Admin). It typically includes:

• IDA Applications — List of all IDA applications; open any to review and update status.
• IDA Payments — List of payment submissions; verify or reject each.
• IDA Dashboard — Overview and widgets (e.g. counts by status).
• IDA Analytics — Analytics and reports.
• IDA Payment Config — Set the fee amount per membership level (e.g. Chaplain, Active). Only IDA Director and top-level admin.
• IDA Appointments — Appoint officers to IDA admin roles (IDA Finance, IDA Admin, IDA Assistant Director, IDA Director). Only IDA Director and top-level admin. Officers who are appointed receive an email notification with their new role.

Viewing and Filtering Applications

On IDA Applications you see a list of applicants. You can:

• Filter by status (e.g. Waiting, In Progress), membership level, or other criteria if the page supports it.
• Search by name, email, or other fields if a search box is available.
• Use saved filter presets (if available) to quickly switch between views (e.g. “Pending payments”, “Overdue review”).
• Click a row or “View” to open that applicant’s application detail page.

Reviewing an Application

On an applicant’s detail page you can:

• View all submitted data (personal info, membership level, passport, employment, background, family members, signature).
• Status history — See the timeline of status changes (who changed it, when, and optional reason).
• Payments — See all payment attempts (pending, verified, rejected) and their proof (image/PDF).
• Comments — Add internal comments (e.g. notes for other admins). You can reply to existing comments if the UI supports threading.
• Messages — Reply to the applicant’s messages and send new ones (e.g. request for clarification).
• Download PDF — Download the official 8-page IDA application PDF (when it has been generated). There may be separate buttons for “Preliminary” vs “Official” PDF.
• Update status — Change the application status (see below).
• Approve / Reject / Flag — Use these actions when your role allows. Reject or flag may ask for a reason, which the applicant can see (e.g. in a notification or message).

Verifying Payments

Go to IDA Payments. You will see payments awaiting verification (e.g. “pending”). For each:

• Open the payment and view the payment proof (image or PDF).
• Check that the amount and details match the applicant’s membership level and your records.
• Verify — Mark the payment as verified. The system can then move the applicant’s status to In Progress and notify the applicant.
• Reject — Mark as rejected and, if possible, enter a reason. The applicant will be notified and can submit a new payment proof.

Updating Application Status

Only certain status changes are allowed, and your role may limit which changes you can make:

• Waiting → In Progress (e.g. after payment verification), or Sent to HQ (if an admin sends it directly).
• In Progress → Ready for HQ, Sent to HQ, or Approved by HQ / Pending Materials.
• Ready for HQ → Sent to HQ.
• Sent to HQ → Approved by HQ / Pending Materials, or Ready for Pickup.
• Approved by HQ / Pending Materials → Ready for Pickup.
• Ready for Pickup → Completed / Picked Up.

When you set status to Ready for HQ or Sent to HQ, the system will generate the official PDF (if not already present) and store it. The applicant may then be able to download it from their dashboard.

Some roles can override the normal flow (e.g. skip a step). Use override only when necessary and according to your organization’s policy.

Payment Configuration

On IDA Payment Config you can set the fee amount per membership level (e.g. Chaplain ₦X, Active ₦Y). These amounts are used to:

• Show the applicant the expected fee when they choose a membership level.
• Compare against the amount they enter when submitting payment.

Save the configuration after changing any amounts. If no amount is set for a level, the system may use a default or treat it as free (e.g. “Digital Certificate Only”).

IDA Appointments

On IDA Appointments (IDA Director and top-level admin only) you can appoint officers to IDA admin roles:

• Search or filter by role to find the officer you want to appoint.
• Use the Appoint as dropdown to set their role: Officer (remove IDA admin), IDA Finance, IDA Admin, IDA Assistant Director, or IDA Director (only top-level admin can appoint IDA Director).
• When you change an officer's role to an IDA admin role, they receive an email notification with their new role and a link to IDA Administration.

Only users with an officer profile can be appointed to IDA admin roles. Use this page to assign who can review applications, verify payments, and manage IDA settings.

Reminders

You may receive IDA reminders (e.g. “Pending payments awaiting verification” or “Applications awaiting review”). These are sent automatically (e.g. daily) to remind admins to:

• Verify payments that have been pending for a long time (e.g. over 24 hours).
• Review applications that have been in “Waiting” for a long time (e.g. over 3 days).

Use the link in the reminder to go to IDA Applications or IDA Payments and take action.

Who Can Do What (Admin Roles)

Your permissions depend on your role. In general:

• IDA Admin — Can view applications, add comments, use messages, and perform basic review. May not be able to change status or verify payments (depends on configuration).
• IDA Assistant Director — Can update status (e.g. In Progress, Ready for HQ, Ready for Pickup, Completed), send applications to HQ, and verify or reject payments.
• IDA Director — Can do everything the Assistant Director can, plus set Approved by HQ / Pending Materials and use override to skip or correct status steps when necessary.
• IDA Finance (if used) — Typically focused on payment verification and payment config.

If you do not see a button or option (e.g. “Update status”, “Verify payment”), your role may not have permission. Contact your system administrator.

Frequently Asked Questions

I submitted my application but don’t see the payment page. — Make sure your status is Waiting. Go to IDA → IDA Payment. If your membership level has no fee, payment may not be required; your status may still move to In Progress after admin review.

How long does payment verification take? — It depends on staff workload. You may get a reminder if your payment has been pending for a long time (e.g. over 24 hours). Check Messages or notifications for updates.

I was rejected. Can I apply again? — The guide does not assume re-application is allowed in the system. Contact IDA staff or support to ask whether you can submit a new application or correct the current one.

Where do I download my IDA PDF? — Once the official PDF has been generated (usually when your status is Ready for HQ or later), a download link or button appears on your IDA Dashboard or on the View IDA Application page.

I don’t see the IDA menu. — You must be logged in and have an officer profile linked to your account. Officers, managers, admins, and super_admins with an officer profile all see the IDA section. You always see IDA Dashboard; Apply for IDA, View IDA Application, and IDA Payment appear only when relevant (e.g. View IDA Application after you have an application). If you have only a cadet role, IDA is not available. Contact support if you believe you should have access.

As an admin: Can I change an application after it’s submitted? — You can update status, add comments, and use messages. To allow the applicant to edit their form again, you may need to flag the application (and the system may unlock it). Override status is available to higher roles if you need to correct a mistaken status.

End of user guide.