Insight 2.0 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Updated Sept 2, 2009

Will we still get to Insight by logging in to our MyAlaska account?
Yes, Insight filings still require you to have a secure MyAlaska account with a user name and password. You can still access Insight via the MyAlaska home page but it will be faster to use the link from the APOC web page. Go to the Insight link. Insight 2.0 does not require a two step process to access your account. Simply click on Insight, put in your user name and password and you are immediately taken to your account.
Do I need to re-enter my data that I already completed electronically in Insight 1.0?
No. Any lobbyist and/or employer of lobbyist filings completed in Insight 1.0 have been migrated to Insight 2.0, whether these were from 2008 or 2009. Insight 2.0 filings will be added to the system as you complete new filings. If you notice any anomalies in your old data, contact the Juneau APOC office.
I am a new user of the Insight system and signed up for a MyAlaska account. When I logged in to Insight, there was a checkbox that said “Copy my MyAlaska information.” I thought clicking this would fill in my identifying information but nothing happened. Why?
On the MyAlaska home page, directly under the words “main menu” on the left hand side of the page is your “profile” information. If you click on “profile” in MyAlaska and fill in all of your information, Insight will automatically input this into your forms whenever there is a need for name, address, telephone number etc. If you have not completed the profile for MyAlaska, you will need to do this in Insight and the information will be used to fill in your identifying information on Insight filings. Information entered in Insight 2.0 cannot be transferred to your MyAlaska profile.
I am having a hard time navigating in the new system. Where do I start?
Click on the “Manage My Filings” yellow tab on the left hand top side of the page. This is the same as “Manage My Forms” in Insight 1.0 but with additional functionality. Note there are instructions on this page in bulleted form. To read the instruction for a particular task, click on it and the text will unfold below. When you are finished reading the instruction, click again on the link and it will collapse.
Where is the tab for lobbyists and for employers?
There is no tab that says either lobbyist or employer because Insight 2.0 is designed to be used eventually by all other APOC filers (i.e. public officials, candidates, legislators). Go to the top of the page and click “lobbying” to pull up filing options available for both lobbyists and employers.
What are the differences between the Insight 1.0 and Insight 2.0?
Insight 2.0 has a number of improved and time-saving features and builds on what we have learned in the past year from Insight 1.0. Some of the improvements are:
- Single login page that uses your MyAlaska ID to take you directly to your Insight account
- Ability to work on single part of a form by going directly to that section without having to click on each page
- Improved ability to view and sort your filings by date, type (pending, submitted, all) and type of user (lobbyist/employer)
- Identification of employers on lobbyist registrations in the “Manage my Forms” without having to click on a button
- Elimination of the very difficult to read “summary page” for reports in the existing Insight 1.0
- Simplified ability to add a preparer to assist you with completing your forms
- Calendar of APOC report due dates linked to your account that tells you what the status of each of your reports is at a single glance
- Ability for employers to designate more than one person as the authorized signer for employer forms
- Removal of the requirement to enter all prior reports prior to being able to file subsequent reports which for many, resulted in significant extra work
- Improved print capabilities for all reports
- Ability for you to give APOC staff permission to “see inside” your Insight account to provide improved technical assistance
How do I complete a lobbyist registration in Insight 2.0?
Click on the “lobbying” link at the very top of the page, then select “file a new lobbyist registration” and proceed through completion of the form. Insight 2.0 divides the lobbyist registration form into seven sections, allowing you to either complete these one at a time or in sequence at a single sitting. Be sure you have completed all of the form sections prior to clicking the “certification” button. If you try to certify or sign a form prior to completing all the required fields, you will get an error message.
I tried to file a lobbyist report but got an error message saying “must have a submitted Registration for the calendar year with the lobbying start date prior to the selected reporting period's end date.” What does this mean since I know I completed a registration?
Insight 2.0 records the start date of your lobbyist registration based on the date you entered into the “lobbyist employment and compensation” section of the form. If you try to file a lobbyist report for a period and were not registered during this timeframe, you will get this error message. Make sure you have selected the proper reporting period in the drop down box. If you made a mistake on your start date in the lobbyist registration, amend the form and enter the proper start date.
I am trying to file my lobbyist reports and can’t find the Schedule A and Schedule A-1 in the list at the left of the page when I am in the lobbyist report. Where are Schedules A and A-1?
Click on the lobbying link at the top of the page, which takes you to the Lobbying Forms page. Once you have begun completing a lobbyist report and are on the lobbyist report page, you will see a “Form Overview” link on the left hand side of the page. This link has all the elements you must complete to submit your lobbyist report, including the Schedule A and Schedule A-1. Anytime you are doing another part of the form and need to get back to the main page, click on “Form Overview”. Then, you either click the Edit button to open the schedule A or A-1 or click the Zero Report box to file a zero report for either schedule.
I keep getting a message saying I entered an invalid dollar value for my Lobbyist Report, Schedule A. This is happening for both the Expenses and Compensation section and the reimbursable and non-reimbursable expenses sections. Why am I receiving this message, since I have entered the correct value?
Entering your data in the incorrect dollar format will cause you to encounter an error message on both the specific Schedule A section and on the “Certification” page. The dollar amount of your compensation or expense entries must be in a specific format to be accepted. The acceptable format is XX.XX with NO dollar sign ($) in front, and the decimal point included (Example: 173.50). Entering your data in this format will allow you to complete your lobbyist report and certify it successfully without receiving an error message.
Why can’t I view/edit submitted filings?
Once you submit a filing it is the property of APOC and you aren’t allowed to edit the submitted filing unless you file an amended report. If you want to view the filing, press the “print” link which will open the submitted filing in a new browser window. The new browser window will show you the submitted filing in a printable format. You’ll need to use your browser’s print feature in order to print a paper copy.
Under the employer list, I see “enable/disable representatives.” Can you explain this, since I don’t remember this from Insight 1.0?
This is a new feature that allows employers of lobbyists to authorize or designate more than one person to submit APOC forms on the company's behalf. This enables employers to have multiple authorized “signers” for reports and eliminates the problem of a single authorized signer leaving the business and no one being able to access the employer’s Insight account to file reports. This feature may be used to authorize more than one person as a signer or may be used when employees leave or join a company. Note that a “representative” must have a MyAlaska and Insight account in order to be added as an authorized representative to sign your forms.

Go to the “lobbying” link at the top of the page, then under “employer of a lobbyist,” click on “enable/disable representatives for an employer.” Click on “add representative.” Put in the last name of the person or simply press “search.” If the person already has an Insight account, his name will appear in the master list. If the person you wish to add is on this list, simply click the “add selected user” button next to the name. If the person is not on the list, an option will appear for you to invite someone to be a representative. Complete the required information and click “invite.” Insight will send an email to the individual telling them to set up a MyAlaska/Insight account. Once the person sets up the Insight account, he must notify you this is done. Then, you will need to complete the second step of adding him to your list of representatives by clicking the “add selected user” button (explained above) which will now be next to his name.
What is the difference between a “preparer” and a “representative?”
The primary difference is that a preparer is only authorized to prepare a form, meaning to enter all the data and get it ready for final certification. Insight does not allow a “preparer” to certify a form. Preparers may be designated to prepare forms on behalf of either a registered lobbyist or an employer of a lobbyist. Insight 2.0 also allows preparers to complete lobbyist registrations, a new feature previously not allowed.

A “representative” is for use by employers, not lobbyists. Representatives serve in exactly the same capacity as the employer/signer. As such, a representative has the same level of permission, access and certification authority as the individual who originally set up the employer account. Representatives have a higher level of authority in Insight than preparers and may legally certify both a lobbyist registration (on behalf of the employer) and an employer report.

How do I invite someone to be a preparer of my reports?
Click on the yellow tab labeled “My Preparers.” Click on “add preparer.” Put in the last name of the person or simply press “search.” If the person already has an Insight account, his name will appear in the master list. If the person you wish to invite is on this list, simply click the “enable” button next to the name. If the person is not on the list, an option will appear for you to invite someone to be a preparer. Complete the required information and click “invite.” Insight will send an email to the individual telling them to set up a MyAlaska/Insight account. Once the person sets up the Insight account, he must notify you this is done. Then, you will need to complete the second step of adding him to your list of preparers by clicking the “enable” button (explained above) which will now be next to his name.
What is the purpose of the “My Due Dates” Tab?
This new feature enables you to quickly determine what reports are due and the status of your filings with respect to a particular role. Filing deadlines for the year are inputted by APOC staff and can be updated for special sessions as needed. Filers can sort by role (lobbyist, employer, preparer) and see if a report has been started, not started or submitted for a particular due date. This also saves you from having to go to a separate calendar on the APOC web page to determine when your filings are due. To determine reports due for a particular period, enter the dates you are interested in and click “go.”
I am trying to certify a form but keep getting error messages. What do I do?
The certification page identifies missing fields that have not been completed. Click on the red link when you get the error message to be taken directly to the information you must complete. Then you can press “certify” and submit the form. Please note that it is the filer’s responsibility to thoroughly review all forms prior to pressing “certify/submit.” The form is visible for you to review so you are able to ensure it is accurate and complete. Do not certify the form until you have reviewed all of the information.
If I have a question about a report and want to have APOC staff see what I am working on, what do I do?
Go to “Insight home” at the very top of the page, left hand corner. Then, under “setup”, click “grant APOC permission to my filings.” Once you select an account and click “grant permission”, APOC staff will have access to your Insight account, including any pending forms you have created. You may revoke this permission at any time by clicking on the “revoke permission” link.
Why am I now required to enter in my password prior to submitting a form in Insight?
The Department of Law has determined that this is required for electronic signatures in Insight. Now, prior to final submission of a lobbyist registration, lobbyist report or employer of lobbyist report, all filers will need to enter their password to successfully certify a form.

Insight 2.0 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Updated Sept 2, 2009

Insight 2.0 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Updated Sept 2, 2009