SSA rolls out the next phase of its Automated Scheduling Application

We are excited to announce the latest developments of the Automated Scheduling
Application (ASA). ASA automates the process of gathering availability
calendars from all of our appointed representatives (ARs) and experts. This
application will improve the way you do business in our hearing offices and
facilitate the scheduling of hearings. The Online Calendar component of ASA
allows representatives, experts, and hearing reporters to provide hearing
offices their calendars of availability via the Internet. The scheduling
tool incorporates the availability of internal/external participants and
resources in order to propose a hearing date and time.

The ASA project is currently being piloted in the Baltimore Hearing Office (HO),
and ODAR plans to expand the pilot to the following hearing offices by the end
of October 2012:

• Norfolk, VA

• Manchester, NH

• Phoenix, AZ

• Phoenix North, AZ

• Tucson, AZ

The Online Calendar, released on September 22, is included as a new menu link on
the Appointed Representative Services (ARS) website. However, at this time, the
link is only active for ARs participating in the pilot from the Baltimore HO
pilot site.

Starting September 24, participating ARs can directly provide their calendar updates via
the Online Calendar application and can review their scheduled hearings for the
Baltimore HO. As the pilot expands, the ASA menu links will be activated for
participating ARs from the additional pilot HOs. The respective ARs will
receive an invitation from one of the pilot HOs to participate in the pilot and
to provide their availability via the online calendar application.

I want to thank you again for all of your proactive support and continuing
participation in the pilot of ASA. If representatives have additional questions
regarding ASA, they may contact the ARS support mailbox at ODAR.HQ.ARS@ssa.gov.

Sincerely,

Natalie Lu

Associate Commissioner

Office of Electronic Services and Strategic Information