ReadyBoard User Guide
For AFN directorates — submitting and managing unfunded requirementsContents
What is ReadyBoard?
ReadyBoard is the AFN system for tracking unfunded requirements — needs your directorate has identified that don't yet have money attached. When funding becomes available, AFN PMD uses ReadyBoard to immediately find what can be executed and what to fund first.
Your job is to keep your requirements accurate and current. The better your data, the better PMD can advocate for your directorate when money lands.
Your Portal
This portal shows only your directorate's requirements. You can:
+
Submit
Add new unfunded requirements using the + New Requirement button.
✎
Edit
Update any requirement using the Edit button on its row. Keep status current — stale records are flagged after 30 days.
⇧
Prioritize
Set Local Priority on each requirement (1 = highest). This tells PMD which items matter most to your directorate.
Funding decisions, enterprise priority, and approval amounts are set by PMD — those fields are not shown in your portal.
Requirement Lifecycle
Move your requirements through readiness stages as work progresses. PMD tracks funding separately.
Readiness — your responsibility to keep current
- Idea — Need identified, not yet scoped. Enter it now so it's in the system.
- Scoped — You've defined what's needed and have a rough cost estimate.
- Quote in Hand — You have a vendor quote or formal cost estimate.
- Paperwork Ready — SOW, justification, and procurement documents are complete. You're waiting on funds only.
- Can Execute Now — All approvals are in hand. You can obligate the same week funds arrive. This is what PMD funds first.
Field Definitions
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Short, plain-English name. Be specific: "Studio A Dehumidifier" not "Equipment need." |
| Station / Office | The specific location or office within your directorate (e.g., AFNP-Yokota). |
| Category | FSRM, Equipment, IT, Safety, Broadcast, Vehicle, Training, or Other. |
| Description | What is needed and why. Write enough detail for someone at PMD who doesn't know your location to understand the requirement. |
| Justification | Your business case — cost avoidance, safety, regulatory compliance, mission impact. This is what PMD reads when making funding decisions. |
| Risk if Unfunded | What breaks, degrades, or fails if this is not funded. Be direct and specific — vague risks are easy to defer. |
| Estimated Cost | Best available estimate in dollars. A vendor quote is ideal. Update this field when you get a better number. |
| Local Priority | Your directorate's ranking (1 = highest). Tells PMD which requirements matter most to you. A gap in numbers is fine — rank order matters, not the specific values. |
| Mission Impact | Effect on AFN mission if this stays unfunded: Low, Medium, High, or Critical. |
| Required By Date | The date funding must be obligated to meet the need (e.g., before a warranty expires, before a weather window closes). |
| Readiness Status | How ready this requirement is to execute if funded. This is the most important field — keep it current. PMD's money-matching tool filters on this. |
| Execution Window (days) | How many calendar days from funding to delivery. Critical for end-of-year deadlines — a requirement that can execute in 7 days beats one that needs 90 when money lands in September. |
| POC Name / Email | Who PMD contacts for questions. Update this when personnel change. |
| Last Updated By | Your name. Not enforced — enter it manually so there's an audit trail. |
Status Values at a Glance
Readiness Status
| Idea | Need identified, not yet scoped |
| Scoped | Defined, rough cost estimated |
| Quote in Hand | Vendor quote or cost estimate obtained |
| Paperwork Ready | Docs complete, waiting on funds |
| Can Execute Now | Ready to obligate this week |
Mission Impact
| Low | Minor degradation |
| Medium | Noticeable effect on operations |
| High | Significant mission degradation |
| Critical | Mission failure or safety risk |
Funding status is set by PMD and is not shown in your portal.
Tips & Best Practices
- Update monthly. Records not touched in 30 days are flagged as stale and may be deprioritized. Even a minor edit — correcting a cost estimate, updating readiness — resets the clock.
- Readiness Status is the most important field. A "Can Execute Now" requirement at a reasonable cost gets funded. An "Idea" at the same cost does not. Push requirements through the readiness stages as you complete each step.
- Fill in Execution Window. When end-of-year money drops, PMD needs to obligate fast. A requirement that can execute in 7 days with all paperwork ready will beat a higher-priority item that needs 90 days of lead time.
- Be specific in Risk if Unfunded. "Equipment may fail" is easy to defer. "Loss of FM broadcast serving 8,000 personnel with no backup" is not.
- Keep POC current. If the named POC has PCS'd, update the field. PMD will follow up before funding — a dead contact delays decisions.
- Don't delete cancelled requirements. If a need goes away, contact PMD to update the funding status. History in the system matters for future budget justifications.
ReadyBoard — AFN Internal Use Only — Questions? Contact PMD.