NCARB's e-EVR: "Yes, it is Very Good."

Last week, after fighting off the typically skepticism that accompanies anything I hear from NCARB, I filed about 5 months of IDP work experience via their new electronic Experience Reporting system. NCARB calls it the "e-EVR", and even though I'm not sure where they got the 'V', but it sure makes the acronym a lot more in-your-face, which I love. Maybe if I listened to my own advice and actually watched the webcast which I cynically wrote about last month I would have known that already, but I'm only human.
_
As it often happens, I write before I think. I incorrectly assumed that since I started my NCARB council record before the end of last year, that I would not be able to take advantage of the online system, but I was very wrong. It was incredibly easy. Essentially, you input the accrued IDP experience units into the online form, exactly as you would use the paper Form 123. Then, NCARB sends an e-mail notification to your supervisor, who electronically confirms the hours your input, and off it goes to NCARB for the third degree.

[partial e-EVR screenshot, just minutes after submitting the online form to NCARB.]

The entire intern-end of the process appears to have become much more streamlined, though I can't say whether or not NCARB treats the forms any differently than paper ones when it comes to processing speed. It is encouraging to see your recently-submitted training units appear immediately on your electronic file, instead of sending them off in the mail and wondering whatever happened to them. Somehow, the electronic, intangible IDP units have become much more real than the ones you could 'feel' on paper...

...Not that you could ever really feel them in the first place, unless it was the feeling of getting old and wonder when and why you will be an architect someday.

[That being said, when the training units are fwooshing by your head at electronic speed, you won't have time to worry about the point of it all, so there's another great reason to try it out!]