Frequently Asked Questions

What is ALISS?

ALISS (A Local Information System for Scotland) is a national digital programme enabling people and professionals to find and share information on organisations, services, groups, resources and support in their local communities and online.

What kind of information can I find on ALISS?

You can find information about various services and activities, such as support groups, fitness classes, social clubs, and more. ALISS also includes information about health and social care services.

How can I use ALISS?

You can search for services by entering your location and then filtering by a keyword related to the service you're interested in. You can also browse through different categories and subcategories to find what you're looking for.

You can also add your organisation and services to ALISS, helping make them findable for the people of Scotland.

You can find guidance to help you to Add to ALISS here.

Is ALISS only for people who live in Scotland?

Yes, ALISS is designed specifically for people who live in Scotland. ALISS is funded by the Scottish Government and is part of the wider Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE). However, some of the services listed on ALISS may be available to people from other parts of the UK.

Is there a cost to use ALISS?

No, ALISS is a free service for anyone to use.

Can I add information about a service to ALISS?

Yes, you can add to ALISS by registering for an account and then adding your organisation and related, services, activities, groups, etc. However, all submissions are reviewed before they are published on the website and we reserve the right to refuse your request for an account and to publish the information you add.

What does "claimed" mean?

If you see an organisation and/or service with a blue claimed badge next to its name, it means a verified ALISS account holder is responsible for keeping the information on the page up to date.

The information on the claimed organisation page may not have been viewed or approved by the ALISS team.

Learn more about claimed.

How can I get help using ALISS?

If you need help using ALISS or have any questions, contact the ALISS team by emailing hello@aliss.org or calling 0141 404 0231.

What do I do if ALISS pages aren't loading correctly?

If you encounter issues with webpages not loading correctly, it can often be resolved by clearing your browser cache, which is a collection of temporary files and website data stored on your device.

To help you clear the cache on some of the most popular web browsers, please click the links below.

How do I get ALISS information on my website?

You can use either the ALISS API or the ALISS JavaScript plugin. The API option gives total flexibility as to how you present the ALISS information. This is at the expense of requiring someone who has web development expertise to modify your website to be able to process the information that is received from the API. The JavaScript plugin is less flexible but easier to implement.

I don’t have these skills, who can help me?

You will need to engage with and usually pay for a web developer. They can be sole traders or employed by software development companies.

I do not have the funds, what can I do?

You may be able to find a volunteer developer who can assist. The Scottish Tech Army - is a volunteer-run initiative that may be able to help you locate a developer.

What is an API?

An API is an Application Programming Interface. This is a method of accessing the underlying data in ALISS (or another website that offers an API), without going via the website, aliss.org. Once you have the data from the API, you can display it on your site as you see fit, subject to licensing. Information for developers intending to use the API can be found here.

Can I filter data displayed via API by location?

Yes. A developer will be able to write code to query the ALISS database, filtering by location and or categories. Details of how to do this can be found here.

Can I display ALISS data in map form using API?

Yes, you can use the latitude and longitude information from the ALISS API to locate services on a map, should you wish to do so. However, you (or your developer) will need to utilise the location information appropriately in order to create the map.

What is the JavaScript plug-in?

The plug-in is a piece of code that can be added to your existing website to embed an ALISS search box. Details of the plug-in can be found on the ALISS GitHub page.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is a programming language that is very commonly used on websites across the world. JavaScript code is embedded in or included in the HTML documents that make up the website.

I have a WordPress site, can I get ALISS information?

Information about embedding the ALISS JavaScript plugin on a WordPress site can be found on GitHub

Can I filter data displayed via the JavaScript Plugin by category/ies?

Yes, the plugin can be configured to filter by category or a keyword search term, by following the instructions found on GitHub.

Can I filter data displayed via JavaScript Plugin by location?

No, when users access the plugin on your website, they are prompted to enter their postcode or location.

Can I display data on a map using JavaScript Plugin?

No, this is not possible at this time.

Can I automatically bulk-upload data to ALISS?