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| Document Name: |
OpsCenter User Guide |
| Last Updated: |
June 15, 2004 |
| OpsCenter Versions: |
2.0.0 to 2.1.0 |
| Full Page View: |
Click
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Overview of Menu Options:
The following briefly describes all the menu options on the OpsCenter:
- File
- Connect
| This option will force the OpsCenter to connect to the database
that is specified in the user's profile. This option is only visible
when OpsCenter is offline. |
- Disconnect
| This option will force the OpsCenter to disconnect from the
database. This option is only visible when OpsCenter is offline.
Normally, if a disconnection occurs due to an interruption in
network connectivity, OpsCenter will automatically try to reestablish
the database connection periodically. After an intentional disconnect,
such as using this menu option, the OpsCenter will not try to
reestablish a database connection automatically. Restart OpsCenter
or use the Connect option to reestablish a database connection |
- Exit - Bypass AutoLog
| If the option to automatically log the user IN and OUT when
OpsCenter opens and closes is enabled, this menu option will close
OpsCenter and will not automatically log the user OUT.
This option is also available when left-clicking the system tray
icon. |
- Exit
| If the option to automatically log the user IN and OUT when
OpsCenter opens and closes is enabled, this menu option will close
OpsCenter and will automatically log the user OUT. This
option is also available when left-clicking the system tray icon. |
- Edit
- Refresh
| This menu option will refresh all the data on all the current
OpsCenter windows. This menu option is the same as the built-in
automatic refresh that occurs periodically. The interval for the
automated refresh can be set in the preferences. |
- Keep In System Tray
| This menu option is a toggle that will determine if the icon
for the OpsCenter is kept in the system tray. When the program
runs from the system tray, it can only be closed by clicking one
of the Exit menu options, either under the File
menu or by right clicking on the OpsCenter icon in the system
tray. The default startup setting for this toggle can be set in
the preferences. |
- Preferences
| This menu option opens the preferences window. (See the "Preferences"
section for more information.) |
- My Groups
- My Status Change Macros (New
in v. 2.0.4)
- Change Default User
| This menu option allows the user to set or change the default
user in the current profile. If a password is set for the selected
user, that password will have to be entered before the selected
user will be set as the default user. This menu option will be
grayed out if it disabled in the system
controls. |
- Clear Log File
| This menu option will clear the log file. |
- View
- Open Status Table
| This menu option will open up a status table window. You can
open up as many status table windows as you want. Each one can
be set with their own display settings. |
- Status Bar
| This menu option is a toggle for displaying the status bar at
the bottom of the program. The status bar simply displays information,
such as date and time, as well as current message counts. |
- Control Panel - Form
| This menu option is a toggle for displaying the control panel.
The control panel is one of several ways to control the status
and memos of users. This control panel is the only way to set
a specific back at time or date. The default startup setting for
this toggle can be set in the preferences. |
- Bulletin Board
| This menu option is a toggle for displaying the bulletin board.
The default setting for this toggle can be set in the preferences.
This option will be grayed out if the bulletin board system has
been disabled in the system
controls. |
- My Messages
- Standard View
| This menu option will reset all the OpsCenter windows to their
default setting. The default setting is however the windows appear
when the program starts up. Some controls regarding the default
window settings can be found in the preferences. |
- Vacation Calendar
| This menu option will open up a vacation calendar window. You
can open up as many vacation calendar windows as you want. Each
one can be set with their own display settings. This option will
be grayed out if the vacation system has been disabled in the
system
controls. |
- View Log File
| This menu option will open up the log file. The file will be
opened in the computer's default text editing program. |
- Action
- In / Out / Do Not Disturb / Vacation
| These menu options control the status for the default user.
These options are also available when left-clicking the system
tray icon. |
- Status Alias (New in v. 2.0.4)
| This menu option allows you to set the default user's status
to any defined alias. The submenu for this item will provide the
list of all available aliases. Aliases are defined globally by
the administrator in the "Status
Change Aliases" control. This option will be grayed out
if there are not any aliases defined in the system or if the status
change alias feature has been disabled in the system
controls. This option is also available when left-clicking
the system tray icon. |
- Status Change Macro (New in v. 2.0.4)
| This menu option allows you to execute a locally or globally
defined status change macro on the default user. The submenu for
this item will provide the list of all available macros. The local
and global macros will be listed together. Macros are defined
globally by the administrator in the "Global
Status Change Macros" control or locally in the "Local
Status Change Macros ('My Status Change Macros')" control.
This option will be grayed out if there are not any macros defined
in the system or if the status change macro feature has been disabled
in the system
controls. This option is also available when left-clicking
the system tray icon. |
- Back in 15 min. / Back in 30 min. / Back in 1 hour
| These menu options will set a back at time relative to the current
time. To set a specific back at time or day, you must use the
control panel. These options are also available when left-clicking
the system tray icon. |
- Set Memo
| This menu option will let you set the memo field for the default
user. This option is also available when left-clicking the system
tray icon. |
- Clear Memo
| This menu option will clear the memo field for the default user.
This option is also available when left-clicking the system tray
icon. |
- Add / Delete Notification
| This menu will open the Add/Delete Notification dialog. (See
the "Status Change Notifications"
section for more information.) This option will be grayed out
if the status change notification feature has been disabled in
the system
controls. This option is also available when left-clicking
the system tray icon. |
- Post to Bulletin Board
| This menu option will open a dialog where you can add a bulletin
board post to the bulletin board. (See the "Posting
To Bulletin Board" section for more information.) This
option will be grayed out depending on the permission level for
posting to the bulletin board and whether the entire bulletin
board system is disabled. These settings can be managed in the
system
controls. This option is also available when left-clicking
the system tray icon. |
- Open New Messages
| This menu option will open all unread notes, phone messages,
and vacation requests. An error message will be displayed if there
are not any unread messages to display. Because messages are displayed
outside of the main OpsCenter window, the program will automatically
minimize in order to display all the messages. This option is
also available when left-clicking the system tray icon. |
- Send Note
| This menu option will open a dialog where you can send a note
to any other user or group of users. (See the "Sending/Receiving
Notes" section for more information.) This option will
be grayed out if the notes feature has been disabled in the system
controls. This option is also available when left-clicking
the system tray icon. |
- Send Phone Message
| This menu option will open a dialog where you can send a phone
message to any other user. (See the "Sending/Receiving
Phone Messages" section for more information.) This option
will be grayed out if the phone messages feature has been disabled
in the system
controls. This option is also available when left-clicking
the system tray icon. |
- Send Vacation Request
| This menu option will open a dialog where you can send a vacation
request to a user that is a member of the specified vacation approval
group. (See the "Adding A Vacation
" section for more information.) This menu option will
only be visible if vacation entries require approval. This option
will be grayed out if the vacation system has been disabled. These
vacation settings can be managed in the system
controls. This option is also available when left-clicking
the system tray icon. |
- Add Vacation To Calendar
| This menu option will open a dialog where you can add a vacation
entry to the vacation calendar. (See the "Adding
A Vacation" section for more information.) This menu
option will only be visible if vacation entries do not require
approval. This option will be grayed out if the vacation system
has been disabled. These vacation settings can be managed in the
system
controls. This option is also available when left-clicking
the system tray icon. |
- Admin Controls
| See the Administration
Guide for details on the admin controls. This menu will only
be enabled for users that have full administrative privileges. |
- Window
| In addition to listing all the OpsCenter windows that are currently
open, This menu provides a few additional windows controls. |
- Close
| This menu option closes the currently selected OpsCenter window. |
- Close All
| This menu option closes all OpsCenter windows. |
- Standard View
| This menu option restores the OpsCenter windows to the default
view. The default view is how it appears when the program starts.
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- Help
- Current Status
| This menu option displays the current status of various OpsCenter
features and parameters. This window is for displaying only. To
make changes to the features and parameters, use the preferences
or system
controls. |
- Enter Registration Code (A.K.A. - Submit Registration Code)
| This menu option opens the window where a registration code
can be entered into the database. Effects from the registration
code are applied as soon as they are submitted. |
- Purchase Registration Code Online (New
in v. 2.0.2)
| This menu option opens up a web site in Internet Explorer where
a registration code can be purchased online. An internet connection
must exist in order to access the website. |
- Check Internet for Updated OpsCenter Version (New
in v. 2.0.5)
| This menu option will make OpsCenter go out on the internet
and check to see if there is an updated OpsCenter client available.
The update process is not yet automated so if an update is available,
you will have to manually download and install the update. |
- Online Support Documentation (New in
v. 2.0.2)
| This menu option opens up a web site in Internet Explorer where
all support documentation for OpsCenter can be accessed. An internet
connection must exist in order to access the website. |
- Email Technical Support (A.K.A. - Technical Support)
| This menu option displays a brief message with instructions
on how to obtain technical support. (Updated
in v. 2.0.2) This menu option will now open up a blank
email addressed to support@audama.com in the computers default
email program. This makes obtaining technical support quicker
and easier. |
- About
| This menu option displays the program splash screen which displays
some program information. |
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Preferences:
The Preferences window provides users with basic customizations for the
behavior and appearance for the local OpsCenter client. This window can
be opened by selecting "Preferences" under the "Edit"
menu header. These settings are what make up the user profile for the
local computer. The default value for many of these fields can be set
in the "Default User Profile" section
of the "Admin Controls." When a new profile is created, the
default settings in the profile are set according to the "Default
User Profile." The following are details for all the available
preference settings:
- General
| The "Default User," Administrative Privileges,"
and "Email Address" fields are for display only. These
fields can be changed from the "Edit
User" administrative option. |
- Generate Log File
| This option determines if a log file is automatically generated.
Events that are recorded in the log include any status changes.
The log file can be viewed by selecting "View Log File"
from the "View" menu. The log file can be cleared by
selecting "Clear Log File" from the "Edit menu.
The location and maximum size of the log file can be set in the
preferences on the "Password / Paths" tab. This option
will be grayed out if the administrator has set the option to
force all users to generate a log file in the system
controls. (Default Value: True,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Auto-format phone numbers by default
| This option determines if the option to auto-format a phone
number on a phone message is on when a new phone message is created.
(See the "Sending / Receiving
Phone Messages" section for more information on the auto-format
phone number option.) This option will be grayed out if the administrator
has disabled the phone messages system or if a phone number country
format has not been selected. Both of these controls can be managed
in the system
controls. (Default Value: True,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Automatically delete messages older than
| This option allows the user to set the amount of time to keep
notes and phone messages that have been read as well as bulletin
board posts that are no longer being displayed. Automatically
deleting these old messages helps reduce the clutter in the message
inbox. Unchecking this option will result in messages not being
deleted automatically. The check box will be grayed out if the
administrator has set the option to force old messages to be deleted
in the system
controls. (Default Value: 2 Weeks,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile. Minimum Value: 1
Day. Maximum Value: 12 Months,
unless otherwise determined by administrator in the system
controls.) |
- Check for old messages every
| This option allows the user to set the frequency that the OpsCenter
client will go through their messages and delete old messages
based on the previous control. (Default Value: 1
Day, unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile. Minimum Value: 1
Day. Maximum Value: 12 Months,
unless otherwise determined by administrator in the system
controls.) |
- Tables
- Name Format
| This option allows the user set the format to display the user
names. The names can be displayed firstname lastname or
lastname, firstname. This format applies to all places
that user names appear. (Default Value: lastname,
firstname, unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Table Refresh Rate
| This option determines how frequent the local OpsCenter client
queries the database to get updated user status information, vacation/holiday
schedules, bulletin board posts, and administrative settings.
The user can force the local OpsCenter client to update the status
information immediately by selecting "Refresh" from
the status table or from the "Edit" menu. Notes, phone
messages, and vacation requests are sent directly between clients
so the will still reach their destination within seconds of being
sent even if the refresh interval is large. (Default Value:
1 Minute, unless changed by administrator
in the default
user profile. Minimum Value: 15
Seconds, unless otherwise determined by administrator in
the system
controls. Maximum Value: 12 Hours.) |
- Table Display
| This control determines which fields are displayed on the status
table as well as the order they appear. A checked box next to
the field name indicates that the field will be displayed on the
status table. An unchecked box indicates the field will not be
displayed. (Note: Some fields must be displayed and can't be unchecked.)
The order the the fields appear in the list is the same order
that they will appear on the status table. To modify the order,
select the field and click "UP" to move the field up
in the list or click "DN" to move the field down in
the list. (Default Value: Name, True; Initials, True; Extension, True; Status, True; Back At, True; Time Till, True; Memo, True,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Maximum number of names / messages per screen
| These three controls determine how many names/messages to display
in a window before a scrollbar will appear. For example, if the
maximum names on the status table is set at 25 and there are 30
users that need to be displayed, only 25 names will be displayed
and you will have to use the scrollbar to see the other 5. These
controls keep the windows from becoming too big for the set screen
resolution. (Default Value: 25,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile. Minimum Value: 0.
Maximum Value: 999.) |
- Color-code names / messages / vacation calendar
| These three controls determine whether or not color-coding is
used on the status table, message inbox, and vacation calendar.
Disabling color-coding may provide small performance gains on
slower systems. (Default Value: True,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Startup/Shutdown
- Startup mode
| This control will determine how the main OpsCenter window will
be displayed when the program first starts. The three options
are: 1) Minimized - OpsCenter will startup minimized on the program
bar or minimized in the system tray if "Run in system tray
on program start" is enabled; 2) Normal - OpsCenter will
startup in a normal window which only takes up part of the screen;
3) Maximized - OpsCenter will load maximized so it will take up
the entire screen. (Default Value: Minimized,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Log IN and OUT automatically when program opens and closes
| This option determines whether the OpsCenter client will automatically
log the default user IN when the program starts and OUT when the
program ends. Shutting down the computer without closing OpsCenter
first still counts as a program ending event and will log the
default user OUT if this option is enabled. Selecting "Exit
- Bypass AutoLog" from the "File" menu will shut
down OpsCenter and will not log the default user OUT even
if this option is enabled. (Default Value: True,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Run in system tray on program start
| This option determines whether the OpsCenter icon will appear
in the computers system tray when the program starts. The icon
can still be added or removed from the system tray during the
current session by using the menu option "Keep in System
Tray" under the "Edit" menu. (Default Value:
True, unless changed by administrator
in the default
user profile.) |
- Start program on Windows startup
| This option determines whether OpsCenter will start automatically
when Windows starts up. (Default Value: True,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Show splash screen on program startup
| This option determines whether the OpsCenter splash screen is
displayed when the program starts. This option will be grayed
out if the option to force the displaying of the splash screen
is enabled in the system
controls. (Default Value: True,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Load Control Panel / Bulletin Board on program start
| These two options determine whether or not the control panel
and/or bulletin board is displayed when OpsCenter starts. If the
bulletin board system is disabled in the system
controls, the bulletin board will not be displayed when OpsCenter
starts even if the "Load bulletin board on program start"
option is enabled. (Default Value: Control Panel = False;
Bulletin Board = True, unless changed
by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Display DB connection errors on program start
| This option determines whether or not a database error message
is displayed if the database cannot be found when OpsCenter first
starts. This option is useful in situations where the computer,
such as a laptop, is not always connected to the network where
the OpsCenter database is located. If this option is disabled
and the computer cannot find the OpsCenter database, the program
will startup in a disconnected state. If this option is enabled
and the computer cannot find the OpsCenter database, the program
will display a database connection error message and provide the
user the opportunity to create a new database or manually locate
an existing OpsCenter database. (Default Value: True,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Passwords / Paths
- Enable Password
| This option determines if the user password feature is enabled.
When enabled, a password will need to be inputted when logging
into OpsCenter as the user with the password. The option below
to remember password when logging in can be used to not have to
always type a password on the local computer. Any other OpsCenter
client on the network that tries to log in as the user will have
to enter the password. This option will be grayed out if the password
system is disabled in the system
controls. There is also an administrative control to force
all users to have a password so this option will become enabled
even if the user doesn't specifically enable it. If all users
are forced to have a password, this option will also be grayed
out. (Default Value: False,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- Change / Set Password
| This button allows the user to change or set their password.
If the password option is enabled for the user, a password will
need to be entered. A blank password is not allowed. A windows
will come up allowing the user to enter a password. If no password
has been previously set, just enter the new password. If a previous
password exists, the old password will also need to be entered.
(Minimum Password Length: 3 Characters.) |
- Clear Password
| This button allows the user to clear their current password
from the system. If the password option is enabled for the user,
a password will need to be entered. A blank password is not allowed. |
- Remember password when logging in
| This option determines whether OpsCenter will remember the default
user's password when the program starts. If this option is enabled,
the password will not need to always be entered when the program
starts. If this option is disabled, then OpsCenter will forget
the default user's password when the program ends. As a result,
the next time OpsCenter starts, the password for the default user
will have to be entered. (Default Value: True,
unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile.) |
- .ini file path
| The .ini file contains the user profile for the local OpsCenter
client. Most of the settings in this preferences window are stored
in this file. To change the location or name of this file, click
the "Browse" button and select the new location. If
the "Browse" button is grayed out, click on the "Enable"
button above the text fields. If a password is requested, enter
the database password that was set in the system
controls. (Default Value: %PROGRAM
FOLDER%\opscenter.ini) |
- Database path
| This text field specifies the OpsCenter database file to connect
to. To connect to a different OpsCenter database, click the "Browse"
button and select the new location. If the "Browse"
button is grayed out, click on the "Enable" button above
the text fields. If a password is requested, enter the database
password that was set in the system
controls. When the new OpsCenter database is accepted and
the profiles window is closed, the local OpsCenter client will
automatically connect to the newly specified database. |
- Log file path
| This text field specifies the file to write all the programs
log entries to. The log file is a plain text file that can be
viewed in any text editor. To change the location or name of this
file, click the "Browse" button and select the new location.
If the "Browse" button is grayed out, click on the "Enable"
button above the text fields. If a password is requested, enter
the database password that was set in the system
controls. You will also be given the option to move or copy
the existing log file to the new location. (Default Value:
%PROGRAM FOLDER%\logfile.txt) |
- Maximum Log File Size
| This option allows the user to specify the maximum size that
the log file should reach. (1000 KB = 1 MB) OpsCenter will periodically
check the log file size and reduce the size to 90% of the maximum
size. The oldest log entries will be the first ones deleted. Because
the file reduction is based on bytes and not log entries, after
a reduction occurs, part of a log entry may be left behind at
the top of the log file. (Default Value: 1000
KB, unless changed by administrator in the default
user profile. Minimum Value: 1
KB. Maximum Value: 1000 KB.) |
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Local User Groupings ("My
Groups"):
The Local User Groupings window provides the user with the opportunity
to define their own sets of user groups. These local groups will then
show up in some group lists such as on the status table, vacation calendar,
and when sending a note to a group. (Note: Some group lists, such as the
display for group on a bulletin board posts, will only display global
groups defined by the administrator in the Global
Groups control.) To access the local user groupings, click on "My
Groups" under the "Edit" menu. There is no limit to how
many local groups can be created. These local groups will not appear for
any user other than the one who created them.
- Add / Remove / Rename Group
- Add Group
| To create a new local group, just enter the name and click "Add
Group." An empty group will then be created. The members
for the new group can then be set on the "Set Groupings"
tab. The name of the local group can be the same as the name of
a local group created by another user. However, the name of the
local group cannot be the same as an existing global group. |
- Remove / Rename Group
| To remove an existing local group, select the local group from
the group list and click "Delete Group." The group will
then be permanently deleted. To rename an existing local group,
select the local group from the group list and enter in the new
group name. Then click "Apply" to save the new name.
The name of the local group can be the same as the name of a local
group created by another user. However, the name of the local
group cannot be the same as an existing global group. |
- Set Groupings
- Add to group (>>>)
| After selecting a local group in the group list, users can be
added to the local group by selecting the user in the "Remaining
users" list and clicking the ">>>" button.
That selected user will then move to the "Current group members"
list. To save any group membership changes, click the "Apply"
button. To undo any group membership changes made since the last
save spot, click the "Reset" button. Once the "Apply"
button is clicked, the membership changes are saved and cannot
be "Reset" to their previous state except by manually
adding and removing the users from the group. |
- Remove from group (<<<)
| After selecting a local group in the group list, users can be
removed from the local group by selecting the user in the "Current
group members" list and clicking the "<<<"
button. That selected user will then move to the "Remaining
users" list. To save any group membership changes, click
the "Apply" button. To undo any group membership changes
made since the last save spot, click the "Reset" button.
Once the "Apply" button is clicked, the membership changes
are saved and cannot be "Reset" to their previous state
except by manually adding and removing the users from the group. |
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Local Status Change Macros
('My Status Change Macros') (New in v. 2.0.4):
The Local Status Change Macros window provides the user with the opportunity
to define their own sets of status change macros. A status change macro
provides you with the ability to set a status, return date/time, and memo
all with just a few mouse clicks. When the macro is created, it can be
executed on any user by selecting the status change macro controls on
the control panel, right clicking on the status table, from the Action
menu, or by right clicking the system tray icon. To manage the local status
change macros, click on "My Status Change Macros" under the
"Edit" menu. There is no limit to how many local macros can
be created. These local macros will not appear for any user other than
the one who created them. Macros can be defined globaly so they are available
to all users in the Global
Status Change Macros control under the admin controls.
- Add Macro
| Just complete the provided fields and click on the "Add"
button. |
- Macro Name
| Enter the name of the macro. The name is what will show up in
the macro lists when you choose to run a macro. The name of the
local macro can be the same as the name of a local macro created
by another user. However, the name of the local macro cannot be
the same as an existing global macro. |
- Perform Action
| Select any of the available status or status alias options you
wish to be set when the macro is executed. "<no action>"
will not make any status change when the macro is executed. |
- Action On
| This field lets you know that the action will be performed on
the selected user. The selected user is the default user when
the macro is ran from the Action menu or by right clicking the
system tray icon. |
- Return Time / Date
| This control allows you to specify the return time or day that
is set when the macro is executed. The available choices for time
and day will vary depending on the status selected above. |
- Memo
| This control allows you specify the memo to be set when the
macro is executed. If the checkbox is not checked, no memo will
be set when the macro is executed. |
- Edit / Delete Macro
| Select the macro you wish to edit or delete. To edit the macro,
just make the changes necessary and click the "Apply"
button. To delete the macro, just click the "Delete" button. |
- Macro Name
| Edit the name of the macro. The name is what will show up in
the macro lists when you choose to run a macro. The name of the
local macro can be the same as the name of a local macro created
by another user. However, the name of the local macro cannot be
the same as an existing global macro. |
- Perform Action
| Select any of the available status or status alias options you
wish to be set when the macro is executed. "<no action>"
will not make any status change when the macro is executed. |
- Action On
| This field lets you know that the action will be performed on
the selected user. The selected user is the default user when
the macro is ran from the Action menu or by right clicking the
system tray icon. |
- Return Time / Date
| This control allows you to specify the return time or day that
is set when the macro is executed. The available choices for time
and day will vary depending on the status selected above. |
- Memo
| This control allows you specify the memo to be set when the
macro is executed. If the checkbox is not checked, no memo will
be set when the macro is executed. |
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Status Table:
The Status Table displays user status information as well as provide
access to the controls to monitor and manage user status. A status table
window will automatically be displayed when the program starts. Additional
status table windows can be opened by selecting "Open Status Table"
from the "View" menu. There is no limit to how many status table
windows can be opened. Each window can have it's own display and sort
options. The table fields that are displayed as well as the field order
can be controlled in the preferences.
- Display / Sort Table
- Display
| This control lists all local and global groups. Selecting a
specific group will modify the table to only show the users that
are a member of the selected group. (Default Value: "All.") |
- Rows
| This control determines how many users are displayed before
a scrollbar appears. The default number is the smaller of either
the total number of users in the selected group or the maximum
number of names per screen set in the preferences.
The number of rows can be increased or decreased by clicking the
up and down arrows next to the text field. (Default Value:
Smaller of either the total number of users
in the selected group or the maximum number of names per screen
set in the preferences. Minimum
Value: 0. Maximum Value:
Total number of users in the selected group.) |
- Sort by
| This control allows you to sort the users in the table by a
specific field. The table can be sorted on any of the listed field,
even if the field isn't being displayed on the table. (Default
Value: The name field. Either "LastFirst"
or "FirstLast" depending on the name format set in the
preferences. ) |
- Order
| This control allows you to sort the users in the table in either
ascending or descending order according to the selected "Sort
by" field. (Default Value: "Ascending.") |
- Status Table
- Right-click Name
| When right clicking a name on the status table, a menu will
pop up giving you access to a list of controls for that user.
You can right click on any part of the row. The pop up menu will
display the user name that the controls apply for at the top of
the menu. |
- Status Change Controls
| The status change controls ("In", "Out",
"Do Not Disturb", "Vacation", "Back
in 15 min.", "Back in 30 min.", "Back in
1 hour", "Set Memo...", "Clear Memo")
allow you to set the selected user's status as needed. These
controls will be grayed out if you are trying to change another
users status and you do not have at least partial administrative
privileges. |
- Status Change Controls - Status Aliases (New
in v. 2.0.4)
| The status alias controls allow you to set the selected user's
status as needed. The submenu for this item will provide the
list of all available aliases. Aliases are defined globally
by the administrator in the "Status
Change Aliases" control. This option will be grayed
out if there are not any aliases defined in the system or if
the status change alias feature has been disabled in the system
controls or if you are trying to change another users status
and you do not have at least partial administrative privileges. |
- Status Change Controls - Status Change Macros (New
in v. 2.0.4)
| The status change macros controls allow you to execute a status
change macro on the selected user. The submenu for this item
will provide the list of all available macros. The local and
global macros will be listed together. Macros are defined globally
by the administrator in the "Global
Status Change Macros" control or locally in the "Local
Status Change Macros ('My Status Change Macros')" control.
This option will be grayed out if there are not any macros defined
in the system or if the status change macro feature has been
disabled in the system
controls or if you are trying to change another users status
and you do not have at least partial administrative privileges. |
- Add / Delete Notification
| The "Add/Delete Notification..." option brings up
an "Add/Delete Notification"
window with the selected user already selected in the user list.
This option will be grayed out if the status change notification
feature has been disabled in the system
controls. |
- Send Note / Phone Message
| "Send Note..." and "Send Phone Message..."
brings up a blank note or phone message with the selected user
entered into the "To" fields. These options will be
grayed out if the notes system or phone message system has been
disabled in the system
controls. |
- Send E-mail To (New in v. 2.0.1)
| The "Send E-mail to..." option brings up a blank
e-mail in the systems default e-mail program with the selected
user's e-mail address entered into the "To" field.
Check with your e-mail program on how to make it the default
e-mail application. This option will be grayed out if the selected
user does not have an e-mail address associated with it or if
the send e-mail to option has been disabled in the system
controls. The OpsCenter administrator can enter user e-mail
addresses into the system using the "Edit
User" window. |
- Left-click Name
| When left clicking a name on the status table, the selected user's
name will be set on the control panel
in the user list. You can left click on any part of the row. If
the control panel is not already open, it will automatically open
and the selected user's name will be set in the user list. |
- Miscellaneous
- Control Panel
| This button opens up the control panel
if it is not already open. If the control panel is already open,
nothing will happen. You can also open or close the control panel
by toggling the "Control Panel - Form" option under
the "View" menu. |
- Refresh
| This button refreshes all the status information on the status
table. You can also refresh all the information by selecting "Refresh"
under the "Edit" menu. |
- Close
| This button closes the status table window. To open another
status table window, select "Open Status Table" under
the "View" menu. |
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Status Change Notifications:
The status change notification feature allows users to set an event they
wished to be notified of. The events that can be set are any type of status
change by any user. When an event occurs, a message box will be displayed
on the screen notifying the user of the event. That event will then be
removed from the list of events to watch for. Restarting the OpsCenter
client will also clear all the notification events that have been set.
Setting and managing notification events can be done from the "Add/Delete
Notification" window which can be accessed by selecting "Add/Delete
Notification" from under the "Action" menu, by right clicking
on a user on the status table, or by right clicking on the OpsCenter system
tray icon. The menu options will be grayed out if the status change notification
feature has been disabled in the system
controls. When the "Add/Delete Notification" window is open,
you'll have the following options:
- Add
| To set a notification event, on the "Add" tab, select
the user you wish to set the event for from the user list. Then
select the status change event from the event list. Then click the
"Add" button to save the notification. When the selected
user changes to the selected status, you will receive an alert message. |
- Delete
| Notification events are automatically deleted when they occur
but if you want to manually delete one, select the "Delete"
tab. Then select the notification event you wish to delete from
the list. Then click the "Delete" button. That event will
be removed from the list. |
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Control Panel:
The control panel provides an additional method of managing the status
of all the users. The control panel also is the only place where the back
at time on the status table can be set to a specific time of day or even
a day in the future. You can open or close the control panel by toggling
the "Control Panel - Form" option under the "View"
menu. You can also set the control panel to display automatically when
OpsCenter starts. The option for that is in the preferences.
- Controls
- Current User
| This control allows you to set the user you wish to control
the status of. This control will be grayed out if you have no
administrative permissions. |
- In / Out / DND (Removed in 2.0.4)
| These buttons will change the selected user's status to the
one specified. The "__" button next to each of the buttons
will change the status as specified and then minimized OpsCenter
to the program bar at the same time. |
- Status (New in v. 2.0.4)
| This control allows you to set the status of the selected user.
You can choose from either the built-in status options or from
the status aliases that have been defined. Click on "Set
Status" to change the status. The "__" button next
"Set Status" will change the status as specified and
then minimized OpsCenter to the program bar at the same time.
This control will be grayed out if you have no administrative
permissions. |
- Status Change Macro (New in v. 2.0.4)
| This control allows you to execute a status change macro on
the selected user. This control will be grayed out if there are
not any macros defined in the system or if the status change macro
feature has been disabled in the system
controls or if you have no administrative privileges. |
- Will be back in 15 min. / Back in 30 min. / Back in 1 hour
| These buttons will change the selected user's status to "OUT"
and set the back at time to the specified point in the future.
The "__" button next to each of the buttons will change
the status as specified and then minimized OpsCenter to the program
bar at the same time. |
- Will be back at
| To set a specific time of day as the back at time, use the hour,
minute and am/pm controls on the "At..." tab. When the
desired time is set in the box, click on the "Update Time"
button to save the time the the back at field on the status table.
To reset the controls on the control panel, click the "Reset
Time" button. The "Reset Time" button does not
modify the back at time that has been set on the status table. |
- Will be back on
| To set a specific day in the future as the back at time, use
the calendar on the "On..." tab. Select any day on the
calendar and click the "Set Day" button to save the
day to the back at field on the status table. You can scroll to
different months by using the right and left arrows at the top
of the calendar. |
- Set / Clear Memo
| To control the memo field for the selected user, use the text
field and "Update Memo" button to set a memo or use
the "Clear Memo" button to clear the existing memo. |
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Message Inbox ("My Messages"):
The message inbox provides access to all saved notes, phone messages,
and vacation requests as well as the user's bulletin board posts. From
the list of messages, they can be opened or deleted. The bulletin board
posts can also be edited and the notes can be replied to or forwarded.
To open or close the message inbox, toggle the "My Messages"
option under the "View" menu. The total number of messages displayed
before a scrollbar appears is set in the preferences.
The following are additional controls for the message inbox:
- Display / Sort Table
- Display
| The display option allows you to hide or show specific message
types. By default, all messages are shown but unchecking a message
type will hide all messages of that type. (Default Value:
All messages are visible.) |
- Sort by
| The sort by control allows you to sort the messages by any of
the available fields. (Default Value: "Type.") |
- Order
| The order control allows you to sort by either ascending or
descending order on the specified field. (Default Value:
"Ascending.") |
- Messages Table
- Right-click message
| When right clicking a message, you will be given the option
to open, delete, reply, forward, or print the message. The reply
and forward options are only available for notes. |
- Left-click message
| When left clicking a message, it will be selected so you can
choose an action to take with the message. Double clicking the
message will open the message. |
- Miscellaneous
- Delete
| The "Delete" button allows you to delete the selected
message. You will receive an error message if no message is selected. |
- Open
| The "Open" button allows you to open the selected
message. You will receive an error message if no message is selected. |
- Print (New in v. 2.1.0)
| The "Print" button allows you to print the selected
message. The message will be sent to the computers default printer.
You will receive an error message if no message is selected. For
additional printing options, right click the message and select
"Print Setup". |
- Close
| The "Close" button will close the message inbox window.
You can open the message inbox by toggling the "My Messages"
option under the "View" menu. |
- Message Stats (New in v. 2.0.1)
| Various message statistics are displayed in the message inbox
window. The total count of each type of message is provided at
the top of the window. The maximum message age is displayed at
the bottom of the window. Messages older than the displayed message
age will be automatically deleted. Changing the maximum message
age can be done from the preferences. |
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Vacation System:
The vacation system provides OpsCenter users with the ability to manage
their vacation schedules. The main component of the vacation system is
the vacation calendar which displays the
vacation schedules for all the users. The vacation calendar also displays
non-workdays and holidays. A user can add a vacation a couple different
ways depending on how the vacation system is configured. One way to set
up the vacation system is unrestricted access to adding vacation schedules.
In this situation, any user can access a window where they can create
a vacation schedule entry that immediately posts to the vacation calendar.
A second way to configure the vacation system is to use a permission based
approach. In this situation, only a predefined group of users can approve
vacation schedules. When a user wants to add a vacation to the calendar,
they must send a vacation request to one of the predefined users that
can approve it. That user can approve or deny vacation requests sent to
them. An approved vacation request is then automatically posted to the
vacation calendar. (See the system controls
for details on configuring the vacation system.) When the scheduled vacation
time occurs, the user is automatically set to vacation status and a return
date will be set as the next business day after the vacation ends. When
the vacation time ends, the user is automatically returned to normal status.
After a vacation schedule entry has been created, only an OpsCenter administrator
can modify the vacation entry.
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Vacation Calendar:
The vacation calendar displays the vacation schedules for all users.
The vacation calendar also displays non-workdays and holidays. You can
view the vacation calendar by selecting the "Vacation Calendar..."
option from the "View" menu. This menu option will be disabled
if the administrator has disabled the vacation system in the system controls. Some controls for the vacation calendar such as the number
of users to display at a time and color-coding can be found in user's
preferences.
- Display Table
- Display
| This control lists all local and global groups. Selecting a
specific group will modify the table to only show the users that
are a member of the selected group. (Default Value: "All.") |
- To / From
|
The vacation calendar can display a period of five weeks at
a time. The "To" and "From" labels indicate
the start and end days that the calendar is currently displaying.
The first day the calendar shows will always be the Sunday of
the current week. There are additional buttons that allow you
to scroll forward and backwards through the calendar.
- The "|<<" button will move the calendar back
5 weeks.
- The "<<" button will move the calendar back
1 week.
- The "| |" button will return the calendar to the
starting position.
- The ">>" button will move the calendar forward
1 week.
- The ">>|" button will move the calendar forward
5 weeks.
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- Vacation Table
| The vacation schedule table is for display only. Currently, there
are not any actions that can be performed from the table. |
- Miscellaneous
- Edit Vacation
| The "Edit Vacation" button will open the vacation
manager and allow you to edit the vacation schedule for
all users. The vacation manager also has the controls to setup
and manage holidays. This button will be grayed out if you do
not have full administrative privileges. |
- Add Vacation
| The "Add Vacation" button will bring up the add vacation
window. Simply complete the form and the vacation entry will appear
on the vacation calendar. This button will not be visible if the
administrator has enabled the option to require all vacation entries
to have approval before posting to the vacation calendar. |
- Send Vacation Request
| The "Send Vacation Request" button will bring up a
vacation request form. You can then send the completed vacation
request to a user that has been given permissions to approve vacation
request. You will receive a note when that user approves or denies
your vacation request. This button will not be visible if the
administrator has disabled the option to require all vacation
entries to have approval before posting to the vacation calendar. |
- Holidays / Non-workdays
| In addition to vacation schedules, the vacation calendar also
displays holidays and non-workdays. Holidays can be managed from
the vacation manager. Non-workdays
can be managed from the system controls.
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Adding A Vacation:
There are two ways to add a vacation schedule entry to the vacation
calendar. They way you will have to use will depend on how the vacation
system is configured by the administrator. If the administrator has disabled
the option to require all vacation entries to have approval before posting
to the vacation calendar, then you will be able to use the simple "Add
A Vacation" window. This can be done by selecting the "Add A
Vacation" option from the "Action" menu or on the vacation
calendar. If the administrator has enabled the option to require all vacation
entries to have approval before posting to the vacation calendar, then
you will have to submit a vacation request. This can be done by selecting
the "Send Vacation Request" option from the "Action"
menu or on the vacation calendar. If you receive a vacation request from
another user, it must be approved or denied. An approved request will
automatically be posted to the vacation calendar. A note will be sent
to the user requesting the vacation specifying whether the request was
approved or denied. Once a vacation schedule entry has been added to the
vacation calendar, the only way to edit or delete the entry is using the
vacation
manager. (Note: The vacation manager is only available to users with
full administrative privileges.)
- Add A Vacation
| The "Add A Vacation" window can be opened by selecting
the "Add A Vacation" option from the "Action"
menu or on the vacation calendar. This option will be grayed out
if the vacation system has been disabled by the administrator in
the system
controls. Simply set the "From" and "To"
date of the vacation as well as an optional memo to appear during
the vacation period. Your status will automatically be changed to
"VACA" and the memo will be set when the vacation starts.
Your status will be taken off "VACA" and the memo will
be cleared when the vacation ends. You can only access this window
if the administrator has disabled the option to require all vacation
entries to have approval before posting to the vacation calendar.
It is also accessible from the vacation
manager. (Note: The vacation manager is only available to users
with full administrative privileges.) |
- Send A Vacation Request
| The "Send Vacation Request" window can be opened by
selecting the "Send Vacation Request" option from the
"Action" menu or on the vacation calendar. This option
will be grayed out if the vacation system has been disabled by the
administrator in the system
controls. Simply set the "From" and "To"
date of the vacation as well as an optional memo to appear during
the vacation period. An optional memo to the recipient of the request
can also be entered. The list of possible recipients is set by the
administrator in the system
controls. You will receive a note back when the recipient has
either approved or denied your request. An approved request is automatically
posted to the vacation calendar. Your status will automatically
be changed to "VACA" and the memo will be set when the
vacation starts. Your status will be taken off "VACA"
and the memo will be cleared when the vacation ends. You can only
access this window if the administrator has enabled the option to
require all vacation entries to have approval before posting to
the vacation calendar. |
- Receive A Vacation Request
| A received vacation request will automatically pop up on the screen.
You can optionally save it for later or respond to it. A saved vacation
request can be accessed in the message inbox.
To respond to the request, select either to approve or deny it and
then click the submit button. You can optionally enter in a message
that will appear in the note that gets sent to the requester. The
note will also inform the user if their request was approved or
denied. |
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Bulletin Board System:
The bulletin board system provides users with the ability to post text
messages that will appear inside OpsCenter's built-in bulletin board window.
These messages can be scheduled to appear during a specific period of
time as well as only appear for a specific group of users. Each user can
manage their own bulletin board posts through the message
inbox. Posts can also be managed through the bulletin
board manager. (Note: The bulletin board manager is only available
to users with full administrative privileges.) The bulletin board window
automatically scrolls through the current posts. The scroll rate as well
as permission levels for being able to post can be set in the system
controls. The entire bulletin board system can also be disabled or
enabled from the system
controls.
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Bulletin Board:
The bulletin board window scrolls through the current bulletin board
posts that have been set to display for a group of users that you belong
to. The scroll rate of the posts can be set by the administrator in the
system controls. The bulletin board
window can be displayed or hidden by toggling the "Bulletin Board..."
option under the "View" menu. This option will be disabled if
the bulletin board system has been disabled by the administrator in the
system controls. The default value
for this toggle can be set in the preferences.
- Bulletin Board Display
| The bulletin board display will show who created the post, the
date it was created, as well as the subject and message body. |
- Bulletin Board Controls
- Post
| This button opens up the window that allows you to post a message
to the bulletin board. (See the "Posting
To Bulletin Board" section for more information.) This
button will be grayed out if you do not have sufficient privileges
to post to the bulletin board or if the bulletin board system
is disabled. The administrator can set the minimum posting privileges
in the system
controls. |
- Play / Pause
| The bulletin board window will automatically scroll through
the current posts for the default user. To stop the scrolling,
click "Pause." To restart the scrolling, click "Play." |
- << / >>
| The bulletin board window will automatically scroll through
the current posts for the default user. To force the window to
display the next post, click ">>". To force the
window to display the previous post, click "<<". |
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Posting To Bulletin Board:
To post a message to the bulletin board window, select "Post"
from the bulletin board window or "Post to Bulletin Board" from
the "Action" menu. (These options will be grayed out if you
do not have sufficient privileges to post to the bulletin board or if
the bulletin board system is disabled. The administrator can set the minimum
posting privileges in the system
controls.) Simply create the "Post Bulletin Board Message"
window and it will be displayed as desired.
- Posting To Bulletin Board
- Display From / Display Until
| The beginning and ending date for the bulletin board post to
appear can be set using the display from and display until controls |
- Display For
| The display for control allows you to select who will see the
bulletin board post. The users who are members of the group you
select will see the message in their bulletin board window. You
will only be able to select from global groups defined by the
administrator in the global groups
control. |
- Subject / Message
| A subject and message can be completed as desired. At least
one of the two fields is required. |
- Editing A Bulletin Board Post
| After you post a message to the bulletin board, you can access
your posts for editing or deleting in the message
inbox. The administrator can access all user bulletin board
posts from the bulletin board manager. |
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Notes System:
The notes system allows for sending simple text messaging between OpsCenter
users. If the recipient's status is "IN," the note will automatically
pop up on the recipients computer. If the recipient is not "IN,"
the note will be saved until they mark their status as "IN"
or access the note from the message inbox. Notes
can be sent to a single user or a group of users. Old notes that have
not been deleted can be accessed from the message inbox. The notes system
can be enabled and disabled by the administrator in the system
controls.
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Sending / Receiving Notes:
The following details tell how to send and receive notes:
- Sending A Note
| To send a note to a user or group of users, click on "Send
Note..." from the "Action" menu. You can also select
"Send Note..." when right-clicking a user on the status
table. These options will be grayed out if the administrator has
disabled the notes system in the system
controls. Select the user or group and fill in a subject and
message. Either a subject or message is required before sending
a note. Send the note and it will pop up on the screen of the desired
recipients who are "IN" within a few seconds. |
- Receiving A Note
| To receive a note, it will automatically pop up on your screen
if your status is marked as "IN." If you are marked as
any other status, the note will be saved in your message
inbox until it is retrieved. The program icon will also blink
with a note icon until the new note is read. A received note can
be forwarded to another user or replied to. A read note is saved
in the message inbox until it is manually deleted or until the message
age is older than the maximum message age, at which time, it will
be automatically deleted. The maximum message age can be set in
the preferences. |
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Phone Message System:
The phone message system allows for sending specially designed phone
messages between OpsCenter users. If the recipient's status is "IN,"
the phone message will automatically pop up on the recipients computer.
If the recipient is not "IN," the phone message will be saved
until they mark their status as "IN" or access the note from
the message inbox. Old phone messages that have
not been deleted can be accessed from the message inbox. The phone message
system can be enabled and disabled by the administrator in the system
controls.
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Sending / Receiving Phone
Messages :
The following details tell how to send and receive phone messages:
- Sending Phone Messages
| To send a phone message to a user, click on "Send Phone Message..."
from the "Action" menu. You can also select "Send
Phone Message..." when right-clicking a user on the status
table. These options will be grayed out if the administrator has
disabled the phone message system in the system
controls. Select the user and fill in all the desired fields.
All the phone message fields are optional. Send the phone message
and it will pop up on the screen of the desired recipient if their
status is "IN," within a few seconds. |
- Auto-format Number
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The three phone number fields (Phone, Mobile, and Fax) have
the ability to be automatically formatted based on a built-in
list of phone number formats. Simply type in the numbers without
any punctuation or formatting characters and when clicking outside
the field, the number will be properly formatted. The phone
number formats are defined by country and set in the system
controls. The default value for the auto-format number option
can be set in the preferences. This
option will not be available if no country format has been set
in the system
controls. The following are the built-in list of phone number
formats:
United States:
- user enters: "1234567" -- auto-format result: "123-4567"
- user enters: "1234567890" -- auto-format result:
"(123) 456-7890
- user enters: "11234567890" -- auto-format result:
"1 - (123) 456-7890"
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- Receiving Phone Messages
| To receive a phone message, it will automatically pop up on your
screen if your status is marked as "IN." If you are marked
as any other status, the phone message will be saved in your message
inbox until it is retrieved. The program icon will also blink
with a phone message icon until the new phone message is read. A
read phone message is saved in the message inbox until it is manually
deleted or until the message age is older than the maximum message
age, at which time, it will be automatically deleted. The maximum
message age can be set in the preferences. |
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