CD ROM Paradise Collection 4/CD ROM Paradise Collection 4 1995 Nov.iso/business/fttlv532.zip/HJS.EXE/MANUAL3.DOC

Text File | 1995-06-12 | 25KB | 528 lines

           FLEXITIME & TIME LOGGING SYSTEM VERSION 5

                      SUPERVISOR'S MANUAL


1. Logging On

The system should have been set up by your system administrator and you will
have been told which menu item to use to get started. Basically this should
take you to the directory where the program is stored and enter the command
"fttl".

You will see an introductory screen (this is extended in the demonstration
version) and then a calendar will appear with one of the dates (hopefully
today's) highlighted. Unless you want to change the date press ENTER or use
the cursor keys to highlight the correct date and press ENTER.  If you have
to keep changing the date please ask your system administrator to check the
clock on your workstation.

From now on you can obtain help at any point by pressing F1. A help screen
will be displayed and the contents may be viewed by using the cursor keys to
move down and up as required. Press ESC to return to the program.

If you get stuck always try pressing ESC a few times before calling someone.
Read the messages at the bottom of the screen and in the dialogue boxes which
appear from time to time.

You will then be asked to enter your surname. You only need to type in the
first few (3 or 4) letters and you can use any case. When you have typed in
your surname or part of it press ENTER.

If you are the not only person in the system with your surname you will be
given a list starting with the first closest match to what you entered. Use
the up and down cursor keys to highlight your name and initials and press
ENTER.

You will then be asked for your password - you must enter this carefully and
exactly. The system administrator will have given you a password when you were
set up on the system, but you can change it subsequently to one of your own
choosing (Recommended). If you have no password just press ENTER. If you fail
to enter the correct password you will be unceremoniously dumped out of the
system!

You will then see the main screen. This consists of a top level menu on the
top line of the screen, a system description in the centre of the screen and
a message at the bottom right hand corner of the screen saying who you are and
what four week period you are in - it is important that you check this to make
sure it matches what you think it should be.

The top level menu will say

FLEXISHEETS  PERIOD  EMPLOYEES  TIME FILES  SYSTEM  QUIT

and the FLEXISHEETS menu item will be highlighted.

To access a menu item either use the left and right cursor keys to move the
highlight to the desired item and press ENTER, or simply press the first
letter of the required item. If you press ESC while at this top level the
system will assume that you want to QUIT.

End Users can only access the FLEXISHEETS and PERIOD menus. As a Supervisor
you will be able to access the EMPLOYEES and TIME FILES menus in addition to
this but not the SYSTEM menu which is the domain of the System Administrator
only. If you find that you cannot access the Employees menu ask the System
Administrator to change your security setting (you cannot do this yourself).

The use and purpose of the FLEXISHEETS and PERIOD menus is described in the
End Users Manual.

This manual concentrates on the extra features you can access through the
EMPLOYEES and TIME FILES menus.

To select the Employees Menu use the left and right arrow keys to highlight
it and press ENTER or just press "e". A sub menu will then open. To select an
item on the sub-menu use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the require
item and press ENTER or just press the number against the required item.

To leave a Sub-Menu and return to the main menu press ESC.


2. Using the EMPLOYEES Sub-Menu


1. Select Person

You will be prompted for another person's name. Enter the surname or the first
few letters of it and press ENTER. If there are no similar surnames the change
will be effected immediately and you will not be prompted for a password.
Otherwise you will be given a pick list so that you can ensure that you have
the right person. Highlight the required person and press ENTER. This feature
enables you to jump around between different people without needing to know
their passwords so that you can then work directly on their flexisheets if
they are stuck etc. Once you have changed to another person you can ESC from
this menu and use the FLEXISHEETS menu as though you were that person. Who you
"are" at any one time is always shown in the bottom right hand corner of the
screen.

2. Add a new person

When you choose this item the system first calculates how many users are
licensed for the system and how many are currently on the system. If the
maximum number of users has been reached you will not be able to add any more.
You then either need to persuade you organisation to buy a bigger licence or
delete a user who has left.

You will be asked to fill in details of the new person. Type the details
required into each highlighted field and press ENTER to move to the next
field. Use the up and down arrows to move between fields e.g. to go back to
a field where you have made a mistake. The reference number is generated by
the system and you cannot change it. As Supervisor you will not be able to
give anybody a security level of 1 which is for the System Administrator.
Security Level 2 is for Supervisors and 3 is for End Users.

When you have finished just press Enter when you are on the last field on the
screen (security level). You will be asked to confirm that you really do want
to add this person at which point you can choose no to abandon completely. If
you say yes a new file for this person is set up together with a defaults file
which uses standard system settings established by the System Administrator.
You now need to check that these are appropriate for this new person by using
item  4 on the Sub-menu.

3. Amend existing person

This enables you to amend the basic details of a person who has already been
set up on the system and its operation is essentially the same as adding a new
person except that no new file is created. Highlight the field you want to
change using the up and down cursor keys or just keep pressing ENTER until the
field you want to alter is reached. Type you amendments and press ENTER to
conform them. When you have finished press ESC and you will then be given an
opportunity to confirm or abandon your changes. Do make sure you have moved
off any field you have altered before pressing ESC - otherwise the system will
think that you did not want to confirm the alterations to that field. You can
also leave the screen by pressing ENTER on the last field (Security Level).
You will not be able to give anyone a security level of 1.

4. Amend Person's Defaults

When a new person is created the system defaults are copied from a system
defaults file which has been set up by the System Administrator and applied
to a file which is attached to each person. This way it possible to have
different defaults for each person if you want. The person's defaults are then
used each time a new flexisheet is created. If you have to keep changing a
flexisheet's defaults then it is probably better to change that person's
defaults so that it is right in the future. If you have to keep changing a
person's defaults every time a new person is set up on the system then get the
System Administrator to change the system defaults.

Being able to change a person's defaults is particularly important for the
handling of part-timers.

What the defaults are will usually be a matter of your organisation's policy.

Once you have chosen the correct person you will be able to change the
following defaults (use the up and down cursor keys to highlight the required
field):-


Standard Day   the number of hours and minutes required to be worked on a
               normal work day by this person

Standard Half Day   what a "half day" is. This is often not exactly half a full
                    day to avoid fractions of minutes.

Maximum Flexitime Carry Forward

Period to Period    the maximum number of hours which can be carried forward
                    from one period to the next.

Week to Week   the maximum number of hours which can be carried forward
               from one week to the next. Many organisations do not bother
               about this and so you can disable it by making sure there
               is an "N" in the right hand box on this line.

Standard Period     the target hours required to be worked by this person in
                    any four week period. If you change this to anything other
                    than the amount held by the system default file then this
                    person will be considered to be part-time and you will be
                    taken to another screen once this screen has been
                    completed.

Start/End of Overtime

Start of Overtime   The time before which the system will treat am hours as
                    overtime

End of Overtime     The time after which the system will treat Pm hours as
                    overtime

If you have entered a non-standard time in the "Standard Period" field you
will then be offered another screen. This screen does NOT appear if the
person's standard period matches the system default standard period.

On this screen you can set the special target hours for this person for each
working day. Obviously for some part-timers the target for some days will be
nil, while others will work short days. When you have finished the system
checks to see that the total week's hours X 4 add up to the standard period
you established for this person. If you don't you will be warned and taken
back until you get it right! Remember that any change will be multiplied by
4 for a four week period. So, for example, you find you are 80 minutes "out"
try adding or subtracting 20 minutes from one of the days, or five minutes
from four of the days so that the cumulative effect will eliminate the 80
minute gap.

Occasionally you may still have to make some detailed changes to each
flexisheet for some really obscure requirements such as part timers who work
alternate weeks, or different hours over a three week cycle!

5. Amend Carry Forwards

This enables you to amend the carry forwards for a sheet either because this
is a person's first sheet or because something has gone wrong. Choose the
period start date for the period you wish to amend from the pick list rather
than the "previous" period - the system will do the necessary adjustments to
the chosen period and the previous period to that (if any).

6. Delete a person

This does what it says, although the audit trail of the deleted person's
period end carry-forwards will not be lost.

7. Work on a sheet

This enables you to select another person's sheet and period, do some work on
it and then return as yourself. This is different from item 1 where you
"become" that person.

8. Management Reports

Through this option you can produce printed summary reports or view data on
screen.

This produces a further Sub-Menu:


     1. Summary -   Through this option you can print or view the audit
                    trail of end of period carry forwards for each person
                    together with calculations about the total amount of
                    overtime owed and flexitime "lost". You can limit the
                    report to a specified period and, if you really want
                    to, to a specified person. First you are asked to
                    choose the printer to output - you need to do this
                    even if you are going to view the report only. The
                    list defaults to the currently selected printer.  You
                    then need to indicate the number of copies to print
                    and the type of preview if any (P is best). You will
                    be asked for a report title and if you want to select
                    a period of time for the report. If you say yes you
                    will be prompted for the beginning and end period for
                    the report.

     2. Absences         This option allows you to print a summary report for
                         absences. You can print or view the summary for all
                         employees or just one. You can choose a particular
                         period for the report if you want. First you are
                         asked to choose the printer to output - you need to
                         do this even if you are going to view the report
                         only. The list defaults to the currently selected
                         printer.  You then need to indicate the number of
                         copies to print and the type of preview if any (P is
                         best). You will be asked for a report title and if
                         you want to select a period of time for the report.
                         If you say yes you will be prompted for the beginning
                         and end period for the report.


Having chosen the relevant options you are then taken to the Report Manager.
This has its own menu:

EDIT   RESET   GO   QUIT


(NOTE: If you have already chosen to limit the periods of the report you will
NOT see this menu as the report generator will proceed directly to running the
report)

EDIT - this allows sophisticated QBE type filtering of the records in the
report. Choose the field to query, the operator and the selection criteria.
Use of wild cards * and ? is permitted. The best way to get used to this is
by experimentation. Keep looping around the menus until you are satisfied then
choose "done" when it is offered to you.

RESET - this eliminates any querying of the databases so that ALL records are
selected.

GO - this generates the report. If you have chosen one of the preview options
"P" or "D" you will be shown a representation of the report on the screen.
Press Esc when you have finished viewing this. You can then either press "G"
to print the report or "C" to abandon without printing.

QUIT - returns you to the main program without printing the report.


3. Using the TIME FILES Sub-Menu


To select the Time Files Menu use the left and right arrow keys to highlight
it and press ENTER or just press "t". A sub menu will then open. To select an
item on the sub-menu use the up and down arrow keys to highlight the require
item and press ENTER or just press the number against the required item.

To leave the Sub-Menu and return to the main menu press ESC.

The purpose of this part of the system is to enable you to maintain the
databases which contain details of clients, jobs, activities and charging
rates. Only you or the system administrator can do this. It is also where you
can produce billing information and reports on individual employee's
activities, work for clients, analysis of jobs and a breakdown by activity.

It is probably worth spending a few moments considering what the end product
of the time logging system is meant to be so that you can plan your system set
up and internal procedures - otherwise you will find that anarchy quickly
prevails and you will be no better off than you are now.

The system assumes that your employees are doing something for somebody and
that you can also break down their work into types of activity. Charging is
either by an agreed hourly rate for work (which can be altered on an ad hoc
basis) and/or by one of expenses. Employees are expected to keep a note either
on a pre-prepared sheet or in their diary of the amount of time spent on
different jobs for different people and to enter the results into the system
at the same time as they input their hours worked for the day.

A "job" is a discrete piece of work which may be small or large. Different
clients can have the same job attached to them. Each job has a charging rate.
You also need to set up "ghost" jobs to cover things like sickness and
holidays for which you may decide to set a charging rate of 0.

A "client" is who you do the work for. You will also need to set up one or
more "ghost" clients for internal trading and for absences.

An activity is a type of work e.g. meetings, reading, telephone. Again you
will want to have something like "Absence" (or "Unproductive" if you are
especially mean spirited) to cover absences.

What you put in here is up to you. However, end users can only record against
the jobs, clients and activities which you have set up. You will certainly
need to develop a system for putting new jobs, clients and activities BEFORE
end users attempt to start booking their time to them. You need also to
develop a common understanding of what is meant by the various jobs, clients
and activities so that there is a consistent approach. The key to success is
"KEEP IT SIMPLE"! You very rarely need that analysis to the nth degree!

1. Clients

A table will appear listing all your clients (initially none in which case you
will be prompted to add the first one).

Client details are: Reference (generated by the system), Name, Contact,
Address, Town, Country, Post Code, Telephone, Fax and Notes.

Use all the cursor navigation keys to move around the table to examine the
details. Enter the first three letters of the Ref. to jump to a particular
client or group of clients.

To add a new client press INS. You will be offered a screen on which you can
record the new client's details - the system automatically generates a
reference code based on the first three letters of the client's name.

To alter an existing client's details highlight the field (row and column) you
wish to alter, press ENTER, make the changes and press ENTER again to confirm
them.

To delete an existing client highlight the row in which the client's details
appear and press DEL. You will be warned if there is outstanding unbilled
work.

Press ESC to return to the Time Files Sub-Menu

2. Jobs

A table will appear listing all jobs (initially none in which case you will
be prompted to add the first one).

Job details are: Reference (generated by the system), Description, Sub-Description, File Reference, Rate (linked to rates file) and Notes.

Use all the cursor navigation keys to move around the table to examine the
details. Enter the first three letters of the Ref. to jump to a particular job
or group of jobs.

To add a new job press INS. You will be offered a screen on which you can
record the new job details - the system automatically generates a reference
code based on the first three letters of the job description. The rate must
match a rate in the Rates file - you are automatically taken to this file if
a match is not found from what you entered or you just press ENTER on this
field. The Rates file is described in the next section.

To alter an existing job details highlight the field (row and column) you wish
to alter, press ENTER, make the changes and press ENTER again to confirm them.

To delete an existing job highlight the row in which the client's details
appear and press DEL. You will be warned if there is outstanding unbilled
work.

Press ESC to return to the Time Files Sub-Menu

3. Rates

A table will appear listing all the different charging rates (initially none
in which case you will be prompted to add the first one).

Charging Rates details are: Reference (generated by the system), Description
and Rate.

Note that the rate is the HOURLY rate for the job - it does not matter what
standard time unit your organisation is using to measure time - the necessary
calculations will be sorted out by the system.

Use all the cursor navigation keys to move around the table to examine the
details. Enter the first three letters of the Ref. to jump to a particular
rate or group of rates.

To add a new rate press INS. You will be offered a screen on which you can
record the new rate details - the system automatically generates a reference
code based on the first three letters of the rate description.

To alter an existing rate details highlight the field (row and column) you
wish to alter, press ENTER, make the changes and press ENTER again to confirm
them.

To delete an existing rate highlight the row in which the rate details appear
and press DEL. You will be warned if there is outstanding unbilled work.

Press ESC to return to the Time Files Sub-Menu.

4. Activities

A table will appear listing all your activity types (initially none in which
case you will be prompted to add the first one).

Activity details are: Reference (generated by the system), Category and Sub-Category.

Use all the cursor navigation keys to move around the table to examine the
details. Enter the first three letters of the Ref. to jump to a particular
activity or group of activities.

To add a new activity press INS. You will be offered a screen on which you can
record the new activity details - the system automatically generates a
reference code based on the first three letters of the activity description.

To alter an existing activity details highlight the field (row and column) you
wish to alter, press ENTER, make the changes and press ENTER again to confirm
them.

To delete an existing activity highlight the row in which the activity details
appear and press DEL. You will be warned if there is outstanding unbilled
work.

Press ESC to return to the Time Files Sub-Menu.


5. Batch Update

This enables you to enter time logging details for a selected person even if
there is no equivalent flexi-sheet entry for that date yet in existence. It
is particularly useful for making amendments or getting somebody out of a
mess. It works the same way as described in the End User's manual except that
you first have to choose an employee and then a date against which to record
work done by that employee. You will be warned if no flexisheet has been set
up for that date by that person, but this will not prevent you from preceding.

6. Billing and Reports

This takes you to a further Sub Menu which is explained in the next section.


4. The BILLING and REPORTS Sub-Menu

1. Billing Information

This prints information on work in progress and marks that work as billed -
you can then invoice your clients accordingly. The system prints information
for all clients where work is in progress from the last time this option was
used to date. Although it is not strictly necessary it is probably better to
use this option at the end of a month or an accounting period and to do it
when most other users are logged off the system.

2. Employee Analysis

This analyses performance from an employee perspective. You are asked to enter
INCLUSIVE dates between which the analysis should be performed. The analysis
will then take place and you will be presented with an option to print or
view. You will then be shown a list of all employees preceded by the option
ALL. If you choose ALL you will be given a list of all employees showing, in
each case the amounts of time spent on time charged work, the value of such
work, the total value of expenses (i.e. non time charged work), the amount of
billed work and the amount of unbilled work (work in progress) - all relative
to the period selected. Press any key to move down the list if you are viewing
it on screen or ESC to abandon. Grand totals will be given at the end of the
list. If you are viewing the file you will then be asked if you want to export
the details to a file for use in another program, such as a spreadsheet. If
you answer Y you will be asked for a file name (do not enter an extension) to
which an ASCII Delimited Text File will be written. Most other database and
spreadsheet programs will be able to read this in.

If you choose to view or print an individual employee's details you will be
able to look at their performance in the requested period from an overall
perspective and then from the perspective of clients, jobs and activities. You
can keep doing this for each employee on the system.

Press ESC to back out of the viewing options. The print options will just
print.

3. Section Analysis

This does a similar job to the employee analysis but from the perspective of
the employees' sections as recorded in their individual files - thus an
indication of group performance can be obtained.

4. Client Analysis

This does a similar job to the employee analysis but from the perspective of
clients.

5. Jobs Analysis

This does a similar job to the employee analysis but from the perspective of
the jobs on file.

6. Activity Analysis

This does a similar job to the employee analysis but from the perspective of
the activities on file.




HJS Systems will be pleased to quote for adding to or modifying these reports
to suit your individual requirements. Telephone [phone]