Monster Media 1994 #1/monster.zip/monster/BUSINESS/ESA200.ZIP/ESA.DOC

Text File | 1994-01-01 | 25KB | 797 lines

      Employee Scheduling Assistant (C) Version 2.00



                   A tool for Managers




































            Guia International Corporation
                 731 Edgewater place
               Kennesaw, Georgia 30144
                    [phone]


Table of contents~
-----------------

Introduction ............................................ 1

Equipment needed ........................................ 2

Installation ............................................ 2

Using the Menus ......................................... 3

Main Menu ............................................... 4

Manager's Menu .......................................... 5

Report Menu ............................................. 7

Setting up a new Department ............................. 8

Messages about Dates .................................... 11

To start the Program after installation ................. 11

Other Uses .............................................. 11

Printers ................................................ 11

Registration ............................................ 12

Technical Support ....................................... 12

Program License Agreement ............................... 13










The major differences between this and earlier version,

o - The maximum number of employees per department has
    increased from 50 to 100.
o - The maximum number of Day Types has been increased
    from 12 to 24.
o - The removal of shareware message screen after entering
    the registration code.




Introduction ~
------------

The Employee Scheduling Assistant is an application designed
for department managers to keep track of vacations and other
activities such as sick leave, education, personal days off,
work time and wages, shift assignments etc.

Help is available by pressing the F1 key, "Pop-up Windows"
and Bounce-bar" Menu selections make the Employee Scheduling
Assistant very "User friendly".

Two Editors are provided. Editors are screens displaying
calendars that show Weekends and Special event days such as
company holidays that you can specify. Editors also allow you
to make changes to current schedules. A schedule change in
one Editor will change the data in both Editors. Editors can
be viewed for an entire year for one Employee, the Department
schedule may be shown for each month or for a 24 Hour period.
Employe work Start and Stop times are graphically displayed
and may be sorted by Start and Stop time. A window can be
opened for every date and each Employee to leave a four line
thirty character per line note.

Seven types of reports are available:
o  An Employee Schedule Report(One year).
o  A Department Report(By requested month).
o  A seven day Report for posting.
o  A Department Statistical Report.
o  Selected Employee information printout.
o  Messages for Employees between two dates.
o  All messages for the Department for one date.

You may have up to 99 Department per Directory, and as many
as 100 Employees per Department.

You may easily view and edit schedules from past, current
and future years. Easy entry allows you to add, change or
delete Employees to and from inventory via the Manager's
Menu.

The listing order of employees may be changed quickly to
either list alphabetically or in order of seniority or
birthday, whichever you specify in the Department Profiles.
Any name may easily be relocated to any position on the list.
Sample work files with fictitious names and schedules are
provided during installation to help you become familiar with
the application. You may delete the sample files after you
have had a chance to practice.

You may terminate the application from any part in the
program, by pressing the Esc key. Confirmation will be asked
before leaving the Main Menu.

Equipment needed ~
----------------

You will need an IBM or compatible 286 PC or higher and a
combination of at least one diskette drive and one
fixed(hard) disk.
1Mb of memory.
DOS 3.1 or later.
A Color or Monochrome Monitor(VGA is preferred).
A printer if you need reports.

Within the Employee Scheduling Assistant, you may customize
and substitute Terms and Names to suit your needs. The
defaults for a Client is Employee, you may choose another
name such as Salesperson etc. All Menus and Reports, will
reflect these choices. For practical reasons, in this manual
we will refer to Employees and Departments.

Installation ~
------------

Before installing the application, make a backup
copy of the program. Since the program is not copy protected,
you may use the DOS command DISKCOPY or COPY *.*

Insert the program diskette in Drive A:
Set the default to Drive A:(Type A: and Enter).

Type INSTALL C:    For installation on Drive C:
Type INSTALL D:    For Drive D: etc.


Directory ESASSIST will be created on the selected Drive and
the programs will automatically be installed. You may install
in any Directory of your choice, the following files must be
present:

ESA.BAT
ESAORG.DAT
ESA.EXE
ESAHELP.IND
ESAHELP.DOC

A window will ask you for the current DOS date. Enter todays
date in not correct and press the Enter key.

Important! ~
Always make sure that the DOS date is the current date,
Editors will display the current calendar Month and Year.

The Sign-on Menu should now be displayed.

Let's look at the operation and do some practice.

Using the Menus ~
---------------

Each item of selection has an identification letter or number
to the left of it. Either press the number or letter to make
the selection, or move the selection bar up or down with the
arrow keys. When the selection bar is over the selected menu
item, press the Enter key for your selection.

After the installation the program goes directly to the Sign-
on Menu. When starting the program in the future, type ESA
from the Root Directory or from the Directory that holds the
program.


Verify the DOS Date
|
|
Sign-on Menu  ======> Color selection
|                     Printer selection
|                     Other options
|
Main Menu
..........
..........
.......... =========> Manager's Menu
..........            .........
..........            .........
..........
.......... =========> Report Menu
                      .........
                      .........

Select the " Set-up choices" on the Sign-on Menu. This will
allow you to change colors, select a printer, turn off the
sound etc. If you have a Color Monitor, select "Change
colors. " Press F2, F3,and F4. Use the PgUp and PgDn keys to"
look at the general defaults and select the one you like. By
moving the cursor up or down on any of the three pages, more
color selections can be made on the individual items by using
the left and right arrow keys. Press F10 to save your
selections.

Before setting up a new Department and adding the names of
the Employees, let's go through a practice session with an
existing file. Two files come with the program diskette and
are installed automatically in the Subdirectory.  Whenever
"Example Department" is selected, the DOS date changes to the
year 1994, for other Directories it will be restored to the
current year if different.




From the Sign-on Menu, select:

M - Main Menu.

Then select "Example Department" from the window.

The Main Menu will now appear.


Main Menu ~
---------

Select item:

1 - Department Schedule update or review.

Select a month, the Department Editor will appear. The
vertical bars are the Weekends and Special Event days. Move
the cursor up and down and notice the action. Press the
following keys:
F1, Shows how help works.
F2, Puts the current Department statistics in a window.
F3, Bring up a window that you can put messages in.
Go ahead and leave a note and press F10 to save it.
Notice that a "F3=Note" appears on the Day Type line whenever
the cursor is placed on the date and the Employee that holds
the message. Press the F4 key and all the Employees and dates
that have messages will are flagged with a "Smily Face".
F5, Shows a graph of the current 24 hour work schedule for
the date at the cursor position in the Department Editor.  It
will also show any overflow hours from a previous day.  Enter
some shift assignment in the Editor and look at the results
by pressing F5 again. F6 will sort and display start times
and F7 will sort and display by stop times.
The Employee hours worked are shown on the right of the
screen and the Department total hours and wages(If entered)
are displayed on the bottom. If the total scheduled hours
exceed 24 Hours, an error in the time field will alert you.
By holding down the Control(Ctrl) key and pressing either the
left or right arrow keys, you can switch between days without
returning to the Editor. While in the Editors, note that the
Day Types are displayed below the listing, Day Types relate
to the activity scheduled  for each Employee and are set up
in the Manager's Menu. Press the Tab keys and note that the
cursor will advance one week per depression. By holding down
the shift key while pressing the Tab key, reverses the
process. By holding down the Control(Ctrl) key and pressing
the left or right arrow keys, you can switch between months.
To save all the changes that are made in the Editors, press
the F10 key, the Esc key will cancel all changes.
Select item:

2 - Employee Schedule update or review.
Select a name  by pressing the Enter key. This Editor will
show the schedule for one Employee for the year requested.
All the same function key are active except the F5 key. Make
changes as you see fit. When done, press Esc or F10 to get
back to the Main Menu.

Select item:

A - Alter Employee listing order.

A list of Employees will be shown in the current listing
order, move the cursor three places down, type a "1" and
Enter.  The Employee in position 3 has now moved to the top
of the list. Press F2 and F3 and alternately the listing will
change from an alphabetic order to the order of seniority or
other Date that you specified in the Manager's Menu.

Esc back to the Main Menu.

Select item:

M -Manager 's Menu.

Manager's Menu ~
--------------

The Manager's Menu contains all the functions that are
normally related to the activities of a Department Manager,
such as entering new Employees, setting up the Special Event
Days, setting up Day Types and transferring Employees to
Other Departments or Archiving.

Select the Manager's Menu from the Main Menu, then
select item:

4 - Set up the Department Profiles.

Look at the current settings of the Department Profiles. Any
changes that you make will be reflected throughout the
application, in all the Menus, Reports and Editors. Make any
changes you wish, press F1 for help if you need it. The
special character representing weekends and Special Event
Days, can also be those that are not on a standard keyboard.
By holding down the Alt key and typing a number between 33
to 45 and 47 to 254 on the numeric keypad, the ASCII
equivalent will then be used. Make sure your printer is
capable of printing the symbol that you select.

Select item:

5 - Set up Department Day Types.




The Day Types and Start/Stop times are displayed. The purpose
of this two page screen is to set up to 24 Day Types.
A Day Type, represents an activity in the Editors. For an
actual day of work, Start and Stop times are also entered so
you can keep track of daily hours. Select relative Day Types
that are meaningful to you. On the bottom is the option to
enter Start and Stop times for a blank day in the Editors.
If an unmarked day location is presumed to be a working day,
then the only question is which days are normal working
days, and we will look at that next. Use help if needed,
press Esc to return to the Manager's Menu Menu.

Select item:

6 - Set up Department Work Days.

Notice that the week days and Special Event days are listed.
This option is to differentiate between a 24 hour 7 day a
week operation and is only used if a blank Day Type has a
Start or Stop time entered on the Day Type screen, page two.

Select item:

1 - Add a new Employee to the file.

Key entrees are restricted for each input field to prevent
wrong information being entered. All edit keys are active.
For a summary of key functions, press F1(Help),

Enter the last name, using upper and lower case characters.
The decimal in the wages field, is protected to prevent an
invalid entry, if you are not concerned with wages, leave the
wage information line blank.  For the Date, use the same date
format as used in DOS, for more information about dates, see
"Messages about dates". For telephone numbers, enter the
numbers without spaces, the line will format itself after the
field is completed. On the comment line, enter relative
information basic to that Employee. Fill in the rest of the
requested information and press F10 to store the information.

Select item:

2 - Review or change basic data for an Employee.

Select a name from the window. Now you the information in the
record. Press F10 to store the data.

Select Item:

3 - Delete an Employee from the file.

Select the name of the Employee that you wish to delete and
Enter. You will be asked to confirm your decision to make
sure the deletion was not accidental.
Menu option "8" will save disk space in the future, when some
history files can be deleted. You must be in a different year
the the year you are deleting or an error message will alert
you.

If you have more than one Department and have set up a
Department called "Archives", you may transfer Employees
between Departments, the windows will direct you and you will
be asked for conformation before the transfer takes place.
When transferring an Employee, all the information including
the Window notes get moved for the current year.
Caution!
The Day Types in the "to" Department may be different from
the "from" Department and may have to be adjusted.

Select item:

7 - Set up Department Special Event Days.

You may enter special days such as Company Holidays, you may
use any order.  The dates will be checked for accuracy and
the year will default to the current year. You may enter up
to twenty dates for any year. These days will show in the
Editors like weekends do but the color will differ if you
have a color monitor. See topic "Messages about Dates" in
this manual for entering format.
Lets return to the Main Menu be pressing the Esc key.
Select Item:

P - Report Menu.

Report Menu ~
-----------

The Report Menu is pretty much self explanatory, except for
the printing of the Notes and the seven Day
Report. If you have a printer that is capable of printing in
condensed mode (IBM matrix or IBM laser printers), the Notes
will print four across, other printers will print these
messages two across.
All reports are designed to be printed on 66 line paper
8.5 x 11 inches.

Note!
Do not use proportional spacing fonts on the printer when
printing reports, since the vertical alignment will be
effected.
Press Esc and return to the Main Menu, practice all you want
with the "Example Department".





Setting up a new Department ~
---------------------------

Select the Sign-on Menu from the Main Menu.

When in the Sign-on Menu, The DOS Date is always restored to
the current DOS Date. Select item:

N - Set up a new Department.

The name that should be entered is the name of the
new Department and a Subdirectory that will be created from
the current Directory.  Press F1 if you need help.  After
some disk action,the Main Menu will appear and we are ready
to set up the new Department Profiles.
Select the Manager's Menu again, to set up the Profiles
first using upper and lower case characters. Customize the
Department Profiles, make changes as you see fit. All changes
will be reflected on the Menus and Reports.

Enter the names of the Department Employees, again using
upper and lower case characters. You may alter or update any
information at any time.

Now we are ready to set up the Day Types and work Start and
STOP times.

Select Item:

5 - Set up Department Day Types.

The object is to keep the Editors as readable as
possible with a minimum of clutter causing confusion or
distraction.  Remember, Day Types are characters representing
daily activities such as V= Vacation, 1= 7am-3pm etc. You may
enter work Start and Stop times. At your option, fill in a
break like a lunch period. If you are not concerned with
working hours and wages, ignore any of the references made to
Start/Stop times and Working Days.

Example 1:

You are operating an office whose people work Monday through
Friday. They do not work on Special Event Days.
Set the Day Types as follows:
V= Vacation              00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00
S= School                00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00
Etc.

Blank Day Type           08:30 12:00  12:45 17:15
The Start and Stop times in the Blank Day Type are the normal
work hours including lunch. Press F10 to save.


Select item:

6 - Set up Department Work Days.

Mark Sunday, Saturday and Special Event Days with a "No", all
other days should be marked "Yes", press F10 to save.
You may add Shift assignments but a blank Day Type in the
Editors will default to a regular workday. If you later
decide to set up a second or even a third shift, you may do
so by setting up a Day Type for that shift.

Example 2:

You are operating a store that is open from Monday through
Saturday, including Special Event Days, the hours are from
9am to 5pm. Some Employees have the day off during the week
to make up for the Saturday worked. Set up Day Types as
follows:

L= 1pm - 9pm      13:00 21:00  00:00 00:00
O= Off Day        00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00
V= Vacation       00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00
S= School         00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00
Etc.
Blank Day Type    09:00 17:00  00:00 00:00

The Start and Stop times in the Blank Day Type are the normal
work hours, you may add lunch breaks if you wish.  Press F10
to save.

Select item:

6 - Set up Department Work Days.

Mark Sundays with a "No", all other days should be marked
"Yes". You may add shift assignments but a blank day in the
Editors will default to a regular work day.

Example 3:

You manage a hospital ward. Nurses work around the clock. The
operation is 24 Hrs/Day, seven days a week including Special
Event Days.

1= 7am - 3pm      07:00 15:00  00:00 00:00
2= 3pm - 11pm     15:00 23:00  00:00 00:00
3= 11pm - 7am     23:00 07:00  00:00 00:00
V= Vacation       00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00
T= Training       00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00
Etc.
Blank Day Type    00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00

Press F10 to save

Select item:

6 - Set up Department Work Days.

Mark all the days with a "Yes". Press F10 to save. Note that
the Blank Day Type working Start and Stop times are 00:00
since there is no default time. A blank Day type in the
Editors is a not a working day for that Employee.

Example 4:

Fire Departments, usually have a 48 hour single assignment.
Set the Day Types as follows:

1= Day 1           13:00 24:00  00:00 00:00
2= Day 2           00:00 24:00  00:00 00:00
3= Day 3           00:00 13:00  00:00 00:00
V= Vacation        00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00
T= Training        00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00
Etc.
Blank Day Type     00:00 00:00  00:00 00:00

Assignments in the Editors should be three consecutive days
marked 1 2 3. Press F10 to save.

Select Item:

6 - Set up Department Work Days.

Mark all the days with a "Yes". Press F10 to save. Note that
the Blank Day Type working hours are all at 00:00. Since a
blank Day Type in the Editors is not presumed to be working
day.

Any combination of circumstances may be adopted. The basic
rule is that if the Blank Day Type working Start and Stop
times are not 00:00, a blank Day Type in both Editors will
represent a working day.
















Messages about Dates ~
--------------------
All of the following examples of dates entered are acceptable
to the Employee Scheduling Assistant, all dates are:
01-02-1994.

10294
01021994
01-02-94,  or 01/02/94
01-02-1994 or 01/02/1994
01-2-94,   or 01/2/94
1-02-94,   or 1/02/94
1-2-1994,  or 1/2/1994
1-2-94,    or 1/2/94

The alternate Date format of DD-MM-YYYY is used outside
the United States. The input format for Months and Days
is reversed in this format.

To start the program after installation ~
---------------------------------------

Type ESA and Enter from the Root Directory or the Directory
that contains the Programs. In the Root Directory of the Disk
Drive that contain the Program, a file called ESA.BAT
automatically will start the application.

Other Uses ~
----------

You may use the Editors for any Matrix. You may schedule 100
people for 12 projects or cities or schedule 12 people for
100 projects or cities. Teachers are using the Program to
maintain classroom attendance records. Instant statistics are
available on the screen and via Reports. The "Notes" are
used the enter progress notes and test scores.

Printers ~
--------

You may use any matrix or character PC type printer. If your
printer is capable of printing in condensed mode at 17.1
characters per inch, an Escape code is send to the printer if
you selected the "IBM Matrix or Laser" or "HP" from the
Printer option selection. Condensed printing is reset to 10
characters per inch after the report is completed.








Registration ~
------------

The registration fee is $39.00 in US currency. Registrations
will be acknowledged by mail within 30 days of receipt and
confirms the authorized use of the program. A confidential
registration code that may be entered under Options in the
Sign-on menu will alter the opening screen so the shareware
message will no longer be displayed. The registration code
identifies the licensed user and must be protected.
Any updates will be included if INVOICE.DOC is used for
version determination.
Agreements known as "Site License Agreements" providing for
unlimited usage for one location (by address) are in effect
after the registration of three regular registrations
(to the amount of $117.00) have been submitted.
Many recommendations for new features and also operational
improvements come from our users. With your registration,
include any remarks you wish, we will look at and evaluate
every suggestion made and they are always welcome!

Technical Support~
-----------------
After the registration has been received by Guia
International, the User is entitled to free telephone or
written support for a period of 90 Days. Any extended support
may be negotiated thereafter but shall at minimum be in
conformance with the regulations of the Association of
Shareware Professionals (ASP).

























Program License Agreement~
-------------------------

Read the following terms and conditions before using the
program. By using or accepting this program, you indicate
that you accept the terms and conditions set forth bellow.

Guia International Corp. provides this program and licenses
its use. You assume responsibility for the selection of these
programs to achieve your intended results, and for the
installation, use and results obtained from the programs.

The registration code when issued, is for the use of the
registered user only for a single system or multiple systems
in case of a "Site License Agreement".

Limited warranty
The programs are provided without warranty either expressed
or implied, including but not limited to the implied
warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular
purpose. In no event, will Guia International Corp. be liable
to you for any damages, including any lost profits, lost
savings or other lost incidental or consequential damages
arising out of the use or inability to use such programs even
if Guia International Corp. or any of its agents or dealers
had been advised of the possibility of such damages.
When you start using the program as a production tool, the
Opening Window fee is due to Guia International for each
system the program is installed on.  The acknowledgement
returned to you will serve as your license for authorized
usage. You are free to duplicate the application and make
distributions providing that no alterations are made with the
exception of compression to facilitate electronic
transmission. You acknowledge that you have read this
agreement, understand it and agree to be bound by its terms
and conditions.

<END OF FILE>
Revised 1-1-1994