home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
-
- 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 (01203) 388031