Desktop Guide. for Version 3.5. Fire and Emergency New Zealand

Transcription

1 Desktop Guide for Version 3.5 Fire and Emergency New Zealand

2 P a g e 2 Introduction This Desktop Guide provides instruction on how to use the VACS Desktop Interface. If you have any questions, please contact one of your brigades System Managers in the first instance. If you require further assistance or encounter technical problems, please contact the FENZ ICT Helpdesk. FENZ ICT Helpdesk Phone support@vacs.co.nz VACS Emergency Technical Contact Phone anaru.hartley@fireandemergency.nz Additional Documents For additional documentation, including guides for other interfaces, case studies, discussion documents and brigade setup template documents, go to the following URL: Latest Version This document may be updated from time to time with corrections and additional information. The latest version is made available for download in PDF format through VACS or alternatively you can download a copy directly from the following URL: Copyright Notice 2018 Fire and Emergency New Zealand. All Rights Reserved. No part of this document or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of Fire and Emergency New Zealand, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials. Commercial use and distribution of the contents of this document is not allowed without expressed and prior written consent of Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

3 P a g e 3 Table of Contents 1 Accessing the Desktop Interface Page 4 2 Login Screen Page Password Reset Page 5 3 Overview Screen Page Main Menu Page Logout Page Support and Documentation Page Profile Filters Page Alerts Section Page Statuses Section Page Profiles Window Page Updating a Profile Page Announcements Section Page Creating an Announcement Page Deleting an Announcement Page Recent Activity Section Page 8 4 Calendar Screen Page Calendar Navigation Page Creating a Schedule Page Updating a Schedule Page Deleting a Schedule Page 11 5 Messages Screen Page Messages Screen Navigation Page Inbox Section Page Viewing an Inbox Message Page Creating a Message Page Sent Section Page Viewing a Sent Message Page Pager Section Page Viewing a Pager Message Page 14 6 Settings Screen Page Personal Settings Section Page Opening the Configuration Interface Page Updating Personal Settings Page Personal Skillset Section Page Status History Section Page Viewing Status History Item Page 17

4 P a g e 4 1 Accessing the Desktop Interface To access the Desktop Interface, you will need to know your brigades unique reference name. This will typically be a shortened version of your brigade name. This unique reference name will be used as a part of the URL for access the Desktop Interface. Example 2 Login Screen Once the login screen has loaded, you will see a standard login form that requires a user name and password. Your credentials will be provided to you by your brigades VACS System Manager.

5 P a g e Password Reset If you forget your password, it can be reset through the Desktop Interface at the Login Screen. To do this, click on the Reset Password link at the bottom of the screen. A window will appear asking for your user name and the address used with your profile. Enter these details and then click on the Reset button. If the user name and address match, a randomly generated temporary password will be sent to your address. 3 Overview Screen The Overview Screen displays several sections of information and represents the main screen within the Desktop Interface. From here, you can view and change your own or other members status, create announcements and review recent activity.

6 P a g e Main Menu The Main Menu appears across the top of all screens within the Desktop Interface. 3.2 Logout To log out of the Desktop Interface, click on the button labelled with your user name in the right-hand side of the Main Menu. 3.3 Support and Documentation To access Technical Support and Documentation, click on the button with the question mark in the right-hand side of the Main Menu. 3.4 Profile Filters Profiles or members shown in the Statuses Section can be filtered by training, status, search string or a combination of all three. 3.5 Alerts Section The Alerts Section shows the notification date, time and text of current alerts. 3.6 Statuses Section The Statuses Section displays each status in a separate box (if members are in the status) showing the total number of members in the status and the caption. Each item in the Statuses Section shows the date and time that the member last updated, their prefix if one is specified and their last name followed by their first name. The members status message is also displayed if one has been set.

7 P a g e Profiles Window The Profiles Window is opened by clicking on a member listed under a status. It will show the date and time that the member last updated, their status as a drop-down menu and their status message. You can also expand the window by clicking on Show Contact Details this will show the members phone numbers and address. 3.8 Updating a Profile To update a profile, make the required changes and then click on the Update button. You will always be able to update your own profile; however, your brigade may have restricted who can update other members profiles and a warning message will be displayed if this is the case.

8 P a g e Announcements Section The Announcements Section shows any announcements that have been created. You can create a new announcement through this section or you can also specify that a message is also an announcement when creating one through the Messages Screen Creating an Announcement There are two ways to create announcements. The first is through the Overview Screen under the Announcements Section. Simply enter the text and then click on the Post button. The second is through the Messages Screen when creating a new message. You will be presented with a check box option, tick this and when the message is sent, an announcement will be created at the same time Deleting an Announcement Announcements can only be deleted through the Overview Screen under the Announcements Section. Click on Remove at the bottom of the announcement to delete it. System Managers can specify who can and can t delete announcements, while members can always delete announcements that they have created Recent Activity Section The Recent Activity Section shows a summary of all status changes in the last 12 hours.

9 P a g e 9 4 Calendar Screen The Calendar Screen displays a navigable planner for each month and enables members to create and manage scheduled status changes. 4.1 Calendar Navigation The Calendar can be navigated by using the double arrow buttons either side of the month and year drop-down menus. Alternatively, you can select a specific month and year and then click on the Refresh button.

10 P a g e Creating a Schedule To create a new Schedule, click on the Create Schedule button in the upper right corner of the Calendar Screen. Alternatively, you can click on the date at the top of each box representing the days of the month. The Create Schedule Window shows several fields. Fill these in and then click on the Create button. The date and time fields are drop-down menus with pre-populated values. Alternatively, you can double-click either of these to manually enter a date or time. The recurrence field allows you to specify how often the schedule is to repeat. If it is left as zero, then the schedule will activate only once. 4.3 Updating a Schedule To update a schedule, click on it in the planner view. Each schedule will be displayed under the date(s) it is set to execute on. A window will appear which is like the one shown when creating a new schedule with the same fields to update any changes, click on the Update button.

11 P a g e Deleting a Schedule To delete a schedule, click on it in the planner view. Each schedule will be displayed under the date(s) it is set to execute on. A window will appear which is like the one shown when creating or updating a schedule. To delete the schedule, click on the Delete button. Be aware that if the schedule is set to recur, deleting it will delete all schedules in the sequence. 5 Messages Screen The Messages Screen provides members with a way to send and receive messages through VACS. Members can also see pager turn-out messages for your brigade. 5.1 Messages Screen Navigation There are three sub sections to the Messages Screen. These are Inbox, Sent and Pager (turn-out messages). Clicking on the respective menu button will show messages for each section. 5.2 Inbox Section The Inbox Section shows all messages that you have received from other members or the system. It shows the date and time that the message was received, who it is from and what address it was sent to along with a preview of the message text.

12 P a g e Viewing an Inbox Message To view an inbox message, click on it in the list and a window will open showing more detail. This includes the date and time the message was sent, what channel it was sent through and the status of the message along with the date and time the status was last updated. Next it shows who the message is from and what address it was sent to, followed by the message text itself. 5.4 Creating a Message To create a message, click on the Create button in the upper right of the Messages Screen. The Create Message Window will appear showing several fields. The first step is to specify the recipient or recipients. This is described in more detail below. Next is what address you want the message to be sent to. You can choose from one of the registered phone numbers, all of them, an address or a combination of them all.

13 P a g e 13 The recipient is a progressive input field that first requires that you specify whether you want to send a message to a grouping of members or an individual member. Click on the respective option button and additional fields will appear relative to the option selected. If you choose to send the message to a grouping of members, fields will appear allowing you to specify training or a status. The default is to send the message to all members with any training associated as their skillset and members in any status. If you choose to send the message to an individual member, a field will appear allowing you to select the member. You can also search for the member using the quick find box at the top; the list of members will automatically narrow with the number of matches as you type. 5.5 Sent Section The Sent Section shows all messages sent by you to other members at an individual message level. It shows the date and time that the message was sent, who it was sent to and what address it was sent to along with a preview of the message text. 5.6 Viewing a Sent Message To view a message, click on it in the list and a window will open showing more detail. This includes the date and time the message was sent, what channel it was sent through and the status of the message along with the date and time that the status was last updated. Next it shows who the message is from and what address it was sent to, followed by the message itself.

14 P a g e Pager Section The Pager Section lists all pager turn-out messages received by your brigade. It shows the date and time that the message was received and a preview of the message text. 5.8 Viewing a Pager Message To view a pager message, click on it in the list and a window will open showing more detail. This includes a satellite aerial image of the location, the date and time the message was received, what appliances were dispatched, the incident type (and call source, if available), the address, the crossstreet reference and any incident details available.

15 P a g e 15 6 Settings Screen The Settings Screen is made up of three sections that enable you to modify basic details and review other relevant information held within the system.

16 P a g e Personal Settings Section The Personal Settings Section allows you to update your status, any of your three phone numbers and address without having to ask a System Manager. 6.2 Opening the Configuration Interface If you are a System Manager, a button will be displayed in the Personal Settings Section called Open Configuration Interface refer to the VACS Configuration Guide document for more information on configuring VACS. 6.3 Updating Personal Settings To update any of your personal details, make the required changes and then click on the Update button. Be aware that your phone number(s) and address must be unique. If other profiles are already using either within VACS, a warning message will be displayed.

17 P a g e Personal Skillset Section The Personal Skillset Section lists all training items that have been associated with your member profile and make up your personal skillset. You can view the description for each training item by hovering over it with your mouse cursor, or by tapping on it. 6.5 Status History Section The Status History Section lists all your status changes within the last 30 days up to a maximum of 50 status changes. Each item shows the date, time, status and interface used to make the change. 6.6 Viewing a Status History Item To view a Status History Item, click on it and a window will open. This window will show the date and time the status change was made, followed by the status caption and status message, if any, and finally the user name of the member who updated it.