Advanced Retail Center. ARC Access and Navigation

Transcription

1 Advanced Retail Center ARC Access and Navigation

2 ARC: Advanced Retail Center... 3 Accessing ARC... 4 The ARC Portal... 5 Message Center... 6 ARC Navigation Bar... 6 Quick Navigation Options... 8 Application Home Features... 9 Search Menu... 9 My Notes Quick Links Working with ARC Options Table Customization My Documents (Printer) Advanced Features User Preferences Tile Profile Management Tile Resetting a User Profile MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 2 of 26

3 ARC: Advanced Retail Center ARC is a modern, flexible platform for your MBS Total Store Management System that can be tailored to meet the needs of both large and small bookstore operations. The software is designed with a user-friendly interface in addition to enhanced security and tremendous flexibility. The ARC Portal provides access to all major aspects of the MBS System including a single sign-on for Textbooks, Merchandise and Accounting, and Student Financial Aid in addition to links for applications such as insite and Dashboard. ARC is a Hosted program. This means that the data resides on a server maintained at an MBS facility. Specific information is accessed online using a computer, tablet, or other device with an internet connection. ARC is compatible with Windows, Android, and Apple devices. Updates, enhancements, and other releases are loaded to the main server by MBS. New additions and features become available automatically once completed by MBS Staff. Training webinars are conducted before new features are loaded, and documentation for new updates will be available on the Service Center. This section provides an overview of ARC access, navigation and format, and special features available across the ARC applications. Elements discussed MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 3 of 26

4 within this section are seen throughout the ARC documentation, but this guide previews these features in detail for new and returning users. Accessing ARC Access the internet using a web browser. Compatible browsers include current versions of Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari. Next, users enter their system web address (URL). The URL for specific Stores/Companies is provided by MBS Project Implementation or MBS Client Representative. The following screen appears. NOTE: It is recommended the address be added to the user s Favorites or Bookmarks. The User Name is ARxxYourName. ARxx directs the user to their company and the ARC Portal. Enter in the User Name and Password then click Sign In. The user name is created by MBS representatives. Please contact your Implementation or Client Representative if you have not yet received a User Name. A default password will be provided to you for your first sign-in. After signing-in, you will be required to change your password. Please see page 24 regarding password creation steps and requirements. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 4 of 26

5 The ARC Portal Programs can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate application tile. Access to the different applications and features depends on which applications were purchased by the store or if the user profile grants access to the application/feature. The ARC Portal is the same for all MBS Applications: Textbooks to manage textbook inventory. Merchandise and Accounting to manage non-book inventory and accounting applications (i.e. AP, SA, AR, GL, and others). Student Financial Aid to manage student accounts and financial aid events. Systems insite to manage the virtual online store. Dashboard to access special custom reports. User Preferences to manage preferences (see page 20 for more details). Profile Management to work with user profiles and access/restrictions (see page 21 for more details). Documentation to access application or release documentation. If you receive an authorization screen after clicking the Documentation tab, please use your assigned login and password for the site. If you need a login and password, please contact training@mbsbooks.com with your first and last name, address, bookstore, and city/state. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 5 of 26

6 A Sign Out option is also available on the top left of the screen. Use this to return to the ARC sign in screen. Message Center Messages from MBS to the store are displayed below the application tiles in the Message Center. These messages may display maintenance schedules and updates or promote upcoming events. ARC Navigation Bar Menus When working with Textbooks, Merchandise and Accounting, or Student Financial Aid, the navigation bar on the top of the screen provides access to the application menus. Click on a topic and a drop-down menu displays. Menus with additional options display an arrow ( ) to signify more choices. Use the mouse to hover over these menu options to display the additional areas. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 6 of 26

7 When an option is accessed, the Navigation Breadcrumb near the top of the screen shows the path used to reach this option below the navigation bar. The navigation bar remains present as you work with different processes. This allows you to work with different menu options without having to go back or go home first. For example, Maintain Items > Merchandise Items is accessible by using the navigation bar without having to close out of the current menu, as shown below. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 7 of 26

8 Quick Navigation Options Several quick navigation options are at the top right of the ARC navigation bar. These options are available anywhere at any time within Textbooks, Merchandise and Accounting, and Student Financial Aid. Quick Navigation Options include: GO BACK (arrow pointing to the left): returns to the Previous screen. SAVE/UPDATE (arrow pointing the right): continues to the next screen. The GO BACK and SAVE/UPDATE arrows at the top of the screen function the same as the Save ( ) and Go Back ( ) options, respectively, on the bottom of the ARC screen (discussed in more detail on page 15). MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 8 of 26

9 My Documents (Printer Icon): opens the My Documents menu to display reports. Information (encircled i): opens a Contact Us page with contact information for different Systems departments. ARC menu: triggers a drop-down displaying navigation options to the ARC Portal, Textbooks, Merchandise and Accounting, Student Financial Aid, and Log Off. Again, these can be selected anywhere at any time in ARC. Application Home Features Search Menu The Search Menu option, on the top right of screen below the navigation bar, is available to quickly find and navigate to menu options. A suggestion feature is built into the search. The search can help you find what you need within the application you are currently on but does not search other applications (eg, searching buyback yields no results while in Student Financial Aid, but yields several results while in Textbooks). The Search Menu is displayed with the navigation bar throughout all areas of ARC. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 9 of 26

10 1. Type the option you are looking for in the Search Menu box (i.e. vendor ). 2. The drop-down displays a suggested menu. Open the correct menu by clicking from the Search Menu drop-down. 3. If using the Search Menu feature, the navigation breadcrumb still displays the menu path. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 10 of 26

11 My Notes The home screen displays a My Notes box. Any notes typed in this box display anytime the home screen is displayed in Textbooks, Merchandise and Accounting, and Student Financial Aid. These notes are user specific and remain on the home screen until deleted. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 11 of 26

12 Quick Links Areas that are used the most often in an application can be set up as a Quick Button. These links provide fast, direct one-click access to essential pages you visit often. 1. The Quick Buttons box displays on the home screen for the selected application. Click the Gear icon ( ) to customize the button options. 2. The Edit Quick Buttons screen displays with up to 6 search options. Search and select the menus you wish to add to the Quick Buttons list. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 12 of 26

13 3. If a Quick Button is added in error, use the red X ( ) next to the option to remove it from the quick button list. 4. Once Quick Buttons are added, click Save. 5. Click on a Quick Buttons option to go directly to that menu. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 13 of 26

14 Working with ARC Options The ARC layout is designed so that Textbooks, Merchandise and Accounting, and Student Financial Aid use a work with format. The purpose of this design is to focus on elements that need to be completed first (often Add or Create a record) before working with pre-existing records (Update or Work With). To aid with this process, immediate functions like Add, are presented as a blue button above tables. Work With features displays to the right of the table in an Options menu. Many processes also have a Search By feature to locate specific records. Tables that contain multiple records (e.g. Merchandise Items, Maintain Adoptions, Vendors, etc) contain search options. Search criteria can be changed using the tabs above the Search By entry field. For example, in Item Maintenance, clicking the tab for Item Desc. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 14 of 26

15 provides an option to search by description as opposed to the default Item # field that displays. In addition to the quick navigation options on the top navigation bar, Save, Go Back, and go Home options are available at the bottom middle of the screen. Save ( ): saves edits made on the current process or continues to the next step Go Back ( ): returns to the previous screen/process. Home ( ): goes back to the main screen for the application or process. Save is the default go forward option as processes are completed. Table Customization Many tables in ARC contain options for customization. A customizable table will contain vertical lines that divide each column. There is also a small box with a downward arrow on the far right of the table ( ). This box contains options defining which columns will display in the table. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 15 of 26

16 The checkmark next to the topic name means that column will display in the table. Clicking on the name removes the checkmark and hides the column in the table. If a topic does not have a checkmark next to it, clicking the name adds the checkmark; the column will then display in the table. Reset options are available at the bottom of the column list to reset the columns to their original defaults. In addition to hiding/displaying columns, the following customizations are available: Column Sorting ( ): Clicking on the top right of the column heading sorts the page for that table by that column. It can be sorted by highest or lowest record. o Note: Sorting is by page. If a Page Down is required, the next page sorts the records displayed on that page by the column criteria. Moving Columns: Click and hold a column header and drag it to another location in the table. This allows data to display in a custom order. Column Widths: If any data is truncated on the table, the width of that table can be expanded (or compressed if too much space is allocated to that column). MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 16 of 26

17 Table customization is specific to the user, and it remains customized after exiting that process. Tables that can be customized within a record remain customized for other records. Separate users in the system can customize processes based off their preferences when table customization exists. My Documents (Printer) The printer icon ( ) in the navigation bar provides access to the My Documents center. This area contains reports that are printed in addition to automatic notices as processes are completed. When a document is sent to the document center, a box briefly displays to advise the print document is ready. Clicking the printer icon displays My Documents. The report list automatically displays the last document created at the bottom. The table can be customized. Some reports contain User Data that provides additional naming details. For instance, printing from Maintain Items prints an item listing of store MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 17 of 26

18 merchandise. This displays in the User Data column as Merchandise Items Listing. Additional options are available to navigate through the document center: Refresh: If a recently printed document is not yet displayed, click refresh to update the table. View Data/Time: This changes the layout of the document table to include the date and time that document was created. Note: When View Date/Time display is selected, navigate back to the default document list by selecting View Total Pages. Top/Bottom Buttons: Navigates to the top or bottom of the My Documents list. o Newest documents go to the bottom of the list, and the default upon opening My Documents displays the bottom of the list. In addition, options to work with documents are available. Download & Remove: opens a separate browser tab containing the document in a.pdf format. The document can be viewed, saved to the computer, and/or printed. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 18 of 26

19 o The document is REMOVED from the document list. Preview Document: opens a separate browser tab that contains the document in a.pdf format. The document can be viewed, saved to the computer, and/or printed. o The document is NOT REMOVED from the document list. document: displays a window with options. These options include: o Attach Document as PDF or Text o To Line o CC Line Can be set to a default from the Preferences tile on the ARC Portal (see page 20). o Subject Line o Send An address on the To line is required to send the . Delete: Removes the document permanently from the document center. The following is an example of document created using Download & Remove or Preview Document: MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 19 of 26

20 Note: the document is displayed in a separate browser tab. Navigate back to ARC by clicking the tab that states MBS Arc. Example of Options Again, the To: line is prefilled when set as a Preference. See page 21 for how to set preferences. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 20 of 26

21 Advanced Features User Preferences Tile User and Mailing List preferences can be set for each unique user name in the User Preferences tile on the ARC Portal screen. The following fields and selections are available as preferences: User Information: Name and address for the assigned user name. The Primary Address field is used to default the To: line when sending s from the document center. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 21 of 26

22 Mailing List Preferences: MBS sends s to users ranging in topics from new products to database updates. Check the topics for which you would like to receive notices, or leave topics unchecked if you do not wish to have s sent for that topic. Profile Management Tile The Profile Management tile is a management level menu that provides options to reset the password for a user profile, enable access to Textbooks, Merchandise and Accounting, and/or SFA for a user profile, and to set up SFA security for a user profile. Profiles are displayed in a table with options to work with them just like other areas of ARC. For a profile to be displayed, a user profile must first be set up by MBS Technical Services. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 22 of 26

23 Options for profiles include: Add User: A window displays requiring a User Profile and a dropdown for Module to Authorize. o Selecting a Module makes that application available for the user to access when they sign into ARC. Again, the User Profile must be created first by MBS. o Click Save to complete the authorization of that user. Delete: Deletes an entry in the table for an Authorized Module assigned to that user. Reset Password: If a user forgets their password or has too many unsuccessful sign-in attempts, the password can be reset. Steps to reset a password are shown on the next page. Enable Profile: Activates a newly added or modified Authorized Module for the specified user. SFA Security: Edit the menu fields available for the user to access when working with the Student Financial Aid application. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 23 of 26

24 Edit SFA Security by removing the checkmarks on options that need to be restricted for a user. Click Update SFA Menu to complete the security edit. Unchecked options do not display when that user accesses Student Financial Aid. Resetting a User Profile 1. Highlight any entry of that user name in the User column (no specific Authorized Module needs to be selected). Click Reset Password. 2. A window displays with a Temporary Password. Copy and paste or write down this password and then confirm by clicking the Click Here to Confirm Password Reset button. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 24 of 26

25 3. Use the Go Back ( ) button to return to the ARC Portal and Sign Out. 4. The user can now sign-in with username and the temporary password. 5. A password expiration information table displays verifying the last Sign-On date. Click the Change My Password button. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 25 of 26

26 6. Enter the Temporary Password in the Current Password field, and then enter your new password in the New Password and Verify New Password fields. Be sure to follow the Password Creation Rules at the bottom of the screen. 7. Click Change Password to complete the password reset. The user is taken to the ARC Portal screen and can resume normal duties. MBS Textbook Exchange, Inc. page 26 of 26