PEOPLESOFT NAVIGATION PeopleSoft General Information & Navigation Introduction What is PeopleSoft? Designed as an integrated system Designed as a client/server application. Server (central computer) stores majority of data as well as validation rules. Client (user s workstation or PC) runs the program. Designed to work in a Windows environment. PS is table-driven. Information is grouped together and stored in a series of tables. Storing data on tables ensures data integrity and minimizes data redundancy. Signing onto PeopleSoft: Open the PeopleSoft Launcher Enter your Login ID and select Production or Test. Click Start. Review and verify the following fields on the Sign on panel. Connection Type: Identifies the database type and the type of connection. Application Server Name: Identifies the database the application uses Operator Id: Indicates the User s log on. Password: Upon entering the password, asterisks display. Click on OK. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 1 of 12 July 27, 2001
To open a menu group: Select the Go> Build Community > Maintain People Data Search Dialog Box Select Use> A-K> Demographic Data> Names/ID Data> Update Display The Search Dialog Box will appear. High Level Search Key Alternate Search A search dialog box is separated into two frames. The top frame contains the High-Level Database Key(s); the bottom contains Alternate Search Keys. The high-level search key uniquely identifies an individual, or a unique row of data; these are values each individual must have to be in the system. Alternate search keys provide an easier way to search for data, but do not uniquely identify rows of data. Review the Search Tips document for more info about searching. Every panel on a menu has a search record associated with it. Once you have selected a record from a menu, if you select other panels that share the same search record, you will not be prompted to enter search criteria again. You ll only be prompted for new search keys when you select a panel with a different search record. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 2 of 12 July 27, 2001
PeopleSoft Basics: Becoming Familiar with the Terms and the Tools PeopleSoft Panels (windows) share many characteristics with Microsoft Windows applications, such as a title bar, window sizing buttons, a control menu box, a menu bar, a toolbar, and a status bar. Tool Bar Window Title Bar Window Sizing Buttons Panels Menu and Panel Structure Status A Menu is a business process. It identifies a task to be accomplished (e.g. Maintain People Data, Manage Student Records, Develop Enrollment). A Menu Group is a logical grouping of menus. A Panel is the graphical interface used to view, enter and update data. A Panel Group is attached to a menu. A panel group should be considered as one data entry form with two or more pages. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 3 of 12 July 27, 2001
The Menu Bar The Menu Bar lists the Menu Items associated with a PeopleSoft Window. Menu Items are user options available to a particular menu group. Menu items vary with the PeopleSoft window. There are five menu items common to every PeopleSoft window. File Lets you save or process data; it also allows you to exit the database. Edit View Go Favorites Help Gives you options on manipulating your data (cut, paste, delete row, etc.). Lists navigational options you will use to move through and manage your database. Allows you to access all the PeopleSoft applications and windows your security will permit. It is where everything begins. Lets you create a shortcut to the panel groups you will use the most. Provides easy access to online help and documentation. In addition to the menu items above, you will use the following four in many Student Administration applications: Use Lets you add, update and correct data. Inquire Process Report Allows you to view summary data. Inquire panels are for viewing only. You will be unable to add or change data here. Inquire is the primary menu item for most PeopleSoft users. Lets you run data processing such as postings. Gives you a print out of the values stored in your set-up tables. The menu item Report should not be confused with a system or query report. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 4 of 12 July 27, 2001
The Toolbar PROCESS ACTIONS The same toolbar buttons are always present, directly below the menu, regardless of which application or which window you re using. These buttons are associated with special application processes. They enable you to communicate with your database. Some, however, may be gray (and thus unavailable) when the action is not available for the panel in which you re working. Position the cursor on any of the toolbar buttons to get information on the button. The button name appears in a Tool Tip directly below the toolbar. Save Cancel Run Run With Defaults Sends the information you ve entered on the panel to the database. You ll generally save when you come to the end of a panel group; the Save command always updates the data for all panels in a group. If there are any required fields on the panel that you haven t completed, the system will issue a warning or an error message. Clears the panel and any data that you may have entered or changed without saving. When you press Cancel, the system doesn t warn you to save changes. Use Cancel if you entered data incorrectly and want to start anew. Runs a process, first prompting you to specify when and where you want it run. Runs a process using the defaults set up in your process scheduler. SEARCH LIST NAVIGATION List Next In List Previous in List Displays the list box generated by the search record for this panel, and allows you to select another row to update. If you accessed a row directly without going through a list box, this push button appears gray. Displays the data for the next data row in your search list box. This push button appears gray if you didn t select the data row from a list box, if there was only one row in the list, or if the data displayed is the last row on the list. Displays the data for the previous data row in your search list box. This push button appears gray if you didn t select the data row from a list box, if there was only one row in the list, or if the data displayed is the first row on the list. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 5 of 12 July 27, 2001
PANEL NAVIGATION Next Panel in Group Previous Panel in Group Next Panel Previous Panel Brings up the next panel in the current panel group. If you have come to the end of the panel group, it brings up the first panel again. Brings up the previous panel in the current panel group. If you re at the first panel of a group, it brings up the last panel. Brings up the next panel in the menu. If you re in a panel group and have not reached the end, the command brings up the next panel in the group; if you re in the last or only panel in a group, it invokes the first panel of the next group. From the last panel in a menu, the Next Panel button summons the first panel. Brings up the previous panel in the menu. If there is an earlier panel in the current group, it will be invoked; otherwise, the system will display the last panel in the previous panel group. From the first panel in a menu, the Previous Panel button summons the last panel. SCROLL FUNCTIONS Insert Row Inserts a new row in a scrollable field; equivalent to pressing F7. Delete Row Deletes the current row of data; equivalent to pressing F8. PANEL ACTION FUNCTIONS The action buttons bring up the search dialog for the panel you most recently viewed. Then, when you enter the panel, the system enters the panel using the action corresponding to the specific button you click. That is, if you click the Update/Display button, the system prompts you for search keys, then the system enters the panel in Update/Display mode. Add Update/Display Update/Display All Correction Inserts a new row of information to the database with a new high-level key. Accesses existing rows of data on the database. If data is effective-dated, displays only current and future rows. Accesses existing rows of data on the database and displays all effective-date rows. However, it only allows you to update future rows. Accesses existing rows of data on the database and displays all effective-date rows. Allows you to update all rows, including history rows. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 6 of 12 July 27, 2001
The Status Bar The Status Bar shows the panel s name on the left and which action you specified when you accessed the current panel on the right. The Window Sizing Buttons The Window Sizing Buttons allow changes to the viewing area of the window. The button on the left "minimizes" the window and turns it into a button on the task bar, the middle button enlarges the window to fill the entire screen and the button on the right exits the application. Panel Elements Panels provide a graphic window into your application database. You use panels to view, enter, and update data stored in application tables. There are many different types of elements on the panels, including aesthetic elements, and data entry elements. Aesthetic Elements Aesthetic elements help organize or emphasize different fields or information on the panel. They never update data in the database. Aesthetic elements include: Text Frame Group Box Static Image A field that describes a panel, field, or group of fields. A box that visually groups together a set of fields on a panel. A box with a text label, to visually group and identify related fields. An unchanging graphic, such as a logo or other visual element. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 7 of 12 July 27, 2001
Data Entry Fields On panels, you ll see several types of data entry fields, each designed to offer different ways to enter and maintain information. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 8 of 12 July 27, 2001
Data Entry Fields (Cont.) The following fields are always associated with database fields: Edit Box Long Edit Box Check Box Radio Button Drop-Down List Box Drop Down Calendar Image Grid Control The Tab key Rectangular boxes in which you enter data. Edit boxes for fields with prompt tables have a prompt button a small button with a down arrow to the right. Long rectangular boxes in which you enter long text items, such as comments. Small square boxes that operate as a toggle switch On and Off for data fields that can have one of two values. The on and off toggle typically indicates Yes and No. Small round buttons that each represent one option for a field with multiple defined values. Only one radio button in a group can be turned on at one time, like station buttons on a radio (hence the name). Rectangular boxes similar in appearance to an edit box with a prompt button. Clicking the prompt button expands the box to display a list of valid values from which you can select a single option. A drop-down list box provides a static set of options from which to make one selection. Miniature calendars that make it easy for you to select a date. Rectangular boxes in which you insert graphic images. Image graphics in your database may include scanned images of employees or pictures of your physical assets. Data entry fields arranged like a spreadsheet. You move among the data entry fields on a panel by using the Tab key or your mouse. The Tab key moves you one field at a time, in a sequence determined in the panel definition; Shift+Tab moves you backwards. Alternatively, you can simply position the cursor on a specific field and click the mouse button to move there directly. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 9 of 12 July 27, 2001
Understanding Effective Dates PeopleSoft s effective-dating logic enables you to maintain an accurate history of information in the database. For example, you may want to track the address of a constituent. When you enter new information related to existing data, you don t want to lose or overwrite the data already stored in the database. To retain history, you add a data row identified by a date when the information goes into effect: an effective date. Effective dates allow you to keep history, current, and future information. The system categorizes effective-dated rows into these basic types: Current History Future The data row with the most recent effective date closest to today s (system) date but not a future date. Only one row is the current row. Data rows that have effective dates earlier than the current data row. Data rows that have effective dates later than the system date. The types of actions you can perform on rows of data depend on the data row type. When you retrieve, modify, or insert rows on a table, the Update and Correction actions apply specific rules based on the effective date: Update/Display Update/Display All Correction Retrieves only current and future rows. You can change future, but not current rows. Retrieves all rows. However, you can only make changes to future rows. Retrieves all rows, and allows you to change or correct any row and insert new rows regardless of the effective date or sequence number. Action Type View Change Update/Display Current, Future Future only Update/Display All History, Current, Future Future only Correction History, Current, Future All Existing Rows Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 10 of 12 July 27, 2001
Scroll Bars On some panels, you want some of the fields to repeat so that you can enter multiple rows or occurrences of data. For example, you may have more than one address for an Address Type of Home. The scroll bars narrow vertical rectangles with an arrow at each end enable you to add, maintain, and scroll through multiple occurrences of data within a field or group of fields. If you insert a new row, the system automatically copies the shared key data into the new row. You use the scroll bar to page or scroll through multiple occurrences of data. If the elevator box within the scroll bar appears at the top or within the middle of the bar, more than one row exists. If it appears at the bottom of the scroll, you are positioned on the last or only row of data. Inserting Rows You can insert a new row in the table by clicking the Insert Row toolbar button or by pressing F7. Your cursor must be in a field within the area controlled by the scroll bar for the row insert to work. After 2 or more records exist for a particular set of fields in a scroll bar area, the elevator box within the scroll bar can be moved to display the other entries If the table is not effective-dated, the fields in the new row are completely empty so that you can add new contact information. If you insert a new effective-dated row, the system automatically copies the current data into the new row. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 11 of 12 July 27, 2001
Scroll Bars (Cont.) Deleting Rows Saving New Rows of Data Effective-Dated Scrolls Scroll to the row you want to delete by clicking up or down on the scroll bar. When you have positioned your cursor in the row you want to delete, click the Delete Row toolbar button from the menu bar, or press F8. The system asks if you want to Delete current row entry? Click Yes if you want to confirm the delete, No if you want to cancel the deletion. You can insert or delete any number of rows of data without saving your changes. You must, however, save the panel (click the Save toolbar button or press the enter key) to physically commit the changes to the database. If you don t save, the system will not write the inserts and deletes to the database. Many scrolls are controlled by an effective date and an effective date status, which has two values: Active and Inactive. This enables you to keep a complete history of data for every value that you add. In most cases you will never want to delete a value, only make it inactive. Thus you can retain a complete history of all your data and table values. With all this information at your fingertips, you can roll back your system to a particular point from which you can perform analyses or projections. Bryn Mawr College - Data Stds Appendix - p. 12 of 12 July 27, 2001