Preferences/Tools Overview Favorites Adding a Favorite Using Favorites Edit Favorites Notes Adding a Program Note Edit a Program Note Delete a Program Note Viewing a Program Note Preferences Miscellaneous Options Accessibility Options Window Titles New Window Customer Access Student/Staff Locator Login History
Overview The Preferences allow you to customize your screens within Skyward. These Preferences are specific to you and changing them will not affect other users. There are also many Tools that you can use throughout the software. The Preferences and Tools can be accessed on each screen throughout Skyward. The highlighted areas will be covered within this guide and they include: Favorites Notes Preferences New Window Customer Access Student Locator Login History
Favorites Adding a Favorite Using Favorites Edit Favorites Favorites allow you to create a shortcut to an area of the software you use frequently. Adding a Favorite There are multiple ways in which you can add an area as a Favorite. Clicking on the Star After navigating to the specific area in Skyward, you will click on the Star next to the name of the area.
Once you click on the Star it will turn yellow which is to alert you that this area is flagged as a Favorite. You can click on the Star to remove it as a Favorite. Using the Favorites Menu A second way of flagging an area as a Favorite is using the Favorites Menu. After navigating to the specific area in Skyward, you will click on the Favorites dropdown and then on the option to Add XXX to Favorites.
After you click on the option to add the area as a Favorite, you will get a screen which allows you to modify the Description of the Favorite. The Description will default with the area name. Once the Favorite is saved the Star next to the area name will change to yellow. Using Favorites You can access your Favorites by clicking on the Favorites dropdown and selecting the Favorite. After you click on the selected Favorite, you will be taken directly to that area. You have the ability to setup shortcut keys for Favorites, which must first be selected in the Preferences. This option will be discussed in the Preferences section of this guide.
Edit Favorites You can edit your Favorites by clicking on Edit Favorites in the Favorites Dropdown. When you edit your Favorites, you can modify the description of the Favorite and you also have the ability to remove it as a Favorite. You can use the icon to move the Favorites to the desired number which will modify the Shortcut Key Number and the display order of the Shortcut Keys. Favorite Shortcut Key This option allows you to determine if you want to use a Shortcut Key. You can select from either Alt Key+ (1-9), Ctrl Key+ (1-9) or None. The Favorite Shortcut Key is also found in the Preferences. Enable Favorite Heads Up Display If this option is selected, you can press your Favorites Shortcut Key to see the Favorites menu instead of having to click on the Favorites Dropdown. You can also find this option within the Preferences.
Notes Add a Program Note Edit a Program Note Delete a Program Note Viewing a Program Note Program Notes can be used to keep notes for a specific program area. You can add/edit/delete a Program Note by clicking on the icon that looks like a paper and pencil. When a number displays to the right of the icon, it means a Program Note exists. The Program Notes screen allows you to Add, Edit and Delete the Program Notes.
Add a Program Note Summary Enter the summary of the Program Note; the maximum characters that can be entered is 80. Note Details This area allows you to enter more information regarding the Program Note. Attachment You have the ability to add an attachment to the Program Note. You will click on the Browse to locate the file. Display For All Users in District If this option is selected, this Program Note will display for all users with access to this area of the software. Edit a Program Note When you Edit, you can make modifications to all fields of the Program Note.
Delete a Program Note You will click on the Program Note to be removed and click on Delete. After clicking on Delete, you will receive a message confirming that you want to delete the Program Note. You will select Yes to remove the Program Note. Viewing a Program Note After clicking on the paper/pencil icon, you can view the Program Note for the specific program area. When you expand (click on the arrow) of a Program Note you can view the attachment.
Preferences Miscellaneous Options Accessibility Options Window Titles The Preferences can be selected in the upper right hand corner of the screen and will allow you to setup option associated with your account.
Preferences allow you to setup options associated with your account. Any changes made here will not affect other users in the software.
Miscellaneous Options Theme Color This option can be used to change the display color of buttons and menus within the software. The ability to change your Theme Color is controlled by a setting in the Web Configuration. Display Open/Save Dialog Before Displaying Reports If this option is unchecked, you will need to display a report first in order to be able to save it. Automatically Open PDF Reports Upon Completion If this option is selected, PDF reports will automatically display when the Print Queue processing screen is open. Spreedsheet Format - This option allows you to select what the default format should be for spreadsheets generated from Skyward. You can select from CSV/Microsoft Office 2000, Microsoft Office 2002+ or Open Office.
Dim Background When Displaying Alerts Selecting this option will dim the area around an alert box to make the alert more prominent. Above is a sample of the Dim Background When Displaying Alerts option. Maximize Large Windows This option will force larger windows to open as maximized to take up the full screen. Look Up Accounts by Account Dimensions Choosing this option will open the Account Dimension screen for you to enter each dimension individually rather than entering the entire account number as a string with all dimension codes included. Automatically Display Popup Browse Details On Mouseover If this option is selected, information will display when you hold your mouse over a collapsed area in a Browse screen. A collapsed area will display with an arrow pointed to the right. Above is a sample of the option to Automatically Display Popup Browse On Mouseover.
Display Browse Row Numbers This option will display numbers next to each record when in a Browse screen. Above is a sample with the option to Display Browse Row Numbers. Disable Student indicators If this option is selected, student indicators will not display Use System Name for Home Menu If this option is selected, the name of the current system will display in the navigation menu in place of the word Home.
Above is a sample of the option to Use System for Home Menu. The Home has been replaced with Student Management system. Display Data Mining Favorites in General Favorites Menu You can select this option to allow Data Mining Reports that have been marked as a Favorite to show in the Favorites menu and allow then to be printed directly from the Favorites menu. Above is a sample of the option to Display Data Mining Favorites in General Favorites Menu.
Enable Favorites Heads Up Display If this option is selected, you can display the Favorites menu by pressing the designated Favorites Shortcut Key. The Favorites menu will display as long as the Shortcut Key is pressed. Above is a sample of the option to Enable Favorites Heads Up Display. You can find more information regarding the setup of Favorites within this guide. Favorite Shortcut Key You can select to either use the Control key or the Alt key as a shortcut key to access items that have been marked as a Favorite. More information regarding the setup of Favorites is found within this guide. Accessibility Options
Show Icon Text If this option is selected, text will display next to icons that explain the purpose of the icon. Above is a sample of the option to Show Icon Text. Use Larger Font Size You can select this option to display certain areas with a larger font. Above is a sample of the option to Use Large Font Size. You will notice that the font size has increased so not as much information can display on the screen.
Use High Contrast Color Theme This option will force the black color theme to be used to maximize the contrast between items in the background and in the foreground. Above is a sample of the Use High Contrast Color Theme option. Optimize for Screen Readers If this option is selected, the titles on the browse screen will be limited to a description of the page. You will also receive a warning to inform you that a pop-up will appear. Above is a sample of the option to Optimize for Screen Readers. In this sample, the Window Title only display the Description instead of the Description, Entity, Path, Menu ID and Release. It also shows a sample of the pop-up warning message.
Use Enhanced Keyboard Navigation You can select this option to use the tab key for efficiently moving between fields and pages. When you select this option, it will begin at the top of the page instead of on the first input field. Above is a sample with the Use Enhanced Keyboard Navigation option selected. In this sample, the first field highlighted is the Account and not the attendance periods. Display Tooltip for Element with Focus If this option is selected, a description of the field will display when you use the Tab key on your keyboard to navigate to a field. Above is a sample with the option to Display Tooltip for Element with Focus. I pressed the tab key on my keyboard and the tooltip for the Course Key field displayed.
Window Titles The areas listed here can be moved, using the tool, to change the order in which the information displays in the bar at the top of each browser window. Examples of each area using the example above: Description Profile Tab Entity Entity 400 Path WS\ST\TB\GE\TB\PR\PR Menu ID 9319 Release 05.14.02.00.00
New Window The New Window option allows you to open a new window of Skyward. This option can be handy when you don t want to close the area you re currently working in, but want to look something up elsewhere in the software. There are two ways to create a New Window. New Window Link You can click on New Window to create a second window of this area. After the New Window is open, you can navigate to a new area of the software.
Click on the New Window Icon The second way to create a New Window is by clicking on the icon. When you click on the New Window icon, it will open the screen for that area. In the example above, a New Window will open in the Student Browse.
Customer Access Customer Access allows you to create service calls to an internal customer access queue for someone within the district to answer or submit to Skyward. Depending upon district procedures for submitting service calls to Skyward, you may also be able to submit calls directly to Skyward by using the Customer Access option. You will find the Customer Access by clicking on the Question Mark in the upper right corner of the screen.
After you click on the Question Mark, you will select Customer Access.
Customer Access Menu Path The Menu Path should reflect where your question is within the Skyward software. It will automatically populate with the menu path where you were at when you click on Customer Access. You must have a Menu Path entered in order to save the service call. Current Issues/Frequently Asked Questions/Current Release Note Tutorials/Future Release Note Tutorials You can click on any of the options to see tutorials related to the entered Menu Path. Submit a Request to Skyward or Internal Queue Type It is automatically set to Service Call. Contact Preference You can select your preferred method of contact which is either Email or Phone. Critical Service Call This option allows you to flag this service call as critical. Summary You will enter a Summary of the service call. The maximum characters you can enter for the Summary is 50. Detail The Detail area allows you to include more information related to your question.
Submitting Options Submit to Queue This option allows you to submit your questions to an internal queue for your district. You will find the internal queue by going to Product Setup> Skyward Contact Access>Customer Access. Submit to Skyward By selecting this option, it will submit the service call to Skyward which will be answered by a customer service representative at Skyward. You will only see this option if you are a Skyward Contact and have a Customer Access ID entered. View My Requests When you select this option, you will be able to view any service calls you have submitted. Above is a sample of the View My Requests screen.
Student/Staff Locator The Student Locator can be used to look up a student or staff member s current location as well as the rest of their schedule for the specific day. You can access the Student Location by clicking on the icon.
Above is a sample of the Student/Staff Locator. If you are on a student or staff record, that person s schedule will display in the Student/Staff Locator. You can select a different student or staff at the top of the screen by: Clicking on the Student/Staff hyperlink Using the Student/Staff dropdown menu Entering the Student/Staff Name Key
Login History The Login History allows you to review a history of your logins or login attempts. You can find your Login History by clicking on Account.
Within the Account screen, you will click on Login History.
The Login History will display each login and login attempt. You will also be able to see the Browser, Operating System and IP Address used for each login.