A software product called CICS Help is used to support development and presentation of help text for the Base Personnel/Payroll System of which the On-line Time Reporting system is a component. Help is meant to provide the user with general information about each entry/update screen, and more detailed information on each field included on a screen.
Note: Since the online Help function is an application independent of Payroll Time Reporting, the screen appearance and the function key assignments are different in Help from those in the Time Reporting system.
Screen Level Help and Field Level Help are the two main types of screens provided by the CICS help software product.
Screen-Level Help provides three types of information about the screen:
Screen-Level Help Example: Invoking screen-level help on the Time Input Roster screen causes a pop-up help window to appear providing additional information about the screen and its purpose.
PPEDHC0-E0967 Dept. Time Reporting 04/16/YY 16:00:55
Time Input Roster UserID: ABCDE
Pay End: 04/06/YY Check Date: 04/17/YY Pay Cycle: B2 Page 001 of 013
HOME DEPARTMENT CODE: 122230
O +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ WSP
| THFHEDHC Help Time Input Roster |
R | More: + |
O | Function: The Roster provides the departmental user with an |
| on-line list of employees eligible for pay based upon the |
| selection criteria specified on the IDTC screen. The |
R | selection criteria include the specific Pay Period End Date, |
O | Pay Cycle, and Home Department Code, or Full Accounting Unit, |
| or Cost Center. The Roster presents the employees in Employee |
| Name order and the employee's distribution information. The |
R | Roster provides the user with the opportunity to enter or |
O | change pay transaction data. |
| |
N | When the user enters or changes information on the pay |
| transaction, the user presses Enter and OPTRS performs Range |
| and Value Edits. By pressing Messages function key, the |
| Command ===> |
= | F1=Help F2=EX help F3=eXit F4=copy F6=move F7=BKwd F8=FWd |
F | F12=Cancel |
F +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
|
Field-Level Help provides one or more of the following types of
information about the field being displayed:
Field-Level Help Example: Invoking field-level help on the Time Input Roster screen (EDHC) for the Pay Rate Type Code field causes a pop-up help window to appear providing additional information (help) about the field and its purpose and valid values for the field.
PPED +----------------------------------------------------------------+ :00:55
| THF0300 PAY RATE TYPE CODE | CDE
Pay | More: | 013
HOME | DRAFT: 06/15/94 "PAY RATE TYPE CODE" |
OK? | | WSP
A | Description: Code indicating the nature of the Pay Rate |
Reg. | or Amount (THF 0290). |
Over | |
| Format: N/A |
B | |
Reg. | |
Over | Code Interpr.: A - Salaried or By Agreement Amount |
| H - Hourly Rate |
B | |
Reg. | |
Over | Command ===> |
| F1=Help F2=EX help F3=eXit F4=copy F6=move F7=BKwd |
Next | F8=FWd F12=Cancel |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
===>
F: 1-Help 2-Jump 3-Return
F: 8-Forward 9-UPDATE 12-Exit
|
The Help Screens appear in pop-up windows which overlay a portion of the screen from which Help was invoked. Each screen has three sections: Header, Body, Footer.
HEADER |
THFHEDHC Help Time Input Roster
More: +
|
| BODY | Function: The Roster provides the departmental user with an
on-line list of employees eligible for pay based upon the
selection criteria specified on the IDTC screen. The
selection criteria include the specific Pay Period End Date,
Pay Cycle, and Home Department Code, or Full Accounting Unit,
or Cost Center. The Roster presents the employees in Employee
Name order and the employee's distribution information. The
Roster provides the user with the opportunity to enter or
change pay transaction data.
When the user enters or changes information on the pay
transaction, the user presses Enter and OPTRS performs Range
and Value Edits. By pressing Messages function key, the
|
| FOOTER | Command ===>
F1=Help F2=EX help F3=eXit F4=copy F6=move F7=BKwd F8=FWd
F12=Cancel
|
DETAILED SCREEN LAYOUT
Header Section
The first two lines comprise the header information. It is used to help identify the screen and includes the following information:
Screen Level - The screen identifier includes the
acronym for the database, an "H" to indicate Help, and the function code of the
screen for which Help is being provided in the format XXXHYYYY:
• XXX Database
• H Help
• YYYY Function Code
For example, the screen identifier for Help for the EDHC screen is THFHEDHC.
Field-level - The screen identifier includes the database where the data is stored, the data element number (if the field is a group field, the data element number will be the first field in the group) and a "G" to indicate if the field is part of a group, in the format XXXYYYYG:
• XXX Database
• YYYY Data Element Number
• G Group Field
For example, the screen identifier for Help for the Pay Rate Type field is THF0300.
Body Section
The Body of the Help Screen is where the variable Help text appears. It includes descriptive information about the screen or the field.
Footer Section
The user may select Help by pressing the "F1 Help" key from any PTR Entry/Update screen. Either field-level Help or screen-level Help will be displayed, depending on the position of the cursor on the screen at the time "F1 Help" is pressed.
- Field-level Help is presented when the cursor is positioned on a screen label or on an entry field.
- Screen-level Help is presented when the cursor is positioned anywhere on a screen that is not a screen label or entry field.
The Help screen will appear as a "window" on the entry/update screen. When a Help screen is displayed, data cannot be entered on the entry/update screen, and the F keys on the bottom of the entry/update screen are not active. Instead, F keys associated with the Help function may be used.
Help F Keys and Commands Summary
F keys are used to navigate among the Help screens. Help function keys and their corresponding commands are as follows:
| F Key | Command | Description |
| F1 | Help | display 'Help for Help' |
| F2 | EXhelp | display screen-level Help |
| F3 | eXit | return to the entry/update screen |
| F4 | Copy | copy the value selected back to the entry/update field |
| Find string | find the first occurrence of the specified character string | |
| F5 | FN | find the next occurrence of the specified character string |
| F7 | Bkwd | display the previous page of Help text |
| F8 | FWd | display the next page of Help text |
| F9 | Level 1 | return to the first Help panel |
| F12 | Cancel | return to the entry/update screen or the previous level of Help |
Note: F key functions are different from the Time Reporting Entry/Update F key
functions.
The display of F keys on the Help screens is not sensitive to whether the associated function is available at the time.
Because of the limited space on the Help screens, some F keys are not displayed even though the associated function is available.
F1 - Help for Help
Extensive documentation of the Help F Keys and commands is available online as part of the software package. The user may ask for further Help at any stage of the Help process. Below are examples of the Help F Keys and commands most useful to Payroll Time Reporting Entry/Update.
Pressing "F1" while on any Help screen causes the display of a "window" which partially overlays the original help screen.
The format and content of the second "window" display will vary depending on the nature of the help being provided.
For example: When the user presses "F1" from a screen-level Help screen. the screen in the window displays general information on the Help F key functions and special commands.
THFHEDTS Help Single Exp Trans (EDTS)
More: +
Function: EDTS provides the departmental user with on-line screens
to enter a Single Expense Transfer (TS) transaction for a designated
payroll computation cycle for a recorded Transfer of Expense (TOE)
entry. The user enters the PPP5302 informa+------------------------+
Month, Page, and Line, and presses Enter. | Help for Help |
the "Transfer From" line. | |
| Command PF Key |
The user enters the "Transfer To" Location| |
Center/Fund/Project Code/Sub, Original G | BKwd F7 |
| Cancel F12 |
| |
| |
NATURE OF INFORMATION: EDTS presents inf | F1=Help F7=BKwd |
| F8=Forward F12=Cancel |
Command ===> +------------------------+
F1=Help F2=EX help F3=eXit F4=copy F6=move F7=BKwd F8=FWd
F12=Cancel
|
If "F1" is pressed again from the window screen, specific Help related to the
position of the cursor on the screen would be presented.
For example: If the user presses "F1" from the "Help for Help" screen while the cursor is positioned on the BKwd command, Help for the 'Backward' command would be presented.
THFHEDTS Help Single Exp Trans (EDTS)
More: +
Function+----------------------------------+r with on-line screens
to enter| D21CUP Help Up/BKwd |saction for a designated
payroll | |nsfer of Expense (TOE)
entry. T| This action is used to page |-----------------------+
Month, P| backward. | Help for Help |
the "Tra| | |
| 1. Enter UP (or BKwd) and |Command PF Key |
The user| press ENTER. | |
Center/F| or | BKwd F7 |
| 2. Press PF7. | Cancel F12 |
| | |
| Command ===> | |
NATURE O| F1=Help F2=Exhelp F3=exit |F1=Help F7=BKwd |
+----------------------------------+F8=Forward F12=Cancel |
Command ===> +-----------------------+
F1=Help F2=EX help F3=eXit F4=copy F6=move F7=BKwd F8=FWd
F12=Cancel
|
F2 - Extended Help
Pressing "F2" on any Help screen causes screen-level Help for the current application screen to be displayed. The screen-level Help will overlay any other Help screens currently displayed. If the user is already viewing Screen-level Help, pressing "F2" will have no effect.
F3 - Exit
Pressing "F3" on any Help screen causes the application screen from which Help was requested to be redisplayed, regardless of how many Help windows are displayed.
For example: When the user presses "F1" from a screen-level Help screen, the 'Help for Help' screen to be displayed. Position the cursor on one of the selections and press "F1" again. Three Help screen windows will now be displayed.
THFHEDTS Help Single Exp Trans (EDTS)
More: +
Function+----------------------------------+r with on-line screens
to enter| D21CUP Help Up/BKwd |saction for a designated
payroll | |nsfer of Expense (TOE)
entry. T| This action is used to page |-----------------------+
Month, P| backward. | Help for Help |
the "Tra| | |
| 1. Enter UP (or BKwd) and |Command PF Key |
The user| press ENTER. | |
Center/F| or | BKwd F7 |
| 2. Press PF7. | Cancel F12 |
| | |
| Command ===> | |
NATURE O| F1=Help F2=Exhelp F3=exit |F1=Help F7=BKwd |
+----------------------------------+F8=Forward F12=Cancel |
Command ===> +-----------------------+
F1=Help F2=EX help F3=eXit F4=copy F6=move F7=BKwd F8=FWd
F12=Cancel
|
If "F3" is pressed from the last Help screen displayed, all three Help
windows will disappear and the original Entry/Update screen will be displayed.
PPEDTS0-E0967 Dept. Time Reporting 10/18/YY 08:42:30
Single Exp. Trans. (EDTS) UserID: ABCDE
Pay End: 10/31/YY Check Date: 11/01/YY Pay Cycle: MO
ID: 666333999 Name: TRANSFER,SINGLE TEST SSN: 666-33-3999 Emp Status: A
PPP5302 Information: ET Month: 9603 ET Page: 14944 ET Line: 27 Reason: A
Transfer From
Loc/Acct/CC/Fund/PC/Sub: 4 660525 19900 1
Transfer To
Loc/Acct/CC/Fund/PC/Sub: 4 447638 78044 2
Original Gross Earnings: 03860.00 Sign: Benefits: 00880.26 Sign:
Transfer Gross Earnings: 00919.07 Sign: Override Employee ID:
Next Func: ID: Name: SSN:
Pay Cycle: Pay End:
U0001 Input accepted
===>
F: 1-Help 2-Jump 5-CANCEL
F: 9-UPDATE
|
F4 - Copy
Pressing "F4" while the cursor is positioned on a highlighted value on a field-level Help screen causes the value to be copied back to the entry field.
The Help Find command has two variations:
F String where string is the character string to be found FN where N indicates that the next occurrence of the character string specified in the Find Command is to be found
Entering the 'F String' command causes Help to display the first occurrence in the Help text of the specified character string. If the specified string contains more than one word, enter the string exactly as you wish the search to be done, i.e. ‘F ADMINISTRATIVE ASST’.
For example: After getting Help for the Title Code field on the EDLR screen, entering ‘F Administrative Asst’ at the command line (===>) of the help window and pressing "Enter" causes Help to search for the first occurrence of the word ‘Administrative Asst’ in the Help text.
PPETLR0 +----------------------------------------------------------------+ :15
04/12/X | THF0220 TITLE CODE-THF |
ID: 701 | +----------------------------------------------------------------+
Pay End | | CTLTCI Title Codes |
C | | More: + |
Seq: | | 0001 PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY |
LACFP | | 0010 PROVOST AND SR VP--ACAD AFF |
DOS: | | 0012 SR. VICE PRES--DESIGNATE |
| | 0014 SR VICE PRES--BUS & FINANCE |
Seq: | | 0015 SR VICE PRES--ADMIN. |
LACFP | | 0016 V. PRES-AGRI AND NAT RES. |
DOS: | | 0017 VICE PRES--HEALTH AFF |
| | 0018 VP--UNIV & EXTERNAL RELATIONS |
Seq: | | 0019 VP--CLINICAL SERVICES DEV. |
LACFP | | 0020 ASST PRES (FUNCTIONAL AREA) |
DOS: | | 0021 UNIVERSITY CONTROLLER |
| | 0030 CHANCELLOR |
Next Fu | | Command ===> F Administrative Asst |
Seq No: +- | F1=Help F2=EX help F3=eXit F4=copy F6=move F7=BKwd |
| F8=FWd F12=Cancel |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
===>
F: 1-Help 2-Jump 3-PrevMenu
F: 9-UPDATE 12-Exit
|
If there is no match to the entered character string, the message '**NOT FOUND**
string' is displayed in the upper left of the Help window. If there is a match, the cursor
is positioned on the specified character string and the message ‘****MATCH****’
is displayed in the upper left of the Help window.
For example: In the previous example the command ‘F Administrative Asst’ was entered and a match was found ‘ADMINISTRATIVE ASST III - SUPVR’.
PPETLR0 +----------------------------------------------------------------+ :15
04/12/9 | THF0220 TITLE CODE-THF |
ID: 701 | +----------------------------------------------------------------+
Pay End | | CTLTCI Title Codes |
C | | **** MATCH **** ADMINISTRATIVE ASST More: -+ |
Seq: | | 4701 ADMINISTRATIVE ASST III-SUPVR |
LACFP | | 4702 ADMINISTRATIVE ASST II-SUPVR |
DOS: | | 4703 ADMINISTRATIVE ASST I-SUPVR |
| | 4706 OFFICE SUPERVISOR II |
Seq: | | 4707 OFFICE SUPERVISOR I |
LACFP | | 4711 ADMINISTRATIVE ASST IV |
DOS: | | 4712 ADMINISTRATIVE ASST III |
| | 4713 ADMINISTRATIVE ASST II |
Seq: | | 4714 ADMINISTRATIVE ASST I |
LACFP | | 4716 ABSTRACTOR, PATIENT RECORD IV |
DOS: | | 4717 ABSTRACTOR, PATIENT RECORD III |
| | 4718 ABSTRACTOR, PATIENT RECORD II |
Next Fu | | Command ===> |
Seq No: +- | F1=Help F2=EX help F3=eXit F4=copy F6=move F7=BKwd |
| F8=FWd F12=Cancel |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
===>
F: 1-Help 2-Jump 3-PrevMenu
F: 9-UPDATE 12-Exit
|
Subsequently entering the 'FN' command (or pressing "F5") causes the next
occurrence of the same character string to be displayed.
In the previous example, if ‘ADMINISTRATIVE ASST III - SUPVR’ was not the code desired, pressing "F5" would cause Help program to search for the next occurrence of the word ‘Administrative Asst’ in the Help text.
F12 - Cancel
Pressing "F12" on any Help screen causes a return to the previous Help screen or application screen.
For example: Press "F1" from a field-level Help screen. This will cause the 'Help for Help' screen to be displayed. Position the cursor on one of the selections and press "F1" again. Three Help windows will now be displayed.
PPED +----------------------------------------------------------------+ :00:55
| THF0300 PAY RATE TYPE CODE | CDE
Pay | More: | 013
HOME | DRAFT: 06/15/YY "PAY RATE TYPE CODE" |
OK? | | WSP
A | Description: Code indicating the +--------------------------------+
Reg. | or Amount (THF 0290)| Help for Help |
Over | | More: + |
+--------------------------------------------------+ PF-Key |
B | D21 CUP Help Up/BKwd | |
Reg. | | F7 |
Over | This action is used to page backward. | |
| | F12 |
B | 1. Enter UP (or BKwd) and press Enter. | |
Reg. | or | F2 |
Over | | |
| 2. Press F7. | F3 |
Next | | |
| Command ===> | |
| F1=Help F2=EX help F3=eXit F12=Cancel | F7=BKwd |
+--------------------------------------------------+ F12=Cancel |
===> +--------------------------------+
F: 1-Help 2-Jump 3-Return
F: 8-Forward 9-UPDATE 12-Exit
|
Press "F12" while in the third Help window. The third window will disappear
and the cursor will be positioned in the second Help window.
PPED +----------------------------------------------------------------+ :00:55
| THF0300 PAY RATE TYPE CODE | CDE
Pay | More: | 013
HOME | DRAFT: 06/15/YY "PAY RATE TYPE CODE" |
OK? | | WSP
A | Description: Code indicating the +--------------------------------+
Reg. | or Amount (THF 0290)| Help for Help |
Over | | More: + |
| Format: N/A | Command PF-Key |
B | | |
Reg. | | BKwd F7 |
Over | Code Interpr.: A - Salaried or By| |
| H - Hourly Rate | Cancel F12 |
B | | |
Reg. | | EXhelp F2 |
Over | Command ===> | |
| F1=Help F2=EXhelp F3=eXit F4=cop| Exit F3 |
Next | F8=FWd F12=Cancel | |
+--------------------------------------| |
| F1=Help F7=BKwd |
| F8=FWd F12=Cancel |
===> +--------------------------------+
F: 1-Help 2-Jump 3-Return
F: 8-Forward 9-UPDATE 12-Exit
|
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