Introduction to Synergetic Training Guide O M P U T I N G D I R E C T I O N S A U S T R A L I A
Contents: Objectives.. 3 Starting the Program.. 4 Synergetic Module Icons and Menus..... 5 Resizing windows...7 File Menu Options..... 8 Preferences Option.... 9 Community.... 10 Searching... 12 Useful Module Buttons and Functions.. 14 Toolbar.. 14 Compose Letter Word Document Creation 15 Customising Tab Layout... 16 Grid Functions... 16 Tag List Functionalities.. 19 Explore the Tabs.... 23 Student Alert Icons...23 Crystal Reports.. 25 Exporting Data from a Crystal Report.. 27 Community Module.. 28 2
Introduction to Synergetic Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants should know how to:- Navigate confidently around Synergetic Have a greater understanding of the Synergetic Community and how Constituencies are used Personalise size/layout of Synergetic windows and programs Search for community members successfully Search, run and print Crystal Reports successfully Export data from a crystal report into a document or spreadsheet Customise and personalise the tab layout Create, maintain and save/store tag lists Use Synergetic grid functions (Copy grid content s to excel, tag from a grid, email from a grid) 3
Starting the Program 1. To start, follow the steps below: START PROGRAMS SYNERGETIC Or double click on the desktop short cut below: Type in your Login details when the following screen appears: Select [OK] button 4
Synergetic Module icons and menus: Each Synergetic module is presented by an icon on the top of the screen. Some of the icons will not be shown depending on the rights that have been assigned to you as a user. Each Icon will have an extensive menu underneath it, with menu options that apply to the particular Module you are in. You can select a module by clicking on the icon with your mouse or using the Keyboard shortcuts to navigate around the screen- Alt Key. NOTES: 5
Activity: Starting a Program in Synergetic Module Students Current Student Maint On the Search Criteria screen, Choose All Yr? Students, then select Module Future Students Future Student Maint On the Futures Search Criteria screen, Choose All Future Students starting with A (Try using the Keyboard shortcuts Alt Key) Window You can arrange the windows the way you prefer using the windows menu i.e. Cascade, Tile etc 6
Resizing windows Resize screens by hovering over the edge of program windows with the mouse pointer. When a two directional arrow ( ) appears left click and hold and drag to the desired size and position. When the appropriate screen size and position has been attained, this can be saved by selecting the option Save Form Size and Position in the File menu. To restore the default settings, select the option Restore Default Form Size and Position. 7
Moving between applications: Use the Module menu to move to a window while in another maintenance window (Use Keyboard shortcuts or mouse) File Menu Options If running a program (eg Student Maint) and then selecting the File Menu, you will see options available for the specific program and other standard options such as Form Size & Position. 8
If not running a program Close the active program and select the File menu. When not running any program/modules in Synergetic, the file options change. Preferences Option Select the Preferences option to view the following: Message Boxes Beep: Use ID as initial search field: Auto Show Favourite Reports: Initial Data Edit: Drop Down Main Selection Menu: Override Automatic Shutdown: Default File Type: Default Campus: Spell Checker to use: Menu Toolbar Style: Show Captions: Student File Year: Term/Semester/Report No.: 9
The Student File Year and Term/Semester allows users to set the Year and Term/Semester they wish to view data in. To fully understand this, we will look into how Synergetic organises and stores data. Community Synergetic is designed to store a complex range of data and deliver relevant screens and reports according to the diverse needs of the end-users and specific applications operators. The 'Community' database is the core of the system where name, address and details of a community member are held. Each individual (Students, Parents, Debtors, Donors, Creditors etc) the school/college knows about exists in the Community once only and receives a unique ID. An individual is often first entered in the community as a future student. Enrolments School Development and Past Students Community Database One ID for One Person Student Records and Student Services Financial Management Constituencies An individual will exist once only in the database, but can have many constituencies. Constituencies define how an individual relates to the school. Examples of constituencies are: - future parent (@PF) - current parent (@PC) - current student (@SC) - past student (@SP) - current staff (@STF) - past staff (STFP) - foundation donor (@ZDN) - friend (eg. FR) - supplier/creditor (@CRD) - Your school defined constituency 10
Students Student data is kept for every year and every term the student has existed in Synergetic. Information which changes from year to year such as classes, form, academic results and co-curricular activities is kept against the student. This data remains against a student when they become a past student. School Community Names & Addresses Core Database Future Students * Constituencies * Relationships * Binary Objects ID 1001 Students - Static Student details such as Entry date, Medical details, Doctor, Dentist, Emergency contact StudentYears ID 1001 In 2004 Yr 9 In 2005 Yr 10 In 2006 Yr 11 - Information which changes from year to year StudentClasses ID 1001, 2005, Sem 1, 9ENGA ID 1001, 2005, Sem 2, 9ENGB Core advantages: fully relational integrated database one core record of information for each school community member data is maintained once and then accessed by multiple departments - no duplication integrity of data and high level of validation NOTES: 11
Searching Searching for groups or individuals can be done using the Search Criteria screen. This is available when opening a program (eg Current Student Maintenance, Past Student Maintenance, Community Maintenance etc) in Synergetic. Open Existing Current Student Maintenance Students module > Current Student Maint Using sets or groups in your application - Searching using specific criteria eg by campus, surname, preferred name, form, Year Level etc. - Searching, using Wildcards (%) and _ The % can be used for a wildcard search if unsure of spelling. This can be used before a combination of letters to find the same combination in the chosen field. A No Criteria selection What happens if you search using no criteria/selections? If Multiple selections are made you will get the subset of all your selections. Useful Search Criteria fields Contact Surname and Contact Preferred fields allow users to search for a student s contact (parent, guardian etc). This is useful when the student has a different surname to that of the parent. 12
Synergetic Screens Selector Screen Data Screen Activity: List 4 Ways to bring up the Search Criteria 1) 2) 3) 4) NOTES: 13
Useful Module Buttons and Functions Keep button This button allows you to keep the maintenance screen of an individual s record and allows another search to be conducted. The individual s record remains in the background until closed. Tab Navigation buttons Toolbar New Creates a new record Open Activates the selector window to open a new record Save Saves changes Refresh Refresh the screen Print Prints the screen Enable Data Editing - Relationship Tree - Spell Check Cut/Copy/Paste Navigation Tools Allows navigation between records 14
Discard Change Send Email Sends email to the record Crystal Reports Available - Compose Letter - Options in the send to word area Selecting the Compose Letter option enables the creation of a letter and the ability to be sent to Word as a new document or added to one that is already open. Activity: Contacts tab Word Document creation Select the Compose Letter option on the Contacts Tab (this will address student contacts) Try: Date Format Preferred Names/Formal Tick Include Regarding and select Adjust the text in the Text to Send to Word Add to existing documents or create new Use Clipboard option rather than Word for Envelopes and Labels 15
Copy Name and Address to Clipboard Can use in conjunction with MS Word to create Envelope or label (Select the icon in Synergetic, then in MS Word, use Tools menu > Letters and Mailings> Envelopes and Labels ) Customising Tab Layout Selecting this button allows the ability to show/hide various tabs you have access to. This option can also allow users to order the tabs and to set User forms as tabs. Move a tab from the Show to Hide side (or vice versa) by double clicking on the name. Use the single or double arrows to move individual tabs or all tabs. Use blue up/down arrows to rearrange tabs Default tab layout button allows the default layout to be shown. Grid Functions Email Grids/Excel/Tag lists Right clicking in the selector grid window enables various options to be selected. Grid contents can be copied to Excel by selecting Copy Grid contents to Excel You can also include any fields not shown in the grid. Email individual or Email All records can be selected to send an email to the highlighted individual or all the individuals listed in the grid. SMS Record or SMS All records can be selected to send a SMS to the highlighted individual or all the individuals listed in the grid. 16
When selecting Email/SMS Records Checkbox Parents/Guardians of future/current students. allows emails to be sent to nominated button Allows the recipient list to be viewed and edited 17
Hide Empty Email Address(es) allows empty emails/mobile phones numbers (if SMS) to be hidden Note: If any relationship of a student has one or more override email(s) then these relations will each receive the email, otherwise the default email of all lives with contacts (excluding their spouse) for each student will be used. Relations Tab Contacts Tab Tag Lists can be created by selecting the Tag Record or Tag All Records options. Tag lists are temporary lists that can be used to group individuals who are unrelated or have different constituencies and produce reports with their records or bulk email etc. The tag button can also be used to tag individual records. 18
Tag List functionalities The tag list screen has a variety of functions. list Add individual to a tag Scan ID Delete individual from a tag list Clear ALL from tag list list Send Email to all in Tag DocMan import for tag Load from Excel or file Store Tag List Save Tag List as a Constituency or Class Code The Save As button will list the two options to save the tag list as Constituency or class code. Close tag list window (this does not delete the tag list) NOTES: 19
Store Stores a tag list. Option to make a tag list public (available to other users). Expiry date applies to tag lists. Load Select from the stored tag lists listed. Option to load from Excel or Text file. NOTES: 20
Emailing from a Tag List When the email button is selected, the send email to tab list screen appears. This screen allows you to enter merge fields in the message section. After entering the message and selecting the [ok] button, the email settings options area appears. Send Copy of Email to Yourself options can be selected. Entering a Login may be required to send email. 21
When [OK] button is selected, the following confirmation screen appears select [Yes] to proceed. The following example will be sent to the recipients. The following example will be sent to the sender (the option send with status in message is used in this example) 22
Explore the tabs Click on the tabs with your mouse or use the [<Back] or [Next>] buttons Student Alert Icons The following Student Alert icons are available in the Current and Future Students modules. Medical Important Comments Special Needs Flag 23
Court Order / Parents Separated Flag Use the Launch button [ ] its your friend Try Launching from the Contacts tab or from the Classes tab. Use the [ ] button to drill down. Here it will take us to the Community record of this parent (Andrew Atkins). NOTES: 24
Crystal Reports Synergetic Reports Available Search Functionality The search functionality allows you to search on report description or report code - Filters the report list Select [Add to Favourites] button to add regularly generated reports to the Favourites area. 25
Select the report Student Birthdays in next 30 days and click [OK] button or double click on the report name. Try previewing the following reports: Student Birthdays (STUBIRTH) Student Summary by Campus and Level (STUSUMM) Student Year Group List (STUYR) Tagged IDs Try using the Tagged IDs check box. Crystal Toolbar Use: The navigator to change pages Printer Setup to change printers Find/Search for text in the report with the binoculars NOTES: 26
Exporting Data from a Crystal Report Use the Export functionality to Export the Crystal data to another format such as MS Excel or MS Word. On the following Export screen, select the Format and Destination of the export file. Example of formats: - Adobe Acrobat - Microsoft Excel - Microsoft Word - Text NOTES: 27
Community Module The Core Community Database When the Community module is selected, the following Search Criteria screen appears: Search Criteria - Using Search Criteria Tabs (General, Giving, Prospect Tracking, Communications/Events, Past Students, Skills & Qualifications, Other) Working with sub groups 28
How to use the Include/Exclude criteria Using Surname Sounds Like field Using Community Selector - Viewing Name, Constituencies, Spouse - Grid Search 29
Community Maintenance General Rules for entering, changing and saving data Moving around the database: Launching Window views the cascade Show Spouse / Show Primary Constituencies system coding (@), general coding 30
Relationships The Relationships Tab shows how the community member relates to other individuals in the community. If Community member: If Non Community member (ID 0) The Development Office Useful features in the Development Office: Viewing as a family links and relationships For Principals/Development Staff - Community Profile Report 31
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