United Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners of America
Affiliate User's Guide

Chapter 2
Menus, Menu Items, Getting Around, Report Output Options

The UBCJA system uses menus to show the available procedures and to execute those procedures. A user selects a menu item with a mouse and clicks, or highlights an item using the arrow keys and presses [Enter]. After an item is selected, either a submenu is displayed or a procedure is started (i.e. new member entry, MAIL, etc.).

NOTICE

The menus used in this documentation may not be the same menus that you are using. The menus in this documentation were created as generic examples to show how menus work and how menu items are selected.

All of the procedures explained in this documentation may not be available on your menus. The menus at the General Office and Affiliates have been set up to fit user requirements.

The main purpose of this documentation is to provide information on how to run the UBCJA system procedures, and enter data.

2.1 UBCJA System Menus

2.1.1 System Access Menu

A menu of the systems that you can access is displayed, and you are asked which system that you want to access.

NOTE: The systems that a user has access to depends on how the user is set up. ULTRA checks the user profile record to see which systems the user can access. For example, if the user only has access to the training system, the menu will only show the "TRAINING" and miscellaneous options; the "ULTRA" and "CODS" options will not be displayed.

NOTE: If you only have access to "CODS", ULTRA builds a URL for CODS, and causes the user's PC to start up the browser with the CODS URL.

+---------------------System to Access----------------------+ | ULTRA ULTRA Membership System | | TRAINING Training System for ULTRA | | CODS Construction Organizing Database System | | WWWUBCJA Web Site UBCJA.ORG | |-----------------------------------------------------------| | NEWPASSWORD Change Your Password | | READIM Read Instant Message | | POSTITVIEWER View Post-Its | |-----------------------------------------------------------| | EXIT | +-----------------------------------------------------------+

Select "ULTRA" to access the UBC ULTRA membership system.

Select "TRAINING" to access the UBC training system. The Training System is strictly for learning purposes. Nothing you do in the Training System will actually change a member's record.

Select "CODS" to access the CODS system.

Select "WWWUBCJA" to access the UBCJA web site and your ULTRA export files. This option brings up the UBCJA.ORG web site, and is the only authorized access to the web site. To access the export files that you have created on ULTRA, do the following after you have accessed the web site by selecting "WWWUBCJA" from the menu:

Scroll down to the bottom of the web page. You will see a section labeled "Your Personal Download Files". Each export file that you have on the system will be displayed, and will be available for downloading.
NOTE --- Only your own files will be displayed. Access to the files is controlled by your user ID so that your files are not available to other users on the web page.
From here, you will left click on the file name that you want, and download it to your PC.

Select "NEWPASSWORD" if you want to change your password. The password procedure will ask for your old/current and new passwords, ask for confirmation and then make the change.

Select "READIM" if you want to read your instant email messages. This option allows you to read new and old instant messages.

Select "POSTITVIEWER" if you want to view your Post-It messages. This option allows you to read new and old post-it messages.

Select "EXIT" to exit or logoff.

If "ULTRA" is selected, the following menu is displayed:

NOTE: The menu options that are displayed depends on how you are set up as a user. Only the systems or procedures that you have access to are displayed as menu items.

Select the appropriate menu option.

2.1.2 Main ULTRA Menu

When a user enters the UBCJA ULTRA system, a main menu is displayed. The main menu may appear as follows:

Note: The highlighted ".." to the right of a menu item tells you that this menu item displays a submenu, and does not execute a procedure.

There are separate chapters in this document, that explain each of the menu and sub-menu item procedures in detail.

2.2 Getting Around

The following is general information about getting around in the UBCJA system:

Use the mouse or arrow keys to select and execute menu items.
When you select and execute a menu item, you will either get a submenu or start a procedure such as "new member entry".
To get help information on any menu item or input prompt, press the HELP key. Depending on your equipment, the <F1> key may also be used to display help information.
To exit at any time, enter EXIT (if 4 characters can be input) or press the <ESC> key.
To return to a previous prompt, select the "BACK" menu option, or press <F2>.
When entering data --- unless specifically specified, you can enter data in upper, lower or mixed case.

When entering text into an "input area" (see following example), you can type until you get to the end of the last line, or you hear a beep. If a word does not fit on a line, you can continue typing anyway because the process automatically moves to the next line when it determines the word is too long --- you do not have to press [Enter] to get to the next line. When you have completed entering the text data, press the [Do] key.

Enter text : ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

When you are prompted for:
Press the RETURN key to continue
Press the ENTER/RETURN key on your keyboard, or CLICK your mouse on the message line.

2.2.1 Messages

Messages are often displayed at the bottom of the screen. Some messages tell you what you need to do, some tell you what has happened or will happen, and others inform you of errors.

For example, you will get an error message in the following cases:

if you do not enter data when data is required
if you enter an alphabetical character when a number is expected
if you enter a number range or a date range, and the ending entry is less than the beginning entry
if you attempt to add a record that has previously been entered by another user

2.3 Reports and Output Options

Some procedures, such as report and inquiry procedures, create/generate reports that can be printed to the screen or a hardcopy printer, emailed, etc. While a report is being created, report generation statistics are displayed on the screen. For example, you might see the following when a dispensation inquiry list is being created:

Report Output Options

After a report is created/generated, you are asked what you want to do with the output --- the actual report. The "Output Options" menu provides you with report output options. The Output Options menu appears similar to the following:

The "Screen" option is always the default. This allows you to display the output report on your screen. The other options allow you to print the report to a hardcopy printer, send the report to someone via email, etc.

If "DC Sys Printer" is selected, the report will be printed on the printer located in Washington, DC. If "LV Sys Printer" is selected, the report will be printed on the printer located in Las Vegas.

Note

The output options available to you might be different than those shown above.

Mailing Reports

If the "Email" option is presented on the Output Options menu, you can email a report to another user by selecting the "Email" option.

When you select "Email", you are asked for the email address.

Email address? ____________________________________________________________

Enter the internet email address of the person you want to mail this report to.

After you enter the email address, you are asked for the information text that you want to put on the "subject" line of the mail message. Some default text is provided.

Email subject? EMAIL Report from: TESTER___________________________________

Press [Enter] to accept the default text, or enter the subject text you want.

After you enter the subject text, you are asked if you want to now send this email message.

+--------------------------------EMAIL Options---------------------------------+ | Send Cancel | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Press [Enter] to accept the default of "Send" which actually sends the message to the email address you specified.

Select "Cancel" to cancel this email message. If "Cancel", no message is sent.

After this procedure is completed, you are returned to the Output Options menu.

2.4 Printing Receipts, Labels and Reports

This section provides information on printing receipts, labels and reports.

2.4.1 Printing Issues When Using the New Ultra System

Dot Matrix Tractor Feed Receipt Printing (3 receipts to a page issue)

Note: This section is only for those with this type of printer. Do not use these instructions if you are using a LaserJet, DeskJet or equivalent printer.

Currently, when printing individual receipts to your receipt printer, one receipt is printed and then the entire page is ejected. This is causing your printer to waste two forms per receipt printed.

A temporary workaround for this problem, has been developed. Information on a permanent solution is explained in the following text.

To set up this workaround:

Click on the Option selection on the top tool bar of your CRT window.
Click on the Session Preferences option --- this will pop up the Session Preferences window.
Click on the Advanced tab.
The last section in the window will say "Printing Options".
Click on the box labeled "Direct pass through printing to port" --- this will place a check mark in the box.
To the right of the "Direct pass through printing to port" label is a box (probably blank at this point) that has a down arrow along side of it. Click on the down arrow, and a selection menu will appear that contains the various communications ports available on your computer. Click on the correct port for your Receipts Printer (usually LPT1 if you only have one printer).
Click on the okay button.

Note

This must only be done on Dot Matrix printers. Do NOT do this for LaserJets, DeskJets or equivalent printers.

If you have more than one printer and you run receipts on one printer and reports on another, then we suggest that you create two windows into the ULTRA system. This way you can have one window for use when receipts are needed (dues payments for example) and one window for other operations.

With two windows open, follow the instructions given above to set up the the Session Preferences for the window that will be used for payments.

Please contact the Help Desk with any questions on this procedure!

This workaround is a temporary measure only. We are working with the developers of CRT to provide us with the ability to remove all printer manipulation that you are currently faced with.

In the near future, we will be able to control the printer selection and setup from the application. So, when you print 3-up labels for example, the program will be able to control the margins and font setup automatically.

Margin and Font Settings for Ultra Printing Functions

The following printer setups are recommended.

Report printing setup information:

Regular (80 columns or portrait) Reports: Margins: Top : 0.500 Bottom: 0.500 Right : 0.500 Left : 0.500 Font : Courier (or Courier New) 11 point (This is the largest font that can print 80 columns of data) Wide (132 columns or Landscape) Reports: Margins: Top : 0.500 Bottom: 0.500 Right : 0.500 Left : 0.500 Font : Courier (or Courier New) 8 point (This is the largest font that can print 132 columns of data and still get all of the vertical lines on the page) *** Remember that you need to change your printer setup to Landscape to print these reports *** Note: There are very few Landscape reports, but Daybook is an example of one that is Landscape

Label printing setup information:

3-Up Labels: Margins: Top : 0.500 Bottom: 0.500 Right : 0.250 Left : 0.250 Font : Courier (or Courier New) 11 point Label : Avery 5160 (LaserJet), Avery 8160 (DeskJet) *** For label printing, these values MUST be followed. If these settings are not established, your labels will not line up properly 2-Up Labels: Margins: Top : 0.750 Bottom: 1.000 Right : 0.250 Left : 0.250 Font : Courier (or Courier New) 11 point Label : Avery 5262 (LaserJet), Avery 8262 (DeskJet) *** For label printing, these values MUST be followed. If these settings are not established, your labels will not line up properly

Printing Receipts

This is the solution to the receipt printing problems encountered by those locals that use the Logocard or Plaincard receipts forms and dot matrix printers.

This solution requires that you make a change to the printer page definition for your receipt printer.

You need to change the paper size definition on the printer used to print receipts. Step by step instructions follow:

click start button
click settings
click printers
right mouse click the printer icon for your dot matrix receipt printer
click on properties
click on the paper tab
use the mouse to slide the paper size slide bar all the way to the right
click on custom ( a user-defined size window will appear)
set the width to 850
set the length to 366
on the right side of the user-defined size window there is a Units box that contains two circular buttons; make sure the 0.01 hundreths of an inch button is selected
click okay
click okay on the properties window
click on the X of the printers window

From your CRT window:

click on file
click on print set up
make sure the receipt printer is set as the printer
make sure the paper size is set to user defined size
click on okay
click on file
click on page setup
make sure font is courier new 10 point
left margin = 0.500
right margin = 0.500
top and bottom margins we want as small as possible --- This varies based on the printer. To set this, set the top and bottom margins to 0. Click on okay. CRT will respond with the smallest margin that can be set. Change the margin to the smallest. Note: for some printers, 0 is allowed.
click on the okay button
click on Options
click on Session preferences
click on advanced tab
make sure direct pass thru printing to port is NOT checked

Now print several sample receipts. You can tell that this change solved your printing problem by noticing where the first print line prints on the form. The printing should appear in the same location on all forms. Also, no blank forms should print in between the printed forms.

These settings should be close. We have set up several different printers using these settings. These were the right settings for most of them.

Occasionally, we had to change the page length (in the printer properties) to 370.

Please contact the Help Desk at (800) 525-2527 if you have any questions about this procedure.

Contents

Index

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Affiliate User's Guide

Chapter 2Menus, Menu Items, Getting Around, Report Output Options