November 2013 News

11 October 2013

Welcome to the November 2013 edition of the Engineerica Newsletter. 

In this issue we are anouncing the release of some software, add-on updates, and shining our customer spotlight on someone using AccuSQL in a very interesting way!  Here is an index of the topics:

Web Gateway for AccuTrack / AccuSQL 2014 is now available!

We have finalized the testing and improvements to Web Gateway (formerly AccuSL) and are shipping out the updated version of this AccuTrack/AccuSQL add-on.  Web Gateway is the web component that allows AccuTrack or AccuSQL users make appointments, sign-up for seminars, and update their personal information via the Internet.  This allows students to do these tasks at home or virtually anywhere they have an internet connected PC.  Now that you know what it is and what it can do for you - here are some of the improvements!

  • New graphical look that matches the look of AccuTrack/AccuSQL 2014.
  • Support for Single Sign-on (SSO)- which allows access to Web Gateway from your college portal.  Student IDs are securely passed to Web Gateway using a token when they login through your existing portal to make an appointment or sign-up for a seminar, etc.
  • Your College Logo and a Welcome message have been added to enhance the customizability of the software.

 

  • An Improved Management Console that make it easy to configure the interface.

 

Web Gateway is available as a free upgrade to existing AccuSL users with an active Platinum Plus subscription that covers the upgrade.  Otherwise, it can be ordered for a low fee.  Contact our sales department for more informaiton.  AccuTrack / AccuSQL 2014 is required.

-Nicholas Armstrong, Support & Training Coordinator

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Computer Lab for AccuTrack / AccuSQL 2014 Released!

The AccuTrack / AccuSQL Computer Lab (formerly known as Computer Lab Plug-in) software is now ready.  The software has been updated with the new AccuTrack / AccuSQL 2014 look:

If you are not familiar with Computer Lab software, it is an add-on to AccuTrack or AccuSQL that allows you track sign-ins at computer labs.  Here's a list of the features:

  • Students log in from the computer they want to use instead of a dedicated sign-in computer.
  • You can collect the same information you do when a student signs into AccuTrack/AccuSQL 2014 at your center (like Category & Activities or Services) or just simply collect login/logout information.
  • The students can page a lab assist while signed if you enable it.
  • If you use Active Directory to login to your institution's PCs then it can be configured to accept that login information for the student and they may never know the software is being used unless you enable the page lab assistant button.
  • You can remotely monitor the lab status to see how full it is or if people have left the computers.
  • Once you have collected the information there are great reports:
    • See what computers are being utilized most often.
    • See what student's visit the lab most often.
    • Monitor what applications are being used or even what sites are being accessed in the browser.

This is a great product and I would recommend if you are an institution already using AccuTrack or AccuSQL 2014 to give it a try in your Computer Labs!

For more information and ordering the Computer Lab Plug-in for your center:
AccuTrack 2014 Computer Lab or AccuSQL 2014 Computer Lab.

-Nicholas Armstrong, Support & Training Coordinator

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New AccuClass Release!

AccuClass is web-based software for tracking class attendance.  We just finished a new update to this software with the following new improvements:

  • Data Import: You can now import Swipes (sign-ins/Sign-outs) data.  This gives you maximum flexibility in the collection of attendance data.  For example, you can simply use an Excel sheet and import the results.
  • Sign-in Station: You can now create sign-in stations that work as a kiosk. That is, first scan is considered sign-in, second is a sign-out and so on… AccuClass automatically detects if the scan is a sign-in or out depending on the previous scans for the same person in the 
  • same session.  This eliminates the need to manually set the sign-in station mode to either sign-in or sign-out students.
  • Student Groups: We added the ability to create and manage student groups.  Administrators can define their custom groups and use them to get an Attendance Summary report for that specific group of students.
  • Student Imports.  Now whenever you import a student file there's the ability to format the ID and card number data. This may help you with problems with your card reader.

All of these improvements will keep your attendance right on track for the busy professor or college administrator using AccuClass.

For the complete report visit:  http://www.newsite.engineerica.com/newsletters/accuclass-new-release

To view these new enhancements, sign up for a complimentary demo of AccuClass by
clicking here.

-Fernando Paulovsky, Application Developer

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New Conference Tracker Release!

We are delighted to annouce a new Conference Tracker release that adds some major new features requested by clients.  These features are now part of the software and you have full access to them the next time you login to Conference Tracker.  Here are the highlights:

(1) Conference Analytics

  • Allow you to quickly view key information about your conference including most popular sessions and busiest times.  View the analytics for a single day or the entire conference.

(2) Conference Summary

  • See what is going on at the conference with a quick glance by checking the updated statistics box on the home screen.  This information is updated live if you have a Wi-Fi or cell data connection at the conference.

(3) Session Report 

  • Select any workshop or session and easily view a detailed report that shows who attended and how long each attendee stayed.

(4) Attendee Report

  • Select any attendee and view his or her attendance information:

(5) Badge Designer Enhancements

  • You can now show any of the following dynamic fields on the conference badge if you like: attendee's name, job title, company, conference, city, state, zip code, and more!
  • You can now design and print badges for exhibitors and presentors in addition to the attendees badges.
  • You can now print badges incrementally (e.g. print new badges only).
  • Now prints badges sorted alphabetically by last name for easier sorting and distribution.
  • Ability to distribute conference badges via email if you like.

(6) Enhanced Tools for more Accurate Data

  • A new tool to quickly fix unresolved swipes has been added so there is less cleanup after the conference.
  • A new tool to detect devices/operators with issues was added to the homepage.  It list the devices being used with an early alert feature that tells you what devices are likely configured wrong or out of sync.  The higher the number of errors coming from the device increases the indicator from green to yellow to red.

(7) Lead Retrieval App

  • The iConf Leads app is now available on the Apple App Store. This lead retrieval app works along Conference Tracker to help your exhibitors capture prospects' contact information by simply reading the barcode on the their badge.  Exhibitors can add their own notes too.

For the complete report visit:
http://www.newsite.engineerica.com/newsletters/conference-tracker-new-release

To view these new enhancements, sign up for a complimentary demo of Conference Tracker by clicking here.

Diego Jancic, Application Developer

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November 28th & 29th, 2013 Scheduled Maintenance

Dear Users,

We wanted to let you know that the system will be down during Thanksgiving and the Friday after it for maintenance.

This applies to all users of:

- Accudemia

- Conference Tracker

- AccuClass

- iAccu

When?

  • From November 28th, 2013 7 AM EST until November 29th, 2013 3 AM EST

For how long?

  • Several hours, we will try to perform all the task during the Thursday, Nov 28th, 2013.

How can I track attendance during that downtime?

  • You can use iAccu app (for Accudemia users), the AccuClass app, or iConf app (for CT users) during the scheduled maintenance.

If you have any requests, doubts, or comments please let us know!

Thanks,

The Engineerica Team

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User Spotlight - University of Maryland Eastern Shore - Elfatih Elshafie

This spotlight focuses on a person that has been helpful in implementing new ideas and features or using the software in interesting ways that we have never imagined.  This idea was sparked by our recent case studies as well as interacting with users in support who find the solutions that later get implemented in the software.  Aside from being featured in the Engineerica Newsletter they will also receive an Engineerica Gift Package.  This will include an assortment of useful Engineerica branded items.

This month's spotlight is on someone who keeps us working toward a better AccuSQL product.  This month's spotlight focuses on Elfatih Elshafie of University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES).

UMES, founded in 1886 as the Delaware Conference Academy, is one of thirteen campuses that comprise the University System of Maryland. UMES emphasizes baccalaureate and graduate programs in the liberal arts, health professions, sciences, and teacher education.

UMES has been using AccuSQL Campus wide since 2008 at various centers at the university. Recently, they came up with another unique implementation for AccuSQL in controlling visits to Student Health Services.

Working closely with Elfatih Elshafie, an IT Programmer in the Administrative Computing Department at UMES, the support team here at Engineerica assisted in creating a new database for Student Health Services and configuring it to streamline students' access to the various services offered at the Health Center.

Those of you familiar with the configuration options in AccuSQL know that you can allow your students to sign in to get tutoring assistance, perhaps for a registered course, by selecting a tutor that offers assistance in that course.

At the Health Center, students were instead patients that needed to sign in for a particular health concern with a Nurse Administrator, who would then be responsible for assigning them to an available nurse.

Using AccuSQL, the system was configured so the terminology for students and tutors was changed to patients and nurses. Under the category "Health Services", the health concerns were added as activities. The intake system was used so patients would be placed in the waiting queue until they were called by the Nurse Administrator, who signed them in with an available nurse. Using the robust AccuSQL reporting capabilities, detailed reports then became available to see exactly which patients had come in for a given period for a specific health concern and which nurse assisted them.

In summation, with a little "thinking outside the box", AccuSQL was used to automate patient services and enhance operations at the Health Center. And, by the way, the whole system was implemented and up and running in only a few hours.

-David Foster, Support & Training Manager

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