Table of Contents
A RecTrac Question is an interrogative sentence written/phrased as to elicit information, either during Daily Processing or during Household Maintenance functions. The following presents a general overview of a complicated topic using examples and brief definitions and will guide you through the basic steps required to:
- Create and link a single question that will display during a transaction (i.e. a purchase, renewal, cancellation, permit, etc…).
- Create and link a Question Set that will display during a transaction (i.e. a purchase, renewal, cancellation, permit, etc…).
- Create and link a single question that will appear in Household Maintenance.
If you have additional questions about Question setup and/or maintenance after reading, please contact Vermont Systems Customer Service by phone at 887-883-8757 or generate a Support Case through the Customer portal of the Vermont Systems web site using your Customer ID and password.
What Questions Do
A RecTrac Question is an interrogative sentence written/phrased as to elicit information, either during Daily Processing or during Household Maintenance functions. In RecTrac, Questions can be created as:
- Single stand-alone questions to which a single answer may be supplied. (i.e. when registering for a Men's Softball League, you might ask patrons what size shirt/jersey they wear.)
- A Set of questions which consists of multiple separate Questions involving the same topic. (i.e. a Daycare program might have a standard "questionnaire" that covers information, such as contact numbers/email addresses, known allergies, daily medications, dietary restrictions, etc…). When linked as a Set, all questions are asked in succession.
Linking Questions to RecTrac Modules
Questions can be linked to any RecTrac module (Activity, Pass, Facility, Locker, etc…), to certain System Codes (Type, SubType, Category, Season, etc…) and to Household and Family Member records.
When linked to a RecTrac module, where a Questions is linked determines what it will impact. The following chart uses the Activity Module as an example, but the same holds true across all modules.
Question Linked | Question Applies To |
---|---|
Activity Module | All Activities and their Sections in your database |
Activity Level | All Sections in the Activity to which the Question is linked |
Activity Section Level | That Section only |
Activity Category | All Activities in your database to which that Category System Code is linked |
Activity Type | All Activities in your database to which that Type System Code is linked |
Activity SubType | All Activities in your database to which that SubType System Code is linked |
Season | All Activities in your database to which that Season System Code is linked regardless of Year |
Adding Questions
Prior to adding a Question to RecTrac, ask yourself the following questions. The answers will go a long way to determining what type of Question you wish to add and where you want to link it:
- What module will be impacted by this Question, or is it a Household/Family Member question?
- If for a module, what will be impacted? Will the Question pertain to everything within the module, or to a group of things within it (i.e. items of the same type, subtype, category, etc…), or to just one item only?
- Is this a single, stand-alone question or is it a single question that belongs in a larger list of questions?
- What type of answer do you want? Is it, for example, a multiple choice question, or short answer, or a date, or a long answer?
Examples in the following sections will refer back to these questions in an effort to show why the Question type being added is the best fit for the scenario.
Adding a Single Stand-Alone Question
Single, stand-alone Questions are the easiest Questions to add in RecTrac. When the question "pops," the clerk or patron answers. You can require an answer, if desired, or you may allow the patron to bypass the question.
The following example will walk you through adding a single stand-along Question for shirt size to a Youth Activity.
Answering the Questions
- Which module? - Activity.
- What Items within the Activity Module? - The Girls Volleyball (12-15) Activity and all its sections only.
- Single Question or part of a List of Questions? - Single, stand-alone question.
- Type of Answer? - Multiple Choice with answer required.
To Add the Question
To add a single stand-alone Question for shirt size to an Activity in RecTrac, you would:
- Go to Activity Maintenance and double click on the Activity to which you wish to add the Question.
- Click on the Questions tab and click Link Individual Question. The Question Text Management DataGrid will open. This DataGrid displays all the Questions currently in your database that you have Permissions to see.
- For purposes of our example, click Add to continue to the Question Text Update screen. IF the question you wish to link already exists, you would select/highlight it and click Select to link it to the program.
- Enter your Question in the Question Text field. This field will accept up to 500 alpha numeric characters.
For Example: What size shirt/jersey do you want? - Click the Combo Box icon to select your Question Type option. For purposes of this example, the selection is (1) Purchase because the Question will apply to registrations/enrollments into this Activity.
Refer to the Mouse-over Help or Full Page Help ("!" and "?" icons on the upper right-hand corner) for additional field and option definitions, if needed.
Note: Screen options will change depending on the Field Type you select. For purposes of this example, we are using Combo Box. Because of this, fields for Allow More than One Answer, Option Delimiter, and Options List appear. Choosing a different Field Type would result in other screen options.
- Enable the Answer Required? option to ensure that a response is given to this question when it is presented to the customer.
- Because this example is a multiple choice question, expand the Field Type Drop-down list and select Combobox.
Refer to the Mouse-over Help or Full Page Help ("!" and "?" icons on the upper right-hand corner) for additional field and option definitions, if needed. - Enter your shirt size options in the Options list field. Separate them using the "Pipe" symbol (|), which is <Shift> + \ on your keyboard. For purposes of our example, the list is X-Small|Small|Medium|Large|X-Large|XX-Large
- Leave all other fields at their default value and click Save at the bottom of the screen. You will be returned to the Question Text DataGrid and the question will be pre-selected in the listing.
- Click Select You will be returned to the module from which you linked the question (Activity in our example). The question will appear in the Questions tab DataGrid.
- Click Save at the bottom of the screen. The Question is now linked. It goes into effect immediately and is applied to all items within the hierarchy of where it is linked. Refer to the Chart above for details, if needed. For purposes of this example, the Question is linked to the Girls Volleyball activity and will be applied to all sections.
- Highlight/select the question and click Preview to view it onscreen as it will appear when asked during processing. This allows you to proof read for accuracy and style.
Question Sets
A Question Set is a collection of separate Questions that you link together to make the setup of items easier. The idea behind a Question Set is that all questions in the Set are related to the same item. The ease in setup is that you have to create the Set once and then link it as needed in RecTrac. If a Facility Reservation Question Set consisted of six (6) questions, for example, you would have to create the single Set once and then link it as needed within your Facility module as opposed to having to link the six (6) questions to various facilities each time you wanted to ask them.
For Example: When reserving a meeting room at your department, you require the following information:
- Seating Configuration
- Purpose
- Reservation Type
- Customer Type
- Alcohol Permit Required
- Miscellaneous Reservation Comments
The following example will walk you through creating a Question Set using the scenario above. Once the Set has been created, it can be linked.
Creating a Question Set
A Question Set is a collection of separate Questions that you link together to make the setup of items easier. Question Sets are created and maintained in Set Maintenance, which on the standard VSI Design is located in the Fee/Question/Question Management Group of System Management.
Answering the Questions
As discussed earlier, when adding Questions to RecTrac, answering four (4) basic questions will help you determine the type of Question you wish to add and where to link it.
- Which module? - Facility.
- What Items within the Activity Module? - Meeting Rooms.
- Single Question or part of List of Questions? - This will be a list of six (6) Questions
- Type of Answer? - Various, as determined by the question being asked.
Create the Set and Add the Questions
- In RecTrac, go to Set Maintenance. On the standard VSI Design this is located in the Fee/Rule/Question Management Group of System Management. Your Design may vary.
- Click Add. You will continue to the Core Settings screen.
- Enter a Description. For Example: FR - Meeting Room Reservation Questions.
- Expand the Drop-down list and select Question Set. Note a DataGrid will appear.
- Click the Picklist icon and select the Permissions you wish to apply to this Question Set, if any. For purposes of this example, the choice is "EVRY1."
- Click Link Individual Question. You will continue to the Question Text Management DataGrid where you may either Select an existing Question or Add a new question.
- For purposes of this example, we will Add a new Question for seating configuration. Refer to the steps above for Adding a Single Question, if needed. For purposes of this example, the following are used, and anything not listed is being left at its default value:
- Question Text=FR - Meeting Room Seating Configuration.
- Question Type=Change, Permit, and Purchase. This allows the same questions to be asked multiple times throughout the reservation process in the event information needs to be changed.
- Order Number= 1, since this will be the first question asked.
- Answer Required?=Yes/Enabled
- Field Type=Combobox
- Option Delimiter=Pipe
- Option List=Standard Configuraiton|Silver Configuration|Gold Configuration
- Default Value=Standard
Note: Refer to the Mouse-over Help of Full Page Help ("!" and "?" icons on the upper right-hand corner) for additional field and option definitions, if needed.
- Save the record when done. Upon Saving the Question, you will return to the Core Settings screen. The Question you added will appear in the DataGrid.
- Highlight the new Question and click Select at the bottom of the DataGrid. It will be added to your Question Set.
- Repeat these steps as needed to add additional questions to your set. For purposes of this example, the following five (5) questions will be added. The Order Number and Field Type appears in parenthesis:
- Purpose (2, Short answer)
- Reservation Type (3, System Code - Reservation Category 1)
- Customer Type (4, System Code - Reservation Category 2)
- Alcohol Permit Required (5, Checkbox, Answer Required)
- Miscellaneous Reservation Comments (6, Long answer)
- With each Save the Question Set grows until all six Questions have been added.
- Click Save at the bottom of the DataGrid. Your Question Set is now complete and ready to be linked.
Linking a Question Set
Question Sets are linked as 'Sets' in RecTrac. Once a Question Set is linked, any modifications to a question in the Set should be done in Question Management, and the Question must be re-linked to the Set. This is different from Fee Sets and Rule Sets, which when linked as a 'Templates' can be modified from the module where they are linked.
Note: Once a Question is linked to a Set, you may change the Question Text or the Field Type ONLY from Question Management (i.e. you can change the Question Text and its answers from Question Management only). Other options, such as the Question Type, Order Number, Answer Required flag, Default Value, etc… can be changed from within Set Maintenance.
Determine where you wish to link your Question Set. The higher up the hierarchy chain, the more items will be impacted. Refer to the Chart above for details, if needed. For purposes of this example, the Rule Set will be linked at the Facility Class level of hierarchy. This means it will apply to all Facilities of the same Class (Meeting Rooms).
- Go to the item to which you wish to link the Question Set. for purposes of this example, go to Facility Management • Facility Class Management.
- Highlight/select the item to which you wish to link the Question Set and click Change. Proceed to the Questions tab.
- Click Link Set. You will continue to the Set Maintenance - Question Set DataGrid.
- Highlight/select the Question Set you wish to link and click Create Set Link at the bottom of the DataGrid. You will be returned to the previous screen and the Question Set will appear in the DataGrid.
- Click Preview to see your Question Set, if desired. The questions will appear exactly as they will be presented during processing. Using Preview is a good option for proof-reading your questions and to test that your answer strings and default values (if any) are accurate. When previewing questions, a separate tab will appear for each Question Type you are using(i.e. Purchase, Change, Permit, etc…).
- Exit the Preview when ready and click Save. Your Question Set will be saved. It goes into effect immediately.
Household and Family Member Questions
Household and Family Member Questions offer a good way to store user-defined information about the household and its members. Household and Family Member Questions are maintained in Question Management but they are linked on your Static Parameters profile in RecTrac. Once linked, Questions in Household Questions and Additional Person Information groups respectively in Household Maintenance.
Creating Household and Family Member Questions
Household and Family Member Questions are maintained in Question Management. The process of adding a Household or Family Member question is just like Adding a Single Question. When creating the question, simply select the appropriate Question Type: Household or Family Member (or both).
Linking Household and Family Member Questions
Household and Family Member Questions are linked on your Static Parameters profile in RecTrac. Once linked, Questions appear in Household Maintenance, respectively in the Household Questions and Family Member Question groups.
To Link A Question to the Static Parameters Profile
- In RecTrac, go to Profile Assignments. On the standard VSI Design this is located in the User/Menu/Profile Management Group of System Management. Your Design may vary.
- Click Static Parameters at the bottom of the screen.
- Proceed to the Household and Family Member Questions tab.
- Click Add Question. will continue to the Question Text Management DataGrid where you may either Select an existing Question or Add a new question.
- Highlight an existing Question and click Select or click Add to add a new question, if needed.
- Once you click Select, you will be returned to the previous screen and the question will be linked..
- Repeat the Add process from the Household and Family Member Questions tab until all of your questions are linked.
- Click Save when done and exit Profile Assignments. Changes go into effect immediately.
- Go to Household Maintenance. Select a Household and click Change. Your linked questions will appear.
Merging Questions
The Question Merge program allows you to allows you to merge duplicate questions, keeping the first question selected and merging all other highlighted questions into it. An audit log entry is created whenever questions that don't share the exact same question text are merged. This is a good "housekeeping" option in the event you have similarly worded questions that you wish to consolidate or in the event you've created duplicate questions.
The following restrictions apply, and the system will notify you in the event you run into one:
- All selected questions must share the same Field Type. For Example: You can merge a Combo Box question with a Combo Box question and a Logical question with a Logical question, but you cannot merge a Combo Box question with a Logical question.
- If merging Combo Box questions, they must all share the same possible answers.
- If merging Fillin questions, the Fillin must be of the same Data Tpe (i.e., Integer, Decimal, Time, etc…).
- In RecTrac, go to Management Ribbon • System Management • Fees/Rules/Questions Management group • Merge Questions
- Select the Question into which you wish to merge other Questions. The Question you select first is the one that will remain when the merge completes.
- Select the other Question(s) you wish to merge into the first Question.
- Click Merge Selected Questions.
THEN
Read the Message and answer accordingly. If opting to Continue with the Merge, the process will run on the AppServer and you will be notified when it completes. - Exit this program when done or repeat the steps above to merge other questions.
Note: The DataGrid DOES NOT update automatically upon completion of the merge. Upon notification that the merge is complete, Refresh the DataGrid or exit the program and enter it again to see your changes.
The purpose of this document has to been to provide a general overview of a complicated topic using examples and brief definitions. If you have additional inquiries about Question setup and/or maintenance after reading, please contact Vermont Systems Support by phone at 887-883-8757 or generate a Support Ticket through the Customer portal of the Vermont Systems web site using your Customer ID and password.