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February / March 2015 Newsletter

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Linda Schmidt
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Connections Online February / March 2015 Newsletter
Connections Online  

 

New Features Improving the Usability of Connections Online!

 

Performance Management Module:

 

The Performance Management Module will be available in production this month. We introduced this powerful Performance Management and Appraisal module at our last User Roundtable and are excited it will shortly be part of production.

 

Here is a link to a brochure on the Performance Management and Appraisal Module with quick views of the dashboards. PM-Brochure link:   https://files.connectionsonline.net/files/Perf-Mgmt/PM-Brochure.pdf    

 

Please note there are several new features associated with the Performance Module that would be added to the basic application:  Commitments Module for Organization, Department, and Individual Tabs, Personal Development Goals as well as the ability to tag 80/20 metrics for Organization, Department and Individual Tabs.  We also have two additional surveys that can be sent out for feedback on project performance as well as individual performance (Basic Role, Core Values, etc.)

 

If you are interested in the Performance Management Module, please contact Karla at 800-395-1410 or email knorwood@cardwellgroup.com for a conversation to answer your questions and also see it working on our beta site.  We look forward to your feedback and also answering any questions you may have.

 

New Features and Functionality for the Main Application: 

 

These features will be available this month in a new site update. Click here to see the following information with screen shots: https://files.connectionsonline.net/files/Perf-Mgmt/New-Features-functionality.docx

  • Organization and Department Tabs: available to the Administrators of Connections, at the bottom of the Org or Department Tabs, you will see the list of people who are associated with this Org or Department and you can add or edit this list as appropriate, as well as change the designation of the leader of that Org or Department.

  • Projects - New Project Closeout Dialog: when you enter the actual end date of a project, you will see at the top of the page a button that asks if you want to create a "Close-out" Dialog. If you do, the next dialog will be a "Close-out" Dialog. Please Note: to have a Close-out Dialog, you MUST have named a sponsor on the project team. The Close-out Dialog includes a high level assessment of the project. It also includes the Project Scope and Evaluation Criteria. 

  • Individual Dialog - Improved Basic Role Notes: when you create an Individual Dialog, you can roll over the Basic Role and a pencil will appear (as in other edit features in the application) and clicking the pencil opens a notes edit module.

  • Metrics - New 80/20 Label Option: when you open the metric, click the pencil to update the metric.  Under the name of the metric there is a check box to indicate that this metric is one of the most important metrics on this scorecard.  Once you update the metric, when you view this metric on the main scorecard, you will see a red 80/20 box.

  • Dialog Tasks: removed security icon since dialog tasks follow the dialog security.

  • Security and Editing: the edit icons are now not showing if someone does not have security to edit the particular element (module, task, dialogs, etc.)

 

Connections Online Training / Help Documents - New Links  

  

We have had several requests lately for training documents and videos so we are posting this again. 

Just click to open the name with hyperlink or use the detailed link:

 

4.1 Quick Reference:  QRG  

https://files.connectionsonline.net/files/COL DOCS/QRG-4-1.docx 

  

4.1 User Manual: User Manual 

https://files.connectionsonline.net/files/Manuals/User-Manual-Version-4-1.pdf  

 

4.1 Administrators Manual:  Admin Manual   

https://files.connectionsonline.net/files/Manuals/Admin-Manual-Version-4-1.pdf  

   

4.1 Security:  Security 

 

Training Library: Training Library 

https://files.connectionsonline.net/files/COL DOCS/training-library-sa-4-1.doc 

 

Demo Videos for Navigating and Editing: Demo Videos
  • Introduction to Version 4.1 
  • Logging in Video
  • Setting Password Video
  • Navigation / Search Video
  • General Editing Video
  • Metric Overview Video
  • Create a Metric Video
  • Project Overview Video
  • Create Project Video
  • Create / Edit Project Tasks Video
  • Project Reporting Video
  • People Tab Overview Video
  • My Tab Video
  • Reporting Intro Video
  • Dialogs Video
  • Activity Report Video
  • Application Training Webinar
  • Advanced Features Webinar
  • Security Training Webinar
Connections Online Announcements 

Keep Up-to-Date on All System Announcements

 

Users who would like to be automatically notified by email when the server is down, or when there are other updates, must subscribe to these Forums.  To subscribe, simply go to this Forum link:  https://connectionsonline.zendesk.com/forums/377724-Announcements  

 

Go to the link and click on the "Subscribe" button in the upper right hand corner of the Forum (you may need to be logged in to Connections for the Subscribe button to show).  You will then automatically receive an email when any update announcements are posted on the forums. 

 

You can also click on any of the other Forums and subscribe to the ones for which you want to stay informed of any new posts.

 

Links to Recent Announcements:

BETA API Update - 2/7/2015:  https://connectionsonline.zendesk.com/entries/78607975-Beta-API-Update-2-07-2015

 

 

Tips and Additional Help Documentation

 

Setting Up Two "Reports To" People

If a person has two people they report to, and want both to be able to read their people page, here is a work around. Currently in Connections Online you can add a "reports to" person for each individual. On your default security settings it is determined what exactly that "reports to" person can do, usually at least to read the individual connection. Some give security to edit some of the People Tab modules also. To add more people to have certain security access to the Individual, it must be set manually on each Individual User's People Tab.

 

If you need two people to read/edit the User's People Tab , for example you report to the VP, and the EVP also wants to see your people page, follow these instructions.  

 

On the default security settings, make sure all default security settings allow the "Given Individual" to "delegate" each element of their People Tab.  The VP is the User's "reports to" person. That security is set globally at the Default Security setting.  To add the security for the EVP to view the employee's People tab, the User would add the EVP on the security of their own People Tab.  The User clicks the Lock icon in the upper right corner of the page. On each module that the User wants the EVP to see, add them using the green plus sign, to every module.  Then give the person (EVP)  the desired security -- whether the User just wants the EVP just to read certain modules or have edit rights to update, etc.  Just click green checks for what the User wants them to be able to do.  Important: The User must propagate each module as you make changes to it. Simply click the propagate icon next to the green plus sign, choose the second option of "Add and Update" and click Propagate.   Warning: do not choose the first option of "Overwrite" as this can overwrite all your security.

 

  

Connections Online 4.1 Recorded Introductory Webinar

Use this link for a previously recorded webinar that is an introduction to Version 4.1 - https://files.connectionsonline.net/files/Training Videos/Col-introduction.wmv 
It is helpful to use the Quick Reference Guide during the webinar - use this link to print the QRG - https://files.connectionsonline.net/files/COL DOCS/QRG-4-1.docx

 

Client Care Notes

To view previous Connections Online Newsletters:  http://www.connectionsonline.net/News/Newsletters.aspx 

 

 

Webinars

 

Connections Online 4.1 Application Training Webinars

Tuesday, February 24th -or- Tuesday, March 24th -or- Tuesday, April 14th at 1:30 ET

This 60-minute training webinar dives deeper into an overall "how to use" Connections Online 4.1.  

Click Here to register for February 24th

Click Here to register for March 24th

Click Here to register for April 14th

 

Connections Online 4.1 Advanced Features Webinars

Wednesday, February 25th  -or- Wednesday, March 25th -or- Wednesday, April 16th at 1:30 ET

This 30-minute training webinar highlights advanced functionality of Connections Online 4.1 with Q&A. 

Click Here to register for February 25th 

Click Here to register for March 25th 

Click Here to register for April 16th 

 

Connections Online 4.1 Security Training Webinars

Thursday, February 26th  -or- Thursday, March 26th -or- Tuesday, April 21st at 1:30 ET

This 60-minute training webinar is for Site Administrators - setting security on the site page and throughout the application.  

Click Here to register for February 26th 

Click Here to register for March 26th 

Click Here to register for April 21st  

 

Past Educational Webinar Recordings 

For a listing of our past Educational Webinars, use this link:  https://files.connectionsonline.net/files/Educational-Webinars-List.doc  

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