Version 0.4
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction to this Manual 1
OSS Navigation Course Objectives 1
Conventions Used in this Manual 1
Menu Names and Window Titles 2
Accessing the Oracle Student System (OSS) 3
Objectives 3
Launching OSS 3
Responsibilities Overview 4
Using Menus, the Toolbar and the Status Bar 7
Objectives 7
Menu Bar 7
The Toolbar 7
Toolbar Buttons 8
The Status Bar 9
Keyboard Shortcuts 9
Accessing Menus Using Shortcut Keys 9
Switching Responsibilities 9
Changing Your Password 10
Using Navigator 11
Objectives 11
Displaying Navigator 11
Working With Navigator’s Options 12
All the Navigator Buttons 13
Opening a Form From Navigator 13
Navigation – The Top Ten List 14
Working with Forms in OSS 15
Objectives 15
Opening a Form 15
Navigating Within a Form 16
Record Markers 16
Flex Fields 16
Lists of Values (LOV) 17
Date Fields 17
Navigating Using Tabs 18
Navigating Between Forms 18
Opening Further Forms 18
Closing Forms 19
Finding and Viewing Data 20
Objectives 20
Querying Data 20
Query Results 21
Using ‘Find’ 22
Using Wildcards 23
Reporting and Requests 24
Objectives 24
Running an OSS Report 24
Types of Requests 25
Running a Single Request 25
Phases 28
Statuses 28
Running or Viewing Previously Used Reports 31
Scheduling Reports 35
Scheduling Options 38
Exiting OSS 45
Objectives 45
Exiting OSS 45
Appendix A - Keyboard Shortcuts 46
OSS Training Notes & Useful Information 47
Document Information 48
OSS Navigation Manual v0.4.doc
Introduction to this Manual
Introduction to this Manual
This document was written to accompany the Oracle Student System (OSS) Training sessions.
It is designed primarily as a reference guide to allow new users of the Oracle Student System (OSS) to gain access to the system, understand, and use the basic navigation features and to introduce new terminology. The manual also includes practical scenarios from the training courses – these can be used as examples after training but please remember that the data will be different as training will use ‘training data’ and the live system will have ‘real’ data.
OSS Navigation Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
§ Launch Oracle Student System (OSS)
§ Log into OSS
§ Navigate through various windows and forms
§ Enter information and perform data searches
§ Run reports
Conventions Used in this Manual
Indicates there are step-by-step instructions to follow to perform the given task. For example:
8 Choose a Different Responsibility
§ Click on File / Switch Responsibility
OR
§ Click on
§ Select a new responsibility from the Responsibilities window
§ Click on
! Note: indicates additional useful information. For example:
! Note: Any changes that you make in the Oracle Student System (OSS) will be time stamped and recorded in your name
Menu Names and Window Titles
Menu names and window titles are indicated in bold. For example:
§ Open the Navigator window
Pictures of the buttons appear in the instructions and keys on your keyboard are indicated in bold text enclosed in square brackets. For example:
§ Press [F4]
§ Click on
Menu navigation paths are in bold and options indicated using a forward slash. For example:
§ Click on Edit / Preferences / Change Password
This translates to: from the Edit menu, select Preferences, then Change Password.
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Accessing the Oracle Student System (OSS)
Accessing the Oracle Student System (OSS)
Objectives
The objectives of this section are to enable you to:
§ Log on to OSS
OSS is accessed through the Single-sign on process. In order to log onto OSS you will need your webauth username and password.
Launching OSS
OSS is accessed through a web browser.
8 To Launch OSS
§ Double click on or
§ Type the following in the Address bar: https://www.studsys.ox.ac.uk/
The Single Sign-On Login box will be displayed:
§ Enter your webauth username and password
§ Click on
A Single Sign-On Confirmation window will appear:
§ Click on
A new window will open showing a list of responsibilities.
Responsibilities Overview
A responsibility defines which windows, forms, and records you are allowed to view or change. It is assigned to you based on the type of information you need to access to fulfil your role. You may have more than one responsibility. Once you have completed the log-in details, if you have more than one responsibility within OSS, a window containing a list of responsibilities will appear.
8 Selecting Responsibilities
§ Click on the required responsibility from the list:
§ A list of forms will appear on the right of the window
§ Select the required form by clicking on it
! Note: The following window will appear once a responsibility has been selected. This is because Oracle is launching a specific part of the application it needs to operate and, as indicated in the window, it is important that you leave it open since closing it will automatically close down OSS, losing any unsaved data
Once OSS has loaded, the Navigator window appears, displaying the name of the responsibility selected in its blue title bar.
! Note: We will examine how to change your responsibility (if you have more than one) in Switching Responsibilities.
The form you selected will then open over the top of the navigator.
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Using Menus, the Toolbar and the Status Bar
Using Menus, the Toolbar and the Status Bar
Objectives
The objective of this section is to introduce different methods of navigation using menus and the toolbar and to introduce the status bar as a useful source of information. At the end of this section, you should be able to:
§ Recognise and use menus and the toolbar to perform relevant actions
§ Use some of the keyboard shortcuts
§ Use the status bar as a source of information
Menu Bar
The OSS menu bar will allow you to, amongst other things, navigate within windows and edit and retrieve data. Depending on where you are in OSS, a menu item might be greyed out (disabled). For example, in the picture below the Folder menu is greyed out, this means the item is not available for use in this context.
The Toolbar
The toolbar is a collection of buttons or ‘icons’ situated below the Menu Bar.
Each button is a shortcut to a commonly used menu item. As with the menu items, depending on where you are in the system, a button may be greyed out (disabled). As you hover over the buttons with your mouse pointer, a message box displays the name of the icon. For example:
A list of available buttons appears on the next page.
Toolbar Buttons
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Using Menus, the Toolbar and the Status Bar
Button / Function // Add New Record
/ Find
/ Show Navigator
/ Save
/ Next Step
/ Switch Responsibility
/ Close Form
/ Cut
/ Copy
/ Paste
/ Clear Record
/ Delete
/ Edit Field
/ Zoom
/ Translations
/ Attachments
/ Folder Tools
/ Window Help
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Using Menus, the Toolbar and the Status Bar
The Status Bar
The status bar is located at the bottom of your screen and the status line displays information about the current form or field, e.g. ‘Record: 1/1’.
You will also notice a message line, which displays hints and messages, e.g. identifying a mandatory field, listing an error, or confirming that a record has been saved. It is a very helpful place to look.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Just as toolbar buttons can be used as shortcuts, many commonly used functions in OSS can be accessed using a keyboard shortcut. A list of these appears at the end of this document for reference (see Appendix A - Keyboard Shortcuts on page 46).
Accessing Menus Using Shortcut Keys
Menus can be accessed from the keyboard by using the [Alt] key combined with the underlined menu letter, e.g. [Alt] + [F] to access the File menu.
8 To Access the File Menu via its Shortcut Key
§ Press [Alt]+[F] to access the File menu
The menu now displays. The menu options are also underlined.
§ Press [S] to save
Switching Responsibilities
8 To Choose a Different Responsibility
§ Click on
OR
§ Select File / Switch Responsibility
§ Select a new responsibility from the Responsibilities window
§ Click on
! Note: If you have only one responsibility, the Switch Responsibility menu item is disabled
Changing Your Password
8 To Change Your Password
§ Select Edit / Preferences / Change Password
The Password Update window appears:
§ Enter your current password in the Old Password field
§ Enter your new password in the New Password field
§ Re-enter your new password in the final field to confirm it
§ Click on
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Using the Navigator Window
Using Navigator
Objectives
The objective of this section is to gain familiarity with the Navigator window. The Navigator is always available while OSS is running and displays the name of your current responsibility in its title bar. The purpose of the Navigator window is to provide access to various functions within OSS; it is similar to a main menu.
By the end of this section, you should be able to:
§ Display Navigator
§ Work with Navigator’s options
§ Open a form from Navigator
§ Create a Top Ten List
Displaying Navigator
If Navigator is not showing you can prompt OSS to quickly display it.
8 To Show Navigator
§ Click on
OR
§ Select View / Show Navigator
The Navigator appears:
Working With Navigator’s Options
The forms to which you can navigate are displayed in a list on the left-hand side of the Navigator window. Items in this list beginning with a plus sign (+) can be expanded to further sublevels until you find the form you want. Items that are expanded are preceded by a minus sign (-).
8 To Expand the File Hierarchy
§ Highlight the menu item you would like to expand
§ Click on to show the item’s submenus / options
The expanded list appears:
8 To Collapse the File Hierarchy
§ Highlight the menu item you would like to collapse
§ Click on to hide the submenus / options
All the Navigator Buttons
/ Expands the selected item’s submenus / options/ Collapses the selected item’s submenus / options
/ Expand branch - all the selected item’s submenus / options
/ Expand ALL submenus / options for the whole navigation list
/ Collapse ALL submenus / options for the whole navigation list
Opening a Form From Navigator
Windows, or working screens, are generally called forms within OSS.
8 To Open a Form
§ Highlight the item you would like to open
§ Click on
OR
§ Double-click on the item you would like to open
! Note: This form will open on top of your Navigator window. To get back to Navigator, see Displaying Navigator on page 11 or, for more information see Working with Forms in OSS on page 15
Navigation – The Top Ten List
The Top Ten List (or favourites) is an extremely useful and time saving feature whether you use the system regularly, or only on an occasional basis. This option allows you to create an easily accessible list of menu options you use frequently to enable you to access them quickly without searching.
! Note: Some menu items you will use have quite a long navigation path through the menus so you will soon find favourites an indispensable feature
8 To Add an Item to the Top Ten List
§ Highlight the item you would like to add – Direct Admission in this example
§ Click on the Add to List button
A shortcut to the Direct Admission form is now displayed in the Top Ten List:
You can now use the number corresponding to the Top Ten item to open the required form, i.e. in this example key in 1 to open the Direct Admission form.
8 To Remove an Item from the Top Ten List
§ Highlight the item you would like to remove – Direct Admission in this example
§ Click on the Remove from List button
The item will be removed from the Top Ten List.
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Working with Forms
Working with Forms in OSS
Objectives
The objective of this section is to learn how to navigate easily within a form and between different forms when you have more than one open – which you often will have. By the end of this section you will be able to:
§ Identify different parts of a form
§ Use a range of options to navigate within a form
§ Use a range of options to navigate between open forms
Opening a Form
When you select an option from Navigator the resulting window, or form, will open.
For example,
8 Open the Direct Admission Form
The Direct Admission form is accessed from the Navigator window.
§ Double click on Direct Admission
§ Select the Direct Admission submenu item and
§ Click on
OR
§ Double click on the Direct Admission submenu item
The form is made up of a collection of fields. A collection of fields forms a record.
! Note: Some fields may appear yellow (depending on the screen that you are viewing); this means that they are mandatory when data is being entered, i.e. OSS will not let you save your record until data has been entered into these fields
Navigating Within a Form
When you open a form your cursor is usually positioned in the first field of the form.
8 To Move the Cursor Between Fields