Original publication date: September, 2008

WebCATS Administrators Work Hard: We're Here to Help

User accounts; global configurations; EDMIS and DLA reporting; timely communications with counselors; accurate and complete data entry; and the list goes on; and on; and on. If you’re a WebCATS database administrator, you know it’s a big job managing the operations of an entire outreach program. Softshare is here to help. In addition to our top-notch customer support representatives, we have a large number of resources available to help make your administration of WebCATS a little easier.

Tutorials

There’s no better way to understand software than through visual demonstration. Softshare currently has nine recorded video demonstrations in our tutorial library—with more to come. Two of them specifically address administrator functions (setting up user accounts & running worksheets), but the other seven are still of great value because you can use them as training tools for new WebCATS users.

Here’s some detail on the two tutorials devoted to administrator functions:

Setting Up User Accounts & Permissions. In this tutorial, you’ll learn why every user should have their own unique user account, why we recommend that every user have a minimum of read-only permissions to every client record in the database, and how to put “Group” accounts to work for you.
Generating Worksheets. Worksheets are interactive reports designed to help you with your DLA and SBA reporting requirements. They store program goals, provide detailed audit trails, and can be recalculated on the spot. If any of this is news to you, then the 10 minutes it takes to watch this tutorial will be time well spent.

The tutorial library can be accessed right from WebCATS’ help menu.

FAQs

Many of the frequently asked questions Softshare posts to its Web site come from database administrators. See how our answers might help your operations. Visit the FAQ resource page for the complete list of FAQs.

Understanding Worksheets Help Files

These little-known help files are gold mines of information. If you’ve ever wondered how line items in the DLA 1806 report or Economic Impact report (or any of several other funding source reports) are calculated, you’ll find exacting details in these worksheet-specific help files. Accessed from our Product Documentation page or from the bottom of any open worksheet, these help files illuminate those fields in the WebCATS database that are critical for accurate reporting.