WorkFlows - Introduction

WorkFlows - Introduction

About

This article and video tutorial (below) serve as an introduction to WorkFlows, its terminology and its properties.

What is WorkFlows?

WorkFlows is one part of the Symphony  Integrated Library System (ILS) used by members of the Montana Shared Catalog (MSC) library consortium and supported by the MSC staff at the Montana State Library (MSL). MSC member libraries have pooled their resources to use an ILS that can support the broad needs of the consortium, which include public, school and special libraries.

An ILS is an electronic program that staff use to manage patron accounts and perform and track common tasks like circulation, cataloging, etc. Patrons interact with an ILS through an online catalog. WorkFlows was created by the company SirsiDynix as part of its Symphony product, so you may see or hear the program referred to as Symphony WorkFlows.

The components of the Symphony ILS include:
  1. WorkFlows modules: Circulation, Cataloging, Acquisitions, etc.
  2. Enterprise: the online public access catalog (OPAC), that patrons use to search, place holds and manage their accounts.
  3. BLUEcloud Analytics (BCA): the reporting tool staff use to run on-demand statistics for circulation, collection information and development, holds, Public Library Annual Statistics, and more.
  4. Mobile apps: MobileStaff.

How Do I Log In?

There are two ways to log into WorkFlows, depending on what you want to use the program for: performing tasks in real time or practicing procedures as part of staff training.
Instructions for installing WorkFlows on a staff workstation and performing updates are available in WorkFlows - Installing and WorkFlows - Updating.

For Real-Time Tasks

To perform tasks in real time, meaning the changes you make actually take place in the system, you'll want to log into the live PRODUCTION server. The day-to-day WorkFlows operations involved in running the library should happen on the production server.

Logging In
1. Double-click the WorkFlows icon on the staff workstation.
WorkFlows desktop icon

2. A configuration window will appear. Make sure the fields are filled out as follows:
  1. IP Address: mtsc.sirsi.net
  2. Port: 5100
  3. Name: PCGUI-DISP
  4. Login timeout: 60000 (4 zeros)
  5. Show this window on next startup should be checked
WorkFlows login configuration window

3. Click OK.
4. A login window will appear. Enter your library's login ID (Card #) and PIN.


5. Click OK.
6. Make sure SirsiDynix appears in the upper right corner of the screen. (This will look different on the TEST server.)
SirsiDynix logo in the upper right of the program screen

For Training Practice

To practice tasks without saving changes in the system, you'll want to log into the TEST server. WorkFlows training should happen on the test server.

The test server updates quarterly or just before a system update, so information that you entered within the past few days, weeks or even months may not appear in this server. Any information you enter into the test server will be wiped out when the next update occurs. Remember to switch back to the production server before performing live, permanent tasks.

Logging In
1. Double-click the  WorkFlows icon on the staff workstation.
2. A configuration window will appear. Make sure the fields are filled out as follows:
  1. IP Address: mtsctest.sirsi.net
  2. Port: 5100
  3. Name: PCGUI-DISP
  4. Login timeout: 60000 (4 zeros)
  5. Show this window on next startup should be checked
WorkFlows login configuration window with test server IP address

3. Click  OK.
4. A login window will appear. Enter your library's regular login ID (Card #) and test PIN, which is different from the PIN you use to log onto the PRODUCTION server.

5. Click  OK.

6. Make sure  MSC TEST appears in the upper right corner of the screen. (This will look different on the  PRODUCTION server.)
MSC TEST in the upper right of the program screen

Terminology

The following terms are used by SirsiDynix and the MSC staff to describe WorkFlows.
WorkFlows test session highlighting the menu, modules, toolbars, wizards and server
  1. Menu Bar: You can use the menu bar to print, open wizards, set your display preferences and view WorkFlows Help.
To learn more about adjusting your display preferences, see WorkFlows - Fonts, Theme and Tabs and WorkFlows - Toolbar Management.
  1. Module Bar: Each module contains wizards grouped into toolbars organized by library task. For example, circulation / front desk staff will primarily use the Circulation module, while cataloging / technical services staff will spend more time in the Cataloging module.
  2. Toolbars: Each toolbar contains related wizards and is labeled according to the primary function of those wizards. For example, the Common Tasks toolbar contains the wizards you will use most often in each module, while the Holds toolbar (Circulation module) contains wizards that address placing holds, displaying holds, removing holds, etc. You can expand and minimize a toolbar by clicking on its heading.
  3. Wizard: Each wizard is an application in WorkFlows that serves a certain function; for example, you can check out to patrons using the CheckOut wizard, and conduct keyword or browse searches of your collection in the Item Search and Display wizard. Clicking on a wizard opens it in the blank area to the right of the toolbars.
  4. Server indicator: Check here to see if you're in the test server or production server (compare images above).
WorkFlows test session highlighting wizard tabs, helpers, pop-up boxes and gadget buttons.
  1. Tabs: Like tabs in your internet browser, you can toggle between open wizards when you need to quickly shift from checking out, to searching the catalog, to registering patrons, etc. 
  2. Helpers: Mini-applications within a wizard that open pop-up boxes allowing you to search for users, set dates and perform other tasks relevant to the wizard. For example, in the screenshot above, clicking the Special Due Date helper (calendar icon) opens a pop-up where you can select a custom due date when renewing an item.
  3. Gadget: A button that appears at the end of a text field when WorkFlows needs the information in the field to conform to system formatting, e.g. date formatting. While fields with gadgets are free text, only the formatting provided by the gadget will work, which means you should always use a gadget when filling out a field that has one.
  4. F1: Pressing F1 in WorkFlows will open the SirsiDynix WorkFlows Help guide in your browser. If a wizard or its properties page is open, pressing F1 will automatically open the guide to the section on the wizard and / or properties.

Properties

Each wizard has properties that control window defaults and various settings for the wizard. These properties are set per workstation, not per login.

There are two ways to save properties in WorkFlows: permanently, meaning the changes remain every time you log in on the workstation (until you change them), or temporarily, meaning the changes will only last during your current session.

Permanent Settings

To preserve properties changes beyond a single session:
1. If the wizard with the properties you want to change is already open, close it. 
2. Right-click on the wizard with the properties you want to change.
3. Select Properties...
4. A pop-up will open that displays all the properties available for that wizard.
Wizard Set Properties pop-up with properties tabs and display options highlighted

5. Make your changes. The properties pop-up will typically contain three (3) tabs:
  1. Behavior: How the wizard operates. You can configure the wizard here, presetting certain fields, and choosing next steps and / or tabs to display.
  2. Defaults: Where you can preset field values not covered in the Behavior tab.
  3. Helpers: You can configure helpers here and select which helpers display in a given wizard or another helper.
6. Select Never from the Display property page choices at the top of the pop-up. Choosing Never means this pop-up will only appear when you right-click and select Properties..., not every time you open the wizard, and the changes you make will be preserved every time you log in, until you decide to change them.

7. Once you've made your changes, click OK.
8. When you're done with your session, close WorkFlows.
9. When WorkFlows asks if you would like to save changes, click OK.
Pop-up box that appears when WorkFlows asks if you want to save changes

Session Settings

To change properties for a single session:
1. If the wizard is already open, close it.
2. Click the wizard to open it.
3. Once the properties pop-up opens, make your changes.
4. Click OK.

If the properties pop-up doesn't automatically open:
1.  Right-click on the wizard with the properties you want to change.
2. Select  Properties...
3. A pop-up will open that displays all the properties available for that wizard.
4. Select  Wizard Statup from the  Display property page choices at the top of the pop-up. This will open the pop-up every time you open the wizard, and the changes you make will last only for that session.
5. Close WorkFlows.
6. When WorkFlows asks if you would like to save changes, click OK.
7. Log back into WorkFlows. You'll notice the properties pop-up will now open when you click the wizard.

Video Tutorial

Basic Properties in WorkFlows


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