User’s In Progress Window

When a user first logs in to uniFORM, the user sees all documents that are pending or have been approved for archive.  Pending items are separated into three boxes:

• Inbox - documents that have been sent to the user for review or editing
• Hold box - documents that the user has put on hold to finish at another time
• Kickback box - documents that have been reviewed by a supervisor and sent back for further action

Documents can be reviewed or opened for editing. In addition, this window contains shortcut buttons to open a new template to create a new report.  The buttons that are used for this purpose can be configured separately for each user. In addition, some buttons open groups of templates to create an entire docket of documents.

The green ‘Approve’ in the Status column represents documents that have been approved and sent to the archive. The ‘Online’ Status represents documents that have been created from the uniFORM Citizens Online Reporting Website.

Wireless Capability for Mobile Units

uniFORM is designed to generally operate connected to a central server.  However, there are conditions when a mobile unit will lose connection to the central server.  When this occurs, uniFORM will automatically switch to a local mode and operate without interruption. When a connection to the central server is again possible, uniFORM will automatically switch back to central server mode.

Security Levels

 uniFORM allows three basic levels of security. 

• Admin - can create or modify templates or forms.
• User - Can use most parts of uniFORM to create reports.  Cannot create or modify report templates.
• Read Only - Can only review reports, cannot make any changes to any report that has been created and cannot create a new report.

Report Template Formats

There are several general report template formats that can be used to create document templates in uniFORM:  Templates for any of the report formats can be created or modified by an admin user at the agency or department.

• Table format - This is the standard table format for most fill-in-the-blank reports. Each cell in the table can have its own formatting and intelligence such as auto fill in, check boxes, default values, pull down lists, open up windows with large lists of items, how to handle text that is too large for the area, if multiple lines are acceptable, digital signatures, etc.
• Pleading format - This is a legal format with line numbers along the left hand side of the page. The text is basically freeform.  The form can be any number of pages.
• Spreadsheet format - This is a variation of the Table format where a cell can perform calculations similar to a spreadsheet. This can be used for reports such as expense reports.
• Freeform Reports -This report can contain certain required information, but is basically freeform text that is entered.

Screen Formats

The main uniFORM window has two possible formats.  The user can switch between each format as desired.

Touchscreen format - this provides for somewhat larger buttons and some of the detailed menu items are masked. The exact buttons that are displayed depend on the specific application configuration. In touchscreen mode, the user can tap any part of the form twice and uniFORM will expand that part of the form to make it easier for the user to enter information via the touchscreen.

Detail screen format - This format exposes all of the detailed menus and can be used by an admin user to create new templates.

Report Numbers

uniFORM can control many different number sequences. It is possible to use a different numbering sequence for each form if desired. The report numbers can have many different formats such as starting with fixed letters and/or incorporating the year followed by a number sequence. The number sequence can be automatically reset at the start of each year.

It is also possible to define the exact cell in a report where a particular report number type should be place.  This can be an automatic default when the form is opened or inserted by the user.  This restriction prohibits a user from placing an inappropriate report number on the wrong form or placing a report number in the wrong place on a form.

Units that are designated as mobile maintain a sequence of numbers locally.  This sequence is taken out of the pool of report numbers to maintain uniqueness and is only used for those times that the mobile unit loses contact with the central server.

Digital Signatures

Digital signatures can be placed in a form in a specified cell.  When a new report is started, the digital signature of the user can be automatically inserted in the signature cell of the report.

Archive Formats

There are many formats available to archive reports including:

• Adobe PDF (with or without password control)
• Microsoft Word
• HTML Web document
• Text document

uniFORM Control Panel

When the uniFORM Field Reporting system is not running, a small control panel can be made visible on the user’s desktop.  This small control panel monitors and displays the status of the various inboxes of the user. When there is a new report in the user’s inbox to be reviewed, the user is alerted.  High priority reports are designated in red. Reports can be reviewed within the control panel and the main uniFORM application started from the control panel with the new report displayed ready to be reviewed and edited.