The DSD QUERY MENU (QMENU) is an Oracle Web Application Server interface to the University of Alaska Decision Support Database (i.e. 'RPTS', 'data warehouse'). To use QMENU, you must have a University of Alaska RPTS database account and special web access code. Contact your campus's Administrative Account Maintenance Coordinator to request web access to the Decision Support Database.

QMENU forms and query output are HTML documents dynamically generated by PL/SQL procedures stored in an Oracle database instance. Execution of these PL/SQL procedures is the responsibility of the Oracle Web Agent (OWA). Although policy allows the OWA to display forms and query descriptions to any user, the OWA retrieves University of Alaska data only if the user who has logged onto QMENU is authorized to receive the information.

SYSTEM REQUIRMENTS: This interface utilizes HTML frames, Java Script and "cookies" to create an interactive menu environment. Netscape Navigator (version 3.01 or greater) supports all these features. Any web browser you use must support both html frames and Java Script to the same degree as Netscape Navigator (version 3.01 or greater).

Netscape web browsers are free to educational institutions. Take a look at Netscape's download web site or ask your local micro computer support office for assistance in obtaining a copy.

NOTE: QMENU users have reported problems using Netscape 3.0 - QMENU does not consistently retain the login information (ACCESS DENIED - invalid userid or webcode). Netscape Navigator 3.01 and Navigator 3.01 Gold do not appear to have that problem. Problems have also been reported with Netscape 3.03, whereas Netscape 4.03 seems to function well when QMENU is accessed.

When you first load the QMENU URL, the insertion pointer starts out in the Userid field. Enter your database userid then TAB to the Webcode field. Enter your webcode (not your database password) and either press TAB or click on the "login" button.

When successfully logged onto QMENU, your browser stores the userid and webcode in memory. Unless you logout of QMENU or terminate your browser session, anyone sitting at your machine will be able to retrieve information using your login. Since that would violate our access to information security policies, please terminate your browser session or "logout" of QMENU when you are not actively working with the interface. Both terminating your browser session and logging out of QMENU erase the userid and webcode remembered by your browser during the active QMENU session.

To terminate QMENU and leave your browser session open, either click the QMENU "logout" button or click your browsers "reload" button. Any time the QMENU login screen is retrieved, the userid and webcode fields are initialized as NULL.

The QMENU interface consists of a two-section (frame) window. The top frame of the QMENU interface is used for query selection. Changing the query "category" causes QMENU to repaint the window with refreshed category and selection lists.

The bottom frame is used to display query metadata and parameter forms. Changing the query "selection" causes QMENU to display "metadata" for the selected query. Metadata includes the names and ages of the datasources for the query as well as descriptive information about the query.

In order to execute a query, the parameter form must be retrieved. Parameter forms allow you to customize the query so that it returns only those records which meet your query criteria. Each metadata display contains a button for retrieving that query's parameter form.

Output from all QMENU queries is written to a separate, named window - one window per named query. Rerunning the same query with new criteria will overwrite the data displayed in that query's window.

The "metadata" available for any query includes the following fields:

	User Authorized:  (yes or no) 

	Object Name: (query procedure name 
	Object Type: QUERY
	Associated Roles:   
	(colon delimited list of Oracle roles) 

	Data Sources: 
	 (list of datasources and refresh dates) 

	Description: 
	 (description if available) 

The user authorized section of the meta data indicates whether or not you can successfully execute the query to retrieve data. Although policy allows us to display query metadata to any data warehouse user, access to the information delivered by a query is subject to the "need to know" test. To successfully execute the query and retrieve output, you must have been granted at least one of the query's associated roles.

The object name and object type sections indicate which procedure generates the query output.

The list of data sources provides important information about the age of data which will be used to generate the query output. In a data warehouse (or data store) the information is most likely not as current as the production system. Just how old that data is should play a role in how much you depend on the output from the query.

Finally, each query should have a brief description, including particularities of its parameter form.

QMENU FORMS

Box1 Box2 Box3

Checkboxes allow for selection of one or more items in a list. Clicking in a checked box deselects the associated item. Clicking in an unchecked box selects the associate item. The absence of any check mark does not necessarily mean that no item is selected. Queries in the DSD Query Menu often assume the first box is checked if none are checked.

The close window button is provided for user convenience. It does nothing more than close the browser window in which the button is displayed.

Recognized date formats are: mm/dd/yy, mm/dd/yyyy, dd-mon-yy, dd-mon- yyyy. Any date not specified must be completely masked with %. To specify a single date when asked for a date range, complete only the first date field; the second field is automatically completed with the first date when the request is submitted.

TRUE FALSE

Radio buttons allow for the selection of a single item in a list. Like an old car radio, clicking one radio button not only selects that button but also deselects all others.

An example of radio button use is QMENU's "Retrieve All" prompt which followed by TRUE and FALSE buttons. By default, FALSE is selected and a finite number of records are retrieved in a single execution of the query. Additional records may be retrieved by clicking the FETCH MORE RECORDS button found in the resulting output window. When Retrieve All is set to TRUE, all qualifying records are retrieved. This could be a very large amount of data and it is the user's responsibility to insure his browser can handle the output.

When the reset button is clicked, a parameter form is reset to initial values.

  (not selected) ACC (AC)-Inactive... (W) Adak/Shemya (AR)-Ina... (4) Chukchi CC - Inactiv... (0) Dummy Campus for loa... (X) Ilisagvik (NS)... (5) Islands CC - Inactiv... (C) Kenai CC (KP) - Inac... (M) Kodiak CC (KO)-Inact... (E) Kuskokwim CC - Inact... (9) Mat-Su (MA) - Inacti... (O) Northwest CC - Inact... (Q) PWSCC - Prince Willi... (V) System-wide (not crs... (S) UA,A (AS)-Inactive... (U) UAA - Homer Campus... (R) UAA - Kenai Peninsul... (I) UAA - Kodiak Campus... (D) UAA - Main Campus... (A) UAA - Mat-Su Campus... (P) UAA - Military Progr... (B) UAF - Bristol Bay (R... (7) UAF - Chukchi Campus... (Z) UAF - Correspondence... (2) UAF - Interior-Aleut... (8) UAF - Juneau Fisheri... (3) UAF - Kuskokwim Camp... (L) UAF - Main Campus... (F) UAF - Northwest Camp... (N) UAF - Rural College ... (1) UAF - Tanana Valley ... (Y) UAF - To be combined... (6) UAS - Community Educ... (H) UAS - Juneau Campus... (J) UAS - Ketchikan Camp... (K) UAS - Military Progr... (G) UAS - Sitka Campus... (T)

QMENU submit buttons come with varying labels. In parameter forms you can expect to see "submit request". In output windows, when there are additional records meeting the user's criteria which haven't been displayed yet, you may see "fetch more data". When the submit button is clicked, the form is checked for valid values prior to executing the associated query. Alert messages may be displayed warning you of errors and preventing the query from executing.

Document numbers are a mechanism for tracking transactions in Banner. Check numbers, encumbrance numbers, invoice numbers, receipt numbers ... these are all document numbers. Which number you must supply depends on the context of the query form.

About text and input fields ... HOME moves to start of field value. END moves to end of field value. Click and drag to highlight. Backspace to erase. Type to enter.

Text areas allow you to input a lot of text rather than a restricted value. Simply type, backspace to delete and use cursor keys to move about the text area. You may click and drag to highlight, then use standard cut/copy/paste keys to perform those functions. Using the scroll bar is another way to move about the text area.

QMENU FORM FIELDS: FINANCE

Account code is 4 character code used to categorize expenditures, revenues, assets, liabilities, transfers, control accounts and fund balances.

Account Type is a checkbox option used to select predefined groups of account codes. Transactions with accounts of 2000, 3000, 4000, and 5000 are operating accounts. 1000 accounts are salary expenses and 9000 accounts are revenue.

Although Banner stores both expenses and revenues as positive numbers, the subledger balance query treats expenses as positive numbers and revenues as negative numbers so that they may be added together to arrive at a net balance. If the org code has both expenses and revenues, the balance will reflect the correct balance of the account. For example, if the org has $1,000 of expenses and $5000 of revenue, the balance will be -$4,000.

Encumbrance Document is an 8-character field. Document numbers are a mechanism for tracking transactions in Banner. Check numbers, encumbrance numbers, purchase order numbers, invoice numbers ... these are all document numbers. Which number you must supply depends on the context of the query form. Examples are E0004567 is an Encumbrance Number where P0001234 is a Purchase Order Number. Document numbers in general may be from 1 to 8 characters.

Encumbrance Status field is a checkbox option. The Encumbrance Status indicates whether the encumbrance is open or closed. You may report on open, closed or both.

Fiscal Year is a 2-digit numeric field. The University's fiscal year runs from July 1st - June 30th. During January through June, the fiscal year and 2-digit calendar year share the same value. During July through December, however, you must add "1" to the 2-digit calendar year to arrive at the correct fiscal year. Example: if the month is May 1997, the fiscal year is '97'; if month is November 1997, the fiscal year is '98'.

The fund number is a 6-digit code used by the University to reflect our funding structure.

The organization code is a 4 to 6 character code used by the University to reflect our organizational reporting structure. There are both high level and low level orgs. High level for rollup and reporting, low level for data entry and detail accounting. High level orgs may contain numbers and alphabetic characters. Low level orgs contain only numbers. Unless otherwise indicated, the org field expects a low level input org.

Program code is a 6-digit code used by the University to further define the accounting structure.

A group of radio buttons is used to selected records by commitment type: uncommitted (current year), committed (prior year), and exceptions (not a commitment type, rather exceptions to the use of commitment indicator).

Uncommitted records generally go against current year funds.

Committed records usually go against prior year funds which have been rolled to the current year.

Exceptions are uncommitted records going against prior year funds rolled to the current year or committed records going against current year (non rolled) funds.

QMENU FORM FIELDS: HUMAN RESOURCE

Timekeeping Location (TKL) is a 4-digit code used by payroll. Timekeeping locations, which are actually Banner organization codes, begin with the letter "T" and end in a 3 digit number signifying a location.

Timekeeping Locations: T100-499 are UAF, T500-799 are UAA, T800 series are Statewide, T900 series are UAS. Timekeeping location is a required parameter. Although the timekeeping location may be masked (e.g. 'T8%'), 'T%' is not allowed.

QMENU FORM FIELDS: STUDENT

Building Code is a 6-character code used. Example: BUNN (Bunnell building).

Campus is a 1-character field. When the campus field is displayed with a campus selection box, you can either enter a known campus in the campus field, or select from the campus list. As you leave the campus field, the campus value is validated against the campus selection list.

Class Room is a 10-character field. In combination with building code, class room indicates where a class is being taught. Example: BUNN 301 (room 301 in the Bunnell building).

Course number is 5-character field, (of which we are currently using 4-characters) the first character of which indicates the institution offering the course. The second character indicates the level of the course. Ordinarily you see the course number as the second component of the following type of reference: BIOL S426 J01.

Course reference number (CRN) is a 5-digit number uniquely identifying a specific course section.

Credit hours is a calculated value indicating the number of hours a student is enrolled in for a term. In the address labels by credit load query, a credit hours parameter field is used to limit output of labels to students enrolled in (at least) a minimum number of credit hours.

Degree is a 6-character field. Examples: BBA, BFA.

(TBRACCD) Detail Code is a 5-character code (of which we are currently using 4-characters). The first character of the detail code indicates the campus. The last 3- characters are associated with the type of transaction entered into Banner. Example: FBRD (Fairbanks Meal Board Plan).

Instructor Name is a 30-character field. The field will contain the instructor's last name, first name and middle initial. Example: Goes, Joe I.

Major is a 4-digit field. Example: ACCT.

Show Students Who Are: field has 3 choices, Enrolled, Wait Listed, Dropped. When the checkbox for Enrolled is selected, students with a status of enrolled will be displayed. Wait Listed students will show when they are on a wait list for that class. Dropped students will show when they have dropped the class. You may choose one, two, or all three kinds of students. The default will show all three options.

Section id is a composite field made up of subject code, course number and section number (sequence). Example: BIOL S426 J01.

Section Status is a multiple-choice checkbox. The choices for selecting section status are open (section is opened), closed (section is closed), cancelled (section is cancelled), inactive (section is inactive). Checkboxes allow for selection of one or more items in a list. Clicking in a checked box deselects the associated item. Clicking in an unchecked box selects the associate item. The absence of any check mark may not mean no item is selected. The Section Status query defaults to all choices being checked.

Section number (sequence) is a 3 character field indicating the section of a course. Ordinarily you see the sequence number as the last component of the following type of reference: BIOL S426 J01.

Subject Code is a 4-character field. The Subject code is up to 4-character abbreviation for the course subject. The subject is the broad category for the course. Ordinarily you see the subject code as the first component of the following type of reference: BIOL S426 J01.

Valid terms consist of a 4-character year followed by a 2-character semester (01 for spring, 02 for summer, 03 for fall). Examples: 199701 is spring 1997; 199702 is summer 1997; 199703 is fall 1997.

NOTE: Although terms now appear to be strictly numeric, they may incorporate alpha characters in the future.