New Features, Changes and Fixes coming June 4: Administrator edition

 On Sunday morning, June 4, at 2:00 AM ET (0600 GMT) we will install a number of new features, enhancements, and fixes to QuestionPoint. Because a number of our changes directly involve the database itself, please expect a downtime of up to three (3) hours. A PDF of this text with screenshots can be downloaded by clicking on this link: Download june4_2006_admins.pdf

For All Users

Scripts inserted at cursor

An important change for long-time users of QuestionPoint’s e-mailed web-form features, scripts can now be inserted at the cursor. Scripts have always been inserted at the end of typed text in the Answer or Clarification field, when responding to an e-mailed question. After Sunday’s install, the script you can insert the script wherever your cursor is active.

Public search of local knowledge bases

Finally, searching of your local knowledge base by your patrons is possible! Administrators must indicate if the local KB should be searchable outside the QuestionPoint application. They can also compose the ownership statement that should appear on every record retrieved. Only records marked “Public” in your KB will be searchable.

Instructions at http://www.questionpoint.org/support/documentation/templates/search_globalkb.html 9:00 PM EDTlead administrators through set-up in the QuestionPoint Administration module, as well as provide the necessary lines to be added to the HTML script for your web page. These lines will allow your library either to link to the QuestionPoint Basic Search page or to actually mount the basic-search input box on your own web page. You can also link directly to the Advanced Search page if you want. 9:00 PM EDT, or 6/3, 0100 GMT).    (Note: Updated documentation at the above site is planned for deployment Thursday evening, 6/2, at 9

 

(Click the screenshot to see the full detail)

Other alphabets enabled in the Knowledge Bases

Other alphabets should now be indexed properly in the QuestionPoint knowledge bases. This includes Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Korean, and Russian alphabets, which were not searchable until now.

Enhanced reports

The reports accessible in the Ask module have been enhanced to better detail the types of questions and sessions. In Ask/Reports/General Institution and Ask Administrators can limit a search by the following transactions types:

•  All transactions (both web form and chat)
•  All transactions received via e-mailed web form
•  Transactions received from your own web form
•  Transactions you handled for other libraries
•  All chat sessions in which your library was involved
•  Your patrons: sessions your library handled
•  Your patrons: sessions someone in your group handled
•  Your patrons: sessions handled by a 24/7 or other coverage library
•  Others’ patrons: all sessions in which your library was involved
•  Others’ patrons: sessions you handled for your group’s libraries
•  Others’ patrons: sessions you handled for 24/7 or other coverage libraries

A new table format in Ask/Reports/Sessions will allow you to see similar breakdowns for all your transactions, including grand totals.

It is important to remember that the new breakout will affect data from the time of the install forward.

The Reports Reference Guide will also be updated to reflect these changes.

BME administrators should once again see the names of the librarians in their group’s libraries, via the Ask/Reports.

(Click the screenshot to see the full detail)

For Flash Chat Users

Chat monitor preferences saved

Flash Chat librarians can now save the preferences they set within the chat monitor. The settings are attached to your login authorization, so if you change computers, you won’t have to reset them.

New Alerts

There are new sounds for IM notification and for patron response notification. Additionally, there are visual cues in the chat monitor when the patron has sent a chat message.

Adjustments

The Chat Monitoring Tool now more clearly shows each librarian and which queues are being monitored. Additional tweaks have been made to further reduce the likelihood of duplicated chat session requests.

New resolution code for dropped session

A new resolution code, Lost Call, has been added for Flash Chat users. Previously, the only two resolution codes were “answered” and “follow up” (by either chatting librarian or patron library). You can use the Lost Call code whenever a patron ends the call or drops, and you do not have sufficient information to send to follow up. When used, the ended chat session will go immediately to the Closed folder of the appropriate libraries.

(Click the screenshot to see the full detail)

Visual feedback that descriptive code selection was successful

Flash Chat librarians will have visual feedback when they select multiple Descriptive Codes. A counter to the right of the code field will immediately indicate how many codes you have thus far selected.

(Click the screenshot to see the full detail)

Updated viewlets will be available at http://www.questionpoint.org/education/index.html

Some Important Reminders

We would like to take this opportunity to remind Flash Chat users of the following:

1. Please visit http://www5.oclc.org/questionpoint/Chat_setup.pdf if you have questions about your browser set up. There are several option settings that are recommended, as well as “best” versions of browsers, VM software, and Flash for optimum performance.
2. Flash Chat users must click the Submit button when opening the chat monitor.
3. Make sure your browser’s pop-up blocker is off, or you may not even see the window in      which to submit your queue selections.
4. We know some of you still occasionally experience the flashing frame problem: users of IE,      with the XP operating system, see the chat monitor screen refreshing frequently, but without accepting any new input. This has been identified as a problem with Microsoft’s “Active X.” We      understand that a patch is being distributed by MS, but the update may be  dependent on your own network and IT staff. If you experience the flashing frame problem, exit the chat monitor by closing the browser (use the X at the top right of the browser window), then launch chat once again. You should still be in the same session, and will be able to continue chatting.

All administrators need to be reminded to use http:// when entering URLs in the Administration module for your preferred Viewport page (chat users), your policy pages, your web form location(s) (all users), and location of branding logo (BME administrators).