Documentation for Administrators

Portal

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SIS

The Portal page is the key to navigation throughout Focus and throughout the Student Information System (SIS). Before conducting students searches, taking attendance, etc., you must learn the basics of the software. A lot can be accomplished directly from the Portal page; it includes Alerts, Upcoming Events, a Help button, and more.

The Basics of the Portal Page

When you first sign into Focus, you are taken to the Portal page.

Portal

Click SIS to navigate through the Student Information System.

Portal

Depending on your role at the district and your profile permissions, you may have access to the ERP system as well. For more information on the ERP Portal page and basic navigation, see Basic Navigation. Note: If you only have an SIS profile, you will not see the SIS / ERP toggle.

Your username displays next to  the school name/school pull-down and school year pull-down in the header.

Click the logo/Portal button at any time from any screen to navigate back to the main Portal page.

Portal

Most districts elect to have their own logo here, as opposed to the built in Focus logo.

Logos and other district information can be customized via Setup > District Info.

If the logo is not displayed, a pop-up window is open (an example is shown below). Close the window to return to the main Focus screen and the Portal page.

Schedule Report

The logo displays with the site version when using a non-production site, such as a demonstration site or a training site.

Portal

The Focus navigation menu is along the left side of the screen. If you hover over any of the menu icons, the menu opens and the menu titles appear.

Portal

Because you may have different Preferences set up, your menu may be located along the top of the screen. To change your preferences, in the Users menu, click My Preferences. From this screen, you have the ability to customize the look of your Portal page and more. To change the menu, select or clear the selection for Use Sidebar Menu. Once finished, click Save. See My Preferences for information on how to customize the look of the software.

Portal

From here, you can click on any of the menu items for additional options (screens).

To quickly find a screen within a menu, click the menu and type the full or partial name of the screen in the Search text box. The menu filters based on the entered criteria. Click the desired screen.  

Portal

At the bottom of the menu is a magnifying glass (in the left corner of the screen). To search for any screens within SIS, click on the magnifying glass and start typing the name of the screen in the text box; this will pull any screens that match. Once you see what you are looking for, click the name and the screen opens.

Portal

If you have more than one type of profile assigned to you, such as, teacher, parent, admin, etc., you see a profile pull-down under your username. Click the pull-down to change your profile selection.

Portal

Upon signing out of Focus, the system remembers the last profile used and logs back into the system with the last used profile. For example, if you logout as a Teacher, when you log back into Focus, your profile is still set to Teacher.

Across the top of the Portal page you also see the name of your School(s). If you have access to more than one school, this will be displayed as a pull-down. Click the pull-down to change the school selection.

Portal

Begin typing the name or number of the school in the Filter text box for a quick search.

Portal

Under your school(s) is the school year pull-down, which defaults to the current school year. This pull-down is accessible at all times and can be changed as needed. Click the school year pull-down to change the school year for which you are working.

Portal

When a previous or future year is selected, the header and accent color of the screen turns red as an alert that you are working in a different school year.

Portal

Click the marking period pull-down to choose a different marking period for which you are working. The marking period, like the school year, also defaults to the current marking period. Note: What you see in your pull-down may vary depending on district set up and your type of school.

Portal

You will also notice your Last login listed with the day and time, as shown in the image.

Portal

A Focus greeting welcomes whomever is signed into the system. You see your username here.

Portal

The Portal page may also come equipped with additional dashboards; dashboards can be set up via Setup > Portal Editor and are available for selection from the dashboard pull-down. These additional dashboards usually display important student data resulting from advanced reports or queries entered in the Portal Editor.

Portal

The dashboard pull-down only displays dashboards assigned to your profile via Setup > Portal Editor. If you only have one dashboard assigned, you will not see a pull-down.

In addition to school/student data being displayed as part of additional dashboards, if you have more than one profile, you see additional Portal pages. In the example shown, there is a System Administrator portal, a System Admin Support portal, and Assessment & Accountability Admin portal.

Portal

The last two tools on the Portal page are the Help and Logout buttons found in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Portal

Click the Help button to view help documentation in ScreenSteps pertaining to the screen you are using. The Help button is available on every Focus screen.

Clicking the Help button opens a pop-up window to the help documentation. From the pop-up window, you have the option to open the article in a new window and browse other articles housed within ScreenSteps.

Portal

Click the Logout button to sign-out of your Focus session. Logging out will take you back to the main login screen. Note: Closing out of the window will not sign you out. Closing the browser all together may or may not sign you out depending on your browser settings.

Live Demo - Focus
Alerts, District & School Announcements, and Upcoming Events

The Portal screen is made up of portal blocks, such as Alerts, Upcoming Evenets, etc., which can be added and customized by the district via Setup > Portal Editor.

The Alerts section contains profile-specific notifications, which are automated by Focus and used to manage daily tasks. Alerts link to the corresponding screens in Focus to complete the alerted task. Administrators receive Alerts on the following: teachers who haven’t taken attendance, daily absences, new and merged referrals, pending change requests, transfer requests, Custom Reports, records with activated Alerts settings, and new versions/updates to your version of the software.

As mentioned above, click on any of the alerts to open the corresponding screens. For example, clicking 1 teachers haven't taken attendance for Period 1 navigates to the Teacher Completion screen. Once addressed, the Alert disappears.

The District & School Announcements section contains profile-specific notifications or reminders from both Focus and the school/district. Messages display on the Portal based on entered start and end dates; if no end date is specified, the message remains on the Portal page. Typical messages include reminders for deadlines, meetings, etc.

Portal

Administrators have the ability to create their own school level profile-specific messages via Students > Communication > Announcements. However, this option is dependent upon profile permissions set via Users > Profiles > Students tab.

District & School Announcements and Upcoming Events created via Students > Communication > Announcements and Users > Calendar display depending on your permissions to selected schools via Users > User Info > Permissions tab. If you have access to all schools, the messages that display depend on the school selected from the school pull-down located in the header. If you have three enrollment records with schools A, B, and "All Schools," the portal will show all of the following: Messages/events from School A, messages/events from School B, and messages/events from the school selected from the school pull-down.

The Upcoming Events section contains reminders of the next seven events on your Calendar. Upcoming Events display until the event occurs, and the date appears in the title. Hover over the event with the mouse to display a tooltip, which contains the event's description, if one was added upon creating the event via Users > Calendar.

Portal

Click View Calendar to open Calendars. Administrators can create events via Users > Calendar.

Portal
Calendar

If you or another user has utilized the “Type” pull-down to add an SSS service to a student or create a log record for a student from a calendar event via Users > Calendar, a green plus sign displays for said event in Upcoming Events.

a. Click the green plus sign to display the log record in a pop-up window. Any default values entered on the event are populated. The current date and time are also populated into the logging field.

b. Complete the log record, and click Create to add it to the student’s record.

See Creating a Log Record for a Student for more information.

School Folder and District Reports

The School Folder section displays FTE Summary Reports that were pushed to the school folders. As shown in the School Folder example, there have been several summaries published and viewed.  Initial files generated via Florida Reports > Generate DOE Extracts also displays here.

Portal

a. Click the report link to download a PDF or HTML file or follow the link to open the corresponding Florida report, such as DOE Data Verification Reports.

Portal

b. Once you view the PDF, you have the option to Dismiss the summary by selecting the check box. However, you can always select the View Dismissed check box to see everything.

Portal

The report will only be dismissed from your School Folder and will remain on all other users' School Folders assigned the applicable profile.

The School Folder is linked to Florida Reports > FTE Summary Reports (Breakdown). Upon running any of the FTE Summary Reports, you have the option to Push PDF to School Folder(s) in order to make them viewable for other users.

The folders that display here are also dependent on the Florida DOE Extracts and Verification Reports scheduled job enabled via Setup > Scheduled Jobs.

The District Reports section displays reports published with the Portal Alert enabled via Reports > District Reports.

Portal

Click the report link to open and run the report in District Reports.

District Reports
Focus University

The Focus University section contains several helpful links including Video Tutorials, Help & Training Docs, and Weekly Webinars.

Portal

1. Click the Video Tutorials link to open Focus University Training Videos in ScreenSteps.

Portal

2. Click the Help & Training Docs link to open all help manuals and search for specific documentation.

3. Click the Weekly Webinars link to open featured videos and webinars sorted by the week released.

4. To search all help documentation and videos, enter key words in the provided search engine text box and click the magnifying glass.

Portal

Search Results display in ScreenSteps.

Documentation for Administrators
Punch In/Out

The Portal screen is made up of portal blocks, such as the Punch In/Out block., which can be added and customized by the district via Setup > Portal Editor.

If your district is utilizing the Time & Attendance screens via ERP, employees have the ability to clock in and out via the Punch In/Out section of the Portal page.

Portal

The Punch In/Out section must first be set up via ERP > Human Resources > Time & Attendance Setup and Time & Attendance Approval; both screens require profiles permission via ERP > Setup > Profiles > Time & Attendance Approval and Time & Attendance Setup in the Human Resources section.

The current time displays along with the date.

If your schedule has been flagged as a Variable Schedule, the green check marks displays.

The time you Clocked in at and the time you Clocked out at displays, when applicable.

1. If special requests have been set up by the district, you can select the event or activity for the Special Request pull-down in order to submit time worked outside your normal hours or duties. Examples of special requests are field trips, athletic events, covering another teacher's class, fundraisers, etc.

2. Select your Job title from the pull-down.

3. Select your Facility of work from the pull-down.

4. Once all selections have been made, click Punch In to log your start time at work.

Once you've clocked in, the amount of time you have left to work displays. In the example shown, the employee has 3 hours and 37 minutes left in the work day. The employee's work hours are also displayed: 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

5. At the end of the work day and when you are required to clock out for breaks, click Punch out. Note: Some districts build breaks directly into the work schedule; therefore, employees are not required to clock out for lunch.

6. Click Travel to submit travel time as opposed to punching in.

7. In the Travel pop-up window, select your Job.

8. Select the facility from which you traveling from the From pull-down.

9. Select the facility to which you traveled from the To pull-down.

10. Enter any notes and additional information, such as the reason for your travel time and why it should be included in your daily work hours in the Notes/Reason text box.

11. Click Submit.

12. When you arrive at your destination, click Arrived.

13. If you have permission, click Edit Clock Ins to view and/or edit the hours you clocked in and out of the system.

Profile permission must be given via Users > Profiles > Employee Self Service tab > View/Edit Timecards or ERP > Setup > Profiles > Employee Self Service tab > View/Edit Timecards.

Clicking Edit Clock Ins opens Employee Self Service > View/Edit Timecards. From this screen, click View to review all punch in and punch out times, as well as request changes.

View/Edit Timecards
ERP

The Portal page is the key to navigation throughout Focus and throughout the ERP system. Before conducting purchase orders, taking inventory, etc., you must learn the basics of the software. A lot can be accomplished directly from the Portal page, which includes an Alerts module, Upcoming Events, a Find an Employee module and quick search pull-down, a Birthday List, and more.

All portal blocks can be added via SIS > Setup > Portal Editor.

The Basics of the Portal Page

When you first sign into Focus, you will be taken to the Portal page.

Portal

To navigate through the Enterprise Resource Planning system, be sure ERP is selected via the SIS/ERP toggle.

Portal

Depending on your role at the district and your profile permissions, you may have access to SIS as well. For more information on the SIS Portal page and basic navigation, see Portal.

Your username displays in the far right corner of the screen. If you have access to multiple profiles, your username may display as a pull-down.

If you have more than one type of profile assigned to you, such as, teacher, parent, admin, etc., you see a profile pull-down under your username. Click the pull-down to change your profile selection.

Portal

Click the logo / Portal button at any time from any screen to navigate back to the main Portal page.

Portal

Most districts elect to have their own logo here, as opposed to the built in Focus logo.

Logos and other district information can be customized via SIS > Setup > District Info.

The logo displays with the site version when using a non-production site, such as a demonstration site or a training site.

Portal

The Focus navigation menu displays along the left side of the screen. If you hover over any of the menu icons, the menu will open and the menu titles will appear.

Portal

Because you may have different preferences set up, your menu may be located along the top of the screen. To change your preferences, select SIS from the SIS/ERP toggle, from the Users menu, click My Preferences. From this screen, you will have the ability to customize the look of your Portal page and more. To change the menu, select or clear the selection for Use Sidebar Menu. Once finished, click Save. See the article on My Preferences for information on how to customize the look of the software.

From here, you can click on any of the menu items in order to access the screens within the menu.

To quickly find a screen within a menu, click the menu and type the full or partial name of the screen in the Search text box. The menu will filter based upon the entered criteria. Click the desired screen.

Portal

At the bottom of the menu is a magnifying glass (in the left corner of the screen). To search for any screens within ERP, click on the magnifying glass and start typing in the provided text box--this will pull any screens that match. Once you see what you are looking for, click the name and the screen will open.

Portal

Your Last login displays and includes the day and time of your last login to the system.

Portal

The Portal page may also come equipped with additional dashboards; dashboards can be set up (normally by the district) via SIS > Setup > Portal Editor, and are available for selection from the dashboard pull-down. These additional dashboards usually display important student/employee data resulting from advanced reports, etc.

Portal

The dashboard pull-down only displays dashboards assigned to your profile via Setup > Portal Editor. If you only have one dashboard assigned, you will not see a pull-down.

In addition to school/student data being displayed as part of additional dashboards, if you have more than one profile, you will see additional Portal pages. In the example shown, there is a System Administrator portal and an ERP Internal Account Bookkeeper portal.

Portal

A Focus greeting will welcome whomever is signed into the system. You will see your username here.

Portal

Click the Help button to open a help documentation article pertaining to the screen you are using. The Help button is available on every Focus screen.

Portal

Here you have the option to open the article in a new window and browse other articles housed within ScreenSteps.

Portal

Click the Logout button to sign-out of your Focus session. Logging out will take you back to the main login screen. Note: Closing out of the window will not sign you out. Closing the browser all together may or may not sign you out depending on your browser settings.

If your district is using Active Directory for single sign-on, you will see a message informing you that you have been temporarily logged out of Focus.

Alerts, District & School Announcements, and Upcoming Events

The Alerts section contains profile-specific notifications, which are automated by Focus and used to manage daily tasks. Alerts link to the corresponding screens in Focus to complete the alerted task. This section lists any activity that requires approval or your attention, whether it be a purchase order, an asset transfer, etc. Click the link or the screen icon to navigate directly to the appropriate screen.

Portal

District Reports only display in the District Reports block; however, if the District Reports block is removed via SIS > Setup > Portal Editor, reports will display in the Alerts block.

Clicking the Asset Transfer Request alert opens the Transfer Requests screen.

Transfer Requests

The District & School Announcements section contains profile-specific notifications or reminders from both Focus and the school/district. Messages will display on the Portal based on entered start and end dates; if no end date is specified, the message will remain on the Portal page. Typical messages include reminders for deadlines, meetings, etc.

Portal

Administrators have the ability to create their own school level profile-specific messages via SIS > Students > Communication > Announcements. However, this option is dependent upon profile permissions.

District & School Announcements and Upcoming Events created via SIS > Setup > Portal Messages and SIS > Users > Calendar display depending on your permissions to selected schools via SIS > Users > User Info > Permissions tab.

The Upcoming Events section contains reminders of the  events on your Calendar, as well as events created by administrative users. Upcoming Events display until the event occurs, and the date appears in the title. Hover over the event with the mouse to display a tooltip, which contains the event's description, if one was added upon creating the event via SIS > Users > Calendar.

Portal

Click View Calendar to open your calendar, which can also be accessed via SIS > Users > Calendar.

Portal
Find an Employee

The Find an Employee module allows you to quickly conduct an employee search directly from the Portal screen.

Portal

1. To conduct an employee search, enter the employee's name or a partial name; you can also enter employee's EIN to conduct a search.

Portal

The search bar is not case sensitive, and full or partial entries can be in either a first last or last, first format. The comma is necessary in the last, first format. A full employee name or ID number can also be entered into the search bar. Searching for "ab" will pull every employee whose first or last name begins with "ab" into the search results. To pull last names that start with "ab" add a comma: enter "ab," in the search box.

2. Select the Include Inactive Users check box to include inactive employees in your search.

Portal

3. More Search Options enables you to search for groups of employees with similar information in any number of user fields and/or user data. Click More Search Options to open Human Resources > Employee and set additional search parameters.

Portal

a. From the Employee screen, click More Search Options.

Employee

4. When all parameters have been set, click Search. You can also click the Search button without entering any criteria to generate a search of all employees.

Portal

For more information on conducting an employee search and the steps after conducting your search, see Employee.

Favorites/Recent Programs, Birthday List, and Focus University Courses

The Favorites/Recent Programs section displays links to screens marked as Favorites as well as the most recently visited screens.

Portal

To navigate to a favorite program, click the program name in the Favorites list in the Favorites/Recent Programs section.

Portal

To add a program to the Favorites list, navigate to the screen in Focus. Click the menu name and click + Add (name of program) to Favorites.

Portal

You can also navigate to Favorites by clicking the screen name of the current screen and click the program name in the list.

Portal

A program can be removed from the Favorites list in the Favorites/Recent Programs block by clicking the delete button (red minus sign) next to the program name.

Alternatively, click the screen name and click the delete button (red minus sign) next to the program name.

Portal

Recent Programs contains profile-specific links to the most recent screens opened, which enables direct navigation from the Portal page. Click on any one of the program links to navigate to the corresponding screen.

Portal

The Birthday List section displays upcoming Student Birthdays as well as upcoming User Birthdays.

Portal

Click the student name links to open Students > Student Info. Click the user name links to open Users > User Info.

The Focus University section contains a helpful link for Help & Training Docs.

Portal

Click the Help & Training Docs link to open all help manuals and search for specific documentation.

Portal

To search all help documentation and videos, enter key words in the provided search engine text box and click the magnifying glass.

Portal

Search Results display in ScreenSteps.

Documentation for Administrators
District Reports and School Folder

The District Reports module displays reports published with the Portal Alert enabled via SIS > Reports > District Reports.

Portal

District Reports only display in the District Reports block; however, if the District Reports block is removed via SIS > Setup > Portal Editor, reports will display in the Alerts block.

Click the District Reports link to run the report for the listed number of results.

District Reports

The School Folder section displays FTE Summary Reports that were pushed to the school folders. As shown in the School Folder example, there have been several summaries published and viewed.

Portal

Once you view the PDF, you have the option to Dismiss the summary by selecting the check box. However, you can always select the View Dismissed check box to see everything.

Portal

The report will only be dismissed from your School Folder and will remain on all other users' School Folders assigned the applicable profile.

The School Folder is linked to SIS > Florida Reports > FTE Summary Reports (Breakdown). Upon running any of the FTE Summary Reports, you have the option to Push PDF to School Folder(s) in order to make them viewable for other users.

Punch In/Out

1. If your district is utilizing the Time & Attendance screens, employees have the ability to clock in and out via the Punch In/Out section of the Portal page.

The Punch In/Out section must first be set up via Human Resources > Time & Attendance Setup and Time & Attendance Approval; both screens require profiles permission via Setup > Profiles > Time & Attendance Approval and Time & Attendance Setup in the Human Resources section.

Time & Attendance Setup

2. The current time displays along with the date.

3. If your schedule has been flagged as a Variable Schedule, the green check marks displays.

4. The time you Clocked in at and the time you Clocked out at displays, when applicable.

5. If special requests have been set up by the district, you can select the event or activity for the Special Request pull-down in order to submit time worked outside your normal hours or duties. Examples of special requests are field trips, athletic events, covering another teacher's class, fundraisers, etc.

If you have been assigned Special Requests but do not have a Job Schedule that requires you to clock in and out, you can still submit special requests from the Punch In/Out section.

6. Select your Job title from the pull-down.

7. Select your Facility of work from the pull-down.

8. Once all selections have been made, click Punch In to log your start time at work.

Once you've clocked in, the amount of time you have left to work displays. In the example shown, the employee has 3 hours and 37 minutes left in the work day. The employee's work hours are also displayed: 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

9. At the end of the work day and when you are required to clock out for breaks, click Punch out. Note: Some districts build breaks directly into the work schedule; therefore, employees are not required to clock out for lunch.

10. Click Travel to submit travel time as opposed to punching in.

In the Travel pop-up window, select your Job. Select the facility from which you traveling from the From pull-down. Select the facility to which you traveled from the To pull-down. Enter any notes and additional information, such as the reason for your travel time and why it should be included in your daily work hours in the Notes/Reason text box.

Click Submit.

When you arrive at your destination, click Arrived.

11. If you have permission, click Edit Clock Ins to view and/or edit the hours you clocked in and out of the system.

Profile permission must be given via Setup > Profiles > Employee Self Service tab > View/Edit Timecards.

Clicking Edit Clock Ins opens Employee Self Service > View/Edit Timecards. From this screen, click View All Timecards to review all punch in and punch out times, as well as request changes.

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