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New Mexico State University

Transitioning to Banner 7

Confidential Business Information

This documentation is proprietary information of New Mexico State University (NMSU) and is not to be copied, reproduced, lent or disposed of, nor used for any purpose other than that for which it is specifically provided without the written permission of NMSU.

This guide was created by ICT Training Services, Information and Communication Technologies, New Mexico State University. For more information, contact training@nmsu.edu.

Date of Publication: Tuesday, February 7, 2006

Prepared For: Release 7.x

New Mexico State University
P.O. Box 30001
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003
United States of America

SunGard SCT
4 Country View Road
Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355
United States of America

© 1992-1995, 1997, 1999-2002, 2003, Systems & Computer Technology Corporation. All rights reserved. The unauthorized possession, use, reproduction, distribution, display, or disclosure of this material or the information contained herein is prohibited.

In preparing and providing this publication, SunGard SCT and NMSU are not rendering legal, accounting, or other similar professional services. SunGard SCT and NMSU make no claims that an institution’s use of this publication or the software for which it is provided will insure compliance with applicable federal or state laws, rules, or regulations. Each organization should seek legal, accounting and other similar professional services from competent providers of the organization’s own choosing. “SCT,” SunGard SCT, the SCT logo, “Banner” and the Banner logo are trademarks of SunGard SCT. Third-party hardware and software product names and trademarks are owned by their respective third-party owners/providers, and SunGard SCT makes no claim to such names or trademarks.

Use of this material is solely for the support of SunGard SCT Banner products and New Mexico State University.

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Banner 7.x Overview

In April 2006, NMSU will upgrade the current Banner suite to Banner 7.x. Banner is an internet accessible interface developed and maintained by SunGard SCT. The Banner suite is an ORACLE database management tool used to store, manage, retrieve, and protect institutional records and information. Banner 7.x is supported by:

  • Help Desk - 646-1840 or help@nmsu.edu – provides computer and helpdesk technical support for all NMSU faculty, staff and students.
  • Financial Systems Administration (FSA) - 646 -HELP (6-4357) or fsarequests@boffice.nmsu.edu - provides user support and training specific to the Finance, Human Resources, Time and Leave, and E-Hire systems.
  • ICT Training Services - 646-5125 or training@nmsu.edu - provides user training and assistance in Banner navigation.

The purpose of this document is to transition current Banner 6.x users to Banner 7.x. Banner will be upgraded to a new version, Banner 7.x, on April 24th 2006. This document highlights some of the key changes in the versions as well as the computer settings that will be needed to operate Banner 7.x.

For more information regarding the upgrade to Banner 7, visit the UNO Project website at: http://uno-project.nmsu.edu/.

This document along with other documentation for the UNO Project can be found at: http://unodocs.nmsu.edu/.

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Banner Access

Your access permissions and requirements are unchanged; this is a Banner configuration change only. Banner 7 will be accessible to you through your web browser software. Getting Banner 7 to work at your desktop is contingent upon:

  • Your connection to the NMSU network
  • The operating system you use at your desktop
  • Your browser of choice
  • The installation/update of a browser plug- in called JInitiator (required only for PC/Microsoft Windows platforms).

The NMSU Network: Most computers at NMSU have access to Banner because the computers are associated with the NMSU Network by their IP address. Some access is granted through the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN) software which emulates an NMSU Network address to establish a connection to Banner.

The Browser: Regardless of your relationship to the NMSU Network, you will need to use a supported browser for the operating system on your computer. The following browsers are supported.

 

Banner Matrix

*requires Oracle JInitiator 1.3.1.18 available at http://ict.nmsu.edu/software/Essentials

^requires Sun Java plug-in 1.4.2 and above available at http://java.com

JInitiator: is a plug-in that extends the capabilities and features of the web browser and is necessary only in a Windows environment. You will be prompted to install a new version of Oracle JInitiator the first time you access Banner 7, if you have not already installed it on your computer. This plug-in must be installed on each computer accessing Banner.

Oracle JInitiator should be installed automatically if the following configurations are done in Internet Explorer.

  • Local Intranet should include "http://*.nmsu.edu"
  • Pop-ups are ENABLED from banner-p.nmsu.edu
  • Pop-ups are enabled on 3rd party toolbars like Google, MSN and Yahoo (Yahoo has been known to cause problems even if pop-ups are enabled)

CheckmarkIf Oracle JInitiator 1.3.1.18 is not automatically installed it can be downloaded from: http://ict.nmsu.edu/software/Essentials (Click on the JInitiator 1.3.1.18 link)

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Computer Settings

There are some adjustments you may need to make to the settings on your computer to ensure your Internet browser and Banner 7 interact effectively. Some adjustments depend on the browser you are currently using as well as the browser set-up. The following sections describe potential problems and possible solution.

Please pay close attention to the items signified by the caution symbol. Caution Symbol

Screen Resolution

The Banner menu may jump around as you try to make a selection, resulting in forms opening that were not expected to open. When this occurs, generally you will see scroll bars at the right-hand edge and/or the bottom of the Banner window. Clicking in the window causes the window to scroll, resulting in what appears to be a jump.

Banner 7 now requires a screen resolution of 1024x768 or more.

To change screen resolutions in any version of Windows:

  1. Right-click on a blank area of your desktop and select Properties.
  2. On the Properties dialog box, click on the Settings tab.
  3. In the Screen Resolution area towards the bottom left, drag the slider to the right until it as at least at 1024 by 768 pixels. Most LCD monitors support this resolution.
  4. Click OK.

You may also want to hide the Start Menu/Taskbar that takes up monitor space:

  1. Right-click in the Taskbar and select Properties at the bottom of the list.
  2. Click on the Auto-hide the taskbar check box.
  3. Make sure the Keep the taskbar on top … check box is selected.
  4. Click OK.

Moving the cursor to the edge where the taskbar is hidden will make it visible again.

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Removing Sound in Banner

Banner 7 adds the element of sound through your browser as you navigate forms, so you may want to either adjust or modify the sound while your Banner session is open. Event sounds are generated when windows open, errors occur, etc., they are controlled by the Default Beep setting within the Program Events window in your Control Panel. This setting is not Banner specific and will affect all applications on your computer.

To turn off your event sound on a Windows machine:

  1. Click on Start in the Taskbar.
  2. Click on Control Panel.
  3. Open Sounds and Audio Devices.
  4. Click on the Sounds tab.
  5. In Program events click on Default Beep.
  6. In Sounds select (None) at the top of the list.
  7. Click on OK.

 

Turning off your event sound will affect event sounds in all applications.

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Left-handed Mouse

If you operate your mouse using your left hand, re-assigning the buttons on the mouse does not work with Banner 7, unless you have a driver for that purpose.

Microsoft mouse users can go to

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/Download.mspx

and update their drivers to MS Intellipoint 4.01 or greater.

Other Windows users can use this free utility to quickly switch the mouse button by typing CTRL-F12 on their keyboard, while they are on the INB menu screen. They can switch back when they move off the Banner screen.

http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/mtpsoft/swapmousebuttons/Download.html

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Browser Settings

Banner 7 has the advantage of extended timeout periods, which allow you to keep your Banner session open while you perform other tasks. A problem arises when you click on a link to another web site from other applications, including your e-mail. When you have a Banner session open in the default browser, opening a new web site will close your Banner session and remove the Banner window from your Start Bar. Sometimes you can recover your Banner session by using the Back button in your browser toolbar. Allowing your Banner session to terminate in this manner sometimes leaves your session active, which prevents you from logging back into Banner with a new session.

There are two solutions to prevent losing your Banner session.

The first solution is to have two browser applications. Set the first application to open the Banner homepage (http://www.nmsu.edu/erp/) and use it for your Banner session. The second browser application can be used for all other Internet needs.

The second solution is to modify how the browser that you use handles opening new web pages. You can set the browser to open a new search or page in a different window.

To set your homepage in Internet Explorer:

  1. Open a browser session.
  2. Select the Tools dropdown menu and click Internet Options.
  3. On the General tab in the Homepage Address field, type the URL for your homepage.
  4. Click Apply and OK.

To set Internet Explorer as your default browser:

  1. Open a browser session.
  2. Select the Tools dropdown menu and click Internet Options.
  3. Select the Programs tab and check the Internet Explorer should check to see if it is the default browser checkbox.
  4. Click Apply and OK.

To set your homepage and default browser in Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open a browser session.
  2. Select the Tools dropdown menu and click Options.
  3. On the General tab in the Homepage Locations field type the URL for your homepage.
  4. Check the Firefox should check to see if it is the default browser when starting checkbox.
  5. Click OK.

To change how Internet Explorer handles opening new links:

  1. Open a browser session.
  2. Select the Tools dropdown menu and click Internet Options.
  3. Select the Advanced tab.
  4. Uncheck the Reuse windows for launching shortcuts checkbox.
  5. Click Apply and OK.

 

To change how Mozilla Firefox handles opening new links:

  1. Open a browser session.
  2. Select the Tools dropdown menu and click Options.
  3. On the Tabs tab, select the radio button next to either
    1. A new window or,
    2. A new tab in the most recent window.
  4. Click OK.
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Your Banner Session

Banner Homepage

The NMSU home page for Banner is: http://www.nmsu.edu/erp/. On this page you will find links to:

  • Recruitment & Admissions - this link is used to access Recruitment and Admissions in Banner
  • NMSU Training – this link is used for Banner training classes. For more information please contact ICT Training Services at training@nmsu.edu, or FSA at fsarequests@boffice.nmsu.edu.
  • Banner – this link connects you directly to Banner
  • AppWorx - AppWorx Job scheduler is a web-based application that enables NMSU to sequence administrative computing tasks. For example, when running a payroll, it is important to run time calculations before paying a person. Appworx can be set-up so that these steps are followed in the proper order.

You may want to bookmark this page for quick access.

Logging off Banner 7

Logging off of Banner is very important. Logging off will release your username, releasing you from liability if something were to happen using your ID. Logging off properly will also ensure that your next login is successful.

  1. From your Banner 7 window, you can log off by either:
    1. Clicking on the Exit button on the toolbar, or
    2. Clicking on the Close button in the session window.

      3. In both cases, you will be asked if you want to terminate the session.
  2. Click Yes.

You have successfully logged off of Banner and your browser window closes.

Printing

There are four ways you can print forms in Banner 7:

  • Click the Print button from the toolbar
  • From the File drop-down menu, click Print
  • Use the right-click button on your mouse and click
  • Print Press the Ctrl key with the P key

The Print Screen key on your keyboard will copy the image to your clipboard.

Broadcast Messages

Banner Broadcast Messages are now located in the lower, left-corner of the General Menu when you log in. These messages are used to inform the NMSU Banner user population of when Banner will be down for scheduled maintenance, and also when new versions of Banner are expected to be implemented.

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Enhanced User Interface

Many enhancements were made in Banner 7 to improve the readability and usability of forms. Enhancements include:

  • Verdana font text.
  • Disabled text is now black (the same as regular text), making it easier to read.
  • Banner 7 forms now have equal left and right margins.
  • Menus and forms have been changed to be more streamlined, modern, and easier to use.

Main Menu

The Go field has been renamed the Go To field. When your cursor is in the Go To field, you can now either type a form name or use the Up and Down Arrow keys to scroll through the forms already accessed in this session. Select the form in the Go To field by pressing the Enter key.

Alternative to Direct Access

You can now press the F5 key to navigate to any form without leaving the form you are in. The F5 key will add a line at the top of the form with a Go To field at the left end of the line. This field navigates just as it does in the Main Menu. The new line added to the form will remain until you close the form. You can still navigate to any form by selecting the File drop-down menu and clicking Direct Access, or by choosing a previously accessed form from the list at the bottom of the File drop-down menu selection.

Banner 7 Toolbar

The toolbar in the Main Menu is the same as in the forms, and it activates/deactivates buttons and menu selections as appropriate for the location. This results in bringing back the double click on the Exit button issue from earlier versions – it will first close the form, and then attempt to close Banner when you have opened the form from the Main Menu. An interrupt window will ask if you are intentionally closing Banner.

Banner 7 has a different layout of buttons on the toolbar, including some new buttons. Buttons have:

  • Changed their picture
  • Been moved for better grouping
  • Been removed

Checkmark See Page 25 for a list of all the Buttons and the coordinating keystrokes and menu options.

Right-Click Mouse Menu

The right mouse button now provides added functionality in Banner 7. The Options drop-down menu can now be accessed by right-clicking on a form from anywhere on the blank canvas (not from a field) to see any form-specific options, both within the form (moving to other blocks) or opening up a new form. Additional right-click menu items are Rollback, Save, Exit, Print, and Add to Personal Menu (meaning you can add any form to your ‘My Banner’ from within that form).

Checkmark To see the form added to your personal menu through the options window, you must first refresh the menu by returning to the Banner Main Menu and clicking the Menu link in the upper right corner.

Tabbed Forms

Most Banner forms now have a tabbed interface rather than the traditional Banner window appearance. Tabs are used to arrange information in a meaningful way and allow you to navigate easily between groups, or blocks of information. Tab titles reflect the contents of a particular window or grouping of information. Control-Tab and Control-Shift-Tab have been added to the Control-Page Down and Control-Page Up navigation from Banner 6.

Use either of the following to navigate within tabbed forms:

  • Control-Tab or Control-Page Down to move forward through tabs in a form, and Control-Shift-Tab or Control-Page Up to move backward through tabs in a form.
  • The List Tab Pages key (F2) displays a list of other tabbed windows on the form. Use the mouse or the Up and Down arrow keys to select a different tab, and the Enter key to select that tab. For forms that have tabs within a tabbed window, navigation is based on the location of the cursor when List Tab Pages (F2) is selected.

Checkmark For tabbed forms that contain windows of parent/child information, the main tab appears in the top row. The dependent information appears on tabs lower on the window and below the top-level tab to which the information is related.

Search Button Added to Validation Table Fields

Validation Table fields have a blue field name to indicate that the field has a List of Values (LOV) associated. Both Validation Table fields and data enterable fields that are searchable have the Banner 7 Search button next to them.

Calendar Button Added to Data Entry Date Fields

A new calendar button has been added to any date fields that are data-enterable. Formerly, you could double-click inside the date field (which you can still do) but now it is more obvious that you can select a date from a calendar and have it added into the Date field.

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Help System for Banner 7

Banner 7 has greatly improved the Help system. Banner 7 features a new online help system that contains information about forms and fields, as well as tasks you can perform with Banner. This help system runs in a web browser and is available by choosing the Online Help button on the toolbar or the Online Help option from the Help pull-down menu. Additionally, you can access SunGard SCT online help by selecting the Help Center link on the main menu.

Accessing Online Help from a Form

The Online Help button and Help menu option are cursor sensitive and initially display information about the form on which you are working.

For forms with no help, the Banner online help error page may not appear for Internet Explorer users who use Internet Explorer’s “friendly” error messages by default. For optimal performance in IE, clear the Show friendly HTTP error messages check box that is located on the Advanced tab of your Internet Options.

You can browse, search, view expanded information, and use the index to locate topics in online help:

Browsing for Topics

The Contents tab and the bread crumb trail enable you to browse for topics categorically. Form and field information is organized by Banner module. Task information is contained under the Procedures heading.

Searching for Topics

The Search tab allows you to search for topics within the help system. You can also use your browser’s “search on page” feature to find specific text on a help page.

Using the Field Link

Many form descriptions are quite long, so sometimes you will find a link that goes to field descriptions on a separate page.

Using the Index

The Index tab provides an alphabeti cal listing of topics within the help system. When you enter the letters of a term, the index will scroll through the topics to the closest alphabetical match.

Help Center Link

The Help Center link accesses the SCT Banner Help Center.

If you want information about forms and tasks for another Banner product, use the Help Center link, which is available from the main menu of Banner or from anywhere within the help system.

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Banner 7 Buttons

 

Button
 Function Key Strokes Menu Options
Save F10 File; Save
Rollback   File; Rollback
Select F9 File; Select
Insert Record F6 Record; Insert
Remove Record DELETE Record; Remove
Previous Record   Record; Previous
Next Record   Record; Next
Previous Block Ctrl + Page Up Block; Previous
Next Block Ctrl + Page Down Block; Next
Enter Query F7 Query; Enter
Execute Query F8 Query; Execute
Cancel Query   Query; Cancel
View/ Send Mail    
Print Shift + F8 File; Print
SCT Banner Xtender Solutions
BXS-Add Document
Workflow Submit
Workflow Release
Broadcast Message
No Fine-Grained Access Control Security enabled
Online Help   Help; Online Help
Exit Ctrl + Q File; Exit

 

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