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Elements

Welcome to Elements

This appendix details the various tools that are found in every page of the web application. Knowing how these different tools work will make learning the new program much easier.

Common Key Strokes

The ALT combinations

Many of buttons and links of the application have an underlined letter. This is the shortcut letter that when combined with the ALT key, will allow you to perform that action as if you had pressed the button or link. Shortcut keys are generally quicker then using a mouse.

The alt key function on a NEW button

On this NEW button pressing ALT, then N, will add a New item:

 

 

The ENTER key

The ENTER or RETURN key has a special behaviour. When pressed it does not move the cursor to the next box (as many people are used to) but rather sends whatever selection or keystrokes the user has entered, to the program. 

What happens next depends on what sort of input you are entering.

Example- Using ENTER to complete a macro

This user is entering an expiry date in a new Estimation. The user wants the estimation to expire in 2 weeks and has entered "2w" as a macro.

To show the calculated date, the user presses ENTER:      Pressing enter on a macro

Note that the cursor has remained in the Expiry Date box, allowing the user to change the date if needed. 

To move to the next box, the user will need to press TAB.The cursor has not moved after pressing enter

The TAB key

The TAB key is used to move to the next box. Generally it will select the contents of that box, allowing quick editing and replacement of text. To move back to the previous box, press SHIFT+TAB.

 

The Mouse

  • The left click - Used to select items from lists or where shortcuts don't exist.
  • The right click - Does not work in browser applications.
  • The wheel - Use to scroll quickly in long lists or the contents of a screen.
 

The Links

Links are shortcuts which can be found in many areas within the program. They allow rapid movement to another area of the program whilst automatically selecting the item of interest.

Links are usually underlined and blue but this is dependent on the settings of the browser you are using.

 



Examples of links from Patients and Schedules
These links are found in the Patient Links tab of the Customers Information workspace. 
If the user clicked on "Sadie" it would take them directly to Sadie's Medical Records workspace in the Patients Module.
These links are from the Appointments Schedule. The allow reception staff to jump directly into either the Customer or the Patient section.
 

The Text Box

Text boxes are just that. Boxes that that allow you to type in them to enter data.
Text boxes can also accept Macros. These are text shortcuts or abbreviations that when ENTER is pressed, expands into more meaningful text.
Spell checking usually appears as a red squiggly line depending on your browser settings.
 

The Search Button

Text boxes also can also be linked to a SEARCH button. This small binocular adorned button  indicates this text box is associated with a list of possible entries (See "The List Dialog" below). 
These elements are very common and a good understanding of their operation, speeds data entry considerably.
Generally the most efficient method is to start typing the beginning of the item being searched for and then press ENTER.
The following logic will be applied;
1. If there is a SINGLE item that matches the letters typed, the box will complete the entry.
2. If there are MULTIPLE items that match the letters typed, the box will open the list and limit the list to those items.
3. If there are NO items that match the letters typed, the box will do nothing.
Clicking on the SEARCHbutton will directly take you to a list.
Some examples follow.


Example 1: Using the List Dialog
In this example the user is searching for a product "CONSULTATION EQUINE STUD". They have typed "CONS" and then pressed ENTER.
Following the logic above, there are multiple items starting with CONS so the following list is shown. There are 2 pages of products.
The user adds "ULTATION E" and then presses ENTER. This results in a list of 2 items.
A selection is made by mouse and the user returns to the original screen with the selection entered in the text box.


Example 2: Autocompletion with unique entry
In this example the user is searching for the product, "PENROSE TUBE". They type "PENR" and then press ENTER.
There is only one item beginning with the letters, "PENR" so the box automatically completes the only possible selection without opening the list dialog.
 

 

 

 

 

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