ConPortal Use Cases

1. ConPortal Use Cases Why we use it, how we use it… and why you might want to use it, too!

2. I am • A “Technology Support Specialist” • A 2002 BS Comp Sci grad from Bucknell • Former student employee of Bucknell’sResnet and Techdesk programs • Currently trying to manage 40 student employees in addition to the other organizational hats I wear • An “INTP” in Myers-Briggs typology

3. Bucknell Is • A highly selective, liberal arts + management + engineering undergrad institution in Central PA • Home to about 3500 students, and 100-200 grad students • Hungry to join the Ivy League • Close to America’s agricultural roots • Very pretty, especially in the spring

4. My Organization is • ISR – Information Services and Resources • Library & IT – Library and Information Technology • A merged library/IT organization of 90 people • Recently under “new management” • Housed in the Computer Center & the Library

5. The Techdesk is • Responsible for front-line support of students, fac/staff personal equipment, fac/staff issues after 5PM, retirees, campus visitors, and incoming students. • Contacted via walk up, phone, IM, email, web form, voicemail, regular mail • Responsible for dorm issues, personal computers (PC & Mac), BUTV, passwords, dial-up triage, and first-point-of-contact for many other workgroups • Full complement is about 40 students. Rougly 1/3 female, 1/3 international students, 1/3 non CS/Engineering majors

6. ConPortal – an Introduction • Scheduling • Time clock • Automated Notifications • Meeting scheduling/attendance • Web-based • Flexible • Open Source

7. The Problem • 40 student employees, constantly wanting to change their schedules • A service desk open 19 hours a day most days of the week (7am-2am!) • Less than completely “user-friendly” payroll system

8. One Solution • Email/Excel for scheduling • PHATClock for time clock

9. Several Issues • Imprecise emails • Lots of work for staff members to keep schedule updated • PHATClock quirks

10. A Search for Something Better • Needed a better scheduling system – ideally one students can use themselves • Simplify filling out timesheets, if possible • Keep punching in & out as straightforward as possible • ISR “Black Ops” mission!

11. Enter ConPortal • Began searching for a replacement in March, 2007 • Found commercial products that sort of did what we wanted, in exchange for LARGE PILE$ OF CA$H • Found ConPortal

12. But Wait! • ConPortal had a tremendously promising looking scheduling system, but didn’t have time clock functionality • Some administrative functions required manually tweaking the database, and setting up lots of shifts could be time-consuming • Hey, source code! In languages I know! If you have a hammer… • *hack* *hack* *hack* *check in* *test* *curse* *revert changes* *hack* *hack* *check in* *test* *curse* *revert changes* *etc*

13. What We Added • Time clock features, including reports, punch editing, and mass punches • Users can edit their own contact info • Easier shift creation/administration features • Some more automated messages

14. “All the Popular Kids are Using It!” • Other groups in our department noticed what we were doing, and asked to participate • Admissions department was willing to volunteer as well • Turns out different groups wanted to use it in differing ways!

15. Let’s take a look! • http://www.linux.bucknell.edu/~conportal

16. Different Use Cases • “Classic” – Small, frequently changing shifts plus time clock • “Time clock only” – just the time clock, for small numbers of employees & 1-at-a-time staffing • “Static schedule” – time clock + visual reference of who works when • “The Circ approach” – time clock & schedule for people who work service desks; just time clock for flexible work, like shelving books

17. Just a Time clock

18. Just a Time clock (OH NOES!)

19. A Static Schedule

20. Time clock & Scheduling

21. Features We’d Like To Add • Week-at-a-time view • More statistics/reports • Printer-friendlier output • More flexibility in differential hours & seniority system • Tardiness point system • “Click heading to sort” views

22. How Could it Help You? • If you could benefit from a web-based scheduling system that lets your students modify their schedule from anywhere in the world, and can automatically notify your students of changes • If you could benefit from a web-based time clock system that only lets users punch in from certain machines, and produces easy-to-read punch accounting • If you’re looking for something that is free (in multiple senses of the word!) and can be run inexpensively • If you’re looking for an open-source project to contribute feedback, testing or development

23. How Can I Start UsingConPortal? • You’ll need a webserver which supports PHP and MySQL – we used Ubuntu and XAMPP for our initial environment, and a RedHat cluster for our production server • You’ll need LDAP/Active Directory to authenticate users • You’ll want a few hours of setup time • You’ll want a few days or weeks of testing first, and you’ll want to review your attendance policies! • Some Unix/Linux and PHP & MySQL background is nice to have for the initial setup, but unnecessary once you have it going

24. How Can I Start Developing ConPortal? • Cocky one, ain’t you? • I admire that! • Come see me afterwards, though.

25. See also: • Presentation 6A: “Homegrown Payroll and Office Management Applications” by Bradlee Edmondson • Give a shout out to Matt Walker, representative of the College of Pomona, without whom this would be a very different presentation!

26. Useful Links • PHATClock: http://www.liquidbinary.com • ConPortal: http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/casper

27. Questions? • Limitations? • Implementation Details? • Feedback from other ConPortal users?