Ask Project Gateway... Now Available for Web Users
Ask Project Gateway is a real time query facility that gives you the
status of projects, the workplan of organizations, the current tasks for participants and other very useful
information with just a couple of keystrokes.
AVAILABILITY
This software is available now as an upgrade kit that requires only a few minutes to install into an existing PG 5.04 Repository.
It is licensed as part of the Project Gateway Repository Suite option.
It will be pre-installed into Project Gateway releases 5.05 and later.
HISTORY
This feature is the Repository Web implementation of our very popular Wireless Portal interface. In fact, it may be the first case where a
feature that was created for the wireless world proved so popular that it was reimplemented for browser operation.
The inherent simplicity of the application has not changed but the layout of the results has been enlarged to make use of browser screen sizes. Many hyperlinks have been added to provide direct connection to the other repository documents and new button provided detailed task listing.
INTERACTIVE OPERATION
You access this feature by clicking on the "Ask Project Gateway" hotspot on the Repository Center home page or by opening a bookmarked URL.
The first screen allows you to select the kind of subject you are interested in (Project, Participant, Program, or Organization) and to enter
the first few characters of the name of that item. If you don't know the name, you just enter "all" and the system will return with a complete list.
When you press GO the system looks up the selected topic and returns with a report about it. If the name you have selected is ambiguous, you get a list of possible choices.
Each of these reports, in turn, provides one or more buttons to provide related reports.
EXAMPLES
Click on the image to see a full sized picture
The Start Page - The first screen allows you to select the kind of subject you are interested in (Project, Participant, Program, or Organization) and to enter
the first few characters of the name of that item. If you don't know the name, you just enter "all" and the system will return with a complete list.
When you press GO the system looks up the selected topic and returns with a report about it.
A PROJECT REPORT
Note the links to status reports, issues, and milestones and the buttons which allow you to get supporting details.
STAFFING REPORT
This shows who is working on the project.
A PARTICIPANT REPORT
Shows the week by week workplan for this person.
CURENT TASKS
Shows the current assignments for that person that contribute to the workload. A similar function shows any overdue assignments. You can get these results for a project also.
PROGRAM REPORT
Shows a printable (non-symbolic) dashboard table. Buttons provide access to specific project reports.
URL OPERATION
Most of the report pages can be created directly by opening a properly written URL in a browser. There are several uses for this technique. One use is to put your personal task list into a window on your Notes 5 personal home page. Every time you open Notes, you will have an updated task table. The same can be done with any of the "portal" applications which allow user customization.
Other uses of this method are in precomputed links on the various Profile documents. And this feature allows repository task lists to be accessed during Observatory briefings.
The URL protocol allows the background color and heading of the report page to be customized.
