Main Computer Form Procedure

How to use the main computer application form.

If you have not used the form before and would like one of us to assist you in filling it in please email help@maths.cam.ac.uk

Introduction

All account applications can be made and their status checked on the account application page.

The information flow is you -> applicant -> Computer Officer (CO) ( sometimes back to you again for more information and then back to the CO) -> University Computing Service -> CO -> you and to admin for the database.

To return to an application at any time, find the applicant's name in the application list. Then either click on View... on the right hand side, or the application number on the left hand side.

Filling in part one About the Applicant

You put in the application. Most of the questions are straight forward and some have further explanations under the answer box. Some gotchas.

Name of applicant

We need the full name please. If the applicant uses a different name in day to day life, by all means tell us (or the applicant can) but we must have the full name as well. This is especially important where the applicant's first name and preferred first name do not have the same initial letter.

Failing to follow this can lead to confusion later on for the applicant. As unknown to everyone two crsids are issued for one person. Some services follow one and some another. For example an applicant may be unable to see their staff record or payroll, or be unable to access another resource which depends on their staff or student record.

Status field

The status is another field that sometimes trips people up especially for fellowships and visiting students. We need the status of the person in this department and not their status in their home institution. If you are unsure, put in a note in the notes field of the application. If the COs subsequently then make the mistake they only have themselves to blame.

Start and end date

Click on the date fields to select a date from a calendar.

The start date is when the person needs their accounts by. Please don't use the current day or week unless the account really is needed at that time; as otherwise the COs put lots of effort into trying to fulfil a pointless request.

Sometimes a person may not be starting in the department for a few months but needs an account as soon as possible. The best way to deal with this situation is to use either start date, but put this information in the application's Notes box.

The end date is compulsory for anyone who will not be a member of staff or a research student in the department.

Office number

If the office is unknown, its useful if you could please still give the person's pavilion in that field.

Needing to add more information after saving

You can edit the application at any time, up until a computer officer (CO) picks up the application. It is then locked.

Stage 2

You have filled in the first screen and have select the Next button. Check the information and add or correct to it as needed. Once done the applicant now needs to fill in their part.

Each time you return to the application, you will be able to see the information you provided and have the opportunity to make a correction or add to it. At this stage the COs do not see the application.

Once you are happy with the information you filled in you need to send an email to the applicant. This is so they can fill out their part of the application process.

Sending the email to the applicant

Select the button Send (or resend) an email to the applicant.

If you return to the main applications view and look at the account application status it will now say Stage 2 - Awaiting response from applicant.

Once the applicant had filled in their part of the form the application status changes to Stage 3 - Awaiting CO. The form will now be locked and you cannot make any more changes.

What if...

  • You do not know the applicant's email address.

    Fill the form in any case and save the application. Later if you find out the address you can return to the application, fill in the address and send the email. Alternatively wait until the applicant arrives and invite them to your office to fill out the form.

    When they arrive in your office, return to the form, and click the button Complete stage 2 now, swap places with the applicant and they can fill out the form there and then.

    The disadvantage in this method is that the accounts won't be ready until a few days after the applicant sees you. This puts the COs under pressure to set up an account quickly. Also the applicant will have their account details before those details are on the department database and thus be unable to access some resources. Its better all round to find out their email address.

  • The applicant is with you when you put in the application.

    Skip sending the email and instead go direct to the button Complete stage 2 now. Then swap places with the applicant so they can fill out their part.

  • The applicant does not fill out the form in a reasonable time.

    They may have forgotten. Return back to the application and select Send (or resend) an email to the applicant.

    Before doing this you may wish to add an extra message to the applicant to encourage them that to act on the email. Do this by selecting Make a correction or add some information to the above application and then editing the Extra message text box. Sometimes a friendly welcoming message it all it takes to inspire confidence in the suspicious that you are not a spammer looking for their details.

  • You sent the email to the applicant, however they didn't fill it the form and now they are in your office looking for their account details:

    Return to the application, select the option for If the applicant is with you"... Complete stage 2 now. Then swap places with the applicant and they can fill their part of the form in there and then. Unfortunately they will still need to wait a few days for the COs to complete their part, so maybe give them a lapwing ticket while they wait.

  • The applicant loses the details they need to reach the application form

    You can resend the email to them. Again if you wish you can edit the extra message before sending the email.

  • You enter an incorrect email address for the applicant.

    This will delay matters. The bounce goes to the COs, they will contact you. You then need to find the correct address and Make a correction to the application. Then send the email to the applicant again.

Stage 3

You have filled out your part and the applicant has filled out theirs. The form is now listed in the CO's view of the system and an email is sent to the department help-desk telling the COs an account needs setting up.

If you look at the account's status now you'll notice it has changed to say Stage 3 - Awaiting CO.

Once a CO has opened the application the status will change to Stage 3 - Waiting for a CO to allocate email address.

If a few days passes, the status does not change and you are approaching the applicant's start date, drop an email to help@maths reminding them there is an application awaiting attention. It is helpful to include the applicant's name.

Missing or unclear information

If there is anything the CO is unclear about, or if they need further information they will ask their question on the form. You will receive an email to tell you that you need to return to the application form to answer their query. Sometimes this may mean you need to contact the applicant or the host or PI.

At this stage the application becomes unlocked so that you can edit it once more, and you will see it has status Stage 1 - More information required in the applications list.

Select "View", read the query (which will be in a red box), answer it via the Make a correction or add some information box. You can return to your answer and edit it at any time up until you select the Send this form back to the COs for processing box.

The form now becomes locked again and returns to the CO.

Back to CO processing

When the CO has the information they need they will now pass some of the details to the University Computing Service for crsid matching.

The University Computing Service cannot make accounts live the same day they create a crsid.

Next the CO set up the account.

Application Ready

When the account is ready a few things happen. You will receive an email and the application will show as ready to print.

At this stage the department admin staff also receive an email to let them know the account is set up and they can copy the information to the department database (for the online people list).

To print the application - Return to the account application screen. Find the application (it should be near the top of the list) Select View, and then File -> Print to print the information sheet. Hand this to the applicant. Also give staff and visitors a copy of "IT Matters @ Cambridge".

When you are running short of copies of "IT Matters @ Cambridge contact the department help-desk with an estimate of how many more leaflets you will need to the end of the academic year. Allow about a week for us to obtain more. Sometimes we will email all secretaries to check supplies so we can put in a bulk order.

Anyone in the admin group can print off an application password page, view the status of all applications, and view the application. However the notification email will only be sent to the person who put in the application.

Now and then, if you are particularly lucky everyone will act on their emails immediately and you will receive an account ready email on the same day you put in the application. In this case, if the applicant is external to Cambridge and not a research student, they will not be able to collect their passwords until the next day. So please, avoid confusion and don't hand them their details until that next day.

Misc

If there are features you'd like to see added or changed, please email Debbie.

A few people have asked what the colours down the left hand side column of the applications view are for. They match the main stages of an application's status. Their purpose is only to make it easier to quickly skim for a status especially when looking for a returned for more information application.