How do I use the Incident Abroad database?

This was written by a user for users.

To get to the Incidents Abroad database: Go into student database, click on "Incidents" (lower right), and then on "My Cases" (lower bar). That will give you a list of all the existing incident records to which you have access.

To view or modify an existing case: After clicking on "My Cases," select the one you wish to get into.

To instead create a new record: Click on "New Incident" in the bar at the bottom.

To categorize a new incident: Select one of the options offered by the "What?" dropdown menu. If that menu does not offer an appropriate option, select none of them and instead write in. In addition, select one of the two options offered in the "Type" field. The purpose of this field is to distinguish cases where the student is a victim from those in which s/he is a perpetrator. If the latter, select "Disciplinary Case"; otherwise select "Non-Disciplinary Case."

To fill in the "When?" field: Calendar pops up; click on date.

To identify the student: In the "Participant" field, click on the little sun next to "Name," then log in. That will give you access to the student database. Now type in the name of the student.

To complete the "Participant" field when the incident is not student-specific: If for example, the record is to document how LAC is dealing with an overall program issue such as a flood or a political crisis, simply skip the "Participant" field. You will still be able to establish the incident record.

To elaborate as needed on what is in the "Summary" field: Use the "Details" field. Click below the tab heading in order to create the box in which to write. Fill in the "Relationship To This Incident" field

To add a person to the "Contacts" list: Click on the little sun at the top. You cam add someone outside LAC/OIP just to show who is involved, even if that person cannot get access to the database. An addition can even be from outside the U of M; no x500 is required. The hope eventually is to allow overseas staff to get access. Stacey, Jodi, Sheila, Martha, and Meredith will appear in this field automatically for any new incident.

To establish or change "Access" level of a contact: Highlight the person, then click on the lock in the pertinent line in the column, "Access To This Record." You cannot change the full access rights that Stacey, Jodi, Sheila, Martha, and Meredith automatically received when the record was created.

To delete a person from the contacts list: Click on the red X. You cannot delete or change the access level of Stacey, Jodi, Sheila, Martha, or Meredith; they all automatically appear on each case with "Full Access" rights.

To tell people that you have created an incident record: Click on "Email" in the bottom bar. That will automatically create an email to the other authorized record viewers informing them that the record has been created. (You will be asked whether Meredith is to be included; respond "No" in most cases; she should receive the email only in fairly dire incidents). Do not add details to the email; we want to leave all incident information secure in the Incidents Abroad database rather than only semi-secure in an email.

To assign a task: Click on the "Tasks" tab, then on the pencil next to "Action." Describe the task, then click on the pencil below "Assigned To." To send the responsible person notification that s/he has been assigned the task, click on his/her name, which will create an email message.

To note problems or nuances in trying to complete the task: Click on the "Action" pencil again and write in the box.

To update progress (or lack thereof) on a task: Click on "Status" and select the appropriate option. For example, to show you are working on a task, click on the "Status" pencil and select "In Progress." When task is complete, change this same field to "Complete." You will also need to click on the "End" pencil and write in the date, as neither of these actions (writing in date under "End" and selecting "Complete" under "Status") automatically triggers the other.

To document new developments: Click on the "Log" tab, then on the sun that will appear at the top; that will give you a box in which to write.

To add an image, Word document, PDF, etc., to the record: Click on the "Documents" tab. Select the appropriate box from the column at the right. (Use "Other" for PDFs, Word documents, etc.). Then proceed as you would for attaching a document to an email message. Each document that has been added to the record will now have a separate line in the "Documents" field.

To add an email to the record: If the document you wish to attach is an email message you have received, click on the "Documents" tab. Then switch to your Mail program, select the email you wish to add to the record, and click "Forward" but do not actually send it anywhere. Instead, highlight and copy the to-be-forwarded email, including its heading (date, to/from whom, etc.). Return to Incidents Abroad database and click the "Clipboard Text" button in the right column. Then delete the draft of the email to be forwarded and also the original email. Go to the Mailbox pull-down menu and select "Erase Deleted Messages." Now the email is safe because the only record of it is in the secure Incidents Abroad database.

To view an existing document: Select the "Documents" tab. Click on the line corresponding to the document you wish to view. Now click on the little binoculars near the right of that line and the document will appear.