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Help Topics

Access Levels (& User Groups)
Access Levels (and User Group) module. Used to define levels of access for specific groups of users. The Escendency system comes pre-loaded with User, Manager and Administrator. Only the latter has access levels preset (sysadmin - all access levels). These groups can be used, edited, added to or deleted.
Action Plans
The action plan module. Central location to create and edit action plans and action plan tasks. This differs from the Control Panel Tabs: Action Plan that displays only action plans that can be edited related to the current user.
Assessment Module

The assessment module allows system users to easily perform non-indicator based performance assessments that encompass a range of categories on any type of system item or as a stand alone assessment. This matrix based approach to assessments that do not fall within the usual performance indicator based approach enables a wide range of additional corporate performance information to be included within the Escendency System, such as:

  • Risk Assessments
  • HR Appraisals
  • Student evaluations
  • Satisfaction Surveys
  • Environmental Impact
Change_Password
The 'My Password' module. A user can change their password using this option. User's passwords can be changed by administrators in the Users module.
Colour coding
The Escendency system identifies performance status through a series of colour and icon coded symbols.
Control Panel
The Control Panel comprises a custom selection of tabs that display information specific to the user and can include Action Plans, All Users, Dashboard, Indicators, Reports, Staff, and Tasks. The tabs displayed depend on the user's responsibilities, the tabs the user has selected, and the user's access levels. Note: The control panel help page has visual links to help files on all control panel tabs as well as providing an overview of the control panel.
Current Value Type
Current Value Type field is located in the performance indicator edit window. There are three default value types: Cumulative, Snapshot and Average. This page is added as an extra explanation in the performance indicator help.
Dashboard
The Dashboard tab on the control panel (display is user specific) displays user selected performance information graphically and / or in gauge form.
Data Tags
Qualitative information that can be added directly to a strategy map item. Typical use would be attaching demographics to a student or a department or service.
Document Library
A menu option that links to web hosted internal documents set up by Escendency on request. Typically, these documents will refer to usuage of the Escendency system that is organisation specific though a link to common documentation that may be of value to all clients is also offered by Escendency. Note: on new systems this link is inactive until documents are made available by the customer to Escendency.
Equation Builder
The Equation Builder allows performance indicators comprising more than one measurement or parameter to be calculated automatically. The system come pre-loaded with equations and measurements for an organisation's statutory performance indicators.
Export Target Data
The Export Target Data module. Use to export targets to spreadsheets for field data entry so results can be later re-imported during measurement entry (see also Measurement Entry data import option).
Glossary
An interactive glossary of terms and definitions used in the Escendency system.
HELP
The Escendency help is accessed either from the HELP link on the main page module menu or via a browser (i.e. this page can be reached from http://help.escendency.net/) and is context sensitive (i.e. the accessed help will relate to the part of the system you are currently on). Help pages, where possible, are also cross referenced with hyperlinks and the figures in the pages can be used for navigation to other parts of the help (e.g. Figure 1 on the control panel help - http://help.escendency.net/frontpage_help.php).
Helpdesk
Located on the main page module menu, this is a link to the Escendency online ticketing system (located at http://helpdesk.escendency.com) where users can log technical or general questions to Escendency Support. Escendency system.
Icon coding
The Escendency system identifies performance status through a series of colour and icon coded symbols.
Import Data
Previously exported performance targets can be imported during measurement entry.
Interval
The Interval module. Used in setting up additional intervals for performance indicators.
JUDI (Continual Improvement)
Escendency's pledge to continual improvement based on customer feedback and expansion into new markets is facilitated by a joint user developer interface (JUDI) that is accessed online and accessible to all Escendency users. Enhancement and bug fix requests made by users on the Escendency Helpdesk ticketing system are entered into JUDI by the Escendency development team enabling customers to be able to track development work as it happens. JUDI can be accessed from: http://systems.escendency.net/internal/judi/. A username and password is required to logon to the system and this can be obtained from Escendency support.
Measurement_Entry
The measurement entry page, accessed from the task menu (when a performance indicator measurement or Equation measurement task is present).
Mouse Click options (right click)

Right clicking on strategy map items or organisation elements will access Escendency's edit options (e.g. Add/View Targets, Edit Item, Add Post etc).

Right clicking on module menu options will access Windows' right click options. This is useful for opening up an additional window, e.g. opening up the Performance Indicator list in addition to the Strategy Map.

Organisation Chart
The Organisation module allows a system to be set up with a full organisation chart. Users are assigned to posts within the organisation chart and it is these posts that are assigned to the tasks that drive the performance management system.
Performance Indicators
The Performance Indicator module for setting up and editing Performance Indicators. Note: the Escendency system also comes pre-populated with an organisation's statutory Performance Indicators.
Performance Indicator Categories
The Performance Indicator Categories module. Used to set up different categories to group performance indicators. The system comes pre-loaded with examples that can be used, edited, added to or deleted.
Performance Indicator Measure Type
The Performance Indicator Types module. Typically an organisation will set up local indicators as one type and statutory indicators as another. There is no limit to the number of performance indicator types that can be created.
Performance Targets
Performance targets are performance indicators that are attached to measurable components of the strategy map. They are given a specific time period for measurement and are linked to specific user posts in the organisation for ownershipe and for measuring, reporting, and validation tasks.
Recalculate Reports
Recalculate Report page accessed from the System Tools' module. Allows users to update status of reports without waiting for overnight job. Redundant in release 5.0.
Recalculate Targets
Recalculate Target page accessed from the System Tools' module. Allows users to perform the year end rollover of targets.
Release Notes
Release notes can be accessed from the online help, the Escendency web site or by emailing support.
Reports
Reports are accessed from the Report tab on the control panel (display is user specific). Click on the link for a list of reports and their associated help.
Reporting Groups
Reporting Groups module. Allows users from any part of the organisation to share specific performance reports. There are no pre-loaded user groups set up on the system.
Scorecard Perspectives
The Scorecard Perspectives module help page. Allows system wide grouping of performance indicators into themes that may be useful for the organisation (e.g. Education, Environment etc). Performance indicators can belong to any number of perspectives. The system comes pre-loaded with example perspectives that can used, edited, deleted or added to as needed.
Perspectives Categories
Scorecard perspectives can be subdivided into categories that can then be displayed in separate Scorecard reports (see Scorecard Perspectives Category report).This is particularly useful for those parts of an organisation that have a number of their own perspectives that would be more clearly viewed in isolation from the rest (for example, Corporate, Local Democracy, Housing etc to use a District Council scenario). Note: There are no default categories in the Escendency system so organisations create their own as needed.
Send Message
Send Message page accessed from the System Tools' module. Allows users to send internal emails to other users.
Staff
The Staff tab on the control panel (display is user specific). If the user has no staff this tab will not be shown.
Strategic Contributions
Strategic Contribution module. Allows an additional way to add performance contributions of parts of the strategy map to the overall vision.
Strategy Item Types
Strategy Item Types module. The system comes pre-loaded with four strategy map items (vision, aim, objective, target) that can be used, edited, deleted or added to as needed.
Strategy Map
Strategy Map module. Allows an organisation to create the visual map of their performance vision. The strategy map ultimately contains measurable items that are assigned targets linked to individual performance indicators. These targets are in turn assigned to specific posts within the organisation. Action plans designed to facilitate the success of each target can also be attached to the map.
System Tools
The list of system tools available to the user accessed from the tools button on the control panel header. The list depends on the user's group and that group's access levels.
Tags
See Data Tags
Targets (see Performance Targets)
The Tasks tab on the control panel (display is user specific). Tasks can comprise: performance target measurement, reporting and validation; equation measurement; action plan acceptance and completion; and staff appraisal notification. Note: action plans also comprise their own tasks that are created and edited within the action plan module but are also listed in the assigned user's task tab when due.
Tasks
The Tasks tab on the control panel (display is user specific). Tasks can comprise: performance target measurement, reporting and validation; equation measurement; action plan acceptance and completion; and staff appraisal notification. Note: action plans also comprise their own tasks that are created and edited within the action plan module but are also listed in the assigned user's task tab when due.
Tools
See System Tools
Units of Measure
Unit module help page. Set up the performance indicator units of measure (e.g. tonnes, kilograms, per 1000, etc).
Users
User module help page. All users that log in to the system are set up here. Users must be assigned to a post associated with measurable targets to be a part of the performance vision.
Video Library
A page that gives access to all the currently available online training and demonstation audio videos