- 1INTRODUCTION
- 2SETTING UP A NEW SYSTEM
- 2.1The Organisation Structure
- 2.2Users
- 2.2.1Creating, Editing and Deleting Users
- 2.2.2Supporting Data
- 2.2.2.1Access Levels and User Groups
- 2.2.2.2Reporting Group
- 2.3The Strategy Map
- 2.3.1Overview - Flat and Complex Models
- 2.3.2Creating, Editing And Deleting Strategy Map Items
- 2.3.3Strategy Item Types
- 2.3.4StrategyMap Performance Target items
- 2.3.5Strategic Contributions
- 2.3.5.1Normalising Strategic Contributions
- 2.3.5.2Flat Strategy Map
- 2.3.6 Strategy Map Tags
- 2.3.6.1Overview
- 2.3.6.2Setting up data tags
- 2.3.6.3Attaching data tags to performance targets
- 2.3.6.4Reporting data tags
- 2.4Performance Indicators
- 2.4.1Overview
- 2.4.2Performance Indicator List
- 2.4.3Creating, editing and deleting Performance Indicators
- 2.4.4Perspectives and Indicator Types
- 2.4.5Performance Indicators Set Up Considerations
- 2.4.6Supporting data
- 2.4.6.1Performance Indicator Categories
- 2.4.6.2Performance Indicator Types
- 2.4.6.3Scorecard Perspectives
- 2.4.6.3.1How to use Perspectives
- 2.4.6.4Scorecard Perspective Categories
- 2.4.6.4.1How to use Perspective Categories
- 2.4.6.4Units of Measure
- 2.4.6.5Time Intervals
- 2.5Equation Builder
- 2.5.1Creating, Editing, Deleting Equations
- 2.5.1.1Measurements
- 2.5.1.2Parameters
- 2.5.1.3Equations
- 2.5.1.4Example Equation
- 2.5.1.5Attaching Equations to Performance Indicators
- 2.5.1.6Using Performance Indicators in an Equation
- 2.5.1.7Equation measurement workflow
- 2.5.1Creating, Editing, Deleting Equations
- 3PERFORMANCE TARGETS
- 3.1Overview
- 3.2Rules Governing Performance Targets
- 3.3Target Setup: Add/View Targets
- 3.4Target Setup: Target Creation Wizard
- 3.5Entering Target Measurements, Validation and Reporting
- 3.6Editing target fields and related objects
- 3.6.1Edit target fields
- 3.6.2Edit target measurements
- 3.6.3Edit target comments
- 3.6.4Edit target delegation
- 3.7Add/View Responsibility
- 3.8Editing target value for more than one measurer
- 3.9Ending targets
- 3.10TargetExport and Import
- 3.11Exporting Target Data
- 3.12Importing Performance Data (from Measurement Entry window)
- 4ACTION PLANNING
- 5ASSESSMENTS
- 6THE CONTROL PANEL
- 6.1Header Buttons
- 6.2Control Panel tabs: Overview
- 6.3Control Panel display
- 6.4Control Panel tabs
- 6.4.1Dashboard Tab
- 6.4.2Task Tab
- 6.4.2.1Measurement Tasks
- 6.4.2.2Validation Tasks
- 6.4.2.3Action Plan Tasks
- 6.4.3.4Assessment Tasks
- 6.4.3.5Measurement Planner
- 6.4.3Performance Targets Tab
- 6.4.4Reports Tab
- 6.4.5Staff and All Users Tab
- 6.4.6Action Plan Tab
- 7REPORTS
- 8SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
- 9HELP AND SUPPORT
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 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