Admin Site Functionality

The Admin Site is the user interface designed to enter data into our Master Database.  It was created in Joomla which is an open source content management system used for publishing web content.  This has allowed for functionality to be consistent across many of the views.

Maneuvering Through the Site

The site is organized into 2 areas - the Testing area and the Matrix Area.  There are 2 ways to maneuver between them.  Access "Components" from the main menu or use the IOP Dashboard/Matrix Dashboard toggle buttons. NOTE:  These toggle buttons are only present on the dashboards.  Once you are in a sub-menu, using the Components menu is easier.

 

IOP Dashboard

  • IOP Dashboard - This contains the entire list of devices within our DB organized by their current status. To learn more about moving devices between the statuses, read How To: Moving Devices Through IOP Process.  This is also where devices are tested.
  • IOP Testing - This is where test steps are created, test plan templates are created, and device results are housed.
  • IOP Tasks - IOP tasks are managed.

 

 

Matrix Dashboard

  • Matrix Dashboard - This houses the System Wizards.  It also has a list of ALL the vehicle/device combinations. When functioning properly, this can allow us to visually see the published indicators of all of the components necessary for a device and a vehicle to appear on the front facing website.  (May not be fully functioning - will be evaluated)  NOTE:  The Vehicle Wizard is only necessary when entering the first vehicle associated to a new module. Otherwise, copy functionality within the Vehicle Release Year menu is required.
  • Call Center - Will not be used for now - disregard. 
  • Electronics - This is where modules, module software version, and features are created and entered.
  • Devices - Device Manufacturers, Device Types, Device OS, Device Branding, Carriers, Cellular Networks, Device Spec levels, and public comments are managed from here.  Many of these will not be accessed regularly because adding new ones is rare and the 2 Device Wizards allow for addition to these tables as new devices are added.  The main items regularly accessed from here are Devices and less often Device Spec Levels and Device OS.
  • Vehicles - Vehicle Markets, Vehicle Makes, Vehicle Models, Vehicle Trims, Vehicle Release Year, and Vehicle Features are managed here.  Again, many of these will not be accessed regularly because adding new ones is rare and the copy functionality on the Vehicle Release Interface along with the Wizard allow for adding new ones as Vehicles are added.  The main items regularly accessed from here are Vehicle Release Years and less often Vehicle Features.
  • System Reports - A list of our pre-established monthly and quarterly reports for MMC are located here.  We have a separate reporting tool that is currently accessed from outside the Admin Site.

 

 

 

 

Permissions

The system uses a permission based user log in system to control who has access to which portions of the Admin site.   This allows streamlining the interface for individuals who use it in a limited capacity and prevent erroneous data being published to our front facing websites due to human error.  The help documentation will cover all the functions of the Admin site.  Please be aware that your permission level may not allow you access to certain functions.

  • Super User:  Global Access to all editing functions of both the entire IOP Dashboard menus and Matrix Dashboard menus.  Includes all backend programming and help documentation creation.
  • Global Admin:  Global Access to all editing functions of both the IOP Dashboard menus and Matrix Dashboard menus.
  • Global Tester:  Global Access to all editing functions of the IOP Dashboard menus, including creating test steps, test templates, setting up regression testing, creating new devices to test, testing, and moving devices through all the statuses.
  • Regional Admin:  Regional Access to all editing functions of both the IOP Dashboard menus and Matrix Dashboard menus.
  • Regional Tester:  Regional Access to IOP Dashboard which includes creating new devices to test, IOP testing, moving devices through the statuses.
  • Veriserv:  Very limited access.  Japan testing only, access to only testing devices and statuses of In Queue, In Process, In Review, and OK to Publish.  Test plan is in Japanese.  

 

Button Functionality/Availability

Some of the common menu functions are outlined below, depending on what you are viewing.  Several factors can affect whether or not a button is present, including the content on the page and if that functionality is necessary, as well as user permissions level. The definition of each is outlined below.  There are other unique buttons present on specific views to add functionality where needed.  Those will be covered individually in the training documents for those functions.

Viewing a List

  • New:  This opens a new blank record for the menu you are in.  The New button may not be present if your user permissions do not allow you to make a new record OR if there is a different, more efficient way to create this record.  Some menus allow copying from an existing record and that is the more desirable method if multiple items need to be copied to make the full relationship.  For example, when creating a Vehicle Release Year, it is beneficial to copy from an existing vehicle whenever the vehicle is not the first vehicle a new module is receiving. This copy function will copy any testing data overrides that the OEM has requested, as well as public comments associated with the tested devices.  If you were to set up the vehicle brand new, it would use the straight IOP testing results.
  • Edit:  By checking the box in front of an item and clicking Edit, you can access the record and modify the information.  Again this should be done with caution depending on what you are editing.  For example, editing a carrier will edit the carrier name for all the devices using that carrer.  Likewise is true for Vehicle Makes, Vehicle Models, Vehicle Trims, Electronics Modules, Markets, etc.  Editing in this way is beneficial as it allows only making the modification in one location and it changes everywhere that item appears. 
  • Publish:  This will make the item available to be shown on the front facing websites.  Either check the box in front of the item to publish and click the Publish button OR you can click the red circle corresponding to the record and it will publish it.  This is shown by the indicator turning green.
  • Unpublish:  This will make an item unavailable to be shown on the front facing websites.  Either check the box in front of the item to unpublish and click the Unpublish button OR you can click the green circle with the check and it will unpublish it.  This is shown by the indicator turning red.
  • Archive:  This will make an item unavailable to be shown on the front facing website and will remove the item from this view as well.  Check the box in front of the item to archive and click the Archive button.  To view archived items, click "Archived" in the dropdown in the Published column.  NOTE:  This is NOT how you would archive a device so will will show up in the archived link on a front facing site.  To understand that process, please view these instructions How To: Archive a Device.
  • Check In:  This is used if records are exited out of improperly by using the browser back button rather than the Close button.  The item will have a padlock icon present and it will be locked and cannot be modified.  Either check the box in front of the item to check in and click the Check In button OR simply click on the padlock.  This function may not be available to all users depending on permissions.  If you cannot unlock a previously locked item, contact an admin.
  • Trash:  This will remove an item and place it in the trash.  The item will no longer be available to be shown on the front facing website or within the current view.  However trashed items are not permanently deleted until the trash is emptied.  PLEASE DO NOT EMPTY THE TRASH.  The trash contains everything everyone has trashed. Only Super Users will empty the trash.

 

 

Viewing a Record

  • Save:  This saves the record and it remains open for further editing.
  • Save & Close:  This saves the records and closes it, returning to the main list previously viewed.
  • Save & New:  This saves the current record and opens a blank record for input.
  • Save & Copy:  This saves the record and opens a new record identical to it.  Then modifications must be made and saved to make the new entry unique.  This is especially helpful when saving IOP Test Templates where the test template is essentially the same and you are only adding a few new test steps you've just created.
  • Close:  This closes the record you are in without saving (unless you clicked the Save button separately).  It is VERY important to close a record using the Close button.  Using the browser back button will not properly close the record and will remain locked so no one else can modify it.  

 

 

Published Indicator

As mentioned above, the green published indicator controls what records are available to be used on the front facing website.  If one carrier is unpublished, all devices utilizing that carrier will become unpublished.  If one device manufacturer is unpublished, all devices using that manufacturer will become unpublished.  And so on. Generally, all new entries  will save with the status indicator set to Published.  The exceptions are new vehicles created either by copying from existing vehicles or by using the Vehicle Wizard AND IOP Device Testing Results. Items that are not used on front facing websites will also not cause a device to not be published (such as device OS, device spec level, device network, etc).  The published indicator is a toggle between published and unpublished.  

There are also items such a vehicle launch dates and device launch dates that control what vehicles/devices can appear on a front facing website.  So even though all indicators are set to published, the vehicle or device still may not appear.  For more information on how to publish devices to the front facing website, please review How To: Publish Devices.  For more information on how to publish vehicles to the front facing website, please review How To: Add/Edit a Vehicle.