1. TOPSpro Special Topics
III: TOPSpro Tools and Resources

2. Agenda for Module III: TOPS Tools and Resources
Options Window
TOPSpro Scheduler
User Properties
TOPSpro Security Features
Housekeeping
Pack and Reindex
Revalidatation
“Helpful Features”
TOPSpro Help
Quick Start Tutorial
Report Documentation
Demos
CASAS Online Resources

3. Setup Modifications
TOPSpro, like all software systems, requires decisions about how it will handle the information you enter.
You can find most of these setup choices in the Tools menu.

4. Options Window
One of the most prominent TOPSpro Tools is the Options window.
Access this feature by going to Tools – Options.

5. Options Window
The Options window features six different tabs across the top of the window.
Whenever making any changes in Options, first click Apply, then click OK.

6. Provider Tab
Your state abbreviation should already be entered, which will enable state-specific functions necessary for some programs.
The rest of the information under this tab is optional.

7. Defaults Tab
You can indicate a default Agency, Site, or Instructional Program.

8. Defaults Tab
TOPSpro will filter information according to the dates you insert into Program Year – usually the dates of the current fiscal year.

9. Defaults Tab
When logged in as ADMIN, there are additional default selections available under this tab.

10. Scanning Tab
In the Scanning tab you can input your settings for your scanner.
The choices you make here must match the way that your scanner hardware is configured.

11. Required Fields
Required Fields determines whether a record is complete or incomplete.
The checked boxes indicate the required fields for this installation.

12. Edit Options
Edit Options enables users to define certain records which TOPSpro will or will not allow into the database.

13. Edit Options
Prevent records outside the Program Year, staledated records, or records with future dates from entering your database.

14. Edit Options
You can also establish a minimum or maximum age for students in your database.

15. Reports Tab
The Reports tab allows you to specify the information that you want printed on your TOPSpro reports.
It affects the display of your report but not the content.

16. TOPSpro Scheduler
Another common TOPSpro tool is the TOPSpro Scheduler.

17. TOPSpro Scheduler
The Scheduler Lister displays all tasks you currently have scheduled.

18. Scheduler Check Enabled to initiate a new scheduler task.
Use the Scheduler to setup regular times to backup data, pack and reindex, or revalidate the database.

19. Scheduler

20. Scheduler
The new Scheduler Task now appears in the Scheduler Lister.

21. Scheduler
The TOPSpro Scheduler also enables custom reminders where you can add your own text.

22. Live Update
Notice that the Scheduler Lister lists the Live Update task.

23. Live Update
Live Update enables you to receive TOPSpro updates automatically over the Internet, similar to products such as Windows.

24. User Properties
The final TOPSpro tool we will cover in this lesson is User Properties.

25. User Properties
Under the Properties tab, you can change a variety of ways in which TOPSpro filters and displays data.

26. User Properties – Sort Orders
In the Sort Orders tab, you can determine how your Listers and Movers display.

27. TOPSpro Security
When logged in as ADMIN, you can view most of the login levels in TOPSpro under the Properties tab.
Select the appropriate User Group
Review what features that level administers in the window to the right

28. TOPSpro Security
When logged in as ADMIN, you can assign security settings for all TOPSpro users at your agency. For each user, select
Username/Password
User Group
Name

29. TOPSpro Security
To ensure that all users can only access your database with unique passwords and not common ones (SITE-green, ADMIN-yellow)
In Defaults, Click Remove predefined users

30. Housekeeping
Find TOPSpro housekeeping features under Tools – Housekeeping.

31. Pack and Reindex
Pack and Reindex improves the efficiency of your database. It is particularly useful after deleting records.
Pack enables a more efficient database by eliminating the “blank rows” in the backend tables and permanently deleting the records.

32. Pack and Reindex
Pack and Reindex improves the efficiency of your database. It is particularly useful after deleting records.
Reindex rebuilds the indexes linked to TOPSpro tables and arranges data in a particular order.

33. Revalidation
Revalidate your database after making changes to Required Fields.

34. Revalidation
Changes to Required Fields will change the way it evaluates future records that you enter, but it will not change the way it evaluates a record that you have already entered until you revalidate the database.

35. TOPSpro Help Menu
TOPSpro contains several “helpful features” on the Help menu.

36. TOPSpro Help Feature
Click Help - Contents

37. TOPSpro Help Feature
Contents – arranges selections by TOPSpro functionality.
Index – organizes highly detail-oriented topics alphabetically.
Search – enables users to find the appropriate topic for which they need help.

38. Quick Start Tutorial
The TOPSpro Quick Start Tutorial provides sixteen step by step lessons that enable users to learn TOPSpro at their own pace.

39. Report Documentation
The Report Documentation folder contains detailed Word and PDF files of all 150+ TOPSpro reports.

40. TOPSpro Demos
Demos are short movie presentations that demonstrate specific TOPSpro features.

41. www.casas.org CASAS Web Site What’s New Online Registration
California Accountability Page
EL Civics Page
California Accountability and TOPSpro Forum
Download Centers

42. TOPSpro Basics Online Tutorial

43. Download Centers
Access to a CASAS Virtual Community enables you to easily download important documents and key software upgrades at the Download Center.

44. CASAS Forums

45. Thanks for participating in
Web-based training!!