The latest version of Civica Cx Housing (v22.2 
1) contains a wealth of functionality to aid the end user in efficient data entry, specifically:
- Mandatory Fields - Data entry screens invariably contain a number of fields that are considered mandatory in order to uphold the integrity of the system, and therefore validation rules exist to ensure that data is present before the record can be saved. To optimise the efficiency of data entry, validation takes place at the point of saving the overall record, as opposed to when an individual field is bypassed. Incomplete mandatory fields are denoted with a RED outline. System validation rules also ensure that record identifiers are unique across overlapping effective periods.
- Data Formatting - When creating individual records, any number of relevant data fields will be displayed, configured with the desired data types e.g. Date Only, Date Time, Decimal, Integer, Time Only. System validation rules ensure that only the permitted entry format corresponding to the data type is accepted. For instance, date fields will accept the format DD/MM/YY or DD/MM/YYYY. Any attempt to enter an errant format will be trapped and the end user prompted to apply the necessary change.
- Record Changes - The data input values relating to a new or amended record is only stored on the system when formally saved to the database. To keep the end user informed as to the status of data changes, a colour-coded record indicator is adopted for all records that are displayed in tabular format (Green - Amber - Red). Green - A new record has been created but is not yet formally saved down to the database; Amber - One or more components of an existing record have been amended but the changes are not yet formally saved down to the database; Red - A record is marked for deletion but has not yet been formally removed from the database. As a general principle, if a user attempts to navigate away from a screen prematurely and data changes have not yet been applied, they will be given a final opportunity to save the updated records to the database.
- Multiple Forms - With Civica Cx Housing, end users are not limited to accessing one component of the system in isolation. Instead, multiple areas can be opened in parallel and progressed simultaneously. Each module section comprises a series of forms which, when selected, appear as a unique lozenge at the base of the visible screen area. Navigation between forms is achieved simply by selecting the corresponding lozenge. Where a form is no longer required and any relevant changes have been saved, it can be cleared by clicking on the cross-box (close) for that lozenge.
- Tabular Sort - To streamline the appearance of information, related data sets are routinely presented in tabular format (a grid), with a default sort order applied that is most logical, whether that be date of first entry, alphabetical, numerical (based on an internal reference identifier), effective date, etc. Invariably, this will serve the needs of most end users. However, to aid in identification and analysis, tabular rows can be reordered, simply by clicking on any of the available headings. The applied sort order is denoted by an arrow adjacent to the active heading. An Up arrow indicates that an ascending sort is in operation; a Down arrow indicates a descending sort.
- Tabular Filter - To give focus to the most pertinent data presented within a grid, end users can apply a custom filter to any displayed column, therefore restricting the information to only those rows that match the specified criteria. By clicking on any of the available column headings, context sensitive filtering options will be presented. Based on the specific column attribute ('text', 'numeric', 'date', etc.), system validation rules control the arguments that are available for selection (e.g. Is equal to, Is not equal to, Starts with, Contains, Does not contain, Ends with) together with the corresponding input field type. Boolean operators - AND / OR - can also be used to combine conditional arguments together into one column filtering rule. Where the column data type is represented by a 'tick box' control mechanism, the available arguments are simply Is true or Is false. On successfully applying a custom filter to any data column presented within a grid, its existence is denoted by a highlighted 'sort' arrow, located immediately adjacent to the column heading. Once the grid filter is no longer required, an end user can click on this arrow and choose the Clear action button, therefore removing the applied arguments and refreshing the data view.
- List Management - To avoid excessive scrolling, the system is configured to limit the maximum number of records that are displayed within a list, with additional records included on subsequent screens. Navigation between list segment screens is controlled using First Record, Previous Record, Next Record and Last Record icons
, and the current list segment is denoted by the highlighted numeric value. It is also possible to click on a list segment number directly to advance to those records.
- Incremental Record Counters - Throughout the system, related information is combined into logical data sets and presented in the form of overlaid tiles. To help the end user keep track of how this data is extending, each tile comprises a counter that is incremented each time a new record is added. Incremental record counters are also supported by dynamic tool tips, displayed when hovering over the relevant tile.
- User Defined Fields - These offer a method of entering information against a record which may not already be catered for elsewhere on the system. No matter how many standard fields exist within Civica Cx Housing, there will always be instances where an organisation wishes to create a new field for their own specific use, or where a seemingly common field may be used in different ways. For instance, an organisation may wish to monitor the customer satisfaction ratings for their tenants, based on an internal scoring system, and further to identify situations where a follow-up call is required to understand their concerns more fully. In both scenarios, the creation of a user defined field would enable this data to be recorded. When setting up a user defined field, the end user has full control over the unique name, display caption and permitted data type - numeric values, free text, lookup values, dates, Boolean, etc. are all supported.
- User Desktop Controls - Whenever a tenant, an applicant or other stakeholder interacts with a social housing provider, it is essential that the richness of information available on that customer informs and guides the process that will help to maximise their service experience, as well as providing a focal point for triggering certain actions. Delivering on this holistic view is more than just having a unified database of all activity; it is the ability to bring together all the pieces of information that are relevant to a specific customer interaction into an intuitive workspace for the agent, housing officer, departmental manager, etc. All data pertinent to each user-driven activity is presented in the clearest format, with the option to customise data views and desktop real estate preferences. Specifically, end users are able to Expand or Collapse the summary pane linked to the most commonly-used forms, therefore channelling the available screen area to the most critical data. By default, each selected form displays the attached summary in expanded mode, but this view can easily be switched using the collapse (
) and expand (
) icons.
Note
1 To ensure you are working with the very latest version, navigate to Quick Menu > About.
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