The Computer Center has launched new software that will revolutionize the way reports generated by the mainframe are distributed on campus. This new software, called PageCenter, went into pilot stage the first week of February when a few month-end reports were adapted to make use of this new program. We are now ready to go production and welcome all UND departments to participate. Look for the campus rollout with hands-on demos to be announced for the fourth Tuesday in October.
PageCenter is a report management system that has its own web page where it maintains a mailbox for each department and is accessed with a web browser. Currently both Netscape 4.7 and Internet Explorer are supported.
Reports are delivered electronically to a department's mailbox instantaneously upon completion of the mainframe processing where they can be viewed, printed, or even stored for possible later use. This alone would be a terrific savings in time if that were all that it did, but Page Center will also decollate and distribute the various parts of a report to the appropriate department's mailbox!
Some of the other added advantages to having the information delivered electronically include:
1. Ability to import the data from reports into a database or spreadsheet for analysis.
2. Electronic searches of data
3. Quick retrieval of archived data
4. Capacity to view multiple reports at the same time
5. Ability to access the data from almost anywhere
6. Capability of simultaneous viewing of reports by persons separated by long distances
7. Printing only the parts of a report that are needed
Department mailboxes are secured by our present RACF security system as well as Page Center's own internal security. A user will be required to have a current userid (TSO and/or CICS) and password as well as prior authorization to a department's mailbox to see any reports.
If you currently receive mainframe generated reports and would like to utilize this significant time saving and web viewing capability please give the Computer Center Helpdesk a call (701-777-2222). There is also a PageCenter web site that has the PageSet Request Form and a Security Request Form. These forms will need to be submitted before your pagesets can be generated. The VPS PageCenter Web Access URL is: http://www.und.nodak.edu/dept/CC/pagecenter/ .
The successful implementation of PageCenter on campus could not have happened without the cooperation and input of the personnel from several departments. We would like to thank the following offices (in alphabetical order) for their help and participation in the test and pilot stages: Accounting Services, Business Office, CAS Maintenance, Chester Fritz Auditorium, Continuing Education, Controller's Office, Dining Services, Finance and Operations, Flight Operations, Grants and Contracts Administration, Office of the Registrar, Payroll, and Personnel Fiscal Office.