WorkForce Academy Course Descriptions

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WorkForce Academy Course Descriptions

Below is a list of our standard course offerings. In addition to the offerings below, WorkForce Software can deliver variations of the standard courses (modified duration, content, delivery method, etc.), or custom classes tailored to suit your organization's needs.

Please click on a course title below to open or close the details.

Courses to Prepare for Defining Requirements:

TR-05: Time and Attendance – Core Concepts

Course Description: This course is typically taken at the beginning of a time and attendance implementation to get project staff up-to-speed on EmpCenter’s overall functional architecture.

Audience: Human resources, payroll, and staff who will implement EmpCenter Time and Attendance.

Prerequisites: None

Duration: One day

Course Content:

The implementation process
- Importance of documenting current process
  - Hidden process – things like spreadsheets
- Identifying the goals of implementation
- Documenting requirements
- Creating a test strategy
Methods of data collection
Data validation – lookups with other systems
Employee policy groups
Assignment Groups
Security concerns—who should have access and to what?
Manager relationships
- How to group employees
Synchronizing employee data
- Frequency
- All or most recent data
Effective dates in policies
Importing labor distribution data
Data validation in time and attendance system
End-of-period processing
Exports
Time sheet vs. pay frequency and payroll processing (timing and content of data to payroll per employee group)

Courses to Prepare for Installing, Testing and Deploying Your System:

TR-18: Managing Data Collection Terminals

Course Description: Attendees learn about configuring and managing data collection hardware
and software, managing employee access to terminals, and monitoring
employee transactions at the terminals.

Audience: Those who operate and maintain data collection terminals (DCT) in an
organization’s network. The onsite version of this class is designed for
larger environments where the data collection terminal configuration is
more complex and onsite assistance is desired.

Prerequisites: None

Duration: Four hours (Classroom) or two hours (Live remote)

Options: TR-18.C: Classroom or TR-18.R: Remote

Course Content:

DCT administrator and employee functions
Biometric enrollment and management
Controlling employee and administrator access
Using the Terminal Manager application to manage the controller and DCTs
Monitoring employee data transactions
Data flow from terminals to EmpCenter
Troubleshooting and technical support

TR-22: Data Collection Terminal Deployment

Course Description: Attendees learn about setting up and managing data collection hardware and software, managing employee access to terminals, and monitoring employee transactions at the terminals. They receive hands on assistance with deploying terminal controllers in their network.

Audience: IT or other staff responsible for installing and maintaining data collection terminals (DCT) on the organization’s network should attend this class. The classroom version of this class is designed for larger environments where the data collection terminal configuration is more complex and onsite assistance is desired.

Prerequisites: Knowledge of the client’s network configuration

Duration: Four hours (Classroom) or two hours (Live remote)

Options: TR-22.C: Classroom or TR-22.R: Remote

Course Content:

Mounting and configuring DCTs
Setting up networks for DCTs, the DCT controller, and the EmpCenter server
Deploying DCT and DCT controller configuration files
Adding DCTs to the network
Handling multiple time zones and Daylight Saving Time changes

EC-20: Testing Tactics

Course Description: This course prepares attendees for user acceptance testing phase of the project. Attendees gain hands on experience creating and executing test cases as well as logging and communicating testing results.

Audience: Human resources, payroll, management, and other staff responsible for testing the system in preparation for go-live.

Prerequisites: None

Duration: One or two days depending on degree of customer configuration and business requirements.

Options: EC-20.1D (One day) or EC-20.2D (two days)

Course Content:

Understanding the testing environment
Testing your business requirements in EmpCenter
Key configuration items to test
Creating test cases
Coordinating testing
Tracking test results and logging issues
Managing changes to your configuration

Courses for Using Your System:

TR-01: Time and Attendance – Employee Functions

Course Description: This course teaches employee functions related to reporting time, activities, and absences within EmpCenter.

Audience: Human resources, payroll, managerial, and staff responsible for managing, supervising, or training employees who will use EmpCenter Time and Attendance to report time.

Prerequisites: None

Duration: One-half day

Course Content:

Entering data into a time sheet
Requesting time off
Running reports to look at time sheet data
Addressing time sheet exceptions
Using the different views of a time sheet
Viewing pay results
Viewing time off bank balances
Managing your EmpCenter user account

TR-02: Time and Attendance – Manager Functions

Course Description: This course teaches functions and workflow related to managing employees in EmpCenter.

Audience: Human resources, payroll, managerial, and other staff who are responsible for managing or training staff who will use EmpCenter Time and Attendance to manage other employees.

Prerequisites: None

Duration: One-half day

Course Content:

Introducing manager views of employee time and balances
Viewing pay results for an employee
Approving employee time sheets and approval workflow
Creating schedules and assigning them to employees or employee groups
Entering time using the EmpCenter Group time entry screen
Using manager reports to analyze employee time
Managing time sheet exceptions
Delegating manager functions to another user
Managing time-off requests

TR-03: Time and Attendance – Administrative Functions

Course Description: This course guides time and attendance administrators through EmpCenter workflow and other day-to-day administrative tasks.

Audience: Human resources or payroll personnel responsible for administering the EmpCenter application and performing end-of-period time sheet processing tasks.

Prerequisites: Time and Attendance employee functions (TR-01), Time and Attendance manager functions (TR 02)

Duration: One and one-half days

Course Content:

Introduction to the EmpCenter Admin client
Running administrative reports to evaluate status of time sheets
End-of-period processing workflow
- How to prepare the system for exporting payroll data (lock and calculate)
- Verifying time data using reports
- Exporting time data to payroll
- Finalizing time sheet data after export validation
- Advancing the current pay period for employees
Imports
- Importing employee data from the human resources system
- Importing accrual back balances and corrections
- Loading activity codes for reporting time
- Loading time and schedule information from external sources
Maintaining employee information within EmpCenter
Running tasks to update system data
Creating a schedule for running automated tasks
Maintaining calendar for holidays and other special dates
Creating schedule templates
Understanding exception types and effects on time sheet processing
Maintaining employee bank balances within EmpCenter
Creating and maintain manager access to employee time sheets
Creating new administrative users
Setting and resetting passwords for end users
Using the Super User account to emulate end user access

AS-01: Advanced Scheduler – Basics for End Users

Course Description: Attendees learn to manage schedules for the employees using Advanced Scheduling tools.

Audience: Schedulers receiving a configured system should take this course.

Prerequisites: None

Duration: One day

Course Content:

Using the Auto Scheduler to staff your employees intelligently
Managing schedule changes using Advanced Scheduler tool
Managing Employee Availability
- Rotation Patterns
- Availability Segments
Overtime Equalization

FM-01: Fatigue Management – Using the Common Solution

Course Description: This coAttendees learn to manage their own or their employees’ schedules proactively to comply with NRC Rule 10 CFR Part 26.

Audience: This course should be taken by personnel who manage employees who are subject to compliance with NRC Rule 10 CFR Part 26 (Fitness for Duty).

Prerequisites: None

Format: Instructor led, classroom

Duration: Two days

Course Content:

Assigning compliant schedule cycles to employees
Creating schedule rotations
Using admin codes
Calling in employees based on NRC compliance rules
Entering waivers and fatigue assessments
Detecting future fatigue management violations
Running NRC reports

AS-08: Advanced Scheduler Core Concepts

Course Description: This course gets project staff up-to-speed on Advanced Scheduler functional details. It is typically taken at the beginning of an Advanced Scheduler implementation.

Audience: All staff who manage your company’s staffing needs.

Prerequisites: None

Duration: 3 hours

Course Content:

Implementation process
- Identifying the goals of implementation
- Importance of documenting your current process
  - Hidden process – e.g., spreadsheets
- Documenting requirements
- Creating a test strategy
Scheduling methodology
Defining your organization
Components of a schedule
Managing employee schedules
- Qualifications
- Frequency of work: days on/off
- Grouping employees and work assignments
- Rules for scheduling
Methods of finding employees for open work assignments
Overtime equalization
- Ensuring all employees have the same overtime opportunities
Integration with Time and Attendance
Security concerns: Who is allowed access and what they can access

Courses for Making the Most of Reporting on Your Data:

EC-01: Writing Reports with EmpCenter

Course Description: This course introduces EmpCenter’s report development capabilities and provides detailed information about the data stored in EmpCenter. Attendees will learn how to access the data and create useful reports. Attendees will learn the basics of designing reports and using Crystal Reports with EmpCenter.

Audience: Those who will develop custom reports, build reports for viewing time and attendance data, or build views of the data within EmpCenter.

Prerequisites: Attendees should have a good understanding of SQL and basic database concepts, and basic understanding of the application and/or Policy Editor. Attendees must have taken at least one of the schema courses (TR-15, FM-02, AS-05).

Duration: One and one-half days

Course Content:

How EmpCenter and Crystal Reports work together
Introduction to Crystal Reports
Introduction to policy configuration for reports
Building your first report

AS-05: Advanced Scheduler – Database Schema

Course Description: This course provides detailed information about the data stored in EmpCenter Advanced Scheduler. Attendees learn how to access the data for report, export, or other purposes. (Note that customers interested in integrating reports into EmpCenter with Crystal Reports should also take EC-01).

Audience: Advanced Scheduler users who will build reports, exports, or views of the data within EmpCenter Advanced Scheduler.

Prerequisites: Attendees should have a good understanding of SQL and basic database concepts.

Duration: One day

Course Content: Introduction to EmpCenter Advanced Scheduler database structure and most commonly used tables and queries.

FM-02: Fatigue Management – Database Schema

Course Description: This course provides detailed information about the data stored in EmpCenter. Attendees learn how to access the data for creating useful reports. Additional fatigue management information is included. (Note: Customers interested in integrating reports into EmpCenter with Crystal Reports should take Writing Reports with EmpCenter (EC-01).

Audience: This course is intended for Fatigue Management customers interested in building reports or views of the data within EmpCenter Fatigue Management and EmpCenter Time and Attendance.

Prerequisites: Attendees should have a good understanding of SQL and basic database concepts.

Format: Instructor led, classroom

Duration: One day

Course Content:

Introduction to EmpCenter Time and Attendance database structure
Introduction to most commonly used tables and queries for:
Employees and Assignments
Pay Periods
Time sheets
Exceptions
Accrual Management
Schedules
Fatigue Management data tables

TR-15: Time and Attendance – Database Schema

Course Description: This course provides detailed information about the data stored in EmpCenter Time and Attendance. Attendees learn how to access the data for reports, exports, or other purposes. (Note: Customers interested in integrating reports into EmpCenter with Crystal Reports should also take EC-01).

Audience: Those using the database to build reports, exports, or views of the data within EmpCenter Time and Attendance

Prerequisites: Attendees should have a good understanding of SQL and basic database
concepts.

Duration: One day

Course Content:

Introduction to EmpCenter Time and Attendance database structure
Introduction to most commonly used tables and queries for:
- Employees and Assignments
- Pay Periods
- Time sheets
- Exceptions
- Accrual Management
- Schedules
- Data Collection Terminals

EC-02: Creating Ad Hoc Reports

Course Description: This course introduces EmpCenter’s ad hoc report development capabilities. Attendees learn the basics of creating and using WebIntelligence reports with EmpCenter and creating useful reports through hands-on exercises.

Audience: Non-technical end users who will create ad hoc and custom reports for viewing EmpCenter time and attendance data.

Prerequisites: Attendees should have a basic understanding of the EmpCenter
application.

Duration: One-half day

Course Content:

Introduction to the EmpCenter Universe objects and filters
Creating and running queries in EmpCenter
Introduction to WebIntelligence

EC-03.C/EC-04.R: Working with the EmpCenter Universe and Creating Ad Hoc Reports

Course Description: This course provides detailed information about the data stored in EmpCenter. It introduces EmpCenter’s ad hoc report development capabilities. Participants learn the basics of how to customize the EmpCenter sample universe in BusinessObjects Designer, and how to create and work with Web Intelligence Reports in EmpCenter.

Audience: Those who will customize the EmpCenter universe and create ad hoc reports for viewing EmpCenter data.

Prerequisites: Attendees must have a good understanding of SQL and basic database concepts, and a basic understanding of the EmpCenter application. Attendees will have attended DB Schema training (TR-15). No experience with BusinessObjects Designer is assumed.

Duration: One day

Options: EC-03.C: Classroom, instructor led or EC-04.R: Remote delivery, instructor led

Course Content:

Introduction to the EmpCenter universe structure
Introduction to creating and modifying:
- Classes and subclasses
- Objects and filters
- Lists of values
How EmpCenter and WebIntelligence work together
Creating and running queries in EmpCenter
Introduction to WebIntelligence functionality

EC-05: Report Writer – Advanced Techniques

Course Description: This course provides instruction on using advanced techniques in Crystal Reports.

Audience: Those who will develop complex custom reports.

Prerequisites: EC-01 and either TR-15, AS-05, or FM-02

Duration: One day

Course Content:

Gaining advanced understanding of the Crystal Reports Designer
Creating sub-reports
Creating cross-tabs
Creating graphs
Creating advanced formulas

EC-06: Advanced EmpCenter Sample Universe Customization

Course Description: This course provides instruction on applying advanced techniques to the EmpCenter Sample Universe in BusinessObjects Designer.

Audience: Those who will make complex customizations within the EmpCenter Sample Universe.

Prerequisites: EC-03 or EC-04, and either TR-15, or FM-02

Duration: One day

Course Content:

Advanced understanding of BusinessObjects Designer
Advanced join techniques
Creating derived tables
Linking universes
Resolving loops and SQL traps

EC-07.C/EC-08.R: Advanced Ad Hoc Reporting

Course Description: This course provides instruction on using advanced techniques with WebIntelligence via EmpCenter. It is instructor-led with exercises.

Audience: Users who will develop complex ad hoc reports.

Prerequisites: EC-03.C or EC-04.R

Duration: One day

Options: EC-07.C: Classroom, instructor-led or EC-07.R: Remote delivery, instructor-led

Course Content:

Advanced understanding of WebIntelligence
Creating and working with multiple queries
Advanced report drilling
Advanced report formatting

Courses for Technical Support and Business Rules Configuration:

TR-10: Time and Attendance – Changing Your Configuration

Course Description: This class reviews the client’s current configuration. It provides instruction on configuration tasks that enable the attendees to make changes to their configuration as their business rules change. This is a hands-on class with participants doing exercises to configure business rules. The course covers configuration tasks most commonly used in day-to-day operations.

Audience: IT staff or business application support staff who will bring configuration modification tasks in-house, or want to understand the details of their configuration.

Prerequisites: None; programming or macro language knowledge is helpful, as this course takes a technical approach to the topics.

Duration: Two to four days (depending on customer content)

Options: TR-10.2: Two days, TR-10.3: Three days, TR-10.4: Four days

Course Content:

Review of key components of the existing configuration
Key configuration concepts
- Policy editor
- User interface layouts
- Pay codes
- Roles and system privileges
- Banks and accruals
- Pay calculations
- Formula Language basics
- Activity Based Costing basics
- Exceptions and notifications
- Import and export basics

TR-06: Time and Attendance – Basic Configuration

Course Description: Attendees learn to use the EmpCenter Policy Editor to establish a system configuration. The course enables attendees to configure business rules needed to support a group of employees.

Audience: Human resources, payroll, or other staff who perform significant configuration tasks to create the business rules that meet the needs of their business operations.

Prerequisites: Attendees should have a good understanding of EmpCenter core concepts (covered in (TR 05) EmpCenter Core Concepts). An understanding of a programming or macro language is a plus.

Duration: Four days

Course Content:

Introduction to the EmpCenter Policy Editor
Defining and creating policy profiles for applying time and attendance rules
Assembling the components of a time sheet
Calculating pay premiums and time transactions
Configuring exceptions for validating and reporting status of time sheets
Configuring user access through roles
Configuring Absence Manager functionality
Basic Formula Language concepts
Defining time off request behavior and notifications
Defining manager approval windows and time sheet approval reminders

TR-07: Time and Attendance – Advanced Configuration

Course Description: Attendees will learn how to configure complicated business rules using
the policy editor.

Audience: Human resources, payroll, or other staff who will perform significant configuration tasks to create advanced rules to meet the needs of their business operations.

Prerequisites: TR-06 Configuration Basics

Duration: Four days

Course Content:

Defining policies to create time transactions
Creating policies for reclassification of time for pay premiums
Establishing rules for grace, break deductions, and time rounding
Defining user roles and access rights
Setting content and layout of EmpCenter user screens
Linking email notifications to time sheet events
Defining rules for time data defaults

TR-08: Time and Attendance – Configuring Multiple Assignments

Course Description: Attendees learn how multiple assignment environment and the additional considerations for calculation affect policies.

Audience: Staff who will configure business rules related to multiple assignments.

Prerequisites: Basic Configuration (TR-06), Advanced Configuration (TR-07)

Duration: One day

Course Content:

Grouping policy profile masters into policy profile groups
Aggregate and component assignments
Aggregate and component policies and calculations
End of period processing with multiple assignments
Special formula language constructs for multiple assignments

TR-09: Time and Attendance – Interfaces and Interface Connect

Course Description: Attendees learn to use EmpCenter Interface Connect to build interfaces for transferring data with external systems.

Audience: Staff who create interfaces between EmpCenter and external systems.

Prerequisites: Knowledge of JavaScript, Basic Configuration (TR-06)

Duration: Two and one-half days

Course Content:

Introduction to interface scripting and database queries
Using EmpCenter functions in interfaces
Interface policy configuration
Understanding the difference between CSV and SQL interfaces
Data validation and error handling
Building a historical employee import
Building an incremental interface for large data sets
Understanding system processing
Testing interfaces and reviewing logs

TR-11: Time and Attendance – Configuring FMLA

Course Description: This course instructs attendees how to identify FMLA requirements and configure them within EmpCenter. The course will provide an overview of FMLA requirements and methods of tracking leave.

Audience: Those who will configure time and attendance policies within EmpCenter to implement FMLA, state statutory leave programs, and interactions with company time off banks.

Prerequisites: Basic Configuration (TR-06)

Duration: One day

Course Content:

Introduction to FMLA within EmpCenter
Determining your FMLA accrual methods based on company practices
Defining a bank for accruing worked hours for FMLA eligibility
Establishing a bank for accruing FMLA benefit hours
Coordinating use of paid leave with FMLA and other statutory leave based on company practice

TR-13: Time and Attendance – Configuring Activity Based Costing

Course Description: This course covers policy configuration of labor distribution in depth. Attendees learn how to add labor distribution fields and tracking to their EmpCenter configuration and how to set up imports to receive data from other systems to use for validation.

Audience: Staff who define EmpCenter time and attendance policies that allow the selection of activity based costing fields to describe reported time on employee time sheets. This course addresses the labor distribution (LD) policies and tables in EmpCenter.

Prerequisites: Basic Configuration (TR-06)

Duration: One and one-half days

Course Content:

Defining Labor Distribution fields
Establishing LD field dependencies
Creating an LD layout for searching LD values
Linking LD rules and policies together
Maintaining LD information within EmpCenter
Introduction to importing and exporting activity based costing data

AS-02: Advanced Scheduler – Basics for Administrators

Course Description: Attendees learn to configure various building blocks within the Advanced Scheduler.

Audience: Application administrators who plan to configure and administer their Advanced Scheduler system without assistance from Workforce Software.

Prerequisites: Advanced Scheduler Basics for End Users (AS-01)

Duration: One day

Course Content:

Configuring the Auto Scheduler to staff your people intelligently
- Defining staffing requirements
- Managing employees, employee qualifications, and employee availability using Advanced Scheduler
- Defining selection constraints, selection preferences, and staffing criteria for Auto Scheduler
Configuring Advanced Scheduler tolls to manage schedule changes
Managing Employee Availability
- Rotation Patterns
- Availability Segments
Configuring Overtime Equalization

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