Let’s look at the DoCS Connect screen for the first time.
This is DoCS Connect.
There are a number of features that you will need to get familiar with.
Some of them we will go through now, and other features you will be introduced to in the following modules.
The home page is the hub of DoCS Connect and is the screen you arrive at after you successfully log in.
From this screen you can access the other parts of Docs Connect.
The Home page panel displays a greeting and some embedded links. Additionally, it shows when you last logged in and the current day and date.
The News and Messages panel presents current information relating to DoCS Connect; such as scheduled outages, etc.
We recommend that you read the panel each time you log in.
You can click on a subject heading to view the full message.
Docs Connect is organised into different applications.
The Options panel on the Home Page displays the applications that you can access.
In your case, you will have access to the User Information application as well as the Out of Home Care MDS application.
Now let’s have a look at the screen tabs.
You can use these to navigate your way around the system.
These will only appear after you have successfully logged in.
Now let’s have a look at the screen tabs.
You can use these to navigate your way around the system.
These will only appear after you have successfully logged in.
Now let’s have a look at some features found past the homepage.
Click on the Client’s screen tab and view the page.
Each tab in DoCS Connect will display one or more Sections.
These Sections are just smaller applications that are able to perform simple and specific tasks.
On this screen, you will see three different sections: one labelled ‘clients’, another labelled ‘placements’ and the last is ‘placement updates’.
On the top right corner of each section is a show more button.
Click on the show more button.
When you click on this button the current display is expanded and the icon changes to a ‘show less’ button - which in turn allows you to retract or hide the information displayed
Roll your mouse over these buttons to find out more information.
You also have access to the Advanced Sort function located in the drop-down menu list.
Click on the Advanced Sort function
An Advanced Sort pop-up window appears.
This window allows you to sort the list of children or young people first by ascending or descending personal number, first name, family name, etc.
You then can further filter the list of children or young people by using the Then By drop down list.
The next feature that we will cover in this module is searching using the Query function.
The Query function allows you to:
• perform a query using alphabet or numeric characters
• perform a query using multiple search entries
• incorporate wildcards and operators into a query.
Now lets learn, click on the Query button
This is the Query Screen, this screen allows you to enter one or more pieces of information for searching purposes.
A query can be performed by:
• entering information into a blank field
• selecting an option from a drop-down list
• selecting a date using the calendar function.
Let’s search for ‘Matt’ a boy receiving care.
Type in ‘Matt’, then press Enter
The search result of Matt, who is male is shown.
Lets introduce search with wildcards.
Docs Connect allows you to use wildcards and query operators when performing a search query.
Wildcards can be used:
• if you are unsure of spelling
• if you would like to conduct a search using an incomplete name or person number
Wildcards refer to characters that are substituted in a search word or words to represent one or more characters.
The two most commonly used wildcards are the question mark and the asterisk.
Wildcards can be used in combination to expand the scope of your search.
[The Questionmark Wildcard ‘?’]
This wildcard character represents just one unknown character in one position within a word.
For example, if you did a search using these characters.
The search will return the words like these.
If you put the question mark wildcard after the word Matt, it would return the words.
[The Asterix Wildcard ‘*’]
The asterisk is a multi character wildcard used for finding alternative spellings.
It is used to identify an unlimited number of characters within a word.
For example, if you typed in…
DoCS Connect would return the results marty and matt.
[Combinations]
Wildcards can be used in combination.
For example if you typed in…DoCS connect may return.
[Other Wildcards]
Other wildcards include:
A number of screens in DoCS Connect allow you to display a list of selected records by running a predefined query (PDQ).
Predefined queries already have their criteria established and are found in the Queries drop-down list in the top right corner of most screens.
When you run a PDQ, the query applies to all the records within the screen you are on.
The following PDQs have been established in the relevant screens in DoCS Connect and are only available to Out of Home Care MDS users.
The last feature that we are going to cover is iHelp, the online help tool in DoCS Connect.
Click on the question mark icon to access iHelp.
A library of available help is divided into topics which are hyperlinked to detailed instructions on how to complete a task.
We have now reached the end of this module.
You should now be familiar with the purpose of the MDS portal, what it is capable of doing and some of the features that it contains.
Before we end, let’s see how much you’ve remembered with a quick quiz.
To use this Quiz, just click the phrase and then click the area that matches the phrase.
Ok, Let's go, good luck
Let's go again, good luck
Congratulations
Please continue on to the next module for a detailed explanation and demonstration of the registration process.