Online Help Overview

Welcome to the Online Help Overview! The Online Help System contains four types of help topics: screen-level help topics, training scenario topics, tutorial help topics, and advanced concept topics.

A screen-level help topic contains information about specific application screens found within the SPIRIT WIC application. Each screen-level topic describes an individual screen and includes the following information:

The purpose of the screen,
How to navigate to the screen,
The controls, or screen elements, found on the screen, and
The tasks that can be started from and/or completed on the screen.

A training scenario topic contains instructions that walk you through broad tasks in a theoretical sense. When available, training scenario topics can be accessed from the Table of Contents. Not all application modules contain training scenario topics.

A tutorial help topic contains instructions that walk you through individual tasks, step-by-step. When available, tutorial help topics can be accessed from the Tutorials menu available at the top of any screen-level help topic. When a topic is displayed that contains a tutorial, the Tutorials menu is available at the top of the topic below the main heading. Click the Show hypertext link at the right of the Tutorials heading to expand the list of tutorial help topics available, then click a hypertext link to display a tutorial. Tutorial topics are mostly available only for screen-level help topics; therefore, not all topics contain tutorial topics.

An advanced concept topic contains highly detailed information about a task, process, or concept within the SPIRIT WIC application. When available, advanced concept topics can be accessed from the Table of Contents or from the Concepts menu available at the top of specific topics directly referenced within the advanced concept topic. When a topic is displayed that is directly referenced within the advanced concept topic, the Concepts menu is available at the top of the topic below the main heading. Click the Show hypertext link at the right of the Concepts menu to expand the list of advanced concept topics available, then click a hypertext link to display an advanced concept. Advanced concept topics are only available for extremely elaborate system processes or procedures in certain application modules; therefore, not all application modules contain advanced concepts.

Conventions and Features of the DFDD

The DFDD follows certain conventions that make it easy for you to use the materials presented and includes the following features that make it easy for you to identify similar information from one topic to another:

Each book within the table of contents groups topics together by application module.
Each topic begins by explaining what it covers, so you'll know from the start what you'll be learning.
Each screen element (an object or control found on an application screen) is documented to help you determine what type of data to enter or select when completing application screens and processes.

Pictures of application screens are included throughout the DFDD. The pictures are included for your reference, and to help familiarize you with the screens. Any data displayed in the pictures is generic.

Visual cue icons display in the left-hand margin in many topics within the DFDD. These icons will help you find specific types of information very quickly. Pictures of the icons and their definitions are documented below.

Screen Access icon

The application-screen-with-green-arrow icon displays to the left of paragraphs that provide information about how to access a specific screen within the SPIRIT application. These paragraphs inform you where you can access the application screen and what steps must be taken to display it. This type of information is included immediately after the introduction in topics that cover a specific application screen.

Note icon

The notepad-and-pencil icon displays to the left of paragraphs that provide additional, and usually more detailed, information about the application. Sometimes the notes give you additional information about a screen you're working with, and sometimes the notes inform you where to find additional information elsewhere within the DFDD. Either way, it is well worth your time to watch for these helpful icons.

Pay attention to these visual cue icons as you read through the DFDD, and they'll help you locate important details that you might otherwise overlook. When you're trying to find information quickly, the icons serve as signposts to quickly guide you to the information you need.

Using This Resource

Within the help system, navigation buttons are displayed in the pane along the top of your browser window. The Search feature, a comprehensive Table of Contents, Index, and a Glossary are all available to help you quickly locate the information you need. Below is additional information describing some of the features available within this resource.

Table of Contents - Contains every functional screen in the application and every training scenario available. The TOC is organized in roughly the same way as the application, with content grouped together by application area. Use the TOC to look up topics that cover application screens and common scenarios, and browse by application area. To access the Table of Contents feature, click the Contents button displayed on the left side of the Online Help System's interface.

Search - Allows you to search for words or phrases found within this resource. To access the Search feature, click the Search button displayed on the left side of the Online Help System's interface. Enter a word or phrase in the Type in the word(s) to search for text box and click the GO button to perform a search. When topics are found matching the word or phrase entered, select a topic and click the Display button or double-click a topic in the Search pane to display the selected topic. The search functionality in this resource is quite robust. Details of the different search features are listed below.

Highlight Search Results - Indicates that words or phrases searched upon are highlighted in a topic when it is displayed after performing a search. The search highlight is turned on as the default. To turn it off, deselect the Highlight search results check box. Once it is turned off, you can select the Highlight search results check box to reactivate the search highlight feature. When the search highlight is turned on or off, you must click the GO button again and perform another search to activate or deactivate the search highlight feature.
Search Results Per Page - Indicates the total number of results to display in the list of results after performing a search. Ten (10) results per page are displayed as the default. Enter a number between 1 and 99 in the Search results per page text box to specify the total number of results to display.

NOTE: You can also use the Search text box and GO button at the top right of the Online Help System's interface to quickly perform a search.

Glossary - Contains particularly difficult or specialized words used in this resource along with their definitions. If you are unsure about the meaning of a word used within this resource, you can look up its definition in the Glossary. To access the Glossary feature, click the Glossary button displayed on the left side of the Online Help System's interface.

To navigate to a previously displayed help topic, click your browser's Back button. For more information on navigating web pages, refer to your browser's help system. To print the currently displayed help topic, click your browser's Print button. For more information on printing web pages, refer to your browser's help system.

Online Help Overview

Tutorials

Accessing Help

Requirements

Conventions and Features of the DFDD

Using This Resource