CompassAir Web Basic User Guide

 

 

Volume 7 – Filing and Miscellaneous

This guide is intended to serve as an introduction to CompassAir (web version). It is one of a series that show the many useful features of CompassAir (web version).

Where it is felt that additional training would be beneficial, bespoke packages can be provided for both individual users as well as groups. Please contact solutions@thinkcompass.io for more information.

1      COMPASSAIR – MESSAGES WINDOW (HOME SCREEN)

CompassAir Home Screen

2    DOCUMENT FOLDERS AND THE FILING TRAY

1. Folders containing filed messages can be accessed from the Filing Tray on the main Messages screen. After the System Administrator has allowed a user access to root folders (none of which cannot be edited by users), subfolders can be added, as well as renamed or deleted.
2. Filed documents ( but not messages) are viewed via the “Documents” button

3. Documents can be added directly to folders by clicking on “add”. Existing documents can also be edited or deleted
4. Files can also be saved from elsewhere, for example
(a) Attachments to messages can either be dragged or saved to folders
(b) Individual messages can be dragged to folders from the message list within “Messages”

3    DOCUMENTS AND FILING FOLDER OPTIONS

1. From the Filing section in the messages window (in which can be filed emails), hovering over the ellipsis button next to each folder (the three blue vertical dots) reveals a drop down menu with a number of options. “Find in Folder” reveals and advanced search option for the selected folder

2. The same options are available via the Documents button on the Toolbar – document folders hold all other documents apart from emails

4      DUPLICATING FILE STRUCTURES FOR VESSEL RECORDS

1. Having created a file structure for an initial vessel, this structure can be retained as a master then duplicated for other vessels
2. Start by hovering over the folder “Vessels”, and clicking on the three blue dots
3. A dropdown menu appears from which is selected “Add Subfolder”

4. The Subfolder (under Vessels) in this example is named “Master”, achieved by typing in the text box and then clicking Enter
5. Having created the Master folder, drag and drop the existing vessel, in this case “Stark Princess”, into the Master file

6. A new window will pop up offering the options to move the folder (and its contents), copy the folder (with its contents) or copy only the folder structure. In this example, we choose the latter

7. Hover over the new folder “Stark Princess”, and after clicking on the three blue dots, re-name the folder “Master Vessel”. It is now ready to be dragged to the Vessels folder when required. On dragging, choose the option “Copy Structure Only” (see 6 above)

8. Once in the Vessels folder, “Master Vessel” can be re-named – in this example as “Stark Prince” – using the same procedure as in 7 above, and is now ready for use

9. The sub folder “Master Vessel” remains available to add Vessels as and when required using following steps 5 to 8 above

5     SHIPS DATABASE

1. The “Ships” button on the toolbar allows the user to access the ships database. For more detailed information see User Guide Volume 8
2. Once installed, the database has an advanced search facility that allows the user to extract the requisite information at speed
3. A number of options exist with respect to populating and then making best use of vessel data. Examples include, importing one’s own data; adding/editing individual fleet data; populating using full IHS ships data as well as making use of specialist AIS data (in the example above the current location of the vessel has been identified)

For more information on the various Vessel database options that best suit your individual requirements, please contact solutions@thinkcompass.io

6    FILING INCOMING MESSAGES IN SPECIFIC FOLDERS

1. In this example we will create a rule to file all incoming messages from TradeWinds in a new folder in the Message Tray. First, select a root folder, in this case “Public” and using the dropdown menu create a new subfolder “TradeWinds”
2. From the Settings menu, select Message Rules and click on “-NEW-RULE”
3. At Stage 1 each new Rule is given a Title, in this case “TradeWinds Auto Filing”. The Rule can be visible to all, selected individuals or only the creator of the Rule, each chosen from the drop down menu
4. Stage 2 defines the messages to which the Rule will apply. In this example we choose all incoming messages that contain the TradeWinds address

5. Clicking on the red circle provides a preview of the messages that will be selected. The user can review these to ensure the selection criteria are correct (although the rule can easily be edited after saving). Additional criteria are available by clicking on “Add Field”

6. The actions to be taken with respect to the messages subject to the Rule are defined at Stage 3. In this example we choose to move the selected messages to the Public/TradeWinds folder created at 1 above
7. If required, Stage 4 allows the period to which the rule will apply to be defined. If this option is not toggled on, then the Rule will apply to all future messages received from TradeWinds
8. Finally, at Stage 5 the user is provided with a summary of the Rule with the option to save or return to any of the previous Stages. The red circle is again available for a preview of the results should the Rule be accepted
9. Before saving, each part of the Rule can be edited by hovering next to each heading and then clicking on the edit icon

7    UNIQUE MESSAGE REFERENCE NUMBERS

1. All incoming and outgoing messages are allocated a unique reference number (both internal and external). This is particularly useful where it is important that there be no confusion as to which messages are being referred to, for example in an exchange of messages related to contract negotiations

8    MESSAGE AUDIT TRAIL

1. To open the Audit Trail window, click on the icon “i” in the message header

2. The Audit Trail window shows the various activities that have taken place in relation to that particular message as well as by whom those activities were performed

9     “PROCESSING” MESSAGES

1. All messages can be marked or unmarked as “Processed” by one user at a time. Processing means that a user has completed a predefined task in relation to that message. That task may be, for example, to update an external database using information from the message, or to perhaps make an appropriate entry in an external CRM system.

2. The name of the user who last processed the message (and when) is displayed in the message header
3. Only one user can mark a message as processed at any one time. However, the full history of who has processed a message is recorded in the Audit Trail (see 8 MESSAGE AUDIT TRAIL above), available by clicking on the audit icon

10    USER DEFINED LISTS – KEYWORDS AND CONTACTS

1. Keywords can be added to both incoming and outgoing messages, without any restriction as to the words that can be used
2. However, for a more structured approach, Keyword lists can be created in advance, with words then being suggested to the user. For example, type the letter “B” and those Keywords starting with B will be made available for selection. Lists are maintained from the Settings menu, under the section User Defined Lists
3. In a similar way, for more structure when creating or adding to contacts, a list of Contact Types can be created and, as before, will be auto suggested when defining positions within contacts. This brings some consistency to creating organisational structures

11    SAVING COMPASSAIR MESSAGES LOCALLY IN EML FORMAT

1. If required, messages within CompassAir can be downloaded, in the EML format, to the user’s local hard drive. This is achieved by first selecting the appropriate message from the Message List, then dragging it to the user’s desktop. From there it can be cut and pasted to another folder.
2. Alternatively, a older message can be attached to a message being composed. This is achieved by again dragging the old message from the message list, but this time to the body of the new message.

12    CONTROL KEY SHORTCUTS – MESSAGE EDITOR

Ctrl+A      These two keys will select all text or other objects in the message editor text box

Ctrl+B      Bold highlighted text

Ctrl+C      Copy any selected text or another object

Ctrl+I      Italicize text

Ctrl+P      Open a print window to print the page being composed

Ctrl+U      Underline selected text

Ctrl+V      Paste any text or another object that has been copied

Ctrl+X      Cut selected text or another object

Ctrl+Z      Pressing these two keys will undo any action

The following shortcuts are available in the Messages window:

 

1. F1: Forward a selected message.
2. F2: Reply on a selected message. If the default action from user’s settings is “Reply all” the shortcut will adopt the same action.
3. F7: Open a new message editor
4. F5: Refresh message list
5. Ctrl-Q: Navigate to the Quick search on the selected Message View.

The following shortcuts are available inside the Message editor:

 

1. F1: Sends the message.
2. F8: Opens the window to select a signature

13    SCROLLING DOWN WITH THE SPACE BAR

1. From the Settings menu click on Messages in the side, sub-menu

2. Selecting “Yes” on the “Space moves down” option then allows the space bar to be used to scroll down when viewing messages