Miscellaneous

Owned by Robin Rodrigue

Last updated: Nov 12, 2019 by Nora Kinal

Overview

The Miscellaneous button allows you to check alerts, export data, import photos and 3rd party data, end of year processes, access prior-year databases, send messages to users, rebuild POS customers, perform housekeeping, and run Newton in test mode.

Check Alerts	Rebuild POS Customers
Export Data	Housekeeping
Advanced	Test Mode
Send Message

Check Alerts

The Check Alerts appears upon system login unless user permissions have been set as Deny or None. It is established to inform the user of any issues that have occurred since the last login. Alerts display the severity, description of the alert, and the date generated. For more details about which alerts appear upon login, refer to Alert Types in the Advanced Setup menu of the Advanced Setup Guide.

From the Utilities tab, select Check Alerts.
Any system alerts will be displayed. Click on each alert and read the description in the area below.

Export Data

In order to export data, an export must first be established in Exports in the Advanced Setup menu of the Advanced Setup Guide. You may manually export data at any time or if a scheduled export had failed.

From the Utilities tab, select Export Data.
Select an export and then click Run.
If the export path is incorrect or needs to be changed, click the ellipsis button and choose a new path. Then, click Ok.

You may view the log of exports at any time by selecting the export clicking the View Log button.

Advanced

The Advanced Utilities option gives you the ability to import photos, import 3rd party data, Convert from WinFSCM, complete end of year processes, access a prior-year database, access the agent monitor and complete a mass merge of customers.

Import Photos	Import Bulk Changes
Import 3rd Party Data	Import External Enrollment Data
Convert WinFSCM	Apply External Enrollment Data
End of Year	Shrink Database
Prior-Year Database	Upgrade Test/Prior-Year Databases
Agent Monitor	Meal Eligibility Corrections
Customer Mass-Merge

Import Photos
Imports photos from the local or network drive.

From the Utilities tab, select Advanced. Then, choose Import Photos.
Select a configuration to use for import. Then, click Ok.
Establish import settings. Then, click Ok.

Folder to import - Click the ellipsis icon to locate the import file from your local or network drive.
Only update customers enrolled in Cafeteria - Use the drop-down menu to select a specific cafeteria to update.

Import 3rd Party Data
Imports data from a 3rd party.

From the Utilities tab, select Advanced. Then, choose Import 3rd Party Data.
Establish 3rd Party Import Data criteria. Then, click Ok.

If more than one 3rd party import file exists, select the appropriate file. Then, click Ok.

Path to import file - Use the ellipsis icon to locate the file on your local or network drive.
Only update customers enrolled in Cafeteria - Use the drop-down menu to select a specific cafeteria.
How should student records be matched to Newton? - Select how to match student records.
How should balances be transferred? - Select how to transfer balances.
How should POS numbers be assigned? - Select how to assign POS numbers.
Options - Select one or more options to include by placing a checkmark in the appropriate box.

Convert WinFSCM

Converting WinFSCM to Newton should only be performed by MCS. For assistance, contact Support.

Utilities → Advanced → Convert WinFSCM

End of Year

End of Year processes create an archive of the current year. End of Year should not be performed until the school year has ended and all processes have been completed in all systems. End of Year must be completed in a specific order and may vary from year to year; therefore, MCS Software will send out notifications when processes may first be initiated. Complete directions for End of Year/Beginning of Year steps are located in the Knowledge Center.

Utilities → Advanced → End of Year

Prior-Year Database

The Prior-Year Database option allows you to login and review information from a prior-year.

From the Utilities tab, select Advanced. Then, choose Prior-Year Database.
Select the Prior-Year Database you wish to review. Then, click Connect.
Enter your username and password. Then, click Ok.
Perform the functions to review information in the Prior-Year Database. Once you are done, close Newton. Upon login, you will be returned to the original database.

The Test Database and Prior-Year Database appear with a different background color and text to indicate you are not in the original database.

Agent Monitor

The Agent Monitor is a log of the behind-the-scenes processes of the Newton Agent, such as online payment systems and changes of account balances. This is a troubleshooting tool for Software Support staff. Contact Support for more details.

Utilities → Advanced → Agent Monitor

Customer Mass-Merge

Performing a Customer Mass Merge merges a customer with more than one account into a single account. Mass-Merge should only be performed by MCS. For assistance, contact Support.

Utilities → Advanced → Customer Mass Merge

Import Bulk Changes

Bulk changes to data can be made by manually running the import through utilities.

From the Utilities tab, select Advanced. Then, choose Import Bulk Changes.
Use the ellipsis icon to locate and select the file on your local or network drive and click Open. Then, click Ok.

Import External Enrollment Data

Allows importing external enrollment and attendance data.

From the Utilities tab, select Advanced. Then, choose Import External Enrollment Data.
Select the External Enrollment import to run. Then, click Ok.

You will see a series of processes run while data is imported.

Apply External Enrollment Data

Allows applying external enrollment and attendance data.

Enrollment Data cannot be applied to the system if an operating day is locked within the established date range.

From the Utilities tab, select Advanced. Then, choose Apply External Enrollment Data.
Establish External Enrollment data to apply. Then, click Ok.

Update Enrollment for Cafeterias - Select a specific Cafeteria or Category and Cluster by using the drop-down menu. You may also select Entire District.
Update Enrollment for Date Range - Use the calendar tools to update the from and to date range.
Method for Handling Missing Data - Use the drop-down menu to select how missing data is handled
Options - Select one or more options to include when applying updates.
Update Enrollment - Updates enrollment changes from the import file (if available).
Update Attendance if available - Updates attendance form the import file (if available).
Update Labor Hours if available - Updates labor hours from the import file (if available).

You will see a series of processes running while data is updated. Click Ok once processes have completed.

Shrink Database

Databases can expand during upgrades limiting space on the server. Shrinking the database compresses files thus preventing bloated files.

From the Utilities tab, select Advanced. Then, choose Shrink Database.
Establish how the database should be shrunk. Then, click Ok.

Databases(s) to Shrink - Select which databases to include during the shrink process.
Files to Shrink - Select which files to shrink during the process.
Current Database Size - Displays database information for production, prior-year, and test databases.
You will see a series of processes running while the database(s) is shrunk. Click Ok.

Note the database size has decreased.

Upgrade Test/Prior-Year Databases

The Upgrade Test and Prior-Year Databases utility looks at the version of the test or prior-year database and attempts to upgrade those databases to the most recent version of the software.

From the Utilities tab, select Advanced. Then, choose Upgrade Test/Prior-Year Databases.

You will see a series of process running while the system examines databases.
Establish upgrade options. Then, click Ok.
Automatically End User Sessions/Automatically Kill Other Database Connections

Automatically ending user sessions and killing other database connections ensures a more timely upgrade. As always, it is recommended that upgrades, including prior-year and test database upgrades, are done at the end of the day.

Databases(s) to Upgrade - Select which databases to upgrade. By default, all types of databases are selected.
Options - Select one or more additional options. By default, all options are checked.
Current Database Versions - Displays all databases, data size, and the Current DB version.
Once upgrades have been completed, you will be notified if databases were successfully upgraded ow which ones upgraded and which ones failed (if applicable).
1. Click Ok if all databases upgraded.
2. If any databases failed, you may click Yes to view each failed exception or No to skip viewing.
  ^{_{In the example below, five prior-year databases failed as the were included in the upgrade, but did not exist in the test environment.}}

Meal Eligibility Corrections

The Meal Eligibility Corrections utility analyzes the status for each student in an established date range and for the selected site filter to determine if a reimbursable meal was sold to a student with a status different from the student's end-of-day status as reported by Franklin. Once criteria has been established, you can review details of all transactions that will be corrected for a given student. The student's past status and current status and the day or date ranges in which those changes occurred is displayed. (If a student's status has been manually updated via a status correction in Newton, no further action may need to occur.) Additionally, you may choose to recalculate the enrollment of the affected days.

Best Practice

In order to avoid errors when running the MEC utility, operating days should be closed prior to committing the corrections.

Best Practice

In order to avoid errors when running the MEC utility, operating days should be closed prior to committing the corrections.

From the Utilities tab, select Advanced. Then, choose Meal Eligibility Corrections.
Establish Meal Eligibility Corrections criteria. Then, click Ok.

Filter by Cafeteria - Select a specific Cafeteria or Category and Cluster by using the drop-down menu. You may also choose the Entire District.
Meal Types - Select one or more meal types to include in MEC correction criteria.
Date Range - Use the cafeteria tools to select a From and to date range.
Criteria results display the student number, student name, cafeteria in which the transaction occurred, oldest serving date, most recent serving date and the change in status (Paying to Free, Paying to Reduced, Reduced to Free, Reduced to Paying, Free to Reduced, Free to Paying).

Columns displaying an increase in benefits are highlighted green.
Columns displaying a decrease in benefits are highlighted red.
It is recommended that you review details for a student as a manual correction may have already occurred in the system. You may review details by selecting a student and double-clicking or clicking View Details.

You can review the student's Account Statement. Use the calendar tools to establish an activity date range. You may also wish to include letter history.
Run the Meal Eligibility Correction by clicking Ok. By default, all students are selected. You may wish to unselect students once you have reviewed details by clicking in a checkbox.

You may also select/unselect all by clicking in the header checkbox at the top of the window.

You may also choose to Recalculate enrollment of affected days by placing a checkmark in the box. This will update the daily enrollment numbers and the Federal Edit Check to reflect changes made by the Meal Eligibility Corrections utility.
You must confirm you want to commit corrections. Click Yes to continue.

There is no UNDO for this process. If you cancel changes at any point after confirming to commit changes, updates to meals will occur up to the point that Cancel has been clicked.

You may see a series of processes running while changes occur.
Once the process has completed, you will be notified with details of the process. If an error has occurred, additional details may be viewed for the first error encountered.

Send Message

Send Message allows the ability to broadcast or send an alert message from the Central Office to every user who logs in to Newton.

If a user is not logged into Newton at the time the message is sent, the user will receive the message upon login.

From the Utilities tab, select Send Message.
Establish message options. After you have set users and entered a subject and message, click Ok to broadcast the message.

Send Message to Users - Select which users should receive the message.
Subject - Enter a subject (*Required before proceeding).
Message Body - Enter the message (*Required before proceeding).

Receive Message

When a message has been received, the Receive Message window will appear in Newton.

If you are working in another program when the message is received, you will be notified through the Windows taskbar at the bottom of your screen.

Message details will state the subject of the message, the person who sent the message, a date and time stamp, and the message details.

Click Ok once you have read the message. Clicking the red X will not close the message.

Rebuild POS Customers

Rebuilding Customers allows you to resynchronize POS customers to receive updates student information for the current cafeteria.

Check with your Supervisor or Central Office staff prior to performing this operation.

From the Utilities tab, select Rebuild POS Customers.

You will see a series of processes run.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping reorganizes file structures. Contact your Central Office staff prior to completing this action.

Utilities → Housekeeping

Test Mode

If you wish to attempt to perform an operation and are unsure how the results will affect your data, you can choose Test Mode. This will allow you to perform functions without affecting your current database.

In order for Test Mode to work, a test database must first be created in Advanced Setup in the Administration and Maintenance section.

From the Utilities tab, select Test Mode.
Select the Test Database you wish to use when performing functions. Then, click Connect.
Enter your username and password. Then, click Ok.
Perform the functions in Test Mode to review the results. Once you are done, select Test Mode (Utilities → Test Mode) again to be returned to the login screen and the live database.

The Test Database and Prior-Year Database appear with a different background color and text to indicate you are not in the original database.