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Overview

System Settings is where the client will set the parameters that will be utilized throughout the system.

Info

For the initial setup, please use the Setup Checklist to record when each section is complete.

Table of Contents



Opening System Settings

This procedure is used to access all processes in the System Settings section.

Locate and click the Admin & Maintenance tab. Next, click on the System Settings option.

For changes in multiple areas click Apply after completing modifications in each tab. Clicking Ok will save changes and close the window.



Newton

The Newton tab allows you to establish operation criteria.

Info

Maximum number of days for temporary statuses

After the set number of days, the student's status will change to full pay unless another status has been established. 

Info

News and Announcements

News and Announcements can be blocked for individual roles by revoking their permissions to News and Announcements under Admin & Maintenance → Security → Permissions.

Warning

Online Payment System

These settings should be performed by MCS only. For more information, contact Support

Note

District-Assigned POSID Range

If your District does not have a POS ID system in place, Newton will assign a POS ID for each student.

Info

Biometric Engine

Additional information about biometric setup can be located in the Peripheral Configuration Setup & Usage Guides. If you are interested in learning more about biometric devices, contact Sales.

Info

Remote Transaction Sharing

By default, upload and polling intervals are set for 60 seconds. It may take up to two minutes for a transaction to register between sales at multiple sites.

Maximum number of days for temporary statuses - Enter the number of days for a student to use a temporary status.
              Student At-Cost Meals Taxable - Place a checkmark in the box if tax is collected for student at-cost meals.
              Adult At-Cost Meals Taxable - Place a checkmark in the box if tax is collected for adult at-cost meals.
              Use Unallocated-Cash Only - This option is checked by default. By unchecking the box, student funds may be allocated into separate meal accounts (breakfast, snack, lunch).
              Note: In MySchoolBucks, if the option to allow payments to be designated for Meals Only is selected, the Use Unallocated-Cash Only option should be disabled. If this setting is not disabled, payments will be placed in Newton's unallocated funds for a customer.
              Skip alert-check on startup for users that cannot view alert details - This option is checked by default. By unchecking the box, alerts will show when any users log in to Newton.
              Show News and Announcements on Startup - Shows and News and Announcements upon login.
Current School Year - Use the drop-down arrow to select the current school year.
Online Payment System - Displays the online payment system used (if applicable).
District-Assigned POSID Range - Establish a from and to range if your District already has a POS ID system in place.
Biometric Engine - Use the drop-down arrow to select which biometric engine type (GrFinger, VeriFinger, AFIS) to use (if applicable).
Remote Transaction Sharing - Remote transaction sharing allows you to share transaction information between cafeterias in real time and sends alerts to the serving line if a child has received a reimbursable meal at another location.
              Unposted summary upload interval - Enter the number of seconds to determine how often a cafeteria should transmit remote transaction summary data. Enter 0 to disable this feature.
              Agent polling interval - Enter the number of seconds to determine how often the Newton agent checks for transaction summary data to send to cafeterias. Enter 0 to disable this feature.

Expand
titleOnline Payments System

To establish an online payments system, use the drop-down menu to select MySchoolBucks.com. then, click the ellipsis icon to configure the payment system.

MySchoolBucks.com - Establish configurations. Then, click Ok.

Info

Next Sync Mode

The following options are available when selecting Next Sync Mode:

Normal - Sends MSB any changes to students, enrollments, account balances, purchases, and voids.
Full Sync Students (default) - Sends MSB all students and enrollments. Sends MSB changes in account balances, purchases, and voids.
Full Sync Everything - Sends MSB all students, enrollments, account balances, purchases, and voids.

Info

Synchronize Meal Controls

When synchronizing spending limits, the system reporting the most recent change becomes the authority. e.g. At the beginning of the year, a parent notified the school their child may only charge $2. A month later, the parent establishes a $5 charge limit in MSB. The MSB charge limit will be honored. 

Info

Transfer Client

The Transfer Client is the mode used to communicate with MSB.

Automatic (default) - Automatically detects which mode works, but favors .NET.
Microsoft .NET SOAP Client (current operating systems) - Uses Windows' underlying cryptography/HTTPS.
IPWorks SOAPs Client (for Windows XP/2003) - Uses a 3rd party library.

Note: Transfers between household members may only occur for the parent's payment information on file. 
For example, if a Parent has a MySchoolBucks account for their two kids and a grandparent has a MySchoolBucks account for the same two kids, the parent can only move payments based on payments they have made and not payments the grandparent has made.

Integration Username - Enter your MSB username.
Integration Password - Enter your MSB password.
Show Password - Displays the password.
Next Sync Mode - Use the drop-down menu to select how to sync data on the next upload.
Establish payment system options:
              Get batch information for all payments on next download - Imports all payment batch info on the next sync.
              Send comments for Corrections - Sends comment corrections to MSB.
              Enable Real-Time Agent - Enables real-time synchronization between the systems.
              Synchronize Meal Controls - Synchronizes spending and charge limits in Newton with Meal Controls in MySchoolBucks, including Meals.
              Share Eligibility Information with MSB - Sends customer eligibility statuses from Newton to MySchoolBucks.
              Hide Prior-Year Eligibility - Hides previous schoolyear eligibility information.
              Required Information Release - Select the drop-down menu to select an information release, if needed.
Maximum Days of Transaction History to Send - Enter the max number of days of transaction history to send to MSB.
Transfer Client - Use the drop-down menu to select a transfer client.
Operation Mode - Select an operation mode.
Safety Checks - Establish safety checks by clicking the ellipsis icon and selecting the appropriate workstation that will communicate with MSB.


SQL Server

Contact your IT department for server information and prior to making any changes to the path. For more information, contact Support.

Note

Some users may not have a backup path relative to the client due to rights established by the District. If a network path is used, be sure the SQL server user login being utilized has the appropriate permissions to write to the chosen network location.

Temporary Backup Path Relative to Server - Enter the location where the system will place backups relative to the servers (usually a folder on the server's local drive).
Temporary Backup Path Relative to Client - Enter the location where the system will place backups relative to the workstation.
Shrink the log after database upgrades - By default, the database and log files are shrunk after upgrades.
Target Log Space Available - Specify the maximum space allowed for database shrinkage. In most cases, the default value, 2048 MB (2 GB), is sufficient.


Reporting

The Reports section allows you to set custom Headers that will appear in all reports and choose additional report options.
(Delete text in the Report Titles that will not be used.) 

Info

Calculate last activity dates for cafeteria letters

This may greatly decrease the time frame for report/letter generation.

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Report Title 1 - Enter the first default title line that will appear on all reports.

Report Title 2 - Enter the second default title line that will appear on all reports.
Report Title 3 - Enter the third default title line that will appear on all reports.
Sort Schools by - Use the drop-down menu to select the default of how schools should be sorted when running reports.
              Calculate last activity dates for cafeteria letters (may cause performance penalties) - Pulls activities for every single student in every cafeteria if enabled.
              Report customer names as 'last name, first name' - Generates reports with customers' last names displayed first and first names displayed last.
              Display reports even when there is no data to display - Allows reports to continue to generate even if no date is available for a report.
              Hide Site Code/School Number - Hides the site code/school number from reports.
Attendance to Display - Select how you would like your attendance to be displayed on certain reports.

Info

The following reports include Attendance data

After Posting

  • Daily Recap

Sales & Revenue

  • Combined Participation and Sales

  • Federal Edit Check

  • Recap and Reconciliation

             Posted Attendance (Manual, Imported, Calculated) - Select this option if you would like the attendance on your reports to reflect manually entered or imported attendance data. By default, this option is selected.
             Posted Enrollment x Attendance Factor - Select this option if you would like the attendance in your reports to reflect the automatically calculated attendance using the attendance factor.
             Allow runtime override - Select the checkbox to prompt for the above override options in associated report criteria windows.


DataCenter

DataCenter is used to house student information and pass and accept information between MCS programs.
This should be performed by Support staff only. For more information, contact Support.

Info

Prevent automatic deletion for students with balances

 Students will remain in Newton if a negative or positive balance remains if this option has been selected.

Data Source:
              Use WinFSFR data source - This option is no longer available as WinFSFR is no longer supported.
              Use Franklin data source - This option is selected if you are currently utilizing Franklin
Prevent automatic deletion for students with balances - If students have been deleted from DataCenter, but have a balance in Newton, they will be marked as inactive and remain in Newton as long as a balance remains.
Perform Full Refresh on next Datacenter syncWhen checked, the next datacenter sync will run as a full sync.  


District Info

The District Information section is where you tell the system about your District.

District Name - The name of the District. (Not editable. Set by MCS/DataCenter.)
Address Line 1 - District's mailing address.
Address Line 2 - District's mailing address continued.
City - District's city.
State - District's state. (Not editable. Set by MCS/DataCenter.)
Zip Code - District's zip code
Phone Number - District's phone number.


Misc Values

The Miscellaneous Values are available to establish the claim and set meal equivalencies for the Meals per Labor Hour report in order to calculate how much the cost is to prepare a meal.

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Area Eligible Meal Count Rounding

Clients other than Dallas should use the default option. 

Info

Commodity Value per Meal

Clients other than CCSD do not enter a value in this area as it does not apply to any other Newton "stock" report.

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Use Lunch Area Eligibility Rules to Calculate Eligibility Enrollment

Some states are being required to submit claims with enrollment data based on CEP percentages. Selecting this option changes figures in Claims and the Federal Edit Check reports. Contact your District supervisor or your state department prior to utilizing this feature. 

Claim - Establish claim options.
              Claim Format - Choose a claim format by using the drop-down arrow. To modify the Report Layout Definition, click the gear icon.
              Area Eligible Meal Count Rounding - Used in Dallas's custom plugin. Clients other than Dallas should use the default option.
Meal Equivalencies - Meal equivalencies are determined by meal cost to lunch cost ratio.
              Breakfast : Lunch
              Snack : Lunch
              Supper : Lunch
              À la carte $ : Lunch
                    Commodity Value per Meal - Used in CCSD's custom Profit & Loss report.
Edit Check Eligible x AF Rounding - Use the drop-down menu to select a rounding option (Round Down, Round Up, Round Nearest)
Use Lunch Area Eligibility Rules to Calculate Eligibility Enrollment - Allows enrollment figures at Area Eligibility Schools to be rounded based on CEP percentage.
Post Unofficial Operating days for Unposted Schools with Claimed Meals - When enabled, the settings allows the system to calculate enrollment and attendance statistics for schools that have claimed meals, but but have not posted.


Email

The Email section allows you to configure your email settings. Contact your IT department for SMTP setup details.

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Relay to SMTP Server - Select to send email messages utilizing an SMTP Relay Server.
              Hostname - Enter the SMTP Relay Server hostname or IP address.
              Port - Enter the SMTP Relay Port Number (typically 25 for non-SSL, and 465 for SSL).
              Enable SSL - Select to enable SSL Communication with the SMTP Relay.
              Authentication Mode - Select how to authenticate email.
                    Anonymous - Select to use anonymous authentication.
                    Basic - Select to use basic authentication (Username/Password).
                    Windows - Select to use Windows Authentication.
Send to Pickup Directory - Select this option to send email to the user-specified folder instead of relaying through an SMTP server.
Email on Failure Address - Select this option to send an email to the email address listed when a job fails. You can add multiple addresses by separating them with a comma.


Letters

The Letter Printing tab establishes "signature information" on letters.

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Central-Office Letter Signer's Name - Enter the name of the Central Office staff in charge of nutrition services.
Central-Office Letter Signer's Title - Enter the title of the Central Office staff whose name appears above.
Include customers with charge balances on Low Balance Letters - Includes customers balances on Low Balance letters.
Allow Emailing of Letters - Allows the district to email letters. This setting is defaulted as unchecked.


Artemis

The Artemis tab allows you to establish real-time communication with 3rd party vendors. In addition to establishing communication, safety checks are in place to ensure communication does not occur in the Newton database if copied into a test environment.

Note

Expected SQL Server Instance

If the SQL Server Instance name does not match, such as when the Newton database is copied to a test server, Artemis communication will automatically be disabled.

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Enable Artemis Integration - Place a checkmark in the box to enable Artemis integration.

Artemis Server URL - Enter the URL of the Artemis server in use.
Integration ID - The Artemis integration ID for your District.
Password - The password associated with the Artemis Integration ID.
       
Safety Checks - Safety checks ensure communication does not occur if the Newton database is copied into a test environment.
Expected SQL Server Instance - Enter the SQL server name used in your production environment. Use the drop-down menu to select how SQL Server should be compared to the running server.
                    Normal - Use this option if you only have one SQL server that could be considered correct. The SQL Server instance must match the text entered verbatim.
                    Reg. Ex. - You may use this option if you have multiple SQL servers that could be considered correct. The SQL Server instance must match the regular expression entered.
              Ellipsis - Clicking the ellipsis icon loads the information from the currently running SQL Server and quickly sets the correct values above for running in the current environment.