Getting Started with e-Forms...a Step by Step Guide

Contents:

How to Access e-FormsTechnical Requirements & SettingsHelpful Hints & Tips

Setting up a Security QuestionHow to navigate your e-FormSaving a Draft e-FormAccessing Your HistoryForm StatusesHelp Pages

Getting Started FAQ’s

How to Access e-Forms

Open Internet Explorer

Click the following link to access the e-Form pages:

https://sap.gloucestershire.gov.uk:50101/irj/portal

Save this to your favourites by clicking on ‘Favourites’ and ‘Add to Favourites’

Sign in using your username and password

When you first log in you will be prompted to change your password to something memorable; this should include both upper and lower case letters and a number. Remember to keep this password confidential.

You will also need to set your security question, in case you ever forget your password. Please click here to find instructions.

The first page will show your SAP inbox.Any forms which are rejected will appear here for you to amend. Approvers also access forms to approve from their inbox.To open a form which is in your inbox double click on the form you wish to view.

Click on the ‘SAP for Schools’ tab to access e-Forms, school history and draft forms.

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As a safety precaution your SAP account will automatically lock if it has been inactive for 90 days. This can be prevented by simply logging into SAP each month.

Technical Requirements and Settings

Technical Requirements

In order to use SAP e-Forms, the basic PC requirements are: Internet Explorer 6.0 or above Adobe Reader Version 8.1.3 or above (except 10.0) If you are using Internet Explorer 8+ you must use Adobe 9.1 and above.

The matrix below explains the system requirements:Adobe 8.1.3+

Adobe 9+

Adobe 10

Adobe 10.1+

Internet Explorer 6 Yes Yes No Yes Internet Explorer 7 Yes Yes No YesInternet Explorer 8 No Yes No Yes

How to check your Adobe version

In order to use e-Forms you must be on version 8.1.3 of Adobe or above. Version 10.0 is also not compatible with e-Forms, so you will need to upgrade to 10.1 if this is the version you are using.Follow these steps to check which version you are using:

1. Select ‘Adobe Reader’ from programs in the ‘Start’ menu2. Click on the ‘Help’ menu3. Select ‘About Adobe Reader’4. A box will appear details which version

you are using

How to check your Internet Explorer version

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The above example shows the Adobe version as 9.4.1

In order to use e-Forms you must be on version 6.0 or above.Follow these steps to check which version you are using:

1. Open Internet Explorer2. Click on the ‘Help’ menu3. Select ‘About Internet Explorer’4. A box will appear details which version you are using

Settings to Check

Ensure JavaScript is enabled in Adobe Reader

To check if JavaScript in enabled:1. Select ‘Adobe Reader’ from the programs

in the ‘Start’ menu2. Click on ‘Edit’3. Select ‘Preferences’ from the menu4. On the left hand menu select ‘JavaScript’5. Ensure ‘Enable Acrobat JavaScript’ is

ticked (if not, tick and click ok)

Ensure scripting is turned on in Internet Explorer

Follow these steps to check:1. Open Internet Explorer2. Click on the ‘Tools’ menu3. Select ‘Internet Options’ and choose the ‘Security’ tab4. Click ‘Custom level’ and a pop-up box will appear5. In the pop-up box scroll down the list until you find ‘Scripting’ 6. Under ‘Active Scripting’ click ‘Enable’ and ‘OK’

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The above example show the Internet Explorer Version as 8

Only the 32 bit version of Internet Explorer is supported

Follow these steps to check:1. Open Internet Explorer2. Click on the ‘Help’ menu3. Select ‘About Internet Explorer’4. A box will appear detailing if you

are using a non 32 bit edition. In this example a 64 bit edition is being used.

Ensure ‘gloucestershire.gov.uk’ is a trusted site

Follow these steps to check:1. Open Internet Explorer2. Click on the ‘Tools’ menu3. Select ‘Internet Options’4. Click the ‘Security’ tab and ‘Trusted sites’5. Click the ‘Sites’ button and ensure ‘gloucestershire.gov.uk’ is within the list.

Using Windows XP which have Adobe Reader 10 or 11

If you are using Windows XP with Adobe Reader 10 or 11 you will need to check the settings as below: (remember Adobe version 10.0 cannot be used but other 10 versions can)

1. Select ‘Adobe Reader’ from programs in the ‘Start’ menu4

2. Click on ‘Edit’3. Select ‘Preferences’ from the menu4. In Adobe 10 select ‘General’ from the left menu. In Adobe 11 select ‘Security (enhanced)’5. Ensure ‘Enable Protected Mode at startup’ is not ticked.

Adobe 10 Adobe 11

Pop Up Blocker

If your pop up blocker is on, a message at the top of the screen will appear.To resolve this problem, click ‘Always Allow Pop-ups from This Site’. In the dialog box that appears, click ‘Yes’.

Helpful Hints and Tips

Setting up a Security Question

Please ensure you set up a security question. If you ever forget your password you will be able to reset it using your security question.

1. In SAP click the ‘Change Password’ option2. Click ‘Modify’3. Select a security question from the dropdown menu4. Type in your answer5. Click the ‘Save’ button6. The message ‘User attributes modified’ will appear to confirm the change has been made

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How to Navigate Your e-Form

To scroll up and down an e-Form please click on the form and use either the mouse scroller or the arrow keys on your keyboard.

Saving a Draft e-Form

To prevent your form from ‘timing out’ and losing your data, we advise you to save a draft of the form every 25 minutes. Follow the steps below on how to save a draft:

1. Scroll to the bottom of your form at any time2. From the action dropdown box select ‘Save to draft’ and click on the ‘Confirm’ button

3. To access your draft forms click on the ‘SAP for Schools’ tab then ‘E-Forms for Schools’4. From the main screen click ‘Draft Forms’ (a new window will open, this may take a few

moments to load).5. Click the draft form you would like open6. The form will open and you can continue working

Accessing Your History

Your history will show all forms which have been submitted. How to access your history:

1. In SAP click the ‘SAP for Schools’ tab, click ‘E-Forms for Schools’ then ‘General History’2. If your history does not show straight away click on the yellow ‘Show History’ button3. The history will appear in chronological order with the oldest forms at the top4. To sort the history click on the little arrows to the right of the column heading

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5. To filter by form status, select the required status from the dropdown column and click ‘Show History’.

Form Statuses

The status of each form can be seen in the history. Please see below for a guide to form statuses:

Draft – Form has been saved by the inputter.Submitted – A form which has been sent to the approver for approval.Rejected – The form has been sent back by the approver and is with the inputter to amend.Approved – The form is waiting to post into the system.BSC Team – The form is with the BSC team.Posted – The form’s data is now in SAP. This is the end of the e-Form process.Cancelled – The form has been deleted by the inputter.

Help Pages

To help make using e-Forms as simple as possible we have provided help sheets and FAQ’s for each individual form.All help sheets can be found on the e-Forms BSS page.

Getting Started – FAQ’s

I am unable to view coloured boxes

Adobe may have been installed without the ability to see shaded fields. This setting can be found and changed by opening ‘Adobe Reader’ from programs in the ‘Start’ menu.

1. Click ‘Edit’ and select ‘Preferences’2. Select ‘Forms’ from the left menu3. Tick the ‘Show border hover colour for fields’ box

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I can’t open the form in Google Chrome/Firefox/Safari

You will need to use Internet Explorer as your browser when using e-Forms. Unfortunately, Google Chrome and other browsers such as Safari and Firefox are not supported by SAP.

I am receiving an error message when I try to log in

If you receive the following error message when trying to log in:

The problem is caused by the setting in Adobe Reader. To resolve please follow these steps:

1. From the ‘Start’ menu go to programs and ‘Adobe Reader’2. Click on the ‘Edit’ menu and then choose ‘Preferences’3. Select ‘Internet’ on the left menu.4. Ensure that the ‘Display PDF browser’ box is ticked as in the

example below. This should resolve the problem.

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‘SAP for Schools’ screen is blank

If, after clicking on your ‘SAP for Schools’ tab the screen is blank, please click on the ‘Expand tray’ icon. This will restore your view of the options in the SAP for schools menu.After doing so, you may need to click on the ‘SAP’ tab again and then click back on the ‘SAP for Schools’ tab.

If you have any difficulties in using the system please contact your Pay and Conditions administrator.

BSC contact list

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