Preliminary Data Entry
When the project opens, a log in dialog box is displayed as follows - If you are working over a network, it may take a second or two for the screens to get populated with data fetched from the database. In the Users log in screen, when the password text box is selected automatically, the 'fetch' procedure is complete (see the first image below with password selected). If the project is used on a local drive (not a network), this happens without any delay.
Watch Demo
Fig 1.a
If 'Office' is selected, the options are as follows -
Fig 1.b
The user selects the appropriate option button. The options are used by the project to tie the user with a specific filtering of records. So the same user will get his/her last filter when re-opening the project. Only the Master and CEO users see all the icons. The three extra icons for the Master/CEO are for -
When this dialog box is closed - by clicking on the key image, the project will open the Get Records /DB dialog box and from there to the 'Hours' page and ready for data entry.
Once the software is licensed, the Users dialog box will show either Fleet or Office as the case may be.
However, on the ship, the first time, (before entering the hours worked for each crew), the user (Master selected from the dialog) should setup as follows -
1. Ship data from the Vessel Parameters Dialog Box -
Fig 2
The company name is optional and will be filled in automatically when the custom data files are found in the WRH folder. The Group name is optional and denotes if the vessel belongs to a specific group, such as 'Bulk and Tanker', Etc.
2. The Master then enters the Ranks for each department from the Ranks Dialog Box. The Ranks dialog box is available via the Menu Dialog Box
This section may be pre-filled for the vessel from the data given by the ship owner/manager and same coded in the custom data file. In this case, the Ranks List data entry section is disabled.
Fig 3
3. Once this is done, the Master has to create a list of the crew on board. This is done from the Crew List Dialog Box. This dialog box has two types of display -
One, a list view of all the crew entered and in the database over the previous year as follows -
Fig 4. a
Two, a screen showing one crew at a time with a shortened version of the list as follows -
Fig 4. b
To change the crew, use the icons with left and right arrows or select the crew from the listview and press the enter key or double click. To see more crew in the listview, scroll the mouse or use the keyboard up and down keys. The master may also use the start period and department and head of department filters to narrow down the records fetched from the database.
Some administrations require that the data sent to the office bear the signature of the crew and of the person authorised by the Master to supervise the records for that crew. Scanned jpg images (less than 4.5 kb and in black & wihite) can be added for each crew by clicking on the icon. A signature image may be deleted by the Master by right-clicking on the signature and confirming deletion.
This feature should not be used if your administration / home office does not require the scanned images in the data exported to the office or if you do not want to print to PDF files instead of on paper. When printing to PDF files, the HOD's signature is inserted in the report. By not including the scanned signature mages, the database and export data files will be small and cost effective.
The master may set up the 'Pay Off Date' by changing the default date (last day of the following year) using the calendar control
The master may setup the 'normal' working hours for the crew by clicking on the icon on the far right, (with the blue arrow) in the above image. This will show the Template Control screen.
Fig 4.c.
After selecting the template from the drop down box, the master has to click on the icon to the right of the drop down to execute the hours into the A.M. / P.M. bar.
Fig 4.d
The master can create any number of new templates for current and future use, saving them with a 'friendly' name, such as 'Deck Dayworker'. If the master sets up a normal working hours schedule, the future dates in the hours page for that crew is automatically populated with the pre-set working hours. Should there be any change, the crew may alter the pre-populated data as required.
Fig 4. e
The first icon is used to clear the hours A.M. & P.M. bars
The second icon is used to check the validity of the template working hours. The software will populate the Hours page with a the monthly scenario for the currently selected crew (including all the relevant parameters such as department, officer/rating, CBA, watch-keeper, calculation method and USA clauses) and provide the master with a check result.
The third icon is to be used to save a new template for working hours.
The icon with the Eraser image is for deleting a template record.
The icons with the up and down arrows may be used to change the order of the templates shown in the drop down box.
If licensed with this feature, the icon with the blue mouse is made active and the master may then set the working hours in fractions of an hour in less than 30 minute blocks.
Hover the mouse over the icons to see their full functions in the pop up tool tips.
The above screen is used also to correct the data already entered previously. For example, when the head of department has changed. the Master can select all the crew in that department and change the data accordingly.
From the screen in Fig 4b/4c, the Master can amend details of a previous crew or create a completely new record.
IMPORTANT: The Master should always create his/her own record first. Then, create the record for other heads of department -
Chief Engineer,
Chief Officer,
1st/2nd Engineer.
Only then, the other crew members.
4. The Master goes to the ‘List of holidays’ page and enters the holidays there as per the governing CBAs. The Master can enter up to four CBAs each, for officers and for ratings.
For ratings, should a holiday fall on a weekend, the next working day is automatically marked as a holiday.
Figure 5
5. The Master also sets the total weekly hours (from 40-48, inclusive) in row 3 and the restricted hours for young seafarers according to the ship's CBA or Flag state rules. The restricted hours for young seafarers are entered in rows 21 & 22.
Summary of Preliminary Data Entry
Only the Master user can save the ship name, ship nationality, ship IMO and ship type. Only the Master user can change the contents of the List of Holidays page including restricted hours for young seafarers or create a list of Ranks for the vessel or create a list of crew members or set the working hours schedule.