Web Enabling

Web Enabling - Information and Start Up

Overview of Class Online Toolkit...

Class web integration is the most advanced form of Web/Systems integration. Class cuts out the "middle man" by allowing the web to directly access and update (with protection) Class, so there is no longer the need for 2 systems to be maintained (Class Online Toolkit and Class) or for online bookings to be re-entered. Of course a web page designed to reflect your corporate image is still required, but the product, pricing and availability content is taken live from Class.

For example, the products you sell (courses, accommodation, transfers and sundries), their price, availability, intake dates, multi language descriptions, age restrictions, etc., are provided and controlled by Class. As your products and prices change in Class, the Class Online Toolkit (as it looks at Class data) is automatically kept in line. On line bookings via the Web, either from a Student or an Agent, are automatically transferred to Class. Enquiries may also be directly transferred into Class.

Main Functions...

Online Bookings - Agents and Direct Students
Online View options - Agents, Students, and Hosts
Booking information (Courses, accommodation, transfers etc.)
Attendance
Accounting (Ledger users only - prices, payments, balances etc)
Accommodation (Family details), plus room maintenance and pictures

An Agent for example can see (subject to appropriate permissions) a complete history of bookings, including finance and attendance. A Student is only able to see his/her own bookings (subject to appropriate permissions).

How Does it Work?

To protect the integrity of the Class database a Web DLL has been developed enabling Web Developers to "talk" to Class freely and easily without any danger of data integrity being broken. The web DLL is a simple to use (by professional web developers, not end users!) tool, enabling questions to be asked of Class and results returned. For example, list all Price Items for Cambridge School plus Intake Dates (in German). Class can of course calculate the price and check for availability.

To assist Web Developers, a number of example web pages have been included with the Web module. Class web pages may be copied (colours/logos etc can be changed) and incorporated into an existing web page (subject to technology issues), but schools may decide to only use them as a starting point. Samples of the web pages are provided at the end of this document.

The next section looks at the process for getting started with Class Web.

Quick Start-Up List...

Below is a "Quick Start-up" sequence for Web enabling Class. For more information refer to the Detailed Start-up List later in this section.

By default, nothing in Class is "web enabled", which means although web pages may be up and running no data will come from Class!
Class does not assume that everything is to be made available on the Web. So for example, some of the schools listed in Class (including the Sample/Test ones!) may not be exposed to the Web. Similarly, some of the products in Class may not be sold on the Web; certain names may need to be adapted for the Web use etc, etc. As the web has no human interface to make common sense judgements Class provides additional information (e.g. Intake Dates and Availability etc) to better qualify the validity of the customers requirements.

Sequence:

1. Settings - Company - Set Web Defaults

2. Settings - International - Select Web Languages (if required)

3. Schools - Web Enable and additional information

4. Price Maintenance - Web Enable, Web Languages (if used) and age checking

5. Price - Web Groups (for grouping similar products together eg. all GE courses)

6. Agent - Web Permissions (access options)

7. Student - Web Permissions (access options)

8. Accommodation - Web Permissions (access options)

9. Schools - Establish Intake Dates (if required)

10.Settings - Student - Professions (if used), and Sources (if used)

11.Courses - Language translations (if used)

12.Availability (if restrictions are required)

13.Web Bookings Processing - Browse Screen - Select or Accept Web Bookings

Detailed Start-Up List...

1. Settings - Company - Set Web Defaults

Remember to set Remote User Default Permissions for Agents, Students and Families.

Block Student - After Departure
Set the number of days after departure for a student to no longer have access to their details.

Allow Students/Agent to view Booked Host Details
This restricts Agents and Students from seeing accommodation details (host name/address) 'n' days prior to arrive. This allows the school time to ensure details are committed before allowing them to be viewed on the web.

Delay on Line Bookings to Start
This stops (if required) online bookings being entered for "immediate start" (eg. Sunday booking with accommodation for a Monday start!)
A typical setting might be 7, giving the school 7 days minimum notice. The system adds 7 days to today's date in order to determine valid start dates.

Default Permissions
Agents, Accommodation, Students
Set as required

2. Settings - International - Select Web Languages (if required)

Setting a Web Language allows Schools, Prices, Courses, Sources and Professions, to have an equivalent name in that language. If the Web is only in English, this option is not required.

3. Settings - Web Enable & additional information

Allow Web Bookings
Tick if to appear on the web

Country of School
It is common where schools operate in more than 1 country to direct the web user to select "country" before selecting the school. So for example, England might then list Oxford, Cambridge and London. Completing this enables such functionality.

Allow Packages Online?
Tick if "packages" are allowed (online) for this school.

School Web Note
Enter a description of the school, if you want it to appear on the web.

Web Booking Currency
There are special rules for dealing with Agent currencies, but for Direct bookings, the school may wish to restrict bookings to a particular currency, or a selection of currencies.

Web Alternative Language Details
School may be given a different Web Name.

4. Price Maintenance - Web Enable &, Web Languages & age checking

Each product that is to be available on the web has to be enabled as shown above.
Descriptions, language names and notes are optional.

5. Price - Web Groups

General
Web Groups are an option for grouping price items for each school together for a more logical presentation on the web.
This can be best seen by the examples below:

Examples:

Tuition

General English Courses - Listed together

Exam Courses - Listed together

Business Courses - Listed together

University Preparation Courses - Listed together

Accommodation

Home Stay options - Listed together

Residences - Listed together

Notes and Languages

Transfers and Sundry Items

To enable Class to recognise arrival and departure transfers separately, and different Sundry items, which may be optional items on the web page, it is necessary to create groups matching the headings below:

"Arrival Transfer"
"Departure Transfer"
"Cancellation Insurance"
"Medical Insurance"

For example the Sundry Price Item for Medical Insurance would be included in the "Web Group" called "Medical Insurance".

6. Agent - Web Permissions

Allow Agent to login via the Web?

Set if this Agent is allowed access via the web.

User Name

Enter a user name (which must be unique for the system) up to 250 chars long. It will default to the Agent's email address.

Password

Up to 10 chars long (case sensitive)

Verify Web Login User Name

After entry of a new user name you should verify that the name is unique. However, the system will always check before accepting the record.

Account Admin User

An Admin user the following additional rights:

Amend the main user Name/Password (top of screen)

Switch on/off the web enabling of contacts.

Access Sub Agents

Permission to access the accounts of Sub Agents (set up in the table on the right side)

Contact Summary Details

Allows Contacts to be added/edited but not allowed to set contact as web enabled.

Others

Select as appropriate

Preferred Date Format

Set European or USA format

Sub Agent Accounts

An agent may have more than 1 account (e.g. multi currency, group of agencies etc). These can be listed to enable a single access permission to all accounts.

7. Student - Web Permissions

Similar process to Agents

8. Accommodation- Web Permissions

Similar process to Agents

9. Schools - Establish Intake Dates

Intake dates are used to ensure enrolments booked through the web have valid intake dates.
Without this a student could be enrolled for any dates.

The List is given a Name to represent all the items controlled by the intake dates, typically Tuition Items.

If no controls are required, tick the "Always available" box.

Select the "Start" day, followed by "Weekly Intervals".

Generate Dates - Dates are automatically created but can be added or deleted by hand to reflect special events e.g. Easter, Christmas etc.

Select the Price Items required to be controlled:

10. Settings - Student - Professions

Tick Items that are to appear online and set "Web Language" name if required. The Notes option enables the web page to optionally display explanatory notes (in the appropriate language) against the selected item.

Student - Sources (if used) - same as per Professions above

11. Courses - Language translations (if used)

Same process and principle as "Prices"

12. Availability (if restrictions are required)

Set the quantity and min/max weeks as required:

Establish the price items that make up the "Availability":

13. Importing Web Bookings

Completed web booking details can be seen immediately in Class. However, as a check, bookings need to be "accepted" before further processing in Class can occur.

Web bookings can be accepted or rejected in total or individually.

Sample Web Pages:

These are the Web pages supplied with the Class Dll Web interface kit. They are samples of what can be achieved using the interface. Although the pages can be copied and used directly in your own web page it is suggested they are used as a starting point only.

Class Web - View

Agent and Host Details

Agent - Login

Agent - Booking Summary

Agent - Booking Details

Agent - Student Accommodation Details
(information is also available for transfers)

Agent - Student Attendance

Agent - Finance Account Details

Agent - Payment details of a single booking

Agent - Contact Details

(can be maintained by the Agent)

Agent - Main Login Details
(can be maintained by the Agent)

Host Details

Hosts can have access to the following information (subject to controls)

Host -Payment History
(for a single student)

Host -Payment History
(for all students)

Student Details

Student - Student Summary

Student - Student Booking (Details)

Student - Accommodation Details

Student - Transfer Details

Class Online Toolkit - On Line Bookings

Below are example Web screens to illustrate the technical options available. The sequence and content are controlled by the Web Developer.

Step 2 shows a summary and (gross) prices, and it is intended that the Agent could show the student the screen at this stage (if required).
If a product is not available a Red Cross shows and the student will need to go back and reselect.
The sample pages have been programmed not to lose or reset data as you go "backwards/forwards" through the web pages.

Personal details are then requested, but of course the web page may be written not to request address details, as the Agent may be reluctant to complete this part!

If the booking is for a "Direct" student it is likely that a further screen will request a payment to confirm the booking.
This would be sent to a "shopping cart" in order to collect the payment. On submission of the booking the details become immediately available in Class.

In Class

Web Bookings may be viewed (no edit until accepted into Class), accepted, or rejected. Options exist to allow all bookings to be accepted.

View Option:

On acceptance the booking shows in Class as "Provisional".