(2) Extend the functionality of the "Active" status of a Project.

The Active box of a Project has always been required to be ticked for a Project to be displayed in the default Improvement Project directory. If the Active box is not ticked then the Project will not be displayed in the default Project directory. This non-Active status has now been extended so that if a Project is not ticked then irrespective of the setting of the Notify function, no emails or action reminders will be generated for any Project Actions within the Project. This functionality allows a Project to be set up in the non-Active state with no emails or action reminders generated during the setup, and then when the Project Manager is ready to "activate" the project then the Active box is ticked. When a new project is created, the Active box default is un-ticked, i.e. not active.

(3) Introduce the "Notify" function to a Project Action.

A "Notify" function has now been introduced for a Project Action. When the Notify check-box is ticked then an Email and Action Reminder are generated to the person responsible for the Project Action whenever the "Date Due" or "Person Responsible" changes, of if the Notify box status changes to "ticked" in an Active Project. If the Notify check-box is not ticked, then no emails or action reminders are generated to the person responsible. The Project Manager can change the Notify status to either ON or Off, but the person responsible for the specific Project Action can only on turn this ON (not Off).

(4) A Knowledge TAB has been added to a Project. 

All Improvement Projects are always linked to one or more DNA Operational Actions that the project has been created to address. However the Knowledge that is associated with these DNA Operational Actions was not visibly displayed or accessible from within the actual Improvement Project. An Improvement Project has therefore been enhanced by the addition of a Knowledge TAB which when selected displays a directory list of all the Knowledge associated with the DNA Actions to which the Improvement Project is addressing.

(5) Simplify the Add Project Action function.  

An "Add New Project Action" button has been added to the Project Action screen header that allows the immediate adding of a new Project Action in one step. A new Project Action can still be added using the "New" button that is available in the page header buttons when any active Project Action is open.

(6) Automate new Project Action Sequencing. 

It is no longer necessary to enter a new sequence number when adding a new Project Action. The "+" sign that shows in the sequence field indicates that no data entry is required and that this field will be "auto sequenced". Together with this enhancement the "Action Order" field has now become mandatory. The "Sequence" field no longer has any function in the ordering of Project Action sequencing, the order of Project Actions is now completely determined by the "Action Order" field.   

(7) Change Project Action direction buttons to function on Order #
       not on Sequence #.

With the introduction of the "Action Order" field, the [<<]; [<]; [>]; and [>>] buttons in the application page header now advance the displayed Project Action in the order determined by the "Action Order" field not the "Sequence" field as was previously the case.

(8) Allow Improvement Projects to be visible to all Operational
       Actions that they are addressing.  

An Improvement Project can be set up to address multiple DNA Operational Actions (i.e. Level-3 Actions). Similarly there can be multiple Improvement Projects that may address a single Operational Action. Because of this flexibility the Project TAB within each Level-3 Operational Action now displays all of the Improvement Projects that have been subsequently linked to the Operational Action, not just the primary project that was previously the case..

(9) An online Report Generation and Scheduling system has been
       added to AMS

This is a major upgrade to the system.
In this Release 1.4 Online Report Generation has been added to Define Strategies, Improvement Audits, and Improvement Projects. A [G] button has been added to each of these AMS pages that activates the report generation screen. To generate a report in PDF format (the default format) then simply click on the [S] button (if you want the report generated within the existing AMS Application window), or click on the [O] button (if you want the report presented in a separate browser window). The separate window can be useful if you wish to continue using AMS whilst retaining access to the report that you generated.

Included with this Reporting system is a "report scheduling" capability that is provided to the Systems Administrator to allow the creation, automatic generation, and email dispatch of customised reports to selected groups of personnel. For example, a special report can now be created for the CEO or selected Management that is automatically generated by the AMS system on a specific time or day and then emailed to that person or group of persons. These special reports are generated by the system and are not accessible by standard users, however they are additionally accessible by the Systems Administrator for ad-hoc generation if necessary. Ad Hoc reports can be generated on request (for a small fee) by The Management Practice and integrated into any client's AMS.

(10) Include DNA Action-ID reference on Job 5x5 Action Summary.

An additional column has been added to the Job 5x5 Display screen to make the process of creating a subordinate's Job 5x5 easier. This small addition makes it simpler to create the cascading of DNA Operational Actions down to Job Actions and makes it easier to link the subordinate's Job Action back to the most correct DNA Operational Action.

(11) Main Menu Re-organisation

The AMS Main Menu items have been re-organised in a minor way so that all organisation-wide Search functionality is now consolidated within the "Improving Business" menu folder.