The Training Cross-Reference System provides the Training Industry with a light weight, user-friendly, and cost effective relational tool to facilitate the management of training material used during the conduct of workforce training.
Flexible and consistent user interface
TXR offers users numerous features that create an experience of ease and user-friendliness. All major screens follow the same layout style, providing the user the ability to display information in a clear and consistent manner. Only the data that is desired will be displayed providing a quick return of user initiated queries. The major displays can not only be resized, but can also be rescaled to allow the user to view the information that is important to their specific need.
Expanded search engine
TXR implements an expanded search engine allowing users to select meaningful criteria in which to view information. The major items of selection are located on the left side of the displays. Multiple selections for each category may be made in these areas so that only the desired data will be loaded. This allows TXR to minimized any network bandwidth utilization and allows users to experience quick responses to data searches. In addition, each colored label located on the right side of the displays may be used to further filter the data returned from the search process, giving the user more control of the information they desire to view.
Menu selectable options
Selectable Options utilize popup menus where appropriate. Implementing this type of option selections provides the user with a quick method of filtering the information, printing, or viewing additional information associated with the displayed data.
Detailed data displays
Each major display (Task Cross-Reference; Lesson Plan Cross-Reference) contains complete detailed information for each record. All information regarding the displayed record may be displayed and edited from the main display. No need to close the current display and navigate to an addition display to make modifications, and then have to go back to the original display in order to use the updated information.
Advanced report creator
One of the major features provided in TXR is the ability for the user to create their own, specialized reports. The Report Creator can be used as a tool to create formatted reporting based on table field selections from a tree view of the TXR data structure. Selection criteria for the data to be displayed in the report may be made in one of two ways. The user may select the search criteria via the SQL Builder, or the more knowledgeable user may wish to edit the SQL (Structured Query Language) statement directly.
The field selection process is simple. Just double-click the fields that you want on the report. The fields and headers are displayed in the report canvas. Once the field selection is completed, move and size the fields to the desired location in the report canvas. Reports may be created as a spreadsheet style (column headers located at the top), or may be created in freeform style (placement of header labels is manual).
If you want to group the data by a selected field, select the field to use and select the “Group by this Field” from the dropdown menu item (right-click on the selected field). Currently, only one group is provided in the Beta release.
Two main options are located at the top left of the report display. Print Reports provides access to the reports that have been created and are ready for use by the general user. To run a report, simple click the desired report from the list. The report preview (located on the right of the display) will display the results. Additional formatting features located at the top right of the report preview that allows the user to save the results in a text, Rich text, html, Adobe Acrobat (pdf), or MS Excel format for use in other applications.
The Create Report option allows users to create new reports, or modify existing reports. Creating new reports is explained above. Modifying existing reports is as simple as pressing the Open Report button and selecting the desired report from the list located on the left of the display. Selecting the report to modify will open the report in design mode allowing the user to add additional fields, relocate existing fields, or modify the data selection criteria to be used for the report.
Data Module
The Standard data module, or database structure, utilizes a standard relational design similar to theTEAMSpro™ Data Structure. The major data items consist of References, Tasks, Learning Objectives, Lesson Plans, and Training Programs. Subordinate data items include Stations, Duty Areas, Job Positions, Task Types, Instructional Settings, Course Subjects / Topics, Training Codes, Decision Codes, Tasks Ratings, and Training Frequencies.
The standard data structure is written to support Microsoft’s native database (mdb) format. However, there is no requirement to have MS Access installed, or available in order to use TXR. TXR’s data module does all the work. Additional data modules can be provided, if desired.
For user’s currently using earlier versions of TEAMS™, two options will be provided. Option 1 will consist of converting the TEAMS™ data to TXR data. Option 2 will consist of modifying TXR to handle the differences in the training material management process used in TEAMS™. In either option, the current data, including task numbering, will be preserved in order to minimize loss of productivity and regeneration of current data when using TXR.
For users that may have training material data in some other format, EXITECH Corporation will provide an estimate of effort required to convert the data into the TXR format. If examples can be supplied, a more concise estimate can be provided.