Instructions
Instructions are where the bulk of your text should go - use the space to add important information, images, and links. It's also where you define the settings for how many Selections should be made.
Instructions are linked to the Section they are created within. To add an Instruction click the dropdown arrow to the right of the Section you want to put it into.
Note that you don't have to have the Section highlighted in blue to choose the dropdown.
When the Section is contracted, the arrow will point left.
When the Section is expanded, the arrow will point down.
Only one section can be expanded at any given time.
Once you've expanded the Section you will see any Instructions that exist within that Section.
Click the green 'Add Instruction'.
If you don't already have any Instructions linked to the Section, the button will be at the top.
A modal will appear when you click the Add Instruction button, asking you to give the Instruction a Report Name.
As with a Section, this will appear on reports, as well assisting with navigating throughout SSO.
It's ok to use the same Report Name more than once and will certainly be the case if you're setting up pathways where the Instructions are the same from one to the next, but with different criteria applied.
Text/Images
You'll notice that all the formatting options available in a Section are available an Instruction, but there are also additional texting functions available.
This is because the bulk of your text information should at Instruction level, not Section level.
Below is an outline of the formatting functions available at Instruction level
Bold / Italic / Underline
Ordered list (numbered points), Unordered list (bullet points), Quotation (will indent and stand out from the standard text)
Alignment (left, centred, right, justified)
Link / Unlink (this is where you can set up a clickable link that goes to either a PDF you've saved in SSO or an external website)
Style formatting (pre-defined text formatting - good for consistency) / Text Size
Text colour
Image (this will appear in line with text) / Insert Table / Insert Symbol
Indent Left / Indent Right
Switch to HTML formatting
Settings
Setting | Purpose |
---|---|
Report Name | is what the Instruction will be referred to in reports and navigation throughout SSO |
Function | allows the Instruction to be configured for different uses: Parent PIN, Appointments, or to Display Results (leave it as Normal for regular use) |
Selection method | is how students will input their responses |
Radio | is where only one selection is permitted |
Checkbox | allows more than one entry (good for a short list) |
Dropdown | allows more than one entry (good for a long list). Text field is also an option, but this needs to be set up differently (more information in the Selections information below) |
Set number of selections for this instruction | is where you set minimums and maximums that correlate directly with the text requirements you've written regarding the number of choices required (note that Radio input means no maximum is required by its nature) |
Apply a selection weighting count for this instruction | is where you set unit count minimums and maximums that correlate directly with the text requirements you've written regarding the unit count required |
If the student does not have the pre-requisites for selections in this instruction | determines what button they will see for a selection they don't have the required results for |
Don't show the selection | will hide it |
Show the selection as unavailable | will show a red circle / square and not permit selection |
Allow override request | will show a yellow circle / square and allows students to request approval to choose a Selection |
Show selections in preference order | will allow students to move their selections up and down to show their preference order within Selections that have been chosen |
Exclude fees in this instruction for payment | will not include Course Costs in the Payment Report or Payment Gateway (handy for reserve choices) |
Ignore pre-requisites for this instruction | allows any pre-requisites to be ignored in this instruction area |
Where multiple selections are required, set them out | will allow Selections to be tiled across the screen (for 'Horizontally'), rather than the default (Vertically) |
Re-Order
This tab will allow you to change the order that the Instructions appear within the Section. As with reordering Sections, this option is only available where there are no Selections in place.
You can't reorder to another Section - it has to be contained in the existing one.
To change the order of Instructions, click 'Re-Order', then arrows will appear on the left of the Instructions for that Section, in the Navigation pane.
Drag and drop into the required location, then click Save on the right.
This will take the Instruction as well as any Selections linked to it, and move it into the new location.
As you drag the Instruction up and down amongst the other Instructions, it will show a blue outline of where you can drop it in.
Remember to click Save once you have it in the right location.
Delete
This function can be used to delete an Instruction, as well as any attached Selections.
The Selections will remain in the Selection Matrix, and in any other locations that they appear in.
You can't delete an Instruction, if there are any Selections that have already been chosen by students (even if they're just test students).
Only Delete the option if you definitely want to get rid of an Instruction, as the Delete action cannot be reversed.
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