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Planning and Results System
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
January 2008

 Reporting Guidelines | System Operation | Team Related | Who Reports | Who has Access to Reports

Questions are grouped into 5 categories: Reporting Guidelines, System Operation, Team Related, Who Reports and Who Has Access to Reports.

The questions and answers for each category are provided to help you understand the purpose and workings of the Planning and Results System.  The anticipated questions represent those users of the System are likely to ask.  As new questions arise they will be added to one of the categories below.

Select from the categories by clicking on it to get to the question, and its answer.  If you don't find a question in the category that matches yours, contact Rick Mills at 608-263-4985, or rick.mills@ces.uwex.edu.  Programmatic questions should be directed to team leadership, or program area administration.  Once routine questions have been answered, they will appear on this page.

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System Operation | Team Related | Who Reports | Who has Access to Reports

Reporting Guidelines

1. When should team members, and individuals file their program results?  Success stories, Individual Statistics and Impacts are due on Friday, January 11, 2008. Most people will choose a regular timeframe to enter their program data whether that is immediately after the program occurs, monthly, quarterly, or some other time frame. Consult with your department head, district director or state program leader for exceptions to guidelines. All 2007 reports must be filed no later than Tuesday, January 15, 2008 with prior approval. This allows adequate time for administration to review all narratives prior to the annual review process. 
   
   

2. When will team success story reporting be available on the system?

   Tentatively - summer/fall 2008.

   Teams may use the existing success story screen for reporting team successes. Be sure to indicate that the narrative is a ‘team success story’ in the SUMMARY field, and identify each contributor in the body (beginning or ending the story). One team member enters the story under their ID (perhaps coach or team leader); or the team success story may be entered under each of the authors' name by using the DATA Liaison function. Contact Rick Mills for access.
   

3. How many success stories should I submit?  Am I limited to one?  You are encouraged to submit at least one success story. You might have as many as three or four efforts which reflect progress toward your program priorities.
   
   

4. How lengthy can my success story be?  Success story "cells" are approximately 3900 characters, or about a page and a half. Work to tighten the narrative to fit. We have found that shorter stories often convey our message more clearly to stakeholders, than longer stories. Guidance for Writing Success Stories can be found on the CE Technology Services PRS resource web page, http://www.uwex.edu/ces/techservices/prs/. Refer to the "Characters Remaining" field to be sure that your success story narrative does not exceed 3900 characters, and thus will not be truncated upon saving. After you SAVE the success story, check the narrative to be sure that it was not truncated.
   
   

5. How formal should the writing be for success stories, and what format (1st or third person)?

   Information about how to complete and submit success stories can be found on the PRS Resource page, Success Story Guidance, http://www.uwex.edu/ces/techservices/prs/success.cfm.
   

6. How are impact statements and success stories different?  Impact Statements are brief (2000 characters), descriptions of a specific result or benefit from Extension's programming efforts. Impact statements relate to a specific outcome found in a team's plan of work. Example: Four marketing clubs have been created and meet monthly to study new marketing techniques with 15-30 members in each club.  Success Stories relate to a specific team and not necessarily to a specific individual team outcome. Use the "Word Count" function to be sure that your impact statement narrative does not exceed 2000 characters, and thus will not be truncated upon saving.
   
   

7. Where can I find academic department guidelines/policies relating to individual plans of work?  Each academic department or program area has developed guidelines/policies for individual program areas.  The documentation is available on the web at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/acadipow.html.
   
   

8. What if we don't know the learners' ethnicity?

   We have based our data collection systems and definitions on those of the US Census Bureau which was mandated (as were all federal agencies) to collect data this way.

   The best descriptions come from US Census:

   http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/racefactcb.html

   "Overview of Race & Hispanic Origin". http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-1.pdf

   When possible, ask participants to self-report their race/ethnicity. When self-report data is not available, use your best judgment in reporting race/ethnicity.
   

9. When processing my individual statistics, can I 'lump' all of my direct teaching contacts?  Yes, when the data pertains to the same team. We require individual statistics be entered by team. If an individual has data to enter for multiple teams, counties or campuses; the data must be entered separately for each category. If there are any questions on this subject, do not hesitate to contact the CE Technology Services Help Desk for clarification.
   
   

10. If I report statistical data to a team do I also have to report impact indicators, impact statements and a success story? All faculty and staff are encouraged to report statistical information, face-to-face teaching contacts and related civil rights data to as many teams as possible. In addition, you may choose to contribute impact indicators, impact statements and/or a success story to any team.
    
    

11. Do I need to account for all of my time?  No. The new system is designed to collect the results of your major programming efforts.
    
    

12. Are counties required to write a county team plan of work?  Each county is encouraged to prepare a plan that describes how it plans to address the local concerns identified in the program planning process and to share that plan with local stakeholders. This plan can serve as a useful tool to identify program responsibilities within the office. These plans will not be submitted or stored on an electronic database. Many counties may want to post them on their county web site or to develop a shortened version that can be used as a short description of the local county program in external relations efforts.
    
    

13. How will direct teaching contacts be entered?  When more than one Extension professionals is working together on a program, each person should enter their own data for the teaching contacts they reached. We realize this will lead to some over-counting, but it is the only way for each person to have an accurate record of their own teaching.
    
    

14. When should one use the "yes/no" radio buttons for para-professionals on the Individual Statistics screen under "direct teaching contacts"?  1) If you are a WNEP coordinator or 4-H agent/educator and you are entering data for yourself, you should select "no." 2) If you are an WNEP coordinator or 4-H agent/educator and you're entering data as a coordinator for assistants/educators, and the direct teaching contacts are for someone other than yourself, you should select "yes."  The system is very flexible and will allow for direct teaching contacts to be entered individually or as a group total. Each program area may choose to complete and input the direct teaching contact differently, however the description for para-professionals can be found when clicking the "?" next to "para-professional?"
    
    

15. Are Individual Statistics and Success Stories tied to team impact indicators? No. The statistics are for direct teaching contacts. Success Stories are simply narrative statements (1.5 pages or less) showcasing highlights of individual's programming efforts. The statistics and success stories do not have to be related to impact indicators.

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System Operation | Team Related | Who Reports | Who has Access to Reports

System Operation 

1. Why does the program shut down after 20 minutes?  The planning and results system will automatically log off if there has been no activity on the system for 20 consecutive minutes.  This feature reduces the chances of data being lost.  Users must SAVE their data periodically while inputting more data.  If users do not do periodic saves, searches or printing of a report within 20 minutes, the system temporarily logs itself off.  A warning feature has been built in that alerts you of minutes remaining before log off occurs.
   
   

2. Will I receive a confirmation email each time that I enter or delete impact data?  No.  The system does not generate an email or confirmation letter to users.  The system does acknowledge that data was successfully saved or deleted. "Data Saved" or "Data Deleted" will appear at the upper left margin (below the centered title). Check the CE Technology Services, PRS website for updates to system documentation and printing procedures. http://www.uwex.edu/ces/techservices/prs/doctemp.cfm
   
   

3. Will support staff require their personal NET ID and Password?  No. At this time, county office support personnel should have the department head contact Rick Mills, rick.mills@ces.uwex.edu.
   
   

4. Are the planning and reporting system guidelines available in hardcopy?  Yes. Visit the CE Technology Services Helpdesk website to download the documentation or to print in PDF format. You may download a copy of the 'Data Entry & Reports Quick Steps' to process impacts, statements, success stories and individual statistics. Once you review the documentation, please direct comments or concerns in writing to rick.mills@ces.uwex.edu.
   
   

5. When I click on a team, a new browser window opens. Why?  In order to maintain a secure system, a second browser window opens once Netuser ID and password is verified. This enables users to navigate in a "controlled" environment, ensuring the integrity of the site's data. Be sure that the internet browser POP-UP BLOCKER is disabled (Turn-Off). To check your browser Pop-Up Blocker status: Open Internet Browser; Select Tools from the Menu bar; Select Pop-Up Blocker. If you see "Turn on Pop-up Blocker, your Pop-up Blocker is OFF.
   
   

6. Will the individual statistics screen have an auto-calculate or check of totals for the direct teaching contacts entered?  Yes. In 2003, we added an edit feature that automatically checks the Total Gender (female and male) against the Total Ethnicity and Total Contacts. If these three fields do not equal, a warning dialogue appears stating, "Total ethnicity does not equal total direct teaching contacts". You will not be able to save until each of the total fields are equal.
   
   

7. Who should I contact if I've misplaced my net ID and password?  CE Technology Services Help Desk, or call 608-265-3895 locally, or toll-free 1-800-760-7610.
   
   

8. Are there character limitations in text blocks? We expect your impact statements and success stories to be brief and concise. Impact Statements have character limits of 2000 characters (approx. one half page). Impact Statements should be about a paragraph in length. Success stories cannot exceed 3900 characters (1.5 pages).
   
   

9. How does one get a print-out of their data or reports when the navigation tool bar is suppressed?  The removal of the navigation tool bar, by design, assures us that users will not navigate out of the "secured environment," and possibly compromise data integrity. Once users have entered their statistical or impact data they may go to REPORTS to obtain a report of the data entered for their records.  To print a report, refer to the planning and results system documentation at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/techservices/prs/doctemp.cfm or contact the Helpdesk at
   1-800-760-7610 toll free, or locally at 608-265-3895. 
   
   

10. Is there a way to exit the planning and results system without shutting down the internet browser completely?  No. You must exit or close your browser to ensure that the data saved is not corrupted. It is important that data is saved prior to navigating to another page. The navigation buttons were removed intentionally in order to maintain data credibility.

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Reporting Guidelines | Team Related | Who Reports | Who has Access to Reports

Team Related

1. Must I be "all finished" with a program to write a success story?  You are encouraged to develop success stories that reflect your "progress to date" in a given year on multi-year efforts, as well as a success story at the conclusion of a major program.
   
   

2. How will WNEP reports be included in the PRS?  WNEP Coordinators submit year-end reports to the state WNEP office. These narrative reports include impact statements and success stories. The state WNEP office will submit the impact statements and success stories to the PRS on behalf of the county coordinators. If desired, a WNEP Coordinator may choose to submit additional impact statements and/or success stories into PRS. For more information, contact Beverly Phillips, State WNEP Coordinator, beverly.phillips@ces.uwex.edu, phone 608-262-0384.
   
   

3. How can I learn what teams there are?  Do I need to be a member of a team to report results?  How do I join a team?  Program areas will have the lead in creating teams. The teams will post their plans, using the planning and results system, for all to read. We've published team names and their focus areas on the CE Technology Services, PRS resources web page under Statewide Programming Teams.  You can report results that contribute to the work of any team.   You may join a team, based on your interest in their plans, through the program area. Opportunities for involvement vary by team and range from short-term focused projects to longer-term membership. Leadership opportunities are still available. Individuals interested in participating in this capacity should contact any program leader for more information.
   
   

4. How many teams can I report to?  There is no limit on the number of teams to which you can report results.
   
   

5. What happens if you do not see a team that seems to match your activity?

   The Planning and Results System is collecting information on statewide priorities. If your local work relates to a team, but does not fit the identified impact indicators, consider submitting a success story and/or reporting your work in the statistics section. "Other Local Programs" is another option for reporting your work.

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Reporting Guidelines | System Operation | Who Reports | Who has Access to Reports

Who Reports

1. Who is required to write plans of work?  Plans of work will continue to be important ways for employees to document their work for themselves and for sharing with others. Individual plans of work will not be maintained on an electronic system. Employees who have faculty appointments and are not tenured will want to maintain copies of their plans, as they do now, for review by mentoring or support committees and for use in portfolios for the tenure process. Most tenured faculty will also choose to keep written plans to document their work for post tenure review and for promotions.  http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/acadipow.html
   

   Employees who are funded from grants such as WNEP or DNR will be required to do the planning mandated by the funding source. For staff funded from grant sources, planning and reporting requirements will be communicated to you directly from the project director or program leader.
   

2. Will results reporting be monitored?  Yes, district offices will be asked to ensure that all county based faculty and staff complete statistical reports and file impact indicators, impact statements or success stories. Program leaders will ensure compliance by specialists. Periodic audits of PRS data is done to ensure that individuals' contributions are entered correctly and format issues are resolved; as well as to notify users when narratives have exceeded the maximum number of characters and were truncated (cut-off).

3. When establishing training between county agents and state specialists, who should do the reporting?

   If the programs are jointly developed and/or taught, both the county agent and state specialist should report .. clarifying their personal contributions to the educational effort.

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Reporting Guidelines | System Operation | Team Related | Who has Access to Reports

Who has Access to Reports

1. Is it possible to view other team members' narrative information?  Yes. You should use the Reports feature to view and print your data from the system.
   
   

2. Who has access to my data? Employees can retrieve their own data, as well as view other colleagues' contributions. County department heads can retrieve data for their county. District directors can review all data from faculty and staff in their district. Teams will have access to impact data. Program leaders have access to all data submitted to teams in their program area. Greg Johll, Director, CE Technology Services and Rick Mills, PRS system administrator have access to virtually everything in the system. The general public does not have access to the statistical data within PRS. Team plans of work and evaluation plans are viewable by the general public.  The general public will read the results of our work in Extension Impact Reports.  

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Reporting Guidelines | System Operation | Team Related | Who Reports | Wisplan PRS Resources Home 

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If you have trouble accessing this page or require this information in an alternative format because of a disability, contact Rick Mills at 608-263-4985 (1-800-974-6644-TTY) or email rick.mills@ces.uwex.edu.

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