BTOTS Web Development Blog

BTOTS Web Alpha Review Checklist

2012-01-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

To better organize review and feedback of the BTOTS Web alpha site, we're going to start posting Alpha Review Checklists to walk you through features that are nearing completion.

BTOTS Web Alpha site
https://btots.health.utah.gov

BTOTS Web Alpha Review Checklist
Part 1 - Find Child, Child tab, Contacts tab, Referral tab, COSF tab, Quick Child Locator, Deactivating a child, Find Person, Create a New Person or Organization, Child Classes.
Part 2 - Enter Child Visits, Enter a new Child Referral, Exit a Child Under IFSP, Fix IFSP Service Data Entry Errors, Amend a Child's Services, Explore the other IFSP sub-tabs, Child Classes.

BTOTS Web Electronic Forms

2011-10-31T15:31:00.002-06:00

Here are a couple of diagrams to help the discussion of online vs. offline print forms in BTOTS Web.

The first diagram describes how the user will be able to interact with the BTOTS Wizard forms and the printed versions. A couple of different scenarios are presented below:

Blank Form - if internet access is not available in the child's home, you could print a blank version of the form from the child's folder that would include all the child demographic information so it wouldn't have to be filled out by hand. The rest of the form would be completed by hand in the home and then entered in to BTOTS Web when back at the office. The content in the printed form will be in the same order and format, streamlining the data entry process.
Partially Completed Form - before the IFSP meeting, users can enter information gathered during assessments such as levels of functioning. The user would click the "Create Initial IFSP" action from the child folder and enter any initially available information. The user could then select the "Save & Finish Later" or "Save & Print" options without completing the entire IFSP process. If you select the "Save & Print" option, the printed form would include the partially completed information as well as blanks for the incomplete information to be filled out in the child's home.
Completed in the Home - after finishing an IFSP directly in the home, the user can either print the completed form immediately or when they return to the office.
Reprint Later - the completed IFSP can be printed again to send to the parent or place in the child's physical folder.

This next diagram helps to identify the different types of information that is shown on a printed form vs. the online wizard version. Here are some key points:

Header / Footer Information - the printed form will be able to have additional header information that isn't needed in the wizard due to the Child Identifier being visible. A footer will be provided on each page showing page number and the child identifier.
Print Only Text - print only text allows for additional explanatory text to be printed. It could also include things like signature lines to capture parent signatures.
Wizard Sections - the layout of the information captured on the wizard will be maintained on the printed form (e.g., see that the layout of step 1 on the printed form and wizard is similar).
Provider Specific (Optional Data) - a mechanism for providing some additional optional information to be included in the wizard and subsequently printed on the form is available.
Wizard (with Parent Text) - it would be possible to include the print only text in the wizard forms if it would be useful for showing parents as you are completing the wizard in the child's home. It could be setup so that a user would check a box and all the print only text would then show on the wizard steps.

Enroll Child Wizard

2011-09-29T11:07:00.011-06:00

The development team is currently working on the Enroll Child Wizard (the steps that will walk you through starting a child's initial IFSP).

Please keep in mind that this is still in the early development stage, so any text, labels, etc. in these screen shots may still be changed.

In it's current iteration, the 'Provide Enrollment Details' (i.e., the initial IFSP start date) step is the final step prior to saving.

The original idea behind doing it this way was to help better facilitate up-front data entry. So if you didn't know when the enrollment date was going to be yet, but you have already collected Family CPR, Current Levels of Functioning, or IFSP Goals, you could still go ahead and enter that information without specifying the enrollment date yet. This would be made possible with a new 'Finish Later' button that isn't part of the enrollment process in BTOTS Classic.

So you'd now have the capability of partially entering such data and saving it without completely finishing the enrollment.

The question we have for all of you is, does this make sense? Do you ever have certain information before you have the actual IFSP start date? If all of this data is collected at the same time, it would actually make more sense, in the flow of things, to enter the IFSP start date first.

Please let us know of your thoughts or any suggestions you may have in the comments section.

BTOTS Web Forms (Part 1)

2011-08-30T10:10:00.003-06:00

The document link below provides an overview of the different types of forms that will be available in BTOTS Web. It also contains the detailed fields that will be present on the form for the following set of forms:

Child Lead Form
Child Referral Form
Eligibility Form
Exit Child Form
Deactivate Child Form
Assessment Form
Visit Form
COSF Form
Start/End Tracking Form
Tracking Contact Form

As we continue forward, we'll post more of the additional forms as they are completed.

BTOTS Web Forms Part 1.pdf

BTOTS Web αlpha

2011-05-18T07:49:00.010-06:00

An alpha version of BTOTS Web is now available for all providers for testing purposes.

http://btots.health.utah.gov/

Development is obviously still in progress, but you will have access to all of the completed screens. This will give all users the opportunity to actually go hands on with the user interface.

Because this is an alpha release for demonstration purposes, please be aware of the following:

Kids Kare is the name of the EI program used in this test database.
All data displayed on this site has been anonymized
You will not need an actual username and password. Instead the provided links on the homepage will log you in under the various user groups (e.g. data entry, program administrator).

Not all of the security measures are in place yet (e.g., it is using http rather than https -- SSL Certificate still to come)
Any data you enter in this demo system can be viewed by anyone (do not use real data)
Many features are incomplete and/or not functioning yet (development is still underway)
It has not been reviewed for compatibility with browsers other than Mozilla Firefox 3.6+ (browser compatibility review still to come). So you may see some strange behavior in Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, etc.
Feel free to report errors or issues you see while reviewing the demo (see "Support" link in top right corner), but be aware many will be due to the fact that development is still underway

Advanced Search

2011-05-16T14:13:00.003-06:00

From BTOTS Web Development Blog

BTOTS Web will include an 'Advanced Search' feature, where in addition to searching by the usual fields (Referred, Pending, Enrolled...Last Name, First Name, etc.) you will be able to search by more detailed fields.

So for example, you can pare down you search results to only display children with an eligibility determination of 'Standard Score' or 'Medical Diagnosis'. Or search for children currently receiving SLP. You will also be give the option to save these advanced searches for future use, if you plan on using them frequently. Finally, the results will also be available to export into spreadsheet format.

The above examples are just a few options that can be added to the advanced search feature. We're looking for some input regarding other data elements that may be useful to search by. Please include your ideas in the comment section.

Updated Dashboard screen shot

2011-04-20T11:36:00.005-06:00

Below is an updated screen shot of the BTOTS Dashboard (Home page). Notice the addition of the 'Your Active Children' window. This window will be displayed when a Service Coordinator or Service Provider logs into BTOTS Web. This window will display only the children they are assigned to.

Logging Changes (Data Auditing)

2011-04-19T09:50:00.004-06:00

Logging Mechanism

The new logging mechanism automatically records all the changes to data at the time those changes are made in the BTOTS Web database. The changes could be the addition of new information, update of existing information, or removal of existing information.

The following information will be recorded in the log data:

Time of the change
Who performed the change
How it was changed (insert, update, or delete)
Current and previous values for any changed fields (for insert and update changes)

Basic Audit Log Display
Basic log pages allow users to view the audit log for a given page. Log links will be positioned near the fields as shown below:

Detailed information is shown in a pop-up window when you click on the above links as shown below:

For lists of information, you will be able to see a summary of which items have been added, updated, and/or deleted as displayed below.

When you click on the object in the list view above, it will show you the details regarding all the changes.

Current Levels of Functioning

2011-04-04T10:32:00.001-06:00

We are working on adding data entry for Current Levels of Functioning for BTOTS Web. A screen mock-up is provided below.

Here are some details about the new feature:

Entry of current levels of functioning will be required during enrollment and annual review. You will be able to optionally add current levels of functioning during 6-month reviews.
Narrative for each of the screenings and domains will be required (at enrollment & annual). An optional "Other Narrative" is provided for other information (such as PIP).
Summary information regarding the most recent (less than 6 months) assessment in that domain will be displayed (see above).
You will have access to the Current Levels of Functioning under the IFSP tab.

IFSP Outcomes

2011-03-29T08:30:00.000-06:00

Additional fields will now be available for recoding IFSP Outcomes in BTOTS Web. A possible mock-up of the screen is provided below for discussion purposes. The values found in the Rating drop-down are displayed below as well.

Here are some details about the new fields:

IFSP outcomes will be ordered (and can be reordered)
New outcomes can be created and/or discontinued at anytime.
Ratings can be recorded at any time and you will be required to record who performed the rating.
6-month reviews will require you to rate existing outcomes and allow you to enter new ones.
The annual reviews will require existing outcomes to be rated. IFSP outcomes that are not met or discontinued will be brought forward automatically for the new IFSP.

COSF Decision Tree

2011-02-15T10:20:00.003-07:00

The COSF Decision Tree is an optional feature that can be used to determine the child's score. If you choose not to use the Decision Tree provided in BTOTS Web, you can just enter the score.

Dashboard

2011-02-02T13:26:00.015-07:00

Once concept we'll be adding to BTOTS Web is a Dashboard (or Homepage). This will be the landing page for all users once they log in. The idea is that it will give you a brief overview of various data elements in BTOTS. The above screen shot is a mock-up illustrating some possible items that could be displayed on the Dashboard. Each window with the icon shows that clicking on it opens a pop up window showing more information.

Alerts
- Similar to the Alerts window currently displayed in the background of BTOTS Classic.
Child Count Summary
- BTOTS Classic displays these numbers on the bottom of the Find Child screen. In BTOTS Web, they will be displayed here, in the Dashboard.
Pending Child Transfers
- Similar to the Pending Transfers window currently displayed in the background of BTOTS Classic.
Messages
- This window will be used to inform users about things like application updates, BUG meeting reminders, etc.

These are just a few ideas for the Dashboard so far. We want to make sure the Dashboard is a helpful and useful tool for users, so if you have any suggestions, please pass them on via the comments. We'll also discuss this topic at our 2/10 BUG meeting.

Development Progress Q4 2010 (Oct - Dec)

2011-01-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

Here is an overview of some of the features we've been working on.

Child Folder
We are continuing to complete various components of the child folder. Some new components that we have completed this quarter include:

Child activation
Medical conditions
Information releases
Medicaid/CHIP eligibility

Child Visit & Class Visits
The child visit and class visit features are almost complete. We will provide another post with details on some of the new features for class visits in the future. Here are some screenshots of the existing features.

The Visits tab on the child folder allows you to filter visits like you do now in BTOTS Classic.

The Add Visit/Contact form allows you to enter individual child visits.

Child Class form allows you to add new classes or edit existing ones.

Person/Organization Selector
A control has been created to assist you in selecting existing people organizations in the system. It allows you to type partial names and will provide a suggested list you can select from. If the name is not found, you can create a new name with a new person or organization wizard.

You can enter a name in the selector in either a "last, first" or as "first last" format. possible matches are displayed in the drop-down.

The same process works for organizations.

If you select the "new entry" option, you have the option of entering a new person at that time.

Misc. Features Completed

Email Builder

Enhanced drop-down lists
Improved child folder tab styles
Additional security features

Keyboard Shortcuts

2010-12-09T16:58:00.005-07:00

Something for our keyboard shortcutters: in BTOTS Web, holding down the ALT key will display all available keyboard shortcuts on the form you are currently working on.

Development Progress Q3 2010 (Jul - Sep)

2010-10-19T10:09:00.001-06:00

Development of the actual BTOTS Web screens is well underway. Developers are converting the existing BTOTS screens and making minor adjustments and improvements.

User Account Security

The user security model is now in place and being used in the development of the various child screens. Providers will have greater control over who can view and edit child information. Administrators at each provider site will be able to specify if the user can view/edit all children at the provider or just their assigned children. The screen for setting up access rights is displayed below:

Security checks are in place so that child data is safe not only from non-users (the general public), but also from users of the system who shouldn’t have access to the child’s information (e.g., child data at one EI program cannot be viewed by another EI program).

Pop-up Edit Forms

The display screens for users will be identical for view and edit users in the system. Those users who are also able to edit child information will be provided an edit link that will provide a pop-up edit form for making changes (see below).

New Person/Organization

The new person and organization screens are now complete. They allow you to create new individuals and organizations in the system and provide checks to help prevent duplicate entries.

Initial Child Folder Development

The framework for the child folder is now complete and we are working on filling in all the details found in the existing child folder. Just as in BTOTS Classic, the child identifier is provided above the tabs so you can quickly identify which child you are looking at and their current status (e.g., enrolled, deactivated, etc.). To save screen space, the Child Actions are now found only on the Summary tab and have been moved to the right side of the screen for consistency with other action panels.

Work is also being doing on the child Details tab and related sub-tabs.

Child Referral Wizard

Development on the first of the child “wizard” screens is also underway. The child wizards will guide the user through completing the various steps (e.g., referral, enrollment, exit, etc.).

The web version of BTOTS is starting to take shape and we're excited to see it coming together. We welcome your input and comments.

Thanks,
BTOTS Web development team

Legal Name vs. Preferred Name

2010-10-07T10:59:00.007-06:00

At today's BUG meeting, we introduced the concept of recording a child's 'Preferred Name' in BTOTS Web. Here's an example.

When entering just a child's first and last name, as you currently do in BTOTS Classic, it will be displayed as usual in the Child Folder header.

If you elect to also enter the child's 'Preferred Name' (i.e., a nickname that the family may call the child), that 'Preferred Name' will be the main name displayed in the Child Folder header, although their legal name (along with any aliases) will still be displayed. You can also search for the child using any of those names.

We've also been thinking about extending this to reports; so if a child has a 'Preferred Name' entered into BTOTS Web, that will be the name displayed on reports (except for Billing Reports).

There were some concerns brought up at the BUG meeting, regarding confusion when trying to find the child's records, for example, so we'd like to hear some more opinions on this idea. Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Development Progress Q2 2010 (Apr - Jun)

2010-07-08T11:51:00.003-06:00

The foundation for the BTOTS Web system is now in place and development of the actual forms have commenced.

Website Design

The initial design for BTOTS Web is now complete. Here’s one of the design images providing an overview of layout the website will follow.

Here is an actual example of the Find Person or Organization form and how it relates to the design above.

User Registration

There is a registration page that allows you to request a new user account in the system. This can be completed by staff members. Afterwards, an administrator at your program will be responsible for verifying that the individual is an employee and granting what information they will be able to access.

User Login

Users will log into the system with a valid email address and password. A password reset mechanism is provided for users who forget their password as well.

Error Messages and Field Definitions

An error icon will appear when a form is not complete. Holding your mouse over the icon will display the error description.

In addition, operational field definitions will be defined for the various data entry fields in the system. They are identified by a blue dashed underline on the field label. Holding your mouse over the label will display the field definition.

Phonetic Name Matching for Children, People, and Organizations

The find person/organization and find child screens in the new system will be using fuzzy name matching algorithms to help you locate individuals based on phonetic spellings (e.g., “Sara Leah” would return “Sara Le”, “Sara Lee”, or “Sarah Lee”).

Table Sorting

Tables of data in the application will be able to be sorted ascending or descending and by individual or multiple columns. You will only need to click on the table header (shift click for multiple) to have the table resorted.

Development will be picking up speed and we'll try for regular posts of the new screens for you to see and provide feedback.

Thanks,
BTOTS Web Development Team

Development Progress Q1 2010 (Jan - Mar)

2010-06-14T15:47:00.001-06:00

We've been busy working on a foundation for the new BTOTS Web system. The foundation is key to ensuring the new website will meet our needs now as well as in the future. Here is a list of just some of the progress that has been made during the first 3 months of 2010.

Database design improvements
12 different improvement areas have been included in the new database design to help solve common difficulties with the existing system (e.g., visit assignment, assessment sessions, family units, etc.)
Prototyping activities
A number of system prototypes were explored to determine best practices during the development. The things we learned have been incorporated into the website framework we will be using for development.
Development standards identified
Documents to help ensure consistency in the BTOTS Web system were created (e.g., coding style guide, website design guide, etc.)
Website framework development
Build up the foundation of the website that web forms will be created with (e.g., common user controls, form errors and validation, database structure, etc.).
Database migration tool
The initial tool for moving existing data in the current database to the new database is complete. This tool will allow us to ensure that all your existing data will be available when BTOTS Web is released.
Automated testing framework setup
An automated testing framework has been developed to help ensure application quality while converting the existing system to a web-based solution. It also means fewer bugs introduced to existing features during changes down the road.

Look for additional posts as we go forward with development that will include previews of the new screens as they are developed.

New Data Entry Process

2010-04-01T08:00:00.013-06:00

In our ongoing efforts to streamline the up-front data entry in BTOTS Web, as well as making sure that our web application is “hip” and “with it”, we will soon begin beta testing the ability to perform data entry via Twitter.

For the beta testing period, beginning in Fall 2010, users will be able to enter Annual IFSPs and IFSP service visits using Twitter. By sending a tweet to @btwittots, and using predefined abbreviated terminology (to stay within Twitter’s 140 character limit), users will be able to quickly enter this data in mere seconds.

The below screen shot shows what a typical Annual IFSP tweet will look like (click on the image to enlarge):

Once received and verified by @btwittots, the user will receive a reply confirming that the tweet was valid, and that the data has been saved in BTOTS.

Much more information will be coming in the next few months, including a 400 page BTOTS/Twitter Manual where you can find all of the necessary predefined abbreviations. In the meantime, the @btwittots Twitter account will remain live for testing purposes.

User Accounts and Security

2010-02-24T15:15:00.005-07:00

Currently, in BTOTS Classic, there are three user account groups: view only, data entry and EI provider. With the additional accessibility to the data that will come with BTOTS Web, the existing user groups will be modified in order to ensure a greater level of security.

Our initial concept is to break up the user security rights into two sections, Employee Data and Child Data, as described below:

Employee
- My Data Only: Would only be able to view/edit their own employee & user account information (name, contact info, edit password, CSPD, etc.). This would be the default setting for all user accounts.
- All Employee Data: Can view/edit all employee & user account information. This setting would be assigned to certain data entry staff and all provider administrators (The provider administrator is the user(s) in each EI program that will be responsible for granting access to new user account requests and managing the security rights of existing users).

Child
- No Access: A user at this security level would not be able to view child data. This would be the default setting for new user accounts, until a Provider Administrator granted them more access to the data.
- My Assigned Children: A Service Coordinator or Service Provider will only see children they are assigned to, i.e., they are part of a child’s IFSP.
  - View Only: Can view assigned child data.
  - Data Entry: Can create/edit assigned child data.
- All Children: Has access to all children in the database.
  - View Only: Can view all child data.
  - Data Entry: Can create/edit all child data.

Examples:

A typical data entry person would have ‘Employee – My Data Only’ and ‘Child – All Children – Data Entry’ rights.

A service provider who enters data for only their assigned children would have ‘Employee – My Data Only’ and ‘Child – My Assigned Children – Data Entry’ rights.

An employee who only manages employee data would have ‘Employee – All Employee Data’ and ’Child – No Access’. In most cases, this employee would also be the ‘Provider Administrator’.

Please let us know in the comments if the above makes sense, or if you have any questions or concerns regarding this proposed user account structure.

Child Contacts: Family Units

2010-02-01T08:09:00.006-07:00

In BTOTS Classic, to enter child contacts, you must first enter the person’s role (Mother, Father, Guardian, etc.), along with a primary address and primary phone#. In addition to these traditional roles, you must also select one person to be the ‘Resides With’ role, which determines the child’s home address and phone number.

So for example, to enter a mother and father that live together in the same home, you enter the mother and her contact info (primary address and primary phone# are required fields). Next you enter the father, and you have the option to copy the mother’s info to the father. Finally, you select one of them as the ‘Resides With’ role (even though the child lives with both).

This system works ok, but there is definitely room for improvement. One idea we have for BTOTS Web is the concept of ‘Family Units’.

So basically, a Family Unit has one primary address and primary phone#, but can contain several people. In Example 1, the mother and father share the same address and phone number. This information is only entered once. In addition to the shared Family Unit contact info, you can also assign each Family Unit member individual contact info (such as a cell phone#, email address, etc.)

In addition to the mother and father, this example shows that the grandfather is also part of this Family Unit. As for other child contacts, such as primary physician, they will be displayed separately.

Example 2 shows the same parents, but how they would be displayed if the parents lived separately. Family Unit 1 shows the mother, and Family Unit 2 shows the father and grandfather. The primary physician remains on his own, outside of the Family Units.

The benefit of Family Units would be that you no longer have to select one parent as the ‘Resides With’ role, even though the child lives with both parents. Also, shared contact info will only have to be entered once, instead of having to edit it for both parents. Visually, it will also be easier to determine how many people live in the same Family Unit, and can be reached using the same address and phone#.

Please leave your feedback in the comments section.

Simplified Assessment Teams

2010-01-20T09:50:00.008-07:00

In order to enter multi-domain assessments for a child in BTOTS Classic, the user is required to enter the child’s assessment team. This particular process has been a bit cumbersome and also includes the very seldom-used feature of ‘predefined assessment teams.’ Of the 14,758 assessment teams currently in the BTOTS database, only 223 are saved as a ‘predefined assessment team.’ Of these 223 teams, 199 are saved using the default name of ‘custom child team.’ These numbers lead us to believe that the ‘predefined assessment team’ feature, as it exists now, will not be carried over to BTOTS Web.

Baby Watch is interested in further improving the assessment team data entry process in BTOTS Web. Some of our questions are:

Are you using the assessment teams in BTOTS? If so, how are you using this information?
Is it important for assessment team data entry to remain required or should it be optional?
Are you interested in having the ability to record the individual who performed each assessment in BTOTS, e.g., Casey Jones performed Gross Motor, April O’Neil performed Fine Motor, etc.?

Please remember to include your name, position, and program when commenting.

Feature Sets

2010-01-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Each grouping of related system features (referred to as a feature set) will be discussed before development on those features will begin. This will provide opportunity for program feedback regarding the existing functionality and provide an opportunity to present proposed changes.

Order listed is the most likely discussion order (subject to change).

Users - User accounts and system access (i.e., who has access to what data)
People - Name, phone, address, email, etc. for people and organizations.
Referral - Child referral details, check for state matches, child contacts, referral info, medical conditions, and information releases.
Child Folder - Existing child information and find child form.
Eligibility - Assessment team members, domain assessments, eligibility determination.
Enrollment - IFSP enrollment including IFSP details, services, non-EI services and outcomes.
Reviews - Annual, 6-month, and on-going reviews, IFSP amendments.
Child Visits - Enter and view child visits (non-class visits)
Classes - Child group classes.
Exit/Deactivation - child exit and deactivation process
COSF - COSF score entry and integration into enrollment, IFSP review, and exit.
Transfers - auto-transfer between programs
Administration - Misc. program administration settings and forms
Reporting - Report list and report viewing
Help - online help feature
Alerts - Child alerts
CSPD - Credentialing and training
CHARM - CHARM integration
Enhancements - Additional enhancements scheduled for development

Scheduled Enhancements

2010-01-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

The following enhancements are currently scheduled for inclusion into the new BTOTS Web system. The initial development will focus on converting the existing functionality found in BTOTS to a web-based system. Some of the features identified here will be included in this conversion process and available at the time of the switchover to the web-based system. Others will be brought online as they are completed after the switchover. A response period for each feature will be provided before development on that feature occurs. Program feedback will be gathered via the BTOTS Web blog (http://btotsweb.blogspot.com) and BTOTS Web meetings.

Offline In-home Feature
Feature that allows users to “checkout” pertinent child information for use in the child’s home without an internet connection. Includes the local encryption of data as well as merging of data when connection is available.
Electronic Forms
Ability to complete electronic versions of various standard forms used by providers. This would provide the ability to print off the forms with some initial data populated or complete them in the system and then print the forms.
Improved Visit Handling
Improve the way service visits are stored in the database. The current implementation causes additional work for data-entry staff when visit records are entered prior to annual reviews or service changes.
Advanced Search and Data Export
Extend basic search with additional search criteria and provide method for exporting child results for further analysis.
Customized Reporting
Additional set of generic reports with customization for which child data is displayed on the report.
Data Entry Audit Logging
Logging mechanism for data entry changes for better data tracking.
Local compliance monitoring tools
Additional reporting and data tracking tools used to simplify and encourage local compliance efforts.
PIPtots Integration and Enhancements
Additional integration work with the PIPtots system being developed for the Utah State Deaf and Blind Program (USDB).

System Requirements

2010-01-06T09:00:00.005-07:00

The web-based version of BTOTS is being developed to work with current web technologies. The following is a list of minimum requirements to use the system.

A reliable, high-speed internet connection (e.g., cable, dsl, or wireless card)
Up-to-date web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer 7.0+, Firefox 3.0+, or Safari 3.0+)

Our goal is for the new BTOTS Web system is to reduce your local IT requirements. All data will be maintained on state servers and so you will not be required to maintain your own database server. You will no longer have to run system updates as new features are released and will not be required to perform your own backups of the data.

How to leave a comment

2010-01-05T07:39:00.011-07:00

Update: Currently, the option to leave a comment as 'Name/URL', as described below, is broken. In the meantime, you can use the 'Anonymous' option instead (or log in to your Google account, if you have one).

There are two ways to leave a comment:
The main page of the blog shows the 7 most recent posts. At the bottom of each post, above the 'Quick Poll', there is a link that reads 'X comments (click here to add/view comments)'.

When you click on this link, the comments section appears, and only the post that you are commenting on will be displayed on the screen.
Below the comment box, there is a 'Comment as' drop down box. Select 'Name/URL'.

This is one of the default blogger profile options, and it allows you to comment without registering with blogger. In the 'Name' text box, include your full name, position, and organization (e.g., "John Doe/Data Entry/Kids Kare"). At minimum, please at least leave your position, that way we'll know what aspect of EI the comments are coming from. The 'URL' text box is not required to be filled out. However, if you do enter a URL, make sure it ends in a valid domain extension, such as .com or .net; otherwise you will get an error message. So it's best to just leave it blank.

After entering your comment, click on the 'Post Comment' button. Before your post is submitted, enter the requested 'Word Verification', and click the 'Post Comment' button again. This step is to help eliminate spam.

When you see the message that reads 'Your comment will be visible after approval.’ your comment has been officially submitted, and will be visible on the blog once it's approved by the BWEI staff (again, another measure to help prevent spam).
The second way to leave a comment is virtually identical to the first. On the main page of the blog, if you click on the title of the post you wish to comment on, it will take you to a new page that displays only that post, and below it, the comment section. The remaining steps are the same as above.