Searching
Searches can be carried out for staff, clients, or
departments/locations. Searching the system is very straightforward
and can be done in several different ways; one is exact entry,
where the system searches for matches based on a single character
entry. Any field can be searched ranging from first name to payroll
number. Initially only active staff are searched, but by simply
ticking a box the system can search through inactive and 'do not
use' records. Another is through extended matches, where words are
auto completed to match entries on the system, and finally perhaps
the most ingenious way is through phonetic match, which allows both
hard and soft pronunciation matches, so if a word is not spelt as
it is sounded, you will still be able to find it, saving time and
hassle. Matches are returned in less than a second.
The use of a single button allows immediate switching between
locations and departments, which is particularly useful if a client
maintains several locations.
If a user is inputting a new entry into the system, this can be
automatically checked against existing ones, in order to prevent
double entry of new staff or clients.
Another key feature is that the user can carry out shift searches
against a unique booking reference, the customer reference, or
invoice number.
Filtering
Filtering is another useful feature of the AvaPA software, and
allows staff (meeting each client's needs) to be found quickly and
efficiently. For example a client may request to have 20 staff that
have sufficient cocktail training and through a simple filtering
process, the system will reveal all members of staff who meet
the criteria.
Where shifts are concerned, filtering can be done through looking
at the dates each staff member has requested to work, the location
in which they wish to work and their skill level. Another important
feature is that filtered information can be automatically
remembered, so that next time if the client asks for similar staff,
the selection process will be even more simple.
When a specific booking is selected, the staff members profile
will automatically open in a new window, allowing for easy
navigation between the two pages. The software also provides
standard sorting, whereby all lists are automatically put into
order when the column header is clicked, as is standard in most
similar software; this feature also allows for basic grouping, for
example gathering employees into groups based on their particular
skillsets.