Railinc User Interface Dictionary

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Railinc User Interface Dictionary

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Railinc User Interface Dictionary

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1. Browser Requirements ... 3

Exhibit 2. Railinc Web Layout Example in Umler ... 4

Exhibit 3. Company Selection Link ... 4

Exhibit 4. Launch Pad Drop-Down Menu ... 5

Exhibit 5. Application Menu Example in Umler ... 6

Exhibit 6. Drop-Down Menu Example in Umler ... 6

Exhibit 7. Submenu Example in Umler ... 7

Exhibit 8. Example Links with Focus link in Umler ... 7

Exhibit 9. Text Boxes Example of Railinc Login ... 8

Exhibit 10. Drop-Down Lists Example... 8

Exhibit 11. Drop-Down Text Box with Scroll Bar Example ... 9

Exhibit 12. Multiple Selection Example ... 9

Exhibit 13. Selected Check Boxes Example in Umler ... 9

Exhibit 14. Radio Button Example of AM/PM indicator ... 10

Exhibit 15. Scroll Bar/Button and Usage ... 10

Exhibit 16. Command Button Example with Focus ... 10

Exhibit 17. Command Buttons ... 10

Exhibit 18. Web Page with Tabs ... 12

Exhibit 19. Back and Forward Buttons ... 12

Exhibit 20. Icons ... 13

Exhibit 21. Calendar Example ... 13

Exhibit 22. Table Example ... 14

Exhibit 23. Example of Umler Menu ... 15

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Overview

Overview

Most web Railinc applications use Java or XML (HTML-based) interfaces. This link is provided in most Railinc user guides to provide you with all aspects of the user interface that is similar across application. See the System Requirements listed below for links to free downloads of recommended browsers and other tools.

System Requirements

Basic computer requirements are needed to use Railinc applications.

Web Browsers

Railinc applications require a web browser to display data. Most computers have Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome installed. To ensure optimum performance of Railinc applications, we

recommend you use the latest versions of these browsers. See the download links below:

Exhibit 1. Browser Requirements

*Microsoft will no longer support the Internet Explorer (IE) browser as of August 2021, so in preparation for this, Railinc applications will not support Internet Explorer, effective December 31, 2020. This means that customers will have a degraded experience or will be unable to access Railinc applications using Internet Explorer.

PDF Viewer

Some functions of Railinc applications might require Adobe Reader to view Portable Document Format (PDF) documents. For example, this manual is available in PDF. Click here for the free, current download of Adobe Reader.

CSV Format

Many Railinc applications with download functions use the Comma Separated Value (CSV) file format. This format is supported by Microsoft Excel versions 97 and higher. If you do not own Excel or a compatible spreadsheet application, to continue viewing Office files for free, Microsoft recommends installing the Office apps or storing documents in OneDrive or Dropbox, where Word Online, Excel Online or PowerPoint Online opens them in your browser. Check the Microsoft Excel Viewer page for more information.

Browser Version

Mozilla Firefox 50 or higher. Current version is recommended Google Chrome 55 or higher. Current version is recommended Internet Explorer (IE) No longer supported after Dec 31, 2020*

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Web Interface

Railinc web applications use a JAVA or XML interface. Although there are slight variations in each application, most of the interface elements are similar. Each application provides the same navigational tools found in most Windows applications and Internet sites. This section provides basic explanations of the elements and components that assist in moving through the various pages of the application to complete tasks. Mouse and keyboard equivalents are discussed for each element.

Railinc Web Layout

Each page in a Railinc web application has a similar structure.

Exhibit 2. Railinc Web Layout Example in Umler

1 Logo—The Railinc logo is a link to the Railinc corporate website at www.railinc.com.

2 Application Title—The name of the application.

3 User ID—Represents the user who is logged into the application.

4 Company—Company for which the user represents. For users representing several roads, select this link while logged on (hand pointer shown below) to open the Select Your Company page and select a different company—without logging out.

Exhibit 3. Company Selection Link

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Web Interface

5 Launch Pad—This link takes users directly to the SSO Launch Pad by clicking or hovering over it to display a dual drop-down menu in order to switch to other authorized Railinc applications (left column) or go to SSO User Services functions (right column), e.g., change passwords, request other applications.

Exhibit 4. Launch Pad Drop-Down Menu

6 Contact Us—This link opens contact information for Railinc support.

7 Sign Out—Logs out of an application and Railinc.com, and returns to the Railinc SSO login page.

8 Application Menu—The top of the Railinc page displays the application menu options.

Menu options allow users to perform various functions in the application. Some specific options include:

• Help—Opens a new window with page-specific help.

• References or Documentation—Opens a page with links to training materials (e.g., user guide, specification manual).

9 Display Unit Lookup—This icon ( ) allows users to look up and display a unit in a new window without interrupting work on the current page. Close this window once viewing is done.

10 Page Title—The title of the specific application task page.

11 Message Area—The area under the page title displays messages as needed (shown outlined with blue dashes). Error messages are red with a light red background. Informational/warning messages are black with a light yellow background. Success messages are green on a light green background.

12 Page content area—This area is where tasks are executed (shown outlined with red dashes).

These vary depending on the application and task, and may include a number of different elements described in the next sections.

13 Legal Links—This area at the bottom left of each page contains links to applicable legal notices, privacy rights, terms of service, and contact information.

14 Copyright—This area at the bottom right shows the Railinc copyright.

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Railinc Interface Elements Application Menu

Each item in an application menu can be a single task or a drop-down menu of tasks. When no menu exists, the task opens immediately after selection. Otherwise, a drop-down menu is displayed (see Exhibit 6). Tabbing allows the user to visit each menu, right to left, and top to bottom sequentially. Using the mouse to select menu items is the recommended way to navigate an application.

Exhibit 5. Application Menu Example in Umler

Drop-Down Menu

Drop-down menus represent a list of tasks that can be selected by using the mouse to choose a selection or press Enter when the item is highlighted in red as shown below. If the task has a right arrow (>), a submenu appears whenever the mouse moves over the indicated menu or while tabbing through the menu items. Submenus represent tasks that can be selected with the mouse or by pressing Enter when the item is highlighted in red as shown in Exhibit 7.

Exhibit 6. Drop-Down Menu Example in Umler

Note: Tasks in drop-down menus and submenus vary by user, based upon the user’s permissions set in SSO. See your company administrator to request additional menu items. Menu items that appear in light gray or disabled are being developed for future releases and are not available.

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Web Interface

Submenus

Submenus appear whenever the mouse moves over the indicated menu item or while tabbing through the menu items. Submenus represent tasks that can be selected with the mouse or by pressing Enter when the item is highlighted in red, as shown below.

Exhibit 7. Submenu Example in Umler

Note: Tasks in drop-down menus and submenus vary by user, based upon the user permissions set in SSO. See your company administrator to request additional menu items.

Links

Links appear in the application as underlined text. Selecting a link displays information or a page related to that subject (frequently additional details) or a tool to perform the indicated task. To select a link, click the link with the mouse or tab through links and press Enter when the link is focused. The Weight link is focused in the example below.

Exhibit 8. Example Links with Focus link in Umler

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Text Boxes

Text boxes are empty fields that allow users to enter text. For example, the fields that allow you to enter your User ID and Password are text boxes as seen below. When entering a password, the characters are encrypted and it appears as a series of asterisks or dots.

Exhibit 9. Text Boxes Example of Railinc Login

Text boxes may have limits for the type of data to be entered (i.e., alpha, numeric, special characters), and/or the amounts of input (e.g., 255 characters), and the formatting allowed (e.g., date and time, use of hyphens/slashes).

Drop-Down Lists

Some fields have arrows located on the right side. These arrows indicate that predetermined input options are available. Selecting the arrow displays a list of the available data entry options.

Select one of the available choices by clicking it, or pressing Enter when the item is highlighted.

Exhibit 10. Drop-Down Lists Example

Long drop-down lists can have a scroll bar at the right, and most longer lists also offer first letter navigation, where typing a letter or number scrolls to that part of the list (Exhibit 11). Scroll using the scroll bar and mouse button is described in Scroll Bars/Buttons.

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Web Interface

Exhibit 11. Drop-Down Text Box with Scroll Bar Example

Note: Selecting the blank entry at the top of the list indicates no choice.

Some drop-down lists allow multiple selections. Use the Shift key to select a range of options or the Ctrl key to select multiple, non-sequential items in a list. To select all items in the drop-down list, press Ctrl+A. Scrolling in a multiple selection text box does not select or deselect items. To deselect a single highlighted item, press Ctrl and select the item.

Exhibit 12. Multiple Selection Example

Check Boxes

Check boxes appear in the Select column on the left side of many results lists/tables. Select the empty check box beside the item wanted by clicking with a mouse or pressing the spacebar when the check box is focused. A selected check box contains a check mark as seen in the example below where two records have been selected. Select as many check boxes as needed. To uncheck, select the box again. To perform an action on records, first check them and then click the desired command button, such as View and Validate.

Exhibit 13. Selected Check Boxes Example in Umler

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Note: Use the Select All/ Unselect All check box to select ALL items in the list. To unselect everything in the list, uncheck the ALL check box.

Radio Buttons

Radio buttons are similar to check boxes, except only one selection can be made. When a radio button is selected, a dot appears in the marked circle. Selecting one radio button unselects any other that may have been selected previously.

Exhibit 14. Radio Button Example of AM/PM indicator

Scroll Bars/Buttons

Many Railinc applications have scroll bars and buttons. Some pages may have multiple scroll bars (page scroll bars and list scroll bars). These can be very close, so make sure to navigate using the correct scroll bar.

Exhibit 15. Scroll Bar/Button and Usage

Command Buttons

Command buttons are used to execute tasks on web pages. Command buttons are generally at both the top and bottom of web pages. To activate a command button, select the button with a mouse click, or press Enter or spacebar when the button has focus as seen in the example below.

Exhibit 16. Command Button Example with Focus

This table contains general descriptions of buttons found throughout Railinc applications.

Exhibit 17. Command Buttons Name Function

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Web Interface

Name Function

Cancel Causes the system to discard any work performed on the current page. The system returns to the page representing the beginning of the current task or subtask.

Clear Removes all input values displayed on the current page.

Count Determines the number of resulting records when performing a search.

Delete Deletes the selected item.

Done The system returns to the page representing the beginning of the current task or subtask.

Edit Moves the user from a read only view to an editable view. Also used as a shortcut to allow a user to edit a particular item in a list.

Next Moves a user forward within the workflow. The Next button may save elements to a session instance when working in a wizard context, or a procedural workflow. The Next button is typically used in conjunction with the Previous button.

Previous Moves a user backwards within the workflow. The Previous button may save elements to a session instance when working in a wizard context, or a procedural workflow. The Previous button is typically used in conjunction with the Next button.

OK Confirm or acknowledge an action.

Reset The system refreshes currently displayed data. The system returns the page field values to their values before any changes were made.

Search The system searches for all data (e.g., transactions) matching specified search criteria. The Output Type field determines whether the system displays the search results in the browser or sends the results to a file in CSV format.

Save The system saves the data on the current page. In general, the system allows the user to save non-transactional data (e.g., tickler configuration, access rights, etc.).

Submit Sends a request to the system to process a transaction. Validation is performed as the preliminary submit process. If validation errors are found, the submit function cannot continue. If no validation errors are found, the submit process completes.

Suspend Allows the user to save the current task data to the company work area without applying the data to the system. The user can then resume that work at a later time.

Validate The system validates all business and security rules for proposed changes. If validation succeeds, the system redisplays the current page with a Validation

Succeeded message. If validation fails, the system displays the error(s), and asks how you wish to proceed. Validate does NOT save the data to the system.

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Workflow Tabs

Multiple-step workflows can sometimes be captured in tabbed panel design to provide a logical, stepwise sequence of user activity that corresponds to a business process. Tabs allow users to toggle between related pages like Search Criteria and Search Results for consecutive searches in Umler as seen below. The lighter tab is currently active.

Exhibit 18. Web Page with Tabs

Back and Forward Buttons

The back and forward buttons in the browser toolbar can be used to move between pages when no navigation is provided. Caution should be observed when trying to navigate back to a screen viewed several screens previously. Once a transaction has been submitted to the system, it is not possible to reverse or undo the transaction through the use of the back button.

Exhibit 19. Back and Forward Buttons

Note: It is recommended that the Back button NOT be used, since it would not dynamically update a cached page.

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Web Interface

Icons

Icons are graphic images used to display conditions, status, or to invoke secondary searches.

Exhibit 20. Icons

Icon Description

Notifications Can be used to emphasize an approval.

Can be used to emphasize a warning.

Can be used to emphasize an error.

Can be used to emphasize a case where an unknown state exists.

Can be used to indicate a neutral message. Can also be used to trigger a fetch of additional information.

Searches/Lookups

Use to start a secondary search. For Example, SPLC, Elements.

Use to start date selection calendar popup.

Line Item Manipulation

Can be used to add a line item when an Add button is not provided Delete a line item.

Edit a line item.

Confirm a line item.

Save a line item.

Calendar

Most Railinc calendars operate in the same way to select a date needed in the field. The default date is usually today. Using the calendar automates correct date formatting. Use the < > buttons to move backward or forward by month or use the month pull-down. Use the << >> buttons to move backward or forward by year. Select the appropriate date and the data appears in the Date field.

Exhibit 21. Calendar Example

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Tables

Many web pages use tables to display complex lists after searches, or to organize data.

Exhibit 22. Table Example

• Tables longer than one screen have a scroll bar at the right.

• Links at the top of table columns may provide sorting capability, ascending or descending.

• Links within the table structure generally open other pages with more detailed information for the record item when selected (see Links).

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Web Interface

Application-Specific Interface Elements

This section describes the application-specific interface elements.

Application Menu

The application menu provides the functions described in a table shown in the corresponding user guide after logging in. Not all menu options may be available to every role. Check with your company administrator for additional menu items.

Exhibit 23. Example of Umler Menu

Icons and Indicators

Each application uses some application-specific icons which are shown and described in the application’s user guide.

Command Buttons

Each application uses some application-specific command buttons. These are generally described in the application’s user guide.

Mandatory Fields

Mandatory fields are required fields that must be entered to submit or save your work. These fields are typically shown in red and/or have an asterisk (*) next to them.

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Index

Adobe Acrobat Viewer, 3 application

icons (HTML), 15 menu (HTML), 15 application title

HTML, 4 area

content area (HTML), 5 message (HTML), 5 Back button, 12 browser, 3 button

Back, 12

command (HTML), 11 HTML application-specific, 15 radio (HTML), 10

scroll, 10 calendar

HTML, 13 Cancel button HTML, 11 check box

select all (HTML), 10 selection (HTML), 9 Clear button (HTML), 11 command button

HTML, 11

computer requirements, 3 contact us link, 5 content area

HTML, 5 copyright, 5

Count button (HTML), 11 CSV format, 3

Delete button HTML, 11 Display Unit icon, 5 Done button (HTML), 11 drop-down

menu (HTML), 6 text box, 8 Edit button

HTML, 11 Firefox, 3

help (page in HTML), 5 icon

Display Unit, 5 HTML, 13 Launch Pad, 5 legal, 5 legal notices, 5 link, 4

contact us, 5 Launch Pad, 5 navigational, 4 Sign Out, 5 links, 7 logo (Railinc)

HTML, 4

menu, 5 application, 6 application (HTML), 5 drop-down, 6 Help, 5 references, 5 message area

HTML, 5 navigational link, 4 Next button

HTML, 11 OK button

HTML, 11 page help, 5 page title (HTML), 5 PDF viewer, 3 Previous button

HTML, 11 privacy rights, 5 radio button

HTML, 10 Railinc logo

HTML, 4 references, 5

Reset button (HTML), 11 Save button

HTML, 11 scroll

bar, 10 button, 10 Search button HTML, 11 Sign Out link, 5 Sign-On Information, 4 Submit button (HTML), 11 Suspend button (HTML), 11 system requirements, 3 table

HTML, 14 tabs

HTML, 12 terms of service, 5 text box

drop-down, 8 multiple selection, 9 simple, 8

title

HTML application, 4 page (HTML), 5 Validate button (HTML), 11 viewer

download, 3 PDF, 3 web browser, 3 web interface

HTML application-specific elements, 15 page layout, 4

Railinc elements, 6

Railinc User Interface Dictionary