CEMS

[IceNine]

I am trying to get my group CEMS up to speed, has anyone found a way to view all the units within a group?  My wing comms staff say there is a limit in the system that does not allow an individual to view more than one unit below the wing level.

So for instance I can view Group HQ but none of the subordinate units.

Also, how does one link the information in the CEMS database download to CAPWATCH?

[Eclipse]

CEMS is limited to a single unit at a time - there is no way to view more than one if you are below wing staff.

It  does not recognize the group structure.

There is no way to link CEMS to CAPWATCH with any existing utilities.

[IceNine]

"Used to create a downloadable database containing the CEMS data for a particular unit. Can be linked with CAPWATCH data for reporting purposes."

So this statement off CEMS is a big lie?


So, what are others doing to get around this flaw in the system?

[Eclipse]

Its not a "lie", if you're an Access or SQL guy I'm sure you could do it no problem.
CAPWATCH itself is just a mash of Access tables, useless to most people without SIMMS or
a fair knowledge of Access.

For most mortals, it's be an uphill climb at best, unless there's a SIMMs module I haven't heard of.
(might be a good feature request, though).

[Hartley]

Hi Y'all,

  Eclipse is right - you can download CEMS data, and do your own linking, but you need to understand Access (or whatever you translate it into, as CEMS downloads in Access).  You could, for example, use CAPWATCH to supply unit names, address', etc. to go with a unit property listing, or the same could be done with individual assignments.
  That said, there was a plan at one time to allow CAPWATCH/CATS to incorporate CEMS data on a read-only basis, so a Unit CC or whoever could see their total property list in one place.  Given the questionable status of CATS right now, I don't know where that project stands.   AFAIK, both Maxwell (CATS/CAPWATCH) and the NTC (CEMS) do a "cross-dump" of each other's full database every evening as a backup and to allow data sharing.

  Regarding groups, the Unit identifier in CAP does not include Group membership as part of the system, so there is no way (short of building your own custom database of group membership) to break out groups.  Neither CEMS nor CAPWATCH knows anything about Group membership.  Unfortunately, that also means that the system sees the Group as a stand-alone unit.  The only way to see all of your units would be to be given Wing-wide access.

  I'm sure that if you wanted to, you could build your own "group membership" table in Access plus a suitable Query and do it that way, but there would be no way to keep it up-to-date other than by maintaining it yourself.  You would, of course, have to have access to the Wing-level data for it to be useful.. .. maybe an Access guru could build this and talk the Wing DC into implementing it for the Group DCs!

73 DE Hartley

[IceNine]

GRRR.... exactly the frustrating responses I expected

It's quite odd to me (from a non-guru perspective) to see that E-services permission can be give at squadron, group, wing, region, national level

CAPWatch however can only be broken into squadron, wing, region, national?
and Cems the same

Doesn't seem like it would be that hard to break out another level and add group to everything. 

But, hey its ok to require cc's and their staff to keep track of equipment but we can't give them access to the reports necessary to do so.

It's like telling me I can have my identity stolen if I don't check my credit report but then saying oh yeah you can't view your credit report without viewing Everyone in the country

[arajca]

A couple of issues with groups:
1. Not every wing uses groups.
2. The functionality of groups in those wing that use them varies greatly.

[Hartley]

Hi Y'all,

  How does E-Services know the group membership information? (i.e., what units belong to what group?)  Does the Wing have to supply a group membership data block when it grants group-level permissions, or is it derived in another way?  I know that Wings tend to move units around from group to group at times - how does the system keep track?
  In both the CEMS and CAPWATCH databases, there is no indication of group membership, so there is no way to code for a "group-level" access.

Hartley

p.s. Your Wing DC could easily supply you the info you need, by extracting it from his Wing-level report.
HJ

[Tim Medeiros]

The way units in eServices are assigned to groups is with a restricted application called Group Admin.  You can see which units go to which groups by going into the CAPWATCH Database under the Organization table, there is a field called "NextLevel" or something to that effect which lists the organization ID of the unit they report to.  It seems reasonable to assume that the Group Admin restricted application writes to this field when a change is made.

NHQ is working on adding a Group scope to CAPWATCH DownLoad and CAPWATCH Tasks, as stated in a reply to a recent support ticket request earlier this month.