Re: Poll question on CMISD website

Go for it!

Sent from my iPad

On Feb 10, 2014, at 1:23 PM, "Stewart DeWitt" <Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov> wrote:

Greeting,

 

I placed a question on or CMISD website http://crossroads/org/cst/cmisd/sitemgr.asp. The question asks if you would prefer to remove or keep the little DWR remark type ‘General’.

 

Currently as you know there are two General remarks. There is ‘GENERAL’ and there is ‘General’.

 

I proposed converting all ‘General’-s to ‘GENERAL’ –s and removing the little General, but I’d like to be certain that a significant majority agrees.

 

Please go and make your vote count.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Stewart DeWitt

CST - Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

 

 

I believe internet access is required.

 

Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.

Poll question on CMISD website

Greeting,

 

I placed a question on or CMISD website http://crossroads/org/cst/cmisd/sitemgr.asp. The question asks if you would prefer to remove or keep the little DWR remark type ‘General’.

 

Currently as you know there are two General remarks. There is ‘GENERAL’ and there is ‘General’.

 

I proposed converting all ‘General’-s to ‘GENERAL’ –s and removing the little General, but I’d like to be certain that a significant majority agrees.

 

Please go and make your vote count.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Stewart DeWitt

CST - Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

 

 

I believe internet access is required.

 

Drink. Drive. Go to Jail.

SERVER UPDATE SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, JAN 12 - SiteManager unavailable

As noted below SiteManager will be temporarily unavailable on Sunday, January 12^th between the hours of 6:30 AM and 10:30 AM. Please disseminate this information to all affected parties.

 

Thank you

 

From: IT_Alerts
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2014 4:36 PM
To: IT_Alerts
Subject: SERVER UPDATE SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, JAN 12 - List of affected applications included

 

TxDOT Colleagues:

 

As we recently communicated, the electrical system that supplies power to the data center in Austin will be upgraded the weekend of Jan. 17-20.  Prior to this power upgrade, we must update existing server hardware to provide better redundancy and data safety.

 

The server update will occur this Sunday, Jan. 12, from 6:30 - 10:30 a.m.  The applications listed below will be temporarily unavailable during this time.  If you have any questions regarding the update, please contact the IT Service Desk at http://ITHELP or 512.305.HELP (5147).

 

Your IT Support Team

 

 

Applications temporarily affected on Sunday, Jan. 12 include:

 

Adopt a Highway (AAH)

Advanced Outfall Tracking System (AOTS)

Application Bridge Inspection Tracking System (MBITS)

Aviation Division (AVIATION)

Badge Access System (BADGE)

Bridge Log (BRDGLOG)

Bridge Shop Plan Bridge Division (BRG_SHOP_PLAN)

Central Authorization and Authentication System (CAAS)

City, State, Federal Spatial layouts (Geopolitical)

Clean Air (AIR)

Contractor Tracking System (CTS)

Cots package for Bridge Division (PONTIS)

C-STAR

Design (DES_SUMR)

Electronic Bidding System (EBS)

Electronic Letting System (ELS)

Electronic Payroll Record System (EPRS)

Employee Time Sheet Application (ETA)

Environmental Compliance Oversight System (ECOS)

Federal Bridge Number (PONTEX)

Fleet Tracking System (FLEETTRACKS)

GIS district users (GIS_(abbreviated district name)_USER) - All

Human Resource (HR) Replication Environment

LAN Auditing Security Tool (LAST)

Maintenance Management System (MMS)

Oversize Overweight Permits (OVRSZ_OVRWT)

Payment Card System (PCS)

Project Health Management Information System (PHMIS) 

Rail Division (RAILROAD)

Region Support Center Data System (RSC)

REGULATORY

Right Of Way (ROW)

SEASON

SiteManager (SMGR)

Statewide Traffic Analysis and Reporting System (STARS)

SuperHeavy

SURVEY

Texas Airport Data System (ER_Finances)

TXDOT_PLANNING

TXDOT_ROUTE

Utility Installation Review System (UIR)

 

Texas Transportation Forum: Jan. 6-8, 2014

SiteManager Terminal Servers and Report Server is back online

IT has corrected the issue with the SiteManager terminal and report servers.

 

Thank you,

Texas Transportation Forum: Jan. 6-8, 2014

SiteManager Terminal Servers and Report Server are offline

IT is aware of the issue and is working on a solution.

 

Thank you,

Texas Transportation Forum: Jan. 6-8, 2014

Update to the SiteManager Material Sourcing Letter

 

SiteManager Material Sourcing Letter                                                                                        

Two items have changed recently with the SiteManager sourcing letter.

 

1.    The materials now include CST Structural materials. Previously the Structural branch forwarded their own ‘structural material only’ sourcing letter to the contractor. Now these materials will be included with the SiteManager sourcing letter and no second sourcing letter from the Structural branch will be sent. The Structural branch requests that you send them a copy of the contractor’s returned sourcing letter. Expect a follow-up email from Jana Buck with instructions.

 

2.    The contractor now has an option to choose a material producer from a pick list when available. The material producers listed are those with current* effective periods for the selected material. They are primarily QM material producers. Contractors may still type the name of the producer when either none is listed or the desired producer is not available in the list.

 

*Date when the report is generated

 

 

 

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

 

Drunk drivers wreck cars. And lives.

SiteManager TX2.012 change orders with 3rd party funding

Greetings,

The option to record third party funding with your contract change order is only available with the SiteManager Terminal and Citrix servers.

 

The option is unavailable on the client “Non-Inspector” version of the software and it will remain so until a new update to the software is distributed to the client machines.

 

This is likely to be after the iDriveIT Hardware Refresh initiative is complete.

 

Thank you,

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

 

Drunk drivers wreck cars. And lives.

SiteManager upgrade 3.8a tx2.012 scheduled for September 13th

Greeting,

On Friday, September 13, 2013 IT will begin the process of updating your SiteManager application to the latest release. The new version (3.8a tx 2.012) will be made available for install through LANDesk. The upgrade process will begin at 6 PM on Friday and will proceed through Saturday and Sunday (all times central). SiteManager (Citrix, MTS and client) and SiteManager reporting will be unavailable for the duration. SiteManager is scheduled to be available again Monday, September 16th at 6 AM or sooner.

 

• Please make every attempt to keep all SiteManager PC's powered on during this period.
• Maintenance (MNT) workstations are to be included.
• It is mandatory that standalone users check in all work prior to 6:00 PM Friday, September 13, 2013.
• Remember – When users open SiteManager for the first time after the upgrade the user ID field on the logon screen will be blank. SiteManager user ID’s are case sensitive and 99% of these ID’s are all upper case characters.
• The inclusion of MNT users could result in a high number of support calls.

 

Webinars are scheduled for Tuesday September 10^th at 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM to review the updates to the software. You may find the specific meeting details at https://txdot.webex.com by searching the calendar of scheduled meetings. The password for entry is “sitemanager”.

This 3.8a tx2.012 upgrade contains these significant changes.

• Maintenance Contracts Pay in SiteManager

You may exhale. Yes, the long awaited release of MNT in SiteManager is upon us. If everything goes as planned you will soon hear your MNT brothers and sisters proclaiming the virtues of SiteManager. At this time only contracts let after September 1^st will be loaded to SiteManager for payment (no facility contracts).

 

We have relied on the MNT Division to introduce the application to their users, but I expect many of you will be called on to assist them where necessary. For the most part their SiteManager is your SiteManager, with the exception of three main areas.

§  Maintenance Distribution window

After estimate generation this window will allow the MNT user to distribute the cost across the applicable segments. Estimate approval cannot conclude until all costs are distributed.

§  DWR Calendar window Segment 78 Distribution

While working with a MNT contract, users of the DWR Calendar will have the option to distribute costs to the segment 78 functions and assets.

§  MMS (Compass) SiteManager interface

The DWR Calendar option to distribute costs to the segment 78 is dependent on an interface between SiteManager and MMS. A MMS contract is required before segment 78 costs can be distributed through SiteManager.

 

• Material Test Tester Required

To ensure that a tester is identified with a material test, all tests for material samples must now identify a tester. Test data can be saved with a material sample record, but before a stamp code is added a tester must be identified. *

 

• Material Sample Authorization

To ensure adequate segregation of duties for our quality assurance material testing, we have included a check to prevent a single user from testing, reviewing (stamp coding) and authorizing a sample. Of the three groups (tester, reviewer, authorizer) at least two individuals must be documented and no single user can be documented doing all three when marking a sample accepted.

 

• FHWA Change Order Comments

FHWA engineers will have their own dedicated comments section in the change order header window. Users with the FHWA Engineer role have permission to leave up to ten 225 character date stamped comments.

 

 

* Note - Available testers are listed with each test method as recorded within the Labinator or the Approved Lists within SiteManager. For a tester to be available for a material sample test record the test’s start date must fall between a tester’s effective and expiration dates for the test. This is a change. Previously the current date was used when displaying the available testers.

 

 

 

Thank you,

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drunk drivers wreck cars. And lives.

Recall: SiteManager upgrade 3.8a tx2.012 scheduled for September 13th

Stewart DeWitt would like to recall the message, "SiteManager upgrade 3.8a tx2.012 scheduled for September 13th".
Drunk drivers wreck cars. And lives.

[Faces of Drunk Driving]<http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-room/news/statewide/028-2013.html>

SiteManager upgrade 3.8a tx2.012 scheduled for September 13th

Greeting,

On Friday, September 13, 2013 IT will begin the process of updating your SiteManager application to the latest release. The new version (3.8a tx 2.012) will be made available for install through LANDesk. The upgrade process will begin at 6 PM on Friday and will proceed through Saturday and Sunday (all times central). SiteManager (Citrix, MTS and client) and SiteManager reporting will be unavailable for the duration. SiteManager is scheduled to be available again Monday, September 16th at 6 AM or sooner.

 

• Please make every attempt to keep all SiteManager PC's powered on during this period.
• Maintenance (MNT) workstations are to be included.
• It is mandatory that standalone users check in all work prior to 6:00 PM Friday, September 13, 2013.
• Remember – When users open SiteManager for the first time after the upgrade the user ID field on the logon screen will be blank. SiteManager user ID’s are case sensitive and 99% of these ID’s are all upper case characters.
• The inclusion of MNT users could result in a high number of support calls.

 

Webinars are scheduled for Tuesday September 10^th at 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM to review the updates to the software. You may find the specific meeting details at https://txdot.webex.com by searching the calendar of scheduled meetings. The password for entry is “sitemanager”.

This 3.8a tx2.012 upgrade contains these significant changes.

• Maintenance Contracts Pay in SiteManager

You may exhale. Yes, the long awaited release of MNT in SiteManager is upon us. If everything goes as planned you will soon hear your MNT brothers and sisters proclaiming the virtues of SiteManager. At this time only contracts let after September 1^st will be loaded to SiteManager for payment (no facility contracts).

 

We have relied on the MNT Division to introduce the application to their users, but I expect many of you will be called on to assist them where necessary. For the most part their SiteManager is your SiteManager, with the exception of three main areas.

§  Maintenance Distribution window

After estimate generation this window will allow the MNT user to distribute the cost across the applicable segments. Estimate approval cannot conclude until all costs are distributed.

§  DWR Calendar window Segment 78 Distribution

While working with a MNT contract, users of the DWR Calendar will have the option to distribute costs to the segment 78 functions and assets.

§  MMS (Compass) SiteManager interface

The DWR Calendar option to distribute costs to the segment 78 is dependent on an interface between SiteManager and MMS. A MMS contract is required before segment 78 costs can be distributed through SiteManager.

 

• Material Test Tester Required

To ensure that a tester is identified with a material test, all tests for material samples must now identify a tester. Test data can be saved with a material sample record, but before a stamp code is added a tester must be identified. *

 

• Material Sample Authorization

To ensure adequate segregation of duties for our quality assurance material testing, we have included a check to prevent a single user from testing, reviewing (stamp coding) and authorizing a sample. Of the three groups (tester, reviewer, authorizer) at least two individuals must be documented and no single user can be documented doing all three when marking a sample accepted.

 

• FHWA Change Order Comments

FHWA engineers will have their own dedicated comments section in the change order header window. Users with the FHWA Engineer role have permission to leave up to ten 225 character date stamped comments.

 

 

* Note - Available testers are listed with each test method as recorded within the Labinator or the Approved Lists within SiteManager. For a tester to be available for a material sample test record the test’s start date must fall between a tester’s effective and expiration dates for the test. This is a change. Previously the current date was used when displaying the available testers.

 

 

 

Thank you,

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drunk drivers wreck cars. And lives.

Thomas De La Portilla - Retirement from SiteManager

If you would like to participate in the donation part Melissa mentions below, you can send to Stewart or I.  Even if it is just a dollar, thinking, collectively we could afford to get him a live Tyrannosaurus Rex that likes to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 

 

Stewart will make the decision on what the gift will be J

 

Regards

 

 

 

From: Melissa Daniels
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 8:48 AM

 

Greetings All!

 

As a follow-up to Tom’s retirement announcement, I would like to invite all who wish to assist in the planning of the reception to contact me. If you wish to make a donation towards a retirement gift, you may stop by and see either Crystal Woodruff or Stewart DeWitt at Cedar Park or me here at Riverside.

 

Thank you,

 

mad

 

Melissa Daniels
Field Engineering Branch
Construction Division
ph. 512-416-2428
fax 512-416-2551
melissa.daniels@txdot.gov

 

Drunk drivers wreck cars. And lives.

Thomas De La Portilla - Retirement from SiteManager

In case you don’t know, Tom is bailing on us, please see below!

 

 

Crystal

 

 

 

From: Tom Kolko
Sent: Friday, August 09, 2013 12:50 PM
To: CST-ALL
Subject: Thomas De La Portilla - Retirement

 

It is with mixed emotions that I announce the retirement of Tom De La Portilla.  The date we have feared, yet anticipated for years, is August 31, 2013.  He has served as a member of the CMISD branch for the past 11 years.

 

Tom began his career in 1985 with the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation.  He was on the survey crew in the Corpus Christi Area Office.  In 1998 he transferred to El Paso East Area Office, and in 1999 he moved to the Construction Division in Austin as mainframe support for construction contracts.

 

During his career with the department, Tom was instrumental in developing the majority of the department’s AASHTO SiteManager reports.  These reports are used daily by District and Division staff to document, audit and analyze construction payments, change orders, material usage and testing, just to name a few.  If it’s a construction-related report from the last 10 years, it is likely that Tom played a significant role in developing it.  He also traveled the State training District staff to use the SiteManager software. 

 

He was an active member of AASHTOWare’s Project Technical Review Team.   He served four years as the Construction Management TAG coordinator for the Trans-port Users Group and recently as the vice-chair of the Project Users Group (PUG) Conference.

 

Tom plans to spend plenty of time with his wife, Diane, and his three children (Claire, Edward and Emily).  Please join me in congratulating Tom on his outstanding TxDOT career and wishing him a long, happy and healthy retirement.

 

Also, please join us for a reception in his honor on Friday, August 30^th at 2 PM in Conference Room 1A.1 in Building 200.

 

 

 

Drunk drivers wreck cars. And lives.

Schedule maintenance Sunday June 16th to include SiteManager, EPRS, LIMS and SiteManager ADHOC reporting

SiteManager, EPRS, LIMS and SiteManager ADHOC reporting will be unavailable Sunday June 16^th between the hours of 10:00 AM  and 4:00 PM.

 

Thank you,

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

From: Jay Edwards
Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 1:58 PM
To: Thane Mitchell; Stewart DeWitt; James Bunner; Keith Buckley; Hisham Makkouk; Veronica Davis; Lois Johnson; Drake Kirk (Drake.Kirk@txdmv.gov); Steven Williams; Tricia Bowen; Ellen Boughter; Golam Sarwar (gsarwar@agileassets.com)
Cc: TSD-DBA-ORACLE
Subject: AIX Maintenace

 

Xerox will upgrading AIX from 5.3 to 6.1 on the following LPARs.

 

TX-SM-PD, TX-SM-PD2 and TX-ORA-PD

 

Production Databases affected: SMGR, SMGRADHC, EPRS, LIMS, SMGRPS, CPS, ETSA

 

Date: Sunday June 16^th

Start Time: 10:00 AM

Duration: 6 hrs

 

The duration is for several LPARS to be completed. Xerox has been instructed to update TX-SM-PD and TX-SM-PD2 (SMGR, SMGRADHC, EPRS, LIMS, SMGRPS) first. The Xerox estimate is three hours to complete the SMGR LPARs. TX-ORA-PD (CPS,ETA) will not be started till after 12 PM due to the ETA mviews.

 

The Compass team was included since SMGR is connected to and from the Compass production database.

 

If there are any questions or delays please let us know.  

  

Be Smart. Get a Head Start.
Hurricane season is June through November.

Available: SiteManager XM shortcuts, DWR Summary, Labinator, Material Sourcing Letter & STAT

Access to the SiteManager XM shortcuts, DWR Summary, Labinator, Material Sourcing Letter & STAT has been restored.

 

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

Be Smart. Get a Head Start.
Hurricane season is June through November.

Unavailable: SiteManager XM shortcut, DWR Summary, STAT & Labinator

Currently the SiteManager XM shortcut, DWR Summary, STAT & the Labinator are unavailable due to a server issue. The issue has been recorded with ISD and we hope to have a resolution soon.

 

 

Thank you,

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

Available: SiteManager XM shortcuts, DWR Summary and SiteManager Test Reporting

Access to the SiteManager XM shortcut, DWR Summary Report and SiteManager Test Reporting has been restored.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

Recall: Temporarily unavailable: SiteManager XM shortcuts, DWR Summary and SiteManager Test Reporting

Stewart DeWitt would like to recall the message, "Temporarily unavailable: SiteManager XM shortcuts, DWR Summary and SiteManager Test Reporting ".
[Click It or Ticket]<http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division/traffic/safety/laws/clickit.html>

Temporarily unavailable: SiteManager XM shortcuts, DWR Summary and SiteManager Test Reporting

Currently SiteManager users are unable to access the SiteManager XM shortcut, DWR Summary Report and SiteManager Test Reporting. This includes the ability to report material test results with the use of the Excel test files. ISD has been made aware of the issue and we hope to have a resolution quickly.

 

 

 

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

SiteManager 3.8a Tx2.011 update

Upgrade:

As of this morning the LANDesk administrators report that there are 755 workstations or laptops still remaining to be updated.

 

Users of these 755 workstations/laptops that currently do not have access to the SiteManager for Terminal Server should report the issue immediately. Please submit an incident with TxDOTNow and include your computer name and address it to the attention of CSD_LANDESK.

 

For the remaining users please continue to use the Terminal Server option until the update is applied to your computer.

 

Custom ADHOC Reporting:

As it was mentioned with the May 9^th notice , the administrative lock down for PC's at ISD is preventing the display of PDF reports in the web. As a result this option has temporarily been removed from the ADHOC custom report server. ISD is actively trying to restore this option and it is more than reasonable to believe that it will return by the end of this week.

 

 

Thank you,

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

SiteManager 3.8a tx2.011 update

In the last 24 hours the LANDesk group has been working to update more than 3800 SiteManager workstations to the new version.

 

I’m told this morning that more than 1800 have successfully been updated.

 

The update process is two parts.

 

To update your local SiteManager(Non- Inspector) application, the LANDesk administrator must first remove the previous version and then install the new version.

 

Unfortunately for some of you the lag between uninstall and reinstall has left you with no SiteManager option. This includes the working Terminal Server option you had yesterday.

 

If you are in this situation please submit an incident with TxDOTNow. Include your computer name and address it to the attention of CSD_LANDESK.

 

 

Thank you,

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov

 

SiteManager update 3.8a 2.011

…More information

 

·         IT is currently working to restart the update so the SiteManager (Non-Inspector) may be available again by the end of the day or sooner.

·         Please close and keep closed your SiteManager (Non-Inspector) version while IT updates your computer.

·         You may use your SiteManager for Terminal Server option while IT updates your computer.

·         SiteManager for Terminal Server as an exclusive option is only temporary.

·         The first login screen for the SiteManager for Terminal Server option uses your Novell account and password.

·         Citrix users are not affected.

 

 

 

Stewart DeWitt

Construction Division

(512) 416-2462

Stewart.DeWitt@txdot.gov