Tam 12.0 Security Manager changes

[Jim Jensen]

Found some changes to security in TAM 12.0 today. Nothing huge, but some changes that require amendments in Security Manager. The "Check Register" report has been updated to as a "Disbursement Register Report" and as a result, I had no rights to run it. Similarly there must have been a change relevant to transactions, because I no longer had rights to delete transactions.

Both easy fixes, but I really wish that upgrade notes would include a listing of the changes to Security Manager that need to be hit. Who knows what else I missed and will find when I can't do it.

[DebAmstutz]

Interesting that the upgrade notes did not include those changes.  Whenever I upgrade, I grant rights to everything to the Admin Group (myself and the owners) so that I have access to everything immediately. 

[Conan_Ward]

https://www.appliedsystems.com/releasenotes/tam120US/accounting.htm

TransactionsWhat's New?
Feature Description: Added Separate Security to Delete Customer Transactions
It is possible to grant employees security rights to delete customer transactions while denying rights to delete customers. This security right gives users only the ability to delete a customer transaction.
Managerial employees should determine whether an employee should have rights to delete customer transactions. To specify whether an employee should have rights to delete customer transactions, set the security rights for Customer > Transactions > Delete to Grant or Deny.
To specify whether an employee should have rights to delete customers, set the security right for Customer > Delete to Grant or Deny accordingly.
Targeted Role: Accounting Personnel/Servicing Personnel
PMR 11644, 148153, 188577, 214200, 214782, 226939, 236145, 238035, 247464, 249667

The report i'm unsure of since i dont run into it with the departments I support, its not clear in the notes on the rights there, though it does reference the report being changed and saved criteria lost.

[Jim Jensen]

Thanks Conan, guess I should have seen that one. I've always wished that release notes would include a section on security manager and simply list any that have been added/changed and need to be addressed. It's a huge section with hundreds (thousands?) of individual items and every release affects some, but we often have to find them through usage issues discovery.

Even when adding features and we should say "duh, we probably have to setup security for it", it would still be helpful to include those in a listing. It would streamline that process very much. It's not really a PMR issue since it isn't a program enhancement, so I don't know how to request the release notes be improved.

[Jeff Zylstra]

Interesting that the upgrade notes did not include those changes.  Whenever I upgrade, I grant rights to everything to the Admin Group (myself and the owners) so that I have access to everything immediately.

It seems like there is always some security permission that I miss during an upgrade, so I do the same thing.  At least someone in the office can do what needs to be done, then I can grant the security to the rest of the group later.   Absolute genius.   

[GeorgeW]

On Epic now, but I recall for TAM (not sure when it was) they used to supply a print out of security with the items "Bolded" that had changed.  Am I crazy?

[DebAmstutz]

Security Manager is where ASCnet missed the boat, as far as manuals for TAM are concerned.  I realize that permissions can change each time changes are made to TAM, but, done correctly, with the ability to insert new items where they belong, or having the ability to change the manual easily when Security Manager changes happen, a comprehensive guide to Security Manager could've been a gold mine for ASCnet.  Maybe it still could be, if a survey was done of members (and maybe non-members, but TAM users) of security challenges and how they were met and ongoing security issues that one of the experts (from ASCnet and/or Applied) could solve.  Any unsolvable items could be PMR'd to Applied for fixing.  I bet there are lots of agencies who could use a good guide to Security Manager.  The class on it is only 90 minutes and is mostly generic-there is just not time in a 90-minute class to pin down every scenario that people have in their agencies, but if people had "this happened in my agency and here is what worked" instances, they could probably figure out what to do for something similar that was happening in their own agency.  Maybe any kind of manual for Security Manager is just not possible?  I don't know, but I sure could have made use of one.

[Jan Regnier]

On Epic now, but I recall for TAM (not sure when it was) they used to supply a print out of security with the items "Bolded" that had changed.  Am I crazy?

Yes, they used to - I reviewed my file for the 11.+ upgrade and either I didn't keep (which would be unusual) or there wasn't any info on Security changes.

[Conan_Ward]

They still exist and are usually linked from the install instructions (which should be available from the software downloads page).
12's is here: http://www.appliedsystems.com/doc_central/TD-TAM-Development/12SecurityManagerWorksheet.htm

[Mark]

I was going to say, I thought I've always seen something on security manager changes.  We probably wont go to 12 until after TENCon.  We generally like to stay one version behind.  ish.

[DebAmstutz]

We won't upgrade TAM until it's absolutely necessary - we're on Windows XP and Office 2003.  Whenever we do change, it won't be fun.  There will be too much new stuff for everyone to learn all at one time.

[Jim Jensen]

We won't upgrade TAM until it's absolutely necessary - we're on Windows XP and Office 2003.  Whenever we do change, it won't be fun.  There will be too much new stuff for everyone to learn all at one time.

Which is why you shouldn't wait until its absolutely necessary. Make stepped upgrades. TAM 12.0 doesn't require anything higher than WinXP, so the only change needed is moving to Office2007 or 2010. Frankly, that's not enough reason to put it off until "necessary". You need to move to one of those anyway - Office2003 is 10+ years old and most people have moved past it and save documents as docx, pptx or xlsx. The changes to office aren't terrible. Sure, it's a different interface, but it still works the same. It's just the menu system that's different.

Forms updates are important enough to consider it - you're using very out of date legal language on your applications.

[Conan_Ward]

Technically I believe 03 still works with 12, but don't quote me on that, and it's technically not supported, but thats due to age and MS is probably dropping support of it as well (or already has). XP support will drop off likely with the drop off with MS finally ending support (next year, right?) though without a huge change in how TAM works, I can't see it breaking TAM on xp.

As far as going 11 to 12, there isn't a whole lot of change there unless you need certain forms/features, so perhaps updating office or workstations first, getting that change over with is best, then you're set for at least a few tam upgrades.

[Jan Regnier]

I brought in my laptop for everyone to "test drive" and I created a document indicating (with pictures!)WHERE things ARE now.  I think the most difficult part of the change was just finding everything - it doesn't really "work" any differently...it just Looks different and things in are new places.

I agree with Jim in regards to not waiting until you HAVE to make the change...it's much easier to do it when there is no urgency.

[Mark]

+1 Jim

[Jeff Zylstra]

+1 Jim

Ditto on the old, and outdated language that Jim mentioned.  In fact, I believe that it's a violation of the licensing and copyright terms of ACORD forms to use them more than 1 year after the form has been replaced. 

I also agree with Mark that it's easier to upgrade incrementally, rather than taking quantum leaps in versions.  Besides needing support assistance to make the leap in TAM, you also run the risk that some conversion process will bomb out and corrupt data.  It's better to keep up rather than catch up.