Active Window – A window with a highlighted title bar and border. It is the topmost window displayed on the screen and it accepts input from the mouse and the keyboard.
Active Client Status – The status of a client within the Vision application who has a client involvement start date but no end date.
Application – This refers to a computer program or series of programs created for a specific function. VISION is an application created to do case assessment and an eligibility determination.
ARP (Agency Related Person) – This is an individual who is known to the Common Database.
ASSIST (Achieving Support System Integration through Services and Technology) - This is the application for the Department of Human Services Developmental Disabilities Division.
BLAZE – An application that links program rules to accomplish assessment and eligibility processing using Knowledge Based Rules in the Vision System.
Cascading Menu - Submenus that are attached to the side of a drop down menu item. Menu items that lead to a cascading menu are marked with a right-pointing triangle after the item name.
Check Box – Consists of a square box and text options. When a choice is selected the check box shows a check mark. When the choice is de-selected, the check box is blank.
Client Manager –Software that is installed on all Vision PCs to enable them to connect to the Commbrg, which is located at the State Office. This allows the Vision PC to communicate with the Mainframe at ITD where a part of the Vision application exists.
Client/Server – The Client is the Personal Computer that is linked to the Server. Each Vision work site has one or more Personal Computers linked to the Server. All the (PCs) connected to the server make up a Local Area Network (LAN).
Common Database (ES100000) – This database includes all clients known to TECS, Vision, Child Support, ASSIST, CCWIPS and SPOC.
Commbrg (Communication Bridge) - Software that is installed on a server at the State Office. The Client Manager Software that is installed on the County/Region PCs connects to the Commbrg that in turn connects to the Mainframe.
CCWIPS (Comprehensive Child Welfare Information and Payment System) – This is an application for the Department of Human Services Children and Family Services Division.
COOL: GEN –Case Tool from Computer Associates used by ITD to develop the Vision client windows and the servers that access the data.
Copy Details – In Vision, whenever Household Composition is run for the first time for a Benefit Month, the information from the most recent Benefit Month is copied to the next Benefit Month. This occurs for both New Applications and ongoing cases.
CPU (Central Processing Unit) – This is the processing portion of the personal computer.
DB2 (database 2) – This is a relational database from IBM where information for the Vision application is stored.
Desktop – This is the shaded or colored backdrop of the screen, which displays all the application icons.
Dialog Box – This is a similar to a window but has no menu bar.
Document Library Manager (DLM) - This is a tool that creates the Documents between the Vision application and Lotus Notes.
Drop down (Pull Down) – This refers to a menu or list box that contains options representing functions within the application. To access a menu, click on the selection on the menu bar. To access a drop down list, click on the down pointing triangle.
Edit – This is comparable to the Next function in the TECS System.
File Servers – Area where program code is stored for the Local or Wide Area Network.
Finalist – For TECS, Finalist is a batch job that runs at night to compare the address entered by the user to the postal standard’s address. In Vision, Finalist is an online job that is run at the time the address is entered. If the address does not meet postal standards, the Final Warning Message, ‘The address that was entered is invalid and cannot be verified’ is given. Use the United States Postal Service Postal Addressing Standards publication distributed to each county at the TANF/Medicaid Enhancement training to determine the correct address format.
GUI (Graphical User Interface) Standards – This is the technical term for the window standards for the Vision system.
Group Box – A box used to group data items under a common heading, inside a framed box. The title is descriptive of the data items inside. Fields inside the group box may consist of radio buttons, check boxes, entry fields, or may contain drop down (pull down) menus/lists.
Health Care Coverage (HCC) - Includes both the Medicaid and Healthy Steps programs.
Help – This is a selection on the menu bar, which accesses the Online Help for the active window. This option is available as a Help push button for dialogs.
Icons – Graphics on which you click to execute a program or function.
Inactive client status – The status of a client who is not an active participant in a Vision case.
Inactive Window – A window on the desk top in the background and the title bar or the boarder are not highlighted. A click anyplace on the inactive window makes it an active window.
Intake – This is the process of entering a new TANF or Medicaid case and assigning a new case number or reusing an existing number when the Primary Individual has a previous case in TECS. The Re-application process is used if the PI has a previous case in Vision.
ITD (Information Technology Department) – Provides immediate technology-related business solutions for 80 unique, individual, government entities that comprise the North Dakota state government. They are technology consultants, project managers, planners, analysts, technicians, systems designers, and information architects.
ITS (Information Technology Services) – ITS is a division in the Department of Human Services that manages the hardware and software for the TECS and Vision applications.
Knowledge Based Rules - The collection of facts and rules for TANF and Medicaid program and policy built into the Vision system.
LAN (Local Area Network) - All the computer hardware that is connected to each other in a given location. For example: PCs, Network printers, File servers that are all located at Northbrook Mall or a county office.
List Box – These are used for single and multiple selections when the data domain is not limited. The most common use lists all individuals in a case and displays information specific to each individual. Programs specific to a case are contained in separate list boxes. Persons and/or programs are selected for processing by clicking on a particular name/program to highlight. This enables menu bar options or fields in another location on the window.
Lotus Notes - This is the application to view, edit and print notices and case planning documents including the Monthly Report, Change Report, Health Tracks and the Social Contract for TANF and Medicaid.
Mainframe (Enterprise Server) – The central processing unit for most state functions.
Menu Bar – This is the strip below the Title Bar and provides access to other functions of the application through the use of options that may have pull-down menus that contain selection choices.
Message Box – This is a type of dialog box used to display a message to the user. A message box only consists of explanatory text, an identifying icon and one or two push buttons to accept or cancel the message. The message box is used to indicate a process has completed report status information to the user and to report unexpected or undesirable situations to the user.
Mnemonic - This is a shortcut consisting of keystrokes that allow users to choose a menu bar item, an item from a drop down menu, a radio button or a push button. The mnemonic is the underlined letter in a word or phrase that is selected along with the Alt on the keyboard.
Multi Select - The ability to select more than one row from a List Box at one time.
Multitasking – The ability to run multiple applications concurrently which speeds up productivity.
Network Printer – A printer accessible to any computer on the network.
Numident (Number Identification) – An interface with the Social Security Administration to verify a Social Security number. The verification is based on the Social Security number, last name, first name, sex and date of birth for an individual.
Online Help – Online Help is available from the desktop in the ‘Vision Users Manual’ book and the ‘Policy Manuals’ book. Vision online help is also available through the Vision application and attached to each window. TANF and Medicaid Policy is also linked to policy specific to that window.
PCN (Personal Control Number) - This is the unique identifier assigned to each user for the Vision and TECS system to authorize benefits and social contracts.
Provider Database – An electronic Department of Human Service comprehensive reference file for service providers. This database is shared by multiple applications to facilitate service delivery. Vision utilizes the database to facilitate the referral of clients for appropriate services such as JOBS, Health Tracks and Primary Care Providers and for the selection of Health Insurance Carriers.
Push Button – A rectangular shape button containing a title located at the bottom of a Vision window that specifies the action or response represented by the button. Click on the button to perform the stated action.
Queue – A file that holds requests to create Lotus Notes documents. The Document Library Manager later processes these requests and creates the documents.
Radio Button – This is a two-part function consisting of a selectable circle and associated text. The selection of any one-radio button de-selects any previous choice. The action of a radio button selection is not processed until a push button is selected. This allows the user to change the radio button and not have the action updated until the push button does the processing.
Relational Database (RDBMS –Relational Database Management System) – Data and relations between them are organized in tables. A table is a collection of records and each record in a table contains the same fields. The RDBMS is the system that manages the data records and tables for the application.
RoboHelp – This is a tool utilized to store books (user manuals, policy manuals, administrative code, etc.) on shelves within a library and to facilitate links to those books and text within those books to other applications (Vision) for on-line user help.
Rollout – New code is rolled out to production periodically approximately every 6-8 weeks). The Vision roll-out dates are included on the monthly TECS/Vision calendar and users are also notified via email broadcasts. After each roll-out, each User must select the Vision Code Update Icon on their desktop to move to the code to their workstation.
Rollover – In Vision, rollover only occurs for Authorized Through Medicaid Cases. At the end of each month, a batch job is run to roll data and the PCN from the current month to the future month.
Runtime Error – This is an error in Vision that is similar to the TECS bug. It may be an application error or you may have lost connection to the server. If the error is other than losing connection to the server, the entire error message should be printed and reported to System Support and Development.
'S' Drive - The drive mapped on each computer that accesses the Blaze rules. The mapping of this drive is the responsibility of the local vendor or Association of Counties.
Server – This is a large capacity computer on which applications are loaded and data stored. The local Personal Computers are connected to the server. A server exists to serve the client (another computer) and to pass and receive information from a host (another computer).
Shut Down – The command from the Start Menu that turns off the computer safely.
SPOC (Single Plan of Care) - This application is used by the Human Service Centers, County Social Service Workers, PATH, and/or the school systems to manage a plan for children primarily in Foster Care.
Single Select – This is the capability to select only one row of information at a time in a List Box.
Task Bar – The bar on the bottom of the computer screen that has the "Start" button on it, the time, and all open applications. This bar can be moved to any side of the screen but is usually located at the bottom.
TECS (Technical Eligibility Computer System) - This is a computer system initially established to process and determine eligibility for Economic Assistance Programs in North Dakota. Programs in this system are gradually being moved into the Vision System to process under Knowledge Based Rules. Currently, TANF and Medicaid are included in Vision. TECS still processes Food Stamps and some Medicaid cases.
3/2 Search (Three/Two Search) - This is a process in Intake for TECS and Vision that searches against the first three letters of a last name and the first two letters of a first name to find clients already known to the common database. This process limits results of a client search to prevent the possibility of creating duplicate clients.
Third Party Liability (TPL) - TPL is the acronym for Third Party Liability or medical/health insurance coverage other than Medicaid.
Time Limited Percentage (TLP) - TLP is the acronym for Time Limited Percentage used in the budget calculation for TANF and Children and Family Medicaid in the Vision system.
Title Bar - This is the identification strip at the top of every window and dialog containing the title of the window/dialog. The user can drag the title bar to move the window. When a window is active, the title bar is highlighted.
Vision – The name for the system that includes applications for Economic Assistance programs that currently includes the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and Health Care Coverage programs.
Vision Code Update Icon - This Icon is located on the Desktop for each Vision User. It must be selected and the code run until it is completed after each Vision Rollout. If this is not done, a message displays when attempting to sign into the Vision application that the work station does not have the most current Vision code.
WAN (Wide Area Network) – This refers to two or more Local Area Networks (LAN) connected together.
Windows XP – Operating System created by Microsoft. This runs all of the applications such as Lotus Notes, MS Office, etc. Other examples of Operating Systems include Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME and Windows NT.