2019-07-12 iLab Updates
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Hello!
Over the last few weeks, the iLab team has released the following updates and enhancements:
Scheduling
Enhancement-Deleting Calendars
Going forward, we are disabling the option to delete a calendar if reservation confirmations are in queue. Once the confirmation process has been completed, the delete icon will reappear on the calendar interface.
Bug Fix-Reservation Confirmations
Users reported that future reservations were available for confirmation. This has been corrected.
Bug Fix-Timeline View
The Scheduling Timeline View displayed reservation owner information even though the equipment setting allowing that visibility is turned off. This is fixed.
Reporting
Bug Fix-Service Names
Updated service names will now be reflected in reporting immediately.
Broken Link
The tutorial link on the reporting panel was broken. The video is now available via the link and, step by step reporting instructions are also available on the iLab helpsite here.
Project Workflows
Clarification-Financial Approval Emails
Cores reported that their customer received additional financial notifications even though the customer had already agreed to the projected cost.
We have updated the email message to also make it clear that the notification is sent not only if the projected cost is exceeded, but also if the agreed cost is exceeded.
Reservation Approvals
The system required approval for an event even when the availability selected did not require it. This occurred on calendars with multiple availabilities per usage type with varying approval requirements. The approval requirement is now verified per availability.
Billing
Enhancement-Institution Billing Status Filter
We have shortened the delay between the time a billing file status is changed and the time that new status is available on the institution’s billing page. Filters will now show the correct status immediately.
Bug Fix-Invoice Filters
Invoices that had recently been marked as paid were appearing as unpaid on the institution’s invoice filter. This has been corrected.
Special Modules
Enhancement-Product Core Bar Codes
The ability to print a product barcode is now available at the core level from the product description module and the Product & Location kiosk. An icon is located near the product name in each screen that will open the option to enter the desired quantity to print.
Enhancement-Product Core Notes
Within the Storeroom Fulfillment kiosk, Delivery Locations and order Notes are now visible in the pick ticket summaries so that each pick ticket does not have to be opened to see these details
Bug Fix-Time Entry
We allow modifications to previous week’s time sheet before Tuesday night the following week, when the time sheet is processed. We have fixed a problem where an entire new role couldn’t be added to a past week, before it was processed. Staff can now add new roles in a previous week’s time entry sheet.
User Management
Bug Fix-Lab Member Expiration
When a user’s lab membership expires, cores should receive an email notification for any pending charges or reservations. This email will no longer be sent if the charges have been billed.
Core Billing in iLab – Blackout/Non-billing Dates
The billing from iLab to IBIS can sometimes be tricky. Not only do you need to remember the process and all of the things to do, as well as any special requests from core customers, you need to remember which days you can and cannot bill on.
IBIS restricts what days we can bill based on the Penn State Holiday schedule. Additionally, we cannot bill on weekends or any University Park Campus Closure days.
To help you remember what days to bill, or not bill, I have created the following infographic for you. This information was also sent out to all of the core administrators through the Core Admin listserv. It will also be posted on the CORES iLab information site.
Attached is an infographic that lists the blackout billing dates for iLab, as well as a basic billing timeline. This handout is a reminder for all core admins who perform the billing function to help them ensure that monthly billings are submitted only on days when they will be processed by IBIS, our financial system here at Penn State.
Text in the Core Billing in iLab Handout
2019 Billing Blackout Dates
- All Weekend Days
- Friday, August 30
- Monday, September 2
- Wednesday, November 27
- Thursday, November 28
- Friday, November 29
- Friday, December 20
- Monday, December 23
- Tuesday, December 24
- Wednesday, December 25
- Thursday, December 26
- Friday, December 27
- Monday, December 30
- Tuesday, December 31
- ALL PSU UP Closure Days
Monthly Billing Steps
- Confirm Reservations
- Complete Service Tasks
- Create Event & Send Invoices
- Finalize Billing after 5 days
- Double check IBIS after 5pm the next day
Billing External (w/out IBIS Acct)
- Do put charges in separate billing event; send invoices
- Do not send to IBIS (don’t click Finalize Billing button)
- Collect funds per department policies
Do Not Bill
- Weekends
- PSU Holidays
- Blackout Dates
- UP Campus Closure Days
iLab Utilization 1/7/2019
This month we continued to add new users to iLab and are working on adding more cores!
As of today, Penn State research cores have billed over $987.3K from within the iLab application, streamlining the billing process for our Penn State Community.
iLab Utilization 12/6/2018 and New Cores
This month we hit another milestone as we now have over 500 users online using iLab! We also welcome Chemistry’s X-ray Crystallography Small Molecule (CHEM) to the iLab family this month! Congratulations on all of your hard work!
As of today, Penn State research cores have billed over $859K from within the iLab application, streamlining the billing process for our Penn State Community.
iLab Utilization 11/5/2018 and New Cores
This month we hit another milestone as we now have over 400 users online using iLab! We also welcome Chemistry’s Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imagining core, Liquid Nitrogen core, Maintenance/Pump Shop, and the Biomarker Core Lab to the iLab family this month! Congratulations on all of your hard work!
As of today, Penn State research cores have billed over $775K from within the iLab application, streamlining the billing process for our Penn State Community.
iLab Utilization 10/1/2018 And New Cores
This month we hit a milestone as we now have 300 users online using iLab! We also welcome Huck’s Microscopy Core to the iLab family as they transition to using iLab for core management. Congratulations on all of your hard work!
As of today, Penn State research cores have billed over $623K from within the iLab application, streamlining the billing process for our Penn State Community.
iLab Utilization 5/21/2018
The usage of iLab at Penn State is beginning to take off as more cores come online. As of today, Penn State research cores have billed over $326K from within the iLab application, streamlining the billing process for our Penn State Community.
326.3K Revenues 12 mos.
143 Users
500 Requests
7499 Utilization
iLab Utilization 4/18/2018
The usage of iLab at Penn State is beginning to take off as more cores come online. As of today, Penn State research cores have billed over $265K from within the iLab application, streamlining the billing process for our Penn State Community.
iLab Usage Statistics as of 4/18/2018
