Best Practices

Setting up OneDrive for Network Scans

Posted on by Jeff Feiertag

Do you have documents you need to scan, but you don’t want to send them one by one to your e-mail account? OneDrive will let you set things up so that you may scan on the big county copier/scanners and then send the files directly to your OneDrive account.

  • Open a browser and input the following URL in the address bar, but replace username with your county SSO username:
    https://mcgov-my.sharepoint.com/personal/username_montgomerycountymd_gov/_layouts/15/mngsiteadmin.aspx
  • Click in the box next to your name and type to search for svc-od4b_scan.
    OneDrive Setup for Scans
  • Click to select on the search result (svc-od4b_scan) and click the OK button.
  • Use the Ricoh to scan your document(s).

Logging into PSTrax (ALS Providers Only)

Posted on by Jeff Feiertag

Assuming you are an ALS provider with MCFRS and you have rights to PSTrax, here is a set of instructions for logging into the system. If that still does not work, please submit a TSR. If it is an emergency and you need to log meds at the moment, please contact the FRS IT standby number (240.777.2233, option 1). Still, try the following procedure first:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you are logging into PSTrax and are doing it from a computer on which you have already logged onto a Microsoft app (such as Outlook), you will only be prompted for your PSTrax login (which is your full e-mail address, using firstname.lastname@montgomerycountymd.gov).

PSTrax Login Screen

If you are logging into PSTrax and are doing it from a computer on which you have NOT logged into any Microsoft app (such as the ePCR or even a county desktop), then you will get three login screens. The first is the PSTrax login with your full firstname.lastname@montgomerycountymd.gov address, followed by the Microsoft login page, using your SSO@montgomerycountymd.gov address.

PSTrax Login Screen

PSTrax Login - Microsoft Login Screen

PSTrax Login Screen - MCG Login Screen

 

 

Synching a PW Change with Windows Laptop and County SSO (for Teleworkers)

Posted on by Jeff Feiertag

This TechTip is directed toward people who telecommute.

A common problem for many has been, when they have to change their single sign-on passwords every 90 days, that the network password updates while the Windows password doesn’t immediately change (and may take days or weeks to catch up). Most commonly, that occurs when a person changes the password via ePortal and not Windows.

Instead:

  • Log onto the VPN on your laptop.
  • Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete on your keyboard and choose Change a Password.
  • Type the old password and the new one twice, as requested.
  • Press the Enter key or click the right-arrow on the side of the second new password input box.

That’s it. Both the laptop and all of county single sign-on applications will accept the new password (although it might take a few minutes to update across all of the servers). Remember, though, it is imperative that you update your password on mobile devices where you have mail accounts set up, or else you will lock up your account when the device(s) try to use the old password.

 

Avoiding Losing Your MDC Touchpad

Posted on by Jeff Feiertag

With a common keystroke mistake, MDC users (with the Panasonic FZ-55) are disabling their touchpads while trying to lower screen brightness. If this happens to you, press the FN and ESC keys.

  • Fn-Esc is a toggle to turn off and on the touchpad.
  • Fn-F1 reduces the brightness.
  • Fn-F2 increases the brightness.

There is no way for MCFRS IT to disable the Fn-Esc toggle, so you are advised to try this keystroke if you suddenly lose your touchpad capabilities.

MDC Esc and F1 keys

Marking a Sender as Safe in Outlook Web (OWA)

Posted on by Jeff Feiertag

Do you get an e-mail message from someone and see that it has been going to Spam/Junk? Would you prefer to have it stay in your inbox? We need to mark the sender as safe. While there are multiple ways, here is one:

  • Find the message from someone you would like to mark as safe.
  • Find the e-mail address in the message preview and drag your mouse over it to select the full address.
  • Copy the address (or write it down with pen and paper for later recall).
  • Find and click the Settings button, located at the top-right corner of the screen.

    Outlook Settings Cog

  • Type the word block in the settings input box and then click the Blocked Senders and Domains search result that appears.

    OWA Junk Block Search

  • Find the section called Safe Senders and Domains and click the + Add button. An input box will appear.
  • Paste the address you copied earlier (or type it manually, if you simply wrote it down).
  • Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  • Click the Save button at the bottom-right corner of the window.

Reacting to Failsoft on the 800 MHz Radio

Posted on by Jeff Feiertag

When the 800 MHz radio system has major computer problems, but stops just short of completely breaking, we enter what is called Failsoft mode.

How to know you’re in Failsoft mode:

  • Failsoft appears on your radio’s screen.
  • You will hear a regular chirp seconds.
  • ECC will announce that we are in Failsoft.

What happens?

  • All of our talkgroups reduce to a handful of channels. Those frequencies are shared and no longer parsed into separate talkgroups.
  • EB is no longer functioning.
  • No radio patches are available. (Note: This includes EMRC.)

What should you do?

  • Refrain from talking on the radio unless you have something vital to say.
  • Turn off the Scan feature.
  • Treat Failsoft like Condition Red.

Here is the Failsoft fleetmap:

Failsoft Fleetmap

Using Software Center to Add Software to Your PC

Posted on by Jeff Feiertag

Did TEBS recently remove some software from your county PC, such as a browser? Software such as Chrome and Firefox must be loaded from a specific county location, instead of just a standard web download, so that it meets county specifications.

  • Ensure you are on the county network. If you are someone who teleworks, make sure you have logged into the network via VPN. If you are using a laptop in a county worksite, ensure that you are connected behind the firewall (as opposed to MCGuest).
  • Locate MCG Software Center on your desktop. If it is not a shortcut on your desktop, click the Windows start key on your keyboard and then type software. You will see search results for the Software Center app. Run it.
    Software Center App
  • Note the list of apps in Software Center. Here is an example:
    SW Center Menu
  • Find and click the app you would like to install.
  • Click the Install button. you will know that the installation has finished when the black button is labeled Reinstall.

Troubleshooting the SeamlessDocs Recruit Class Background Application Form

Posted on by Jeff Feiertag

Are you filling out the SeamlessDocs Recruit Class Background Application Form and having some difficulty? Here are answers to some questions we have received in the past:

  • Issue: My background questionnaire isn’t sending and it’s giving me red incomplete flags.
    • Response: A red flag tells you that you missed a field, somewhere in the document.
  • Issue: When I click submit and sign, it tells me I need to select an option on page 49. I don’t see a page 49 or any red boxes to fill in. Therefore it’s not letting me continue to submit and sign.
    • Response: The form was created from an imported document, so the page numbering doesn’t necessarily line up to SeamlessDocs identifying a particular page (although it will be close). It the system is telling you that you missed a selection, you missed a selection.
  • Issue: Can the questionnaire be handwritten then uploaded as a pdf?
    • Response: No, the questionnaire must be typed.
  • Issue: I forgot to add something in my responses. May I add the info / attachment then resubmit my questionnaire?
    • Response: If information was omitted on a questionnaire that has already been submitted, candidates should type up the additional information and bring it with them if/when they meet with an investigator. They should not submit additional questionnaires.
  • Issue: How do I know if my questionnaire & documentation was submitted properly / received by FRS?
    • Response: You will receive e-mail automatically from the system.
  • Issue: I am trying to save the questionnaire so I can fill it out, but it won’t save.
    • Response: If you have not created an account so that you may save, click the save icon. thereafter, you will see a pop-up dialog box.
      SD Save Dialog
    • Click the Save Your Work button and you will see the login screen (for those who have accounts). You will find the register Now button on the right side of that screen.
      SD Register Now Button
    • Fill in the prompts to create an account for use as you need to work on (and save) your background form.
  • Issue: May I still submit my questionnaire if I am missing one of the required documents?
    • Response: You will need to submit document(s) in lieu of the missing document(s). Create a placeholder document that includes your name and an explanation as to why the document is missing (e.g., I lost my social security card, but have requested a new one) and/or upload a copy of the receipt/confirmation that the missing document(s) has been ordered. Bring the original documents if/when you meet with an investigator.
  • Issue: I created an account to save my background form and then exited the form. I am trying to get back to it now. How do I do that?