Who needs TRAK-Admin or TRAK-Enter and how do I install it?

Owned by
Gina Dykeman
, created
Last updated: Mar 28, 2023
3 min read

TRAK-Admin is configured by a member of the EDAS SARS Support Team and/or the SARS location’s admin to create the interface students see when they enter a building and/or room. The interface is configured as an “application,” which can be, but is not necessarily, synonymous with a SARS location. A kiosk can run only a single TRAK application.

  • Examples:

    • If one TRAK kiosk is used by several SARS locations as the entry point for students, the application can have multiple buttons and each button can be linked to a different SARS locations, i.e. Advising, Tutoring, and Coaching.

    • If a SARS location has multiple physical locations, i.e., on different floors or in different buildings, a TRAK-Admin application can be set up for each physical location; this is helpful if different physical locations offer different services, such as Advising on the 1st floor, and Tutoring and Coaching on the 2nd floor.
      NOTE: If you are a location’s SARS admin and are unable to login to TRAK-Admin, please send an email to itsd@ua.edu and cc: gdykeman@ua.edu

TRAK-Enter is the application running on the kiosk tablet, laptop, etc., which allows students to enter their CWID and, depending on the configuration in TRAK-Admin,

How to install TRAK-Admin and TRAK-Enter

Below are the steps to install TRAK·Admin and TRAK·Enter on Windows computers or tablets; TRAK-Admin and TRAK-Enter are not Mac OS-compatible.
NOTE: Screenshots are coming

Local admin

Check with your IT representative to ensure the user account used to log into the SARS computer is a “local admin” on the computer.

Map a drive

  1. Confirm you can connect to the SARS server and map the drive

    1. Click the Start menu and type: Windows Explorer

    2. In the list that appears, click Windows Explorer

    3. In the window that appears,

      1. Click This PC

      2. Click the Computer tab

      3. Click the drop-down menu below the Map network drive icon and choose Map network drive

    4. In the Map network drive window (see screenshot):

      1. From the Drive menu, choose Z:
        IMPORTANT NOTE: If Z: is already being used, choose a drive that’s not being used. When asked to choose the Z: in later steps, choose the drive you chose in this step.

      2. In the Folder field, type: \\appuapsars16.ua-net.ua.edu\sars

      3. Click to check the boxes in front of:

        1. Reconnect at sign in

        2. Connect using different credentials

        3. Click Finish

        4. In the Windows Security window, click More choices

          1. Click Use a different account

          2. In the Enter network credentials window (see screenshot):

            1. In the User name field, type: ua-net\oitsars

            2. In the Password field, type: edasstuhr

            3. Check the box in front of Remember my credentials

            4. Click OK

Install GRID

Even though we now use SARS Anywhere instead of SARS·GRID, SARS·GRID needs to be installed to make TRAK·Admin and TRAK·Enter work properly.

  1. Launch the installer

    1. In the Windows Explorer window, click the Z: drive
      NOTE: If you don’t see the Z: drive (or the drive letter you chose above), click the arrow (>) on the left side of This PC

    2. Double click the Grid folder

    3. Double click the Setup folder

    4. Right click the setup.exe and choose Run as administrator
      (see screenshot)

    5. When prompted to allow this program to make changes to the computer, click OK.
      NOTE: If you’re unable to grant the program access, the user account logged into the computer isn’t a “local admin.” You will need to get in touch with your IT representative to resolve this problem before you can proceed.

    6. In the installer window, click Next until the button changes to Install

    7. Click Install

    8. After the program has been installed, click Finish

Install TRAK

  1. Launch the installer

    1. In the Windows Explorer window, click the Z:

    2. Double click the Grid folder

    3. Double click the Setup folder

    4. Double click SARS Suite.msi

    5. In the first screen, click Next

    6. In the Program Maintenance screen,

      1. Click the radio button in front of Modify

      2. Click Next

      3. Click the icon to the left of SARS·TRAK

      4. Select This feature will be installed on local hard drive
        NOTE: This is the MOST IMPORTANT step for installing TRAK

      5. Click Next

      6. Click Install

      7. When prompted to allow this program to make changes to the computer, click OK

      8. After the program has been installed, click Finish

Set up shortcuts in Start menu and/or on Desktop

  1. Click the Start menu

  2. Scroll the list of programs and find the SARS Software Products folder

  3. Look at the list of programs inside the folder

  4. Right click TRAK·Admin
    a. Choose More and then Open File Location

    1. Right click TRAK·Admin (see screenshot)
      a. To pin to the Start menu, choose Pin to Start
      b. To add a shortcut to the Desktop, choose Send to and then Desktop

  5. Launch TRAK·Admin and enter your SARS credentials

  6. Repeat Steps 3-5 for TRAK·Enter

  7. Launch TRAK·Enter and enter your SARS credentials