What applications are in the SARS Suite and how are they used?

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Gina Dykeman
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Last updated: Feb 13, 2023
3 min read

The SARS Suite is comprised of the following applications.

SARS Anywhere

Used by all SARS users.

  • For users who meet with students, it is used to configure their schedule on THE GRID using a Master Schedule with the location’s Schedule Codes.

  • For users who do not meet with students, it is used to book student appointments on THE GRID.

SARS Anywhere Admin

Used by the EDAS Support Team and/or the location’s SARS admin to create the foundation for a SARS location and the relevant appointments, including:

SARS Admin settings maintained by EDAS:

  • GRID Settings, such as Time Increment (of appointments), Start Time and Stop Time (this is when do you “turn on and off the lights,” not when you start and stop seeing students)

  • Schedules Codes, such as Open, Group, Prep, or Staff Meeting

  • Reason Codes, such as General Advising, Tutoring, or Peer Coaching

  • Confirmation Settings, such as emails and/or texts for booked, moved or cancelled appointments done by a SARS user in SARS Anywhere.

  • Excluded Dates, such as US and UA holidays

  • Additional Information, such as Preferred Names, Preferred Pronouns, College, or Major

  • Access Codes, such as Scheduler, Advisor, Student Worker, or SARS Admin

SARS Admin settings maintained by the SARS location’s admin:

eSARS (online student portal)

Used by student’s to book available appointments with the location’s advisors, coaches, tutors, etc.

eSARS_Config

Used by the EDAS Support Team and/or the location’s SARS admin to configure the location’s online portal including which Schedule Codes, Reason Codes, etc., the student has the option to choose. It is also where confirmation emails for appointments BOOKED by the student in eSARS is configured.

SARS-Zoom API (interface)

Used by the EDAS Support Team to generate links to Zoom appointments and add them to the SARS appointment in SARS Anywhere. It also used to send the confirmation email to students – and Bcc the SARS user meeting with the student – no matter how the appointment is booked – by the student in eSARS or by a SARS user in SARS Anywhere.

SARS Messages

Used by the EDAS SARS Support Team and/or the SARS location’s admin to configure emails and/or texts sent to students, including:

  • Appointment Reminders which can be linked to Schedule Codes.

    • Reminders for Zoom appointments cannot include the Zoom link; however, it can walk the student through the steps of logging in to eSARS to join the Zoom meeting.

    • Appointment Missed which is sent when the student’s attendance is “Marked No” in SARS Anywhere

    • Appointment Follow up which is sent when the student’s attendance is “Marked Yes” in SARS Anywhere. It can include a link to a Qualtrics or other survey.
      NOTE: If you are a location’s SARS admin and are unable to login to SARS Messages, please, send an email to itsd@ua.edu and cc: gdykeman@ua.edu

TRAK-Admin

Used by 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. A kiosk can run only a single TRAK “application.” The interface is configured as an “application,” which can be, but is not necessarily, synonymous with a SARS location.

  • 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 either:

      • a single “application” used by all the physical locations; this is helpful is different physical locations offer the same services; or

      • an “application” 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.

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

Runs on the kiosk tablet, laptop, etc., and allows students to enter their CWID and, depending on the configuration in TRAK-Admin,