Banner Problem Reporting
Banner is a highly complex system that uses nearly 1300 forms and over 450 processes to store, change, and retrieve data from nearly 1600 tables for each database instance. The following hardware and software components are required to make all of this happen:
- Oracle database server
- Oracle application server to support the Web interface
- the forms server
- your PC
- the UNIX server
- underlying network components
Unfortunately, in the above scheme of things, errors will happen, and you will encounter them while navigating through Banner. Most of the time you will be notified with some kind of error or warning message to help you figure out what went wrong and what has to be done to correct it. Some of these messages will be obvious and helpful, and others will be meaningless and frustrating.
Follow these simple steps:
- Report the problem to your department's ITS liaison
Report the problem first to the person in your department who usually acts as the computer center liaison if you are able. Often, problems can be solved more quickly by a more experienced person in your own department. Even if you ITS liaison is unable to provide a resolution to the problem, it is important for this person to know the problem exists. If you still need help, continue.
- Gather information related to the problem
- Personal information - name, office phone number, department
- Database name in which problem occurred (BANPRD or UGVAL1)
- Oracle/Banner User ID experiencing the problem
- Name of process or form with problem
- One-up number for batch process (displays at time job is submitted)
- General description of problem
- Severity level
- Banner Forms images
- Insert the information into a word processing document
Place the information gathered into a Wordpad or MS Word word document.
- Send the document via email
Send an email to your department's MIS Support person(s) and attach the document you just created. Send a Carbon Copy to Craig_Montgomery@uncg.edu.
- Follow up with a phone call if critical
Email messages are not always received immediately by the person(s) to which they were addressed. If the problem is critical, call the support person for your department directly and inform them that a problem report has been sent.
Capturing a Banner Forms Image
If the problem is with a Banner Form, the best way to communicate to us is to send us an image of the form while the error message is displayed. While the Banner Form is the active window, press the ALT and PRINT SCREEN keys at the same time to place the image of the window on the Windows Clipboard. Paste the contents of the clipboard into the word processing document. This can be done by pressing the CTRL, V while in the document. Also, after an error occurs, more helpful information may be obtained by clicking on the help menu, then clicking Display Error. Copy and paste any images of error messages; they may be helpful in solving the problem.
MIS Will Confirm Receipt of Problem Report
An email will be sent to the person that had reported the problem and carbon copies will be sent to the departmental liaison and possibly others depending on the nature of the problem.