VAdata Tools

1. VAdata Tools VAdata: Virginia’s Sexual and Domestic Violence Data Collection System

2. VAdata has several tools to make data entry easier In this module, you will find information on: Selecting and managing localities Selecting and managing staff names Using the Local Only data field on the Hotline form

3. Selecting and Managing Localities

4. On every VAdata form, there is a drop-down box with a list of localities. You control which localities are automated in the drop-down box. Additional localities can always be accessed by clicking the Show All Localities box.

5. How to change the drop-down localities list • Go to the Main Menu and select Locality Selections from the VAdata Tools section

6. On the next screen, select the localities that you think will be used most often (up to 15) and then click the Submit button

7. The selected localities will appear on every Locality drop-down list on VAdata forms and reports pages • Additional localities can always be accessed by clicking the Show All Localities box located on every form and report page • You can change your localities list as often as you like

8. Selecting and Managing Staff Names

9. On every VAdata form, there is a drop-down box with a list of staff names. You control which names are automated in the drop-down box.

10. How do I change the drop-down staff list? You will go to the VAdata Main Menu, and under VAdata Tools, select Manage Staff

11. How do I change the drop-down staff list? You will see a list of all of the staff names. Note that those designated as “active” will be on the drop-down list.

12. How do I change the drop-down staff list? To change a status of a name from “active” to “inactive” or the reverse, click on the Edit button.

13. How do I change the drop-down staff list? Select the status (active-yes/no) and click on the Save button

14. How do I change the drop-down staff list? After you have clicked SAVE, you will see that the record saved successfully. Click GO BACK to edit more records or to go back to the main menu.

15. How do I change the drop-down staff list? Some staff may have multiple variations of their name. If this is the case, you will need to decide which one you want to show up in the drop-down list and deactivate the others. Do not “edit” the name on the drop-down list that you want to retain. Just change the status of any other name to “Active-No.”

16. How do I add a new name? • Go to the same Manage Staff page, and scroll to the bottom of the list of names. Click on the button that reads, “Add New Staff Member.”

17. How do I add a new name? Type in the Name as you want it to appear on the drop-down list, make sure “Yes” is in the drop-down box by ACTIVE…and click Save.

18. How do I add a new name? After you have clicked SAVE, you will see that the record saved successfully. Click GO BACK to edit more records or to go back to the main menu.

19. What else can I do with this feature? • You can change the way your name appears on the drop-down list. So, maybe to save time, you have always used just your first name – Felicia. What happens if another Felicia is hired? You can go to the name “Felicia” and edit it to read “Felicia Martin.” The system will know that “Felicia” and “Felicia Martin” are the same person. Then, you can add the new person with her full name (Felicia Johnson). • You can activate and de-activate names on the drop-down list. The names will remain in the system – all you are doing is deciding which to view on the drop-down list. • You can add a “Volunteer” option on the drop-down list if your program uses volunteers. You may want to run a report that will show how volunteers support services in your program, but don’t find it necessary to add the names of all the different volunteers coming in and out of your program.

20. How will this help me to query? • Queries for data entered prior to 7/1/13 may still be a bit cumbersome because some staff may have used multiple variations of their name when entering data. You may need to “Activate” the old variations of names and do multiple queries in order to query by staff name for data entered prior to 7/1/13. • There will be a period of adjustment while you are updating your staff name drop-down list. This is especially true if staff have used many different variations of their name in the system. What will be helpful is that you will be able to see all of the names that have been used. • Once everyone has settled on one name (so, hopefully from July 1, 2013 and forward), it will be much easier to use the query function for data after July 1, 2013.

21. What else will this new feature do for us? You will be able to run a Summary Report by Staff This report is brief and includes the following data by staff name: • Number of Hotline calls • Number of people to whom Advocacy services were provided • Number of Advocacy contacts • Number of hours of advocacy services • Number of Presentations/Educational programs • Number of Trainings for Professionals

22. SAMPLE Summary Report By Staff

23. Wait, there’s more! Click on any staff name, . . .

24. . . . And a list of records attributed to that person will appear. Click on any record number to go to that record.

25. What Happens If I don’t Update my Staff list • Nothing! • This feature has been added to improve your ability to query by staff and to enable you to run a report by staff. • These changes will not delete any data from VAdata or impact current reports. • If you choose not to clean up the staff data, you may still encounter errors querying by staff AND will likely encounter errors when you run a report by staff.

26. Local Only data field on the Hotline Form

27. Local Only Data On the Hotline form, on the right, next to Staff Name, you will see a field labeled, Local Only Data. In this field you will be able to enter a number from 1-20. This is a totally optional field, and you may choose never to use it. However, it is field that is completely controlled by your agency, so you may choose to use it to collect specific data of importance to your agency and/or community.

28. How to use the local only data field • Decide what data you want to collect. • Decide how you might “code” that data in a numeric (1-20) format. For example, you might want to collect data on the zip codes where hotline callers reside. You could designate zip code, 23230 as “1” and zip code 23832 as “2” and so on up to 20. • Develop a way to communicate to everyone using the Hotline forms how to “code” the data. • Implement the coding system.

29. How could this be helpful? • You will be able to do a Query on this field. • We will update the Hotline Data Report to include an option to run a report for a particular number or set of numbers from the Local Only Data field. • You will be able to work with the VAdata staff to create uses for this field for your agency.

30. What are some examples of data we could collect? • You could collect data about calls received as a result of a particular public awareness campaign. • You could collect data on a particular demographic that is not already collected in VAdata. • You could collect data based on zip code, neighborhood, or other “community” within your service area. The possibilities are only limited by the numeric options (1-20) and your imagination. Remember, the VAdata staff are always happy to assist you with data collection design!

31. How do I run a report to reflect the Local Only data? From the Reports screen, select the Hotline Data report and enter the Local Only data you want to review

32. Questions?? If you have any questions or concerns about these VAdata Tools, please contact your designed SDVA liaison at 804-377-0335.