The Global Changes utility allows a user to make system-wide changes to a single item that might otherwise require extensive manual entry of data, as shown by the Global Changes utility menu below. Note that extreme care should be used, when making global changes, since it is possible to make such sweeping changes that recovery to a former state would require resurrecting a backup copy of the database.
Global Changes
Select a field to modify from the Options popup. The 2 buttons will then activate with options relating to the field chosen. Click on the first button to select the current value to change from a picklist. Select the new value from a popup or type in as appropriate.
When both fields have an entry, be sure to use the <Tab> key to exit from the bottom field, and the "GO" button will then become available to execute the global change. After SIMS assesses the total number and type of changes to be done, a confirmation dialog will be displayed.
The types of global changes supported include:
Facility ID
Allows the user to select a facility and change every occurrence of the Facility ID of that facility to the new value.
Personnel ID
Allows the user to modify a person's ID, where ever that information is found.
Personnel Name
Allows the user to change every occurrence of a person's name in the database. For example, if a female employee gets married and her name changes from Sally Jones to Sally Smith, this utility will allow the user to select Sally Jones and change every occurrence of her name in the database to Sally Smith.
Contract ID
Allows the user to modify all occurrences of a Contract ID.
Container ID
Allows the user to modify all occurrences of a Container ID.
Clearance Level
Allows the user to modify all occurrences of a Clearance Level name.
Special Access Name
Allows the user to modify all occurrences of a Special Access name.
Document Mover
Allows the user to move all documents from one container to another container. There are no validations on this action, regarding classification levels, special accesses or custodian access. In addition, to record is made of the document moves, as would be the case with an internal document transfer. Note that "Archived" documents are not affected, however.
Types
Allows the user to modify all occurrences of a container, AIS hardware/software, personnel clearance basis/type, or document type. Note that the "Rebuild List" option may be used to search the database and change the appropriate type pick-list tom only contain those types currently identified in the database.
Keywords / Authors
Allows the user to modify all occurrences of a particular keyword or author name.