Concurrent users

This screen works in two modes:
– all levels of users can use it when they attempt to log on to more than their allowed number of sessions. Their logon will fail and they will be presented with a Manage current sessions link. When they click on that link they will be presented with a version of this screen that allows them to manage their own sessions only.
– when used by a System Administrator the Concurrent users shows a summary of all the RefTracker sign-ons currently in use. The system administrator can also use this screen to manage the utilisation of their RefTracker licences (see Ending sessions below). System administrators can access this screen from System>Concurrent users, as well as from the Manage current sessions link. Supervisors can also access this version of the screen, however, although it shows them all current sessions, they can only end their own sessions.

For the sessions viewable by the currently signed on user, this screen shows all current sessions, the time that they signed on, the time they last performed an action using that sign-on, the elapsed time since sign-on, and the elapsed time since last activity.

For System administrators (and Supervisors using this screen from the System/Concurrent users menu), information is provided for both Full and ServicePoint users, and the screen automatically redisplays every minute so the information is always up to date.

Note that a concurrent user licence is used as soon as a user signs on. The same Full user can be signed on concurrently up to two times in order to allow them to have multiple RefTracker windows open. However ServicePoint users can only have one concurrent session.

If Altarama support needs to access your system, our use does not utilise any of your concurrent user licences. We also allow for momentary use of an additional Full user licence as users log off and on to prevent licence limit lockouts when one user is handing over to another, and to ensure that an administrator can monitor activity if they want to do so.

Use of a licence is relinquished when a user logs off. If a user forgets to log off, is logged off by an Internet interruption, or accidentally closes their sessions without logging off, their session will remain. If they try to log back in they may be told they are already using their allowed number of sessions and given the opportunity to end the lost session/s using the “Manage current sessions” version of this screen. If they do not attempt to log back in their lost session/s will be automatically logged off if there is no activity for the Log-in time-out period (parameter 2.3).

An email containing a link to this screen is sent to the Active System administrator whenever your number of concurrent user licences is exceeded. The system administrator can access this screen via a link provided in that email or on the login screen if they try to login when no licences are available, even if all licences are currently in use, to see which users are utilising the licences and determine what needs to be done to free up licences.

Using this screen:

System Administrators (and Supervisors using this screen from the the System/Concurrent users link) see a summary of all current sessions divided into sections for Full users and ServicePoint users. All other levels of user only see their own sessions.

For each session the display shows, when it started (in the time of the logged on user), when the last activity was, how long since the session started, and how long since the last activity.

A long elapsed time since last activity is a good indicator of which sessions can be logged off to make way for new users . Sessions with elapsed times since last activity of over 1 hour have that figure shown in a highlighted colour to assist with this decision.

Often users with long elapsed times since last activity, have exited the system without logging off properly. However, if you choose to log off a user who is part way through some work, the system will accept and process that current work, when it is submitted, but will prevent any further work, by presenting that user with the log on screen next time they try to access a new screen. The logon screen will include and explanation that their session has been ended by the System administrator and that any information they just submitted has been saved. In other words, when a session is ended using this screen, it is a non destructive session end – actively ending sessions in this way, is therefore preferable to allowing them to be ended by a short setting of the time-out parameter 2.3.

Ending sessions:

To end a session click in the tick box to the left of the session/s you want to end, then click on End session/s.

When using the Manage current sessions version of this screen, use the log on link on the left of the main header bar to get back to the log on screen and try logging in again.

Some sessions do not have boxes enabling the session to be ended. Instead they have icons (see definitions of the icons in the top right of the screen).
Sessions ended by Administrator  = Sessions that have already been killed/ended. Display of information about these sessions will until the user of the ended session attempts to perform an action and is advised by RefTracker that the session has been ended, or until the time-out period set in parameter 2.3 has expired.
Logged on = The currently logged on user (this session cannot be killed) when System administrators use this screen, and when Supervisors use this screen, any logged on user, other than the currently logged on Supervisor as they can only end their own sessions.
Identified = A user of RefTracker who is identified but is not using a licence, for example any user who has been denied access due to a licence limitation. The display of this information will disappear after the time-out period defined in parameter 2.3.
Client = A client level user (not a staff user). Client level users do not log in and so are not individually identified.