The fifth lesson in this Learning Series, Staff Portal Management, is designed to get you familiar with managing the Staff Portal in general. You may wish to review the articles in the Coaches / Instructors and Staff category before beginning.
Any User ID with the Launch Staff Portal permission in the Staff Portal category (Gear icon > Settings > Users & Permissions) can launch the portal when they are logged into Jackrabbit.
- Go to Staff (menu) > Staff Portal > Launch Staff Portal.
- Your staff can now log into their Staff Portal.
- The Staff Portal can remain open indefinitely, however, when inactive for longer than the Staff Session Timeout Limit individual staff will be logged out of the portal.
- The Staff Portal opens to the News tab. Refer to Staff Portal News - Department, Staff, and My News for more details.
You can allow your staff to launch the Staff Portal remotely (through a URL as opposed to from within your database) and enable access to any of the features. This could be on your premises with an iPad on the gym floor or from a home computer through a link on your website. The Staff Portal is mobile-friendly, making data entry on smart devices easy!
When the Staff Portal is launched remotely, staff are automatically able to:
- See all News (My News, Department News, and Staff News)
- View and print their schedule of classes and events
- View details of their classes (no information on enrolled students or contact information)
- Email the contacts of enrolled students (if their individual Staff Portal Settings allow them to send emails)
To allow staff to go beyond that and update information (enter time, take attendance, update skills) when the Portal has been launched remotely, you must change your Staff Portal Settings:
- Go to Staff (menu) > Staff Portal and select Portal Settings.
- Set Allow Remote (feature name) to Yes for the feature you want your staff to be able to update remotely (the default is No) in the Features section,
- Click Save Changes.
Using the link (in the blue box) below, you can add access to the Staff Portal launch page on your website or simply email your staff the link to bookmark.
If you are using a website editor that simply asks you for the "hyperlink" or "website URL" or "website address" to link to, then highlight your desired text or image and use the code in the blue box as the link. If prompted, also choose "link to other webpage" and "open in new window":
https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/jr3.0/TimeClock/StaffLogin?orgId=XXXXXX |
If you are using a traditional hard-coded web editor, use the HTML code in the yellow box. This example uses the text Staff Portal Login as the text to display for the link, but you may change it to any text phrase or image that you prefer by replacing that section in the code below:`
<a href="https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/jr3.0/TimeClock/StaffLogin?orgId=XXXXXX" target="_blank">Staff Portal Login</a> |
Remember to substitute YOUR ORG ID in place of the XXXXXX! Find your Organization ID under the Gear (icon) > Settings > Online Registration.
Did you know that you can add an icon to your home screen for quick access to the Staff Portal? With a bookmark icon on your home screen, you don't have to type the URL every time you want to access the Staff Portal. You can just tap the icon, and the Staff Portal will open.
Adding a Staff Portal icon to your iPhone, iPad, or Android home screen is easy. Read below to learn how.
Add a Staff Portal Bookmark to a Mobile Home Screen
- On your mobile device, open your Staff Portal URL in your browser.
- Log in to the Staff Portal using your username and password.
- Navigate to your browser's menu. (In most mobile browsers, this is a three-dot menu near the address bar. In Safari, it will be an icon of a square with an up arrow in the bottom center of the screen.)
- Click the menu option for Add to Home Screen or Add to Phone.
- Enter a name for your icon.
- Click Add.
- An icon will now appear on your home screen that you can use to launch your Staff Portal with one click. You can move and organize the icon just like any other app icon on your home screen.
Most modern mobile browsers support adding URL bookmark icons to your home screen. The exact steps to add a bookmark icon may vary depending on the device and browser you are using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can we use a Kindle to access the Staff Portal?
A. Yes, you can access Jackrabbit's Staff Portal remotely on a Kindle using the most recent version of the Silk browser. But Kindle does not have an option to save it as an icon on your home screen.
There may be occasions where a staff person forgets their password and is unable to log into their Staff Portal. Your staff is able to use the Forgot your password? link to generate a new password.
The password can also be reset through your database. How to reset the password depends on whether the staff person is logging into the Staff Portal with an assigned Staff Portal Login ID or whether they are logging in using their Jackrabbit User ID and password (when a staff person is linked to a User ID).
A staff member must be active in order to log into the Staff Portal. They will see a message on the Staff Portal login screen "This staff member is inactive and cannot login".
Reset Password Using the Forgot your password? Link
The Forgot your password? link on the Staff Portal login page allows your staff to quickly generate an email with a link to reset their password. This email will be sent to the email address you have on file for them in their Staff record, on the Summary tab.
The password reset link is time-sensitive and expires in 24 hours.
Staff Portal Log In Screen Forgot Password Link | |
Enter Reset Password Credentials Enter your username - Staff Portal Login ID or Jackrabbit User ID (if matched to the Staff record. Enter your email - For Staff Portal Login IDs this is the email address on the Staff record. For Jackrabbit User IDs (matched to staff record) this email address is the address in the User ID record. | |
Reset Password Email Sent |
When a staff person, who has an assigned Staff Portal Login ID, is resetting their password they will need to enter the email address located on their Staff record. Staff who log into the Staff Portal using their Jackrabbit User ID (which has been linked/matched to their Staff record) must reset their password using the email address located on their User ID profile. In both cases, the password reset email is sent to the address on the Staff record.
Reset a Staff Portal Login ID Password (from in Jackrabbit)
A staff person's Staff Portal Login ID password can be reset in the database by any User with the Time Card and Portal Settings tab permission (in the Staff category of permissions).
- Locate the staff person's Staff record from the Staff (menu) > Active Staff.
- Go to the Portal Settings tab.
- Click Email Password Reset Link. Note: If this staff person is matched to a User ID this button will be inactive (grayed out).
The password reset email will be sent to the email address on their Staff record > Summary tab.
The reset link in a password reset email is time-sensitive and expires in 24 hours.
Reset a Jackrabbit User ID Password (from within the database)
When a staff person logs into the Staff Portal using their Jackrabbit database User ID and forgets their password, a User with administrative permissions can reset the password from within the database. It must be done from the User ID record, however, not from the Staff record. The Email Password Reset Link on the Portal Settings tab of the Staff record will be grayed out when the staff person is matched to a User ID and it cannot be used to reset their password.
- Go to the Gear (icon) > Settings > General > User IDs (left menu).
- Click the link on the User ID to edit.
- Click the Reset Password button.
- Enter the new password and confirm.
- Click Save.
No email is generated for this password reset. The staff person must be notified and given their updated password.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why is the Email Password Reset Link button not working on the Staff record?
A. When a staff person is matched to a Jackrabbit User ID the Email Password Reset Email button is grayed out.
Staff that are matched to a User ID and uses their Jackrabbit database login and password to log in to the Staff Portal must reset their Jackrabbit User ID if they have forgotten their password. This is done from the Jackrabbit Login page with the I forgot my password link.
There are 3 types of news options available to broadcast to staff: My News, Department News, and Staff News. Staff & Department News are both created and managed from the Staff (menu) > Staff Portal > Department News. My News, or the Login Message, is managed from the individual staff member's record. All news broadcasts are displayed on the News tab in the Staff Portal.
Add My News
My News is specific to the staff person and can not be viewed by any other staff person. This message is entered in the individual staff person's record.
- Go to Staff (menu) > Active Staff.
- Select a staff person.
- Click the staff member's Portal Settings tab.
- Enter a Login Message to display as My News.
- Optionally, enter a Login Message Expiration date (the message will no longer display on or after that date). Note: This does not automatically clear the Login Message field on that date.
- Click Save Changes.
When the staff member logs in, the saved message is visible on the News tab, under the My News heading. Note: If no expiration date is entered the news will display until you clear the Login Message field.
Add Department News
This is visible only if the staff member has the specific Department saved on their Staff record > Portal Settings tab in the Default Department or Additional Dept News fields.
When the staff member in the department (or departments) logs into their portal, the saved news is visible on the News tab, under the Department News heading. Note: The news displays until deleted using the trash can icon or updated using the pencil icon.
- Go to Staff (menu) > Staff Portal > Department News.
- Click the pencil icon to the left of the Department to edit.
- Add/edit the news in the editor that opens. Note: The editor works much like the email editor allowing you to change fonts, colors, styles, etc.
- Click Save.
Add Staff News
This news is visible to all staff members who access the Staff Portal.
- Point to Staff (menu) > Staff Portal > Staff News.
- Add your announcement in the Edit Staff News editor. Note: The editor works much like the email editor in Jackrabbit allowing you to change fonts, colors, styles, etc.
- Click Save.
When a staff member logs into their portal the saved news is visible on the News tab, under the Staff News heading. Note: The news displays until you either edit it to change the content or clear it by deleting the message in the editor.
This report, which can be filtered by Department and/or Time Entry Method, provides a listing of staff with their Department, Portal Login ID, Time Entry Method, whether they are linked to a User ID, and the date of their last portal login.
Run a Staff Portal Login ID Report
- Go to the Staff menu > Staff Reports > Staff Portal Login ID Report.
- Select any Search Criteria.
- Click Submit.
The Staff Portal Log is a great way to review Staff Portal activity. This report can be found under the Staff menu > Staff Reports > Staff Portal Log.
- Review who is logging in to their Staff Portal.
- Select Filter Options from the drop-down list or use Filter Text to search for specific words.
- Determine why a staff member is having difficulty logging in to the Staff Portal.
- Keep track of where the staff members are logging in to the Staff Portal.
Search Criteria
Use the Search Criteria to narrow the report results:
- If you have multiple locations in your system, you have the option to look at Staff Portal activity based on location using the Location drop-down.
- Use the Filter Option to select a specific item from the drop-down list or leave the selection blank to select all.
- Select a Staff member from the drop-down list (only active staff will appear in the list).
- Choose the time frame you want to review by using the Activity Date From/Through Date.
Report Results
The report results can be further customized with the ability to show or hide columns of information, sort columns, or modify column widths.
- The Show/Hide Columns button allows you to customize your report by selecting which information to display.
- The Sign In column shows where the staff member logged in.
- Use Restore Columns to view all available columns.
- This report can be printed or exported to Excel as a CSV or PDF file.
The Staff Portal Log will include report results for all search criteria effective 11/30/2023.
The Closed Dates feature allows you to designate in your settings specific days that your facility will be closed.
Jackrabbit uses Closed Dates to:
- Streamline attendance for dates where it is expected that all students will be absent.
- Alert parents to the closure in the Parent Portal.
- Prorate tuition fees for classes missed due to the closure.
Add a Closed Date
Create Closed Dates from the Gear (icon) > Settings > General > Closed Dates (left menu). Use the Add Closed Date(s) button to add the dates of your closures. You can add as many dates as needed. To save a single date, enter the same date in the Start Date and the End Date fields.
Closed Dates and Attendance
When you add a Closed Date, Jackrabbit knows that no students will be attending classes that day. This means there is no need for instructors to go into their Staff Portal, into all of their classes that day, to mark each student absent. Time Saver!
In fact, attendance cannot be recorded for a Closed Date in the Staff Portal. On a Closed Date, students will be listed in the Staff Portal but the attendance buttons will be inactive.
The Incomplete Portal Attendance report will omit any dates defined as a Closed Date. The Classes with Incomplete Staff Portal Attendance (yesterday) Dashboard alert that links to the report will not display on the Executive Dashboard the day after a Closed Date.
Learn more about Attendance in the Staff Portal.
Closed Dates in the Parent Portal
When parents log in to their Parent Portal on a day that you have designated as a Closed Date, they will see an alert message advising them that your facility is closed that day.
Parents will be unable to schedule any absences or makeups on closed dates. Only a Jackrabbit User will be able to schedule an absence or makeup within Jackrabbit for a student if needed.
Add notification of your closures in the News & Announcements for the Parent Portal. The announcement is brought to the parent's attention until it is viewed.
Learn more about the Parent Portal.
Prorating Tuition for Closed Dates
When you prorate tuition in Jackrabbit there are two settings that control whether or not a Closed Date factors into the prorating calculation:
- A master setting in your Prorating Options (Gear (icon) > Settings > Tuition & Discounting > Prorating Options > Manage Options (button) asks the question Do you prorate tuition when a class lands on a Closed Date? This must be set to Yes to have Jackrabbit prorate tuition fees for classes missed on a Closed Date.
- When adding a Closed Date, you can choose to override the master setting and omit a particular Closed Date from the prorating calculations. Clear the Prorate Tuition checkbox to tell Jackrabbit to ignore the Closed Date when prorating.
Learn more about Prorating Tuition Fees.
Closed dates added to your account are not reflected in any Calendar views of classes in Jackrabbit!
When you have more than one Jackrabbit Location in your system, there is an additional step required when you are launching the Staff Portal. The Staff Portal must be launched for each Location separately.
A drop-down list allows you to select which Location to launch the Staff Portal for. This is an alphabetical listing of the Location Codes (not Location Names) in your database. Note: There is no way to change the ordering from alphabetical.
Click the Launch Staff Portal button, and your staff will see the login screen.
When you have worked through all of the articles outlined in the lesson, select the Take the Quiz button to be taken to the Lesson #5 Quiz where you can test your understanding of the concepts in this lesson. You will be asked to enter an email address for quiz results to be sent. The quiz includes Review questions.
Quiz #5 - Staff Portal Management
Number of Questions | Total Possible Points | Points Needed for an "A" | Points Needed for a "B" | Points Needed for a "C" |
---|---|---|---|---|
11 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
The quiz question for the optional topic for this lesson has been added to the regular quiz.