Bookmarks/Favorites that Actually Work - 1 May

If you are like me, you are very annoyed by the top page that you get when you login to DTS. Its Javascript mouseover menus are silly, because almost all of the screen real-estate is useless (Except for the "Documents Awaiting Your Approval..." link, which doesn't bother to tell you if there is anything awaiting you, but at least it's not hidden under a menu).

If you are like me still, you tried to save a set of shortcuts for common tasks, such as "Official Travel - Others > Authorization/Orders". When you attempt to use these, you will get one of two problems. Either it will give you an expired session, or it will actually log you out. This logging-out happens because the top page is arrogant enough to assume that you are done with DTS if you navigate away from it. (I assume this is over some far-fetched security concern, but a session cookie + timeout would be plenty.)

But we will not let this defeat us. Simply (?) create a bookmarklet to open a new window instead of replacing the current one. Take this text, all of it, and put it into a Bookmark/Favorite:

javascript:void(window.open("..."))

Replace the ...'s with the URL you want to go to, and save it. (Note: Stupid MSIE will tell you it doesn't recognize the Javascript protocol, when it actually does - Just click past the popup).

I recommend putting this in the top level of your bookmarks, so you can use simpler keystrokes to get to it. For example, I put the "Official Travel - Others > Authorization/Orders" link under the top-level Favorites as Search Auths. Then, all I have to do is hit:

Alt, a, s

And it brings me to the search page (which I then hit Shift+Tab 5 times to get to the "Last Name" search, but that's a different story... (see next))

Recommended Bookmarks - 8 May

To round out the previous tip, here is what I have bookmarked and why. (Note: You should be able to right-click and add it as a Bookmark/Favorite directly).

DTS - This one links directly into the "Login to DTS" page, which saves a click every time you use it. After hitting it, expect to hit Shift+Tab twice then Enter to click the "Confirm" button on the screen that invariably appears.
Search (Auths) - This one is the main one, and it is an action-packed button-mash of Alt,a,s, all almost-at-once (I have the hand configuration tuned now so that I can consistently have my thumb strike the Alt, pinky the "a", and ring the "s" in cascade - no need to let go of any previous key in this sequence). Notice that it just takes you to the Authorizations search - if I want vouchers, I just search first and then click the "Vouchers" link above. Also, I usually hit Shift+{Tab,Tab,Tab,Tab,Tab} to get to "Last Name" box, type the last name in, then hit Tab,Tab,Enter to search, then hit Shift+Tab to select the result that comes up. This may sound messy, but once you get used to Tab and Shift+Tabbing it's about as natural as using the mouse (and faster than switching between mouse and keyboard repeatedly).
Voucher Search - A refinement on the previous, but goes straight to Vouchers. Of course, if you accidentally go to the wrong one (or if you want Local Vouchers or GAUTHs), you can always change after you have found the traveler's list.
Profiles - This one is also key. Instead of the very annoying process just to create/update/attach/detach a user profile, just hit Alt,a,p and you're whisked away to Profiletopia. Much recommend.
Waiting Approval - Named "Waiting" instead of "Awaiting" because MSIE already uses the 'a' keystroke in the favorites menu. Bonus tip: If I have several documents in this queue, I will probably open up about 3 windows, and climb from bottom to top of the list in each. It's a little confusing, but you don't have to wait on DTS (see: Dos Pistoleros, below).
Go to ATRRS I use ATRRS often, and I named this one "Go to ATRRS" because it reminds me of the Alt+g I hit to go to the function select box once I get there. So the whole sequence is: Alt, a, g, Alt+g, "RS" (or whatever else it is I want to do instead of "RS").

Dos Pistoleros - 15 May

Why sit there and watch DTS do {whatever DTS does when it takes a really long time processing a page}. Instead, open two sessions to the same Authorization, and Alt+Tab (which is the keycombo to switch to the previous program) between them.

If you are using the bookmarklets as above, it's just: Alt,a,s ...search for the servicemember, then Alt,a,s again, ...search for the servicemember again. Now you can make a click in one auth, immediately switch to the other, continue working, and repeat. By the time you initiate one action, your previous one should be complete (or near it).

Be very careful trying to do this with two different orders at once. It can be confusing even with DTS being nutty, but it is nutty: sometimes, when an action completes, that window grabs focus again. So you can easily get mixed up. I still do this in some circumstances, but that's because I live dangerously. Oooh yeah.

Tabbed Browsing - 22 May

This one is not strictly limited to DTS, but applies to any web application that spawns a bazillion web browsers. It is about using browser tabs (not the Tab key - which, by the way, is essential for speedy form usage). These are new for MSIE in version 7 (other, better browsers also have them, but I am not sure if they work with DTS).

First of all, get it installed. If you are on a military-controlled computer, you might have to get your S6 to do the upgrade. Second, familiarize yourself with the Tab interface. Maximum PC seems to have a nice enough intro with plenty of screenshots.

Then, set the options: Go to "Tools", then "Internet Options", then under the "Tabs" section choose "Settings". I recommend these choices (in descending order of importance):

"When a pop-up is encountered:" = "Always open pop-ups in new tab". This drastically reduces the amount of "window pollution" that DTS does. Instead of ending up with dozens of MSIE instances piled up on your taskbar, you just have one.
"Always switch to new tabs when they are created" = Checked. Otherwise, the new windows DTS creates show up in the background and you have to manually click on them.
"Enable Quick Tabs" = Checked. This allows you to hit Ctrl+q and see all the tabs open. Very handy when you start getting in deep with several screens open at once.
"Open links from other programs in:" = "A new tab in the current window"

So, some tips. This significantly changes the browsing experience. Until I got very familiar with it, it seemed odd, but now that I use tabs I can't go back. The most important tip is to use Ctrl+<Number> to switch between tabs. Since you always have to leave that one annoying start page of DTS open (or else it logs you out), I just assume that tab #2 is the first usable tab. Ctrl+2 (which, for supergonomics, use the left side of your left palm to hold down Ctrl and your finger to hit the 2. This keeps your left hand closer to its home row position). Holding down Ctrl and switching between two tabs to compare screens is less error-prone than the windowed equivalents.

Another feature that helps organizing workflow is the ability to rearrange tabs. You can click and drag them to new spots, which can be nice when you have more than four or so.

Now, be aware that MSIE7 screws up the keyboard kind of tabbing a bit. When you hit the "Tab" key on a newly-loaded browser in MSIE6, it took you to the first link on the page, and when you hit Shift+Tab it took you to the last, with repeated hits going further forward or backward, respectively. MSIE7 now sends you through the junk at the top (the URL bar, search bar, etc.). So now it is faster just to reach for the mouse and click. But it's not too bad.

LOA Quickness - 29 May

Under the "Accounting" tab, you have to choose at least one Line of Accounting (LOA) for each Authorization. If yours is like my org, then you see LOAs in pairs: One for Air fees, and one for Per-Diem (which we use to mean "Everything other than air"). You then have to add two LOAs, and associate the expenses accordingly.

Choose one of the pair, and then, before the page reloads, use your scroll wheel to select the other (on MSIE6, you can scroll while the mouse is anywhere on the page, but on MSIE7, you must mouseover the dropdown itself). Both LOAs (or more, if you go crazy with the scrolling) will be added to the order. This saves yet another page load, which, in the slow-page world of DTS, is a savings of 5 to 45 seconds. (Note: My predecessor came up with this trick, I can take no credit for it.)

To take it one step further, add the catch-all LOA ("per-diem") first, then add the Air after it. This means two things. One, when you allocate the expenses by clicking the button below the dropdowns, you only have to change one expense, because the Air one is all you have to change. Two, any additions of expenses are not automatically allocated to the "Air" LOA, which could be a blunder. (Note: My predecessor did not come up with this one. Yes, I accept PayPal.)

Reports - 5 July

Huge one, here.

Please do use the Reports. They are kind of weird and have a clunky interface, but they mean money gets to soldiers. The two key ones are "Unfiled Voucher" and "Routing Status". If you have not been using these, you might be surprised at how much money is unpaid.

For the Unfiled Vouchers report, a good tip for getting the big list, since DTS annoyingly insists on only allowing you one month at a time: copy (Ctrl+C) the string: "/1/2007" into your clipboard. Then, each time you bump through the months, you only have to type the starting month number, hit Ctrl+V to paste, Tab, Tab, ending onth, Ctrl+V, and you're done. Once you get the reports, you can download them, manually copy and paste them into one big report, and begin investigating. Many service members will have moved out of your organization, but a little detective work can track them (and their new ODTA) down.

One successful organization reviews the last few months on the 20th of each month. This would be good to set a reminder in your calendar software.