Operator Setup

The Operator Setup function (Maintenance / Park Setup / Operators) can only be viewed by an operator with Administrator access.  This is where an administrator will set up all operator logins for the software.  Note that since the operator table is stored with the database, operators will be backed up and restored with it.  If you start a new database, you will need to set up new operators for it.

PCI Compliance note:   Refer to the PCI/PA-DSS Compliance Guide (see the Introduction chapter) for important details about proper security procedures if credit card information is stored in Campground Master.

The Operator Setup dialog lists all current operators, with buttons to Add, Edit, Copy, or Delete operators.  Double-clicking on an operator in the list will also edit it.  This will open the Edit Operator dialog with the detail entry fields.

To add additional operators, simply click Add Operator.  A new, blank record will be shown in the Edit Operator dialog and you can enter the details.

There must always be at least one operator defined with Administrator access.  (Otherwise you could never access critical functions, or add an operator that could.)  Therefore, if a database is loaded that does not have an Administrator operator, you will see a warning and it will automatically set one of the operators to Administrator (it will tell you which one).  A new Administrator operator will be added if no operators exist.

By default, the database will start with one operator, with Administrator access.  The login parameters for this operator will be:

 Login: Administrator

 Password: Password

Obviously this is not a secure situation -- besides being too obvious, anyone with access to this manual (or the software's Help function) can find out how to get in to the system.  Therefore you should immediately change this operator information (it should prompt you to change the password the first time you log in).  

You should assign the Administrator access level very sparingly.  While it would be convenient to make yourself (or everyone) an administrator, it opens up the possibilities of making disastrous changes by mistake.  We recommend having one or two administrator logins assigned, and make them in addition to the logins you use on a daily basis.  The campground managers should have Manager access for daily use, and any other users should have Reservations or Clerk access as appropriate.

Always keep your Administrator login(s) recorded and in a secure place where you can remember where to find it.  It might be months before you need to use it, so relying on your memory for the password is not a good idea.  If you forget the administrator login, it is possible for Cottonwood Software to retrieve it, given a copy of the database file.  However it is a hassle (and possible support expense) that you'll want to avoid.

Automatic Login

If you are the only person that will ever use the program, you may want to set it up to automatically log in with your operator name when the program starts.  You will have to decide whether it's worth the risk (e.g. if anyone else has access to the computer, they would have complete access to the database), but this option is provided for convenience.

PCI compliance warning -- using an automatic login bypasses the 90-day password change requirement for PCI compliance, so it should not be used if credit card information is stored in the system.

To set up automatic login, you will need to add two parameters to the "command line" of a shortcut icon to the program.  To do this, right-click on the Campground Master icon on your desktop (or wherever you start the program from), then click on the Shortcut tab.  The Target edit box should contain the full path of the CampgroundMaster.exe file, which is the command line.  Go to the end of the line and add the following text, replacing [login] and [password] with your appropriate login and password:

/Operator=[login] /Password=[password]

Note the capitalization of Operator and Password, the direction of the slashes, and make sure there is a space before each slash, including the first one.  For example, to log in with the default administrator and password, add this to the command line:

/Operator=Administrator /Password=Password

Also note that the program file and path should have quotes around them (which may already be there) -- so a typical complete target line would be:

"C:\Program files\Campground Master\CampgroundMaster.exe" /Operator=Administrator /Password=Password

Deleting Operators

If necessary, you may delete operators from the system.  It won't cause a problem in the database since the actual operator code, rather than a link to the record, is stored in reservations and transactions.  However, you probably won't want to delete operators once they are used because you can show Transaction reports based on operator, and operators can only be selected for reports if they are still in the database.  If you need to "lock out" an operator, you can either change the operator's password or change the access level to Guest, which would prevent the operator from making any changes to the data (depending on the Access Levels settings).

Operator Login

The Operator Login is the operator's ID used when logging in.  It's never seen anywhere else in the system, so it can be whatever the operator prefers.  It can be the same as the Operator Code, or it can be different.  Login names are not case sensitive, so for instance "Walter" is the same as "waltzer" or "WALTER".  This may be changed at any time without any affect on the program or database.

You cannot add more than one Operator using the same Login name -- each operator name must be different.  (Older versions allowed duplicate Login names, but this is no longer allowed).

Password

The Password is used by the operator when logging in.  Like the Login name, it can be anything the operator wants, and is not case sensitive.  It does not have to be unique -- any number of operators can have the same password.  Of course this should not be done on purpose -- it's best for each operator to have a unique password, but if two people choose the same password it will not be a problem.

Force password change every 90 days -- This option forces the operator to change the password if it has been 90 days or more since the last login. This is required to be enabled for PCI compliance.

Complex password required -- This option enhances security by forcing numbers in passwords and requiring at least 8 characters. This is required to be enabled for PCI compliance.

Access Level

This defines the operator's key to the system.  There are five different access levels, with increasing access to program functions.  They are checked for many different functions, most of which are covered separately with the function descriptions elsewhere in the manual.  The access level required for many program functions can also be changed if needed -- see Access Levels Setup. Here are then general descriptions of the levels:

(Not logged in) -- If no operator is logged in, nearly all program functions are disabled.  The first Tab View is shown (usually the Rack), but is not operable.

Guest -- minimal access, can only view the Rack.  Cannot make any data changes or save the database (thus cannot make a backup or save a copy somewhere else).  

Clerk -- has access to transactions and functions suitable for a point-of-sale or to accept payment for reservations, but cannot make or change reservations, perform any maintenance functions, or make program option changes.

Reservations -- Can access any reservation functions and reports, and can backup the database, but cannot restore the database perform other maintenance functions, and cannot change old transactions.

Manager -- Can access all report and option functions, plus restore the database, edit or delete old transactions, and edit Site details, but cannot access other maintenance functions.

Administrator -- can do anything.

Operator Code

The Operator Code is the text that will be shown anywhere in the system when referring to the operator (e.g. in reservation and transaction dialogs, report filtering, and the program caption when the operator is logged in).   This should be a fairly short word, typically the operator's first or last name.  Make sure it is unique (and easy to recognize), since it's used to identify this operator.  No two operators should have the same operator code.  This code should never be changed once it is in use, since that would have the same problems as deleting the operator (see above).

Auto-Logout

If a number of minutes is entered for "Auto-Logout after...", then the operator will automatically be logged out if the system is sitting on the main screen and is not used in the designated amount of time.  Any action (moving the mouse, function dialog, etc.) will reset the timeout.  If this is left blank, operators will never be logged out automatically. This is required to be set to 15 minutes or less for PCI compliance.

Notes

The Notes field is only seen on Operator Setup dialog, so it can be used for any notes the administrator wants to make about an operator.  Like other notes fields, it can be any length and format.  Typical notes might be phone numbers or other contact information (in case a question arises), and information about temporary operators (like work campers) that might be of interest years from now by new campground managers (or auditors).