Topic: Monitor Mass

[MOOXE]

This hellish application... god help us. Every now and then theres "initiatives" to retire the 500 Excel spreadhseets spread across the unit that manage everything from sick days to rucksack sizes. Is anyone out there using it? Its seems that due to the applications clunkyness, everyone has been slow to adopt, or only given a halfassed effort to use it. Right now, I see most people only using it to create leave passes.

Does anyone have any good queries they could share? Or maybe some useful screen setups, tips, comments..anything at all?

[dangerboy]

As a Pl WO, I use this program all the time.  Need to know what qualifications somebody has easy, how much leave they have left at my fingertips.  The problem is it requires use by all leaders.  If 1 of the Platoons in a company are using it and imputing info them the CSM does not get an accurate picture from Monitor Mass.  You mentioned leave passes, well that is how must units are getting people used to the program.  You make a police that only leave passes generated on Monitor Mass will be accepted then people will be forced to use it.  Then they will discover it is not a scary complicated program and it can be very useful. 

[ArmyVern]

This hellish application... god help us. Every now and then theres "initiatives" to retire the 500 Excel spreadhseets spread across the unit that manage everything from sick days to rucksack sizes. Is anyone out there using it? Its seems that due to the applications clunkyness, everyone has been slow to adopt, or only given a halfassed effort to use it. Right now, I see most people only using it to create leave passes.

Does anyone have any good queries they could share? Or maybe some useful screen setups, tips, comments..anything at all?

Gagetown has been using MM for at least three years now.

CFJSR is "all MM - all the time"; it's mandatory & it is the way of doing business/admin. All Parade States, trg uploads, Employment Records, appointments, position movements, sick chits, everything ... is done on MM. Once you get used to it and once you have everything input --- it actually does work properly and you should see your admin time required shrinking.

I'll see if I can locate an electronic copy of the "Idiots Guide to MM". Mine is a hard copy.

[dangerboy]

I'll see if I can locate an electronic copy of the "Idiots Guide to MM". Mine is a hard copy.

That would be great as I am self taught and I am sure there is more I can do with the program or easier ways to do it.

[George Wallace]

I'm trying to get onto a course for this, and then get the password or authority to use it.  Seems to be a problem in our area wqith the lack of pers to manage the crses and authority.  I'm tired of all the spreadsheets I am maintaining with identical info such as S/N, Rank, names and dispositions that are in a constant state of change.  I update several databases, only to find I have several more to clean up several weeks later when I get into them.  Then there are the numerous spreadsheets that are included in reports to higher, Area, Branch, Army, etc.  One system to handle the majority of this info would be great to cut down on my work.  Probably clear a lot of crap off my desk as well.

[PMedMoe]

We use it at my unit, too.  It's actually pretty easy, once you get into it.  I had (basically) a 10 minute briefing on it.

[ObedientiaZelum]

I've been exploring Monitor Mass as well as the REO application. I was pretty shocked at the amount of Reserve employment it comes up with.

When using REO is there a way I can narrow down the search fields? Like in CFTPO.  Specifically I'm looking to search for lowest/highest rank, element and MOS instead of everything across the board.

[dogger1936]

We use it for everything. Its a great program IF everyone would do their jobs and update their troops info.When looking for guys to task the query tool is golden. Lve breakdown and persona appointments of subordinates are easy to look at. No more filling in UER info just print the updated premade UER every now and then. TCAT PCAT chits its all in there and an excellent program. Parade states are automatically made taking all your leave course dates TCAT PCAT chits and makes the SSM job easier....IF he decideds to join the new century...otherwise it causes extra work for Tp Warrants going back to excel to input things...which makes me quite angry honestly.

[dapaterson]

I've been exploring Monitor Mass as well as the REO application. I was pretty shocked at the amount of Reserve employment it comes up with.

When using REO is there a way I can narrow down the search fields? Like in CFTPO.  Specifically I'm looking to search for lowest/highest rank, element and MOS instead of everything across the board.

Advanced Search on REO lets you filter by specific rank / occupation / security etc.

[George Wallace]

.......... No more filling in UER info just print the updated premade UER every now and then. ........

WHOA!  Don't get to much in a rush to discard your UERs.  I have found that the data that is stored electronically is not always an accurate picture of what a person has done.  For instance, I am listed as being in 427 SOA Sqn for OP CADENCE, when in actual fact I was in a room without windows in Toronto, and never ever saw a helicopter, only the occasional person in a flight suit.  On some taskings what a persond does, and the posn in CFTPO often differ quite a bit. 

[PuckChaser]

I think the UER is my only complaint with the Monitor Mass system. It should be far easier to add entries, and not have to guess what is going to show up when you add an event to the person's calendar. Should just be a digital version of the UER, where I fill it out like a PDF document. If an entry is wrong, a supervisor should have the ability to edit it, leaving a hidden trail of the edits and who did it.

[dogger1936]

WHOA!  Don't get to much in a rush to discard your UERs.  I have found that the data that is stored electronically is not always an accurate picture of what a person has done.  For instance, I am listed as being in 427 SOA Sqn for OP CADENCE, when in actual fact I was in a room without windows in Toronto, and never ever saw a helicopter, only the occasional person in a flight suit.  On some taskings what a persond does, and the posn in CFTPO often differ quite a bit.

Roger that. Agreed.  Iremember getting my MPRR which said my position was Sqn Clerk back in the day too lol. Our UERs are pretty accurate at our unit...however it wasnt always that way I agree.

[ArmyVern]

Idiots Guide to MM, avail via email.

If you need one - PM me.

[ArmyVern]

I think the UER is my only complaint with the Monitor Mass system. It should be far easier to add entries, and not have to guess what is going to show up when you add an event to the person's calendar. Should just be a digital version of the UER, where I fill it out like a PDF document. If an entry is wrong, a supervisor should have the ability to edit it, leaving a hidden trail of the edits and who did it.

This comes with the "permissions". What a person is allowed to do/edit is determined by their CoC.

Here, I am the Snr Tech Advisor as well as the RQ so I can do essentially everything. Edit, Move, Add, R&D, up to Regtl level. Even at that, the UER portion needs work. If someone in the heirarchy clicks "add to UER" when entering an activity (or neglects to) I see things on UERs such as "United Way Mtg 1000hrs" while things like "PWT Lvl III" are missing.

That's not a system issue though ... that's all driver error.

[PuckChaser]

I've got supervisor privileges for my troops, so I can add to the UER. There's just so many options in the drop down menu for what the event falls under, its hard to place things in the right spot. Routinely I've found categories that fit better. I do like how MITE automatically adds courses onto the UER, however.

[FreeFloat]

Roger that. Agreed.  Iremember getting my MPRR which said my position was Sqn Clerk back in the day too lol. Our UERs are pretty accurate at our unit...however it wasnt always that way I agree.

My MPRR has me once belonging to 2 Fd Engr Sqn in Toronto..... at a time I actually belonged to 64 Bty 10 Fd Regt two provinces away in Saskatchewan.  The problem is that 64 Bty has now been stood down, and its UIC was S5048 - (S for subunit I guess) - while 2 Fd Engr is U5048.  I've been trying to get this corrected for years.  I suppose the best compromise would be to have me listed as belonging to the parent unit of 10 Fd, 18 Bty (although no one ever called them 18 Bty) in a city 3 hours away from 64 Bty.

[George Wallace]

My MPRR has me once belonging to 2 Fd Engr Sqn in Toronto..... at a time I actually belonged to 64 Bty 10 Fd Regt two provinces away in Saskatchewan.  The problem is that 64 Bty has now been stood down, and its UIC was S5048 - (S for subunit I guess) - while 2 Fd Engr is U5048.  I've been trying to get this corrected for years.  I suppose the best compromise would be to have me listed as belonging to the parent unit of 10 Fd, 18 Bty (although no one ever called them 18 Bty) in a city 3 hours away from 64 Bty.

When did they stand the Bty down in Yorkton?  That was the first unit I joined as a Reservist.  Was there anyone coming in from Melville anymore?  Yorkton had the smallest Armoury, next to Summerside, PEI, that I ever saw.

[FreeFloat]

When did they stand the Bty down in Yorkton?  That was the first unit I joined as a Reservist.  Was there anyone coming in from Melville anymore?  Yorkton had the smallest Armoury, next to Summerside, PEI, that I ever saw.

I'm not sure when.  I was there as a Clerk in 96 (i rejoined after a year out of the reserves) and in 97 transferred down to Regina.  It was some years later when I noticed the discrepancy on my MPRR.  I verified in the CF Address Book that only 18 Bty still showed up.  ]

[Nerf herder]

Roger that. Agreed.  Iremember getting my MPRR which said my position was Sqn Clerk back in the day too lol. Our UERs are pretty accurate at our unit...however it wasnt always that way I agree.

I've been trying to correct an issue with my own MPRR for the past 10+years. Apparently I'm fluent in Spanish/ Castilian.

Wonder if MM can actually do it...seeing as every clerk has tried and failed to change it.

Regards

[George Wallace]

I've been trying to correct an issue with my own MPRR for the past 10+years. Apparently I'm fluent in Spanish/ Castilian.

Ah! Quaidro amigo mio.  What's up Chuck?   

[Staff Weenie]

MPRR problems on Monitor/MASS are most probably from bad data in HRMS - and I have a secret belief that the HRMS database spontaneously corrupts itself. People have decorations come and go, their dependants disappear, postings are gone, etc....I've even seen people have their gender change from one report to the next - no idea why this happens.

I like Monitor/MASS - the feature to show Class A parading is great. I use it every day now for a wide range of tasks. What I don't like, is that as far as I can tell, while I can input IBTS quals, it means nothing until the same data is entered into HRMS.

[FreeFloat]

I like Monitor/MASS - the feature to show Class A parading is great. I use it every day now for a wide range of tasks. What I don't like, is that as far as I can tell, while I can input IBTS quals, it means nothing until the same data is entered into HRMS.

Monitor MASS is a separate front-end database, with its own "additional" database fields - which pulls most of its data from the same backend database as HRMS uses.  Thus, you are correct in that you can enter items in Monitor MASS which will then be only visible/usable in Monitor MASS - and not within HRMS.  The data transfer works in only one direction between the two - HRMS downloads to MM, but MM cannot upload to HRMS.  And judging from the stories I hear of corrupt/spotty info input to MM and units not having access and/or trained personnel to use MM, this is a good thing.

Just remember that HRMS is the "virtual Pers file" and not MM, and you're golden 

[211RadOp]

Sorry to revive something that is a couple of months old, but here is a link to the ASST site with MM for Dummies as I call it.

http://clsapp.mil.ca/cls_mil_ca/monitormass/index.html

Sorry, but it is DWAN.

[agc]

While we're bringing this thread back...

I've been trying to correct an issue with my own MPRR for the past 10+years. Apparently I'm fluent in Spanish/ Castilian.

Probably someone else has been trying for 10 years to get their proficiency added to their MPRR.

It's an easy enough fix, if the person you're asking has correction privileges in HRMS.  Most of us don't.  Ask the clerk at the counter to send a work ticket to HRIC if nobody in the OR has correction mode.

[PuckChaser]

I think its "failing" because people have a closed mind about it. I recently did my section's March Break leave passes in 30 minutes for 10 people. Handed them out to the troops for signature and good to go. They didn't need to spend 20 minutes themselves filling out that stuff. I personally find it an awesome tool for supervisors, people just need to be a little receptive to change. Its even pretty user friendly, not like that DRMIS program....