Bluepages Help

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started
  Tutorial
  MIT Certificates
  No Kerberos ID
  Can't log in?
  PC vs. Mac
  Browser choice
  Personnel directory
  Deadlines
  Editors
  No changes

Style
  Formatting
  Add or delete an office
  Add a unit
  Order
  Phone numbers
  Undeleting information
  Printing a preview
  Cross references

Troubleshooting
  Can't log in
  Unlock a listing
  Red buttons don't work
  Incomplete drop-down menu
  Where are my changes?
  Where's my website link?

Key to Icons

GETTING STARTED

Is there a tutorial for Engenda?

Yes, the tutorial is available at http://bluepages.mit.edu/tutorial/.

I don't have an MIT certificate. Will I be able to use Engenda?

Yes, Engenda works without MIT certificates.

I don't have a Kerberos ID. Will I be able to use Engenda?

Yes, your user name is the same as your email name (without the domain, e.g., @mit.edu), so you can the system even if you don't have a Kerberos ID.

Does Engenda work on a Mac?

You can use Engenda with a PC or a Mac.

Does it matter which browser I use?

Internet Explorer (PC) and Safari (Mac) seem to be stable in Engenda, but if you experience any difficulty using either of those browsers, we recommend that you switch to the Firefox browser to make your changes. Whatever your choice of browser, please be sure that popup windows are allowed from bluepages.mit.edu.

If I update the Human Resources personnel directory, do I have to update the office directory too?

Yes. The office directory is separately maintained so that each office can determine the composition of its own listing. You can update your listing in the personnel directory at http://web.mit.edu/sapwebss/PS1/persinfo_home.shtml. If you need to request a change to your information in the office directory, please contact your office's Telephone Coordinator.

When should I update my office's information?

Office information can be updated at any time.

Can an office have more than one editor?

Each office listing can have one primary editor and one alternate editor.

Do I have to do anything if my listing is okay as is?

Please just send an email telling us which of your listings have no changes.

EDITING AND STYLE

Can I format my text myself, using bold or italic styles?

No, formatting options are pre-set in Engenda. Please try to adhere to the following style guidelines:

Keep your personnel titles brief, using the following abbreviations:

Dir for Director
Codir for Co-Director
Admin for Administrative or Administrator
Asst for Assistant
Assoc for Associate
Coord for Coodinator
Info for Information
Tech for Technology

Don't include TBA placeholders with no contact info; if you have an unfilled position with an associated phone number/email that is attended, just include the title and phone/email.
Don't include emails for everyone in your office.

How can I add or delete an office listing?

Users cannot add office listings. Please contact the Reference Publications Office if you wish to create a new listing.

To delete an office listing, use the Delete button in your inbox. That listing will be removed from access and marked for deletion.

Why don't I get an option to add a new unit when I click on the black arrows on the left-hand side?

To add a new office unit, you must click on the arrow to the left of the office name, at the very top of page. The new unit will be added to the end of your listing, so scroll down if you don't see it. Once you give it a name and save your changes, it will move to its proper alphabetical place among the units.

Can I put office units in any order I want?

No, units and subunits within an office are automatically alphabetized whenever the document is sorted or saved.

Should I use MIT's internal numbers or do I have to input the full 10-digit telephone number?

For MIT exchanges, use only the last 5 digits (ex: 2-1243, 3-1702, 8-8378).
For tie lines, use the tie line and the last three, four, or five digits (ex: 182-81000).
For outside lines, use 10 digits separated by dashes (ex: 617-495-1000)

Internal numbers are printed in the abbreviated 5-digit format, and are automatically expanded in the online directory. Additional style guidelines, as well as phone number ranges at MIT, are available at http://web.mit.edu/referencepubs/directories/styleguide.html.

I accidentally deleted a line/unit/subunit. Can I undelete it?

No, unfortunately there is no undo. The only way to get the information back is to revert to a previously saved version of the document by selecting History in your Inbox. Whenever you make significant, time-consuming changes, remember to save your work at key junctures, even if you haven't finished editing. That will create a recoverable version in your listing's History.

Can I print my listing for review prior to publishing it?

Yes, in the Edit window, click the Preview button to display the listing as a web page. You can then print this page using your browser's print command and review the printout. In the Inbox, you can also find a Preview icon in the version History. You also have the option of printing the listing from the online directory at http://web.mit.edu/officesdir/.

How do cross references work?

If an office is also known by another name, or if it has changed names, we can create an office listing for that other/old name that will direct users to the principal listing (e.g., "Space Research, Center for" is a cross reference directing the user to "Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research"). If you are working with cross references, please keep a few things in mind:

Keep it short--don't repeat information that appears in the principal listing.
Type the name of the page you want to point to exactly as it appears in the alpabetical office listing. This will generate an automatic link to the principal page.
If you list more than one office, the system will send the user to the right alpha listing (e.g., the K office list for Kavli) for each office, but cannot send the user directly to the office listing.

Contact the Reference Publications Office to add or delete a cross reference.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Why do I get an error message when I attempt to log in?

Several things may be causing this error. First, verify that you are using the correct user name (without '@mit.edu') and password. (Hint: your Bluepages password is not the same as your MIT Kerberos password.) If you don't remember your Bluepages password, please reread the email you received from the Reference Publications Office that included instructions on how to access the system.

If that isn't the problem, verify that bluepages.mit.edu is one of your trusted sites. For Windows users, click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Internet Options > Security Tab > Trusted Sites then add http://bluepages.mit.edu/engenda/login.htm to your trusted zones.

If you still can't get in, contact the Reference Publications Office, 3-2635.

How can I unlock a locked listing in my inbox?

Contact RPO to unlock the page.

Why doesn't anything happen when I click on the red function buttons at the bottom of my edit window?

If the red buttons do not work properly, please call RPO at 3-2635 and let us know immediately. We also recommend that you use the Firefox browser while we work to resolve the problem.

If it's only the red Preview button that doesn't seem to work, check your browser settings to make sure that popup windows are allowed from bluepages.mit.edu.

Nothing happens when I click the Preview button.

Check your browser settings to make sure that you are not blocking popups from bluepages.mit.edu.

Some of the dropdown menu options aren't available when I try to add a new line or unit at the bottom of the page.

When you click on the last dropdown menu arrow, the scroll bar of the browser window will move up a little bit. This allows you to scroll down to the end of the page and click on the arrow again; now all the options should be visible. If this still doesn't work, add the line higher up on the page and then move it to the bottom with the green down arrow. (Tip: entering a large number such as 99 in the input box next to the green arrows jumps the line all the way to the bottom.)

The changes I made don't show up in the online office directory.

When you finish editing an office listing, you must click the "Finished" button in your inbox to notify RPO that your page is ready for review. Generally, we review and republish office listings within 24 hours (weekends excepted); though it may take us a little longer during the peak update period (August-September). When your page is republished, you will receive an email directing you to the online directory to review your changes. (Tip: if you urgently need your page to be refreshed, please call us.)

Note that a newly created office will not appear in the online directory's alphabetical list of offices until the following day.

I have added a link to my department's website but it doesn't appear in the alphabetical office listing (at http://web.mit.edu/officesdir/). Why not?

The website links that appear alongside the office names in the alphabetical listing are set manually. Please contact us if you would like to add or change a URL there.

Contact RPO if you need to

Unlock a page
Add a new office listing
Add a link to your website from the alphabetical office list
Add or remove an alternate editor
Change a primary editor

KEY TO ICONS

In the Inbox:
Contact RPO	Opens a window for you to compose an email to Reference Publications.
Logout	What else? Gets you out of Engenda!
Help	Opens an FAQ that addresses your most pressing questions about this system and its use.
Edit	Opens the edit form, containing your directory information, in a new window. The layout of this form closely approximates how your information will appear in the print directory.
Finished	Sends your directory listing to the Reference Publications Office for review and publication. Until we begin our review, you can go back in and re-edit. If we have begun our review, your listing will appear locked. If you re-edit a listing, you must again click Finished when you're completely done.
Delete	Removes your directory listing from further access and marks it for deletion. The deletion is not carried out immediately, so contact the Reference Publications Office (3-2635) without delay if you have pressed this button by mistake. Once the listing is deleted, it takes 24 hours for the online directory to reflect the deletion.
History	Opens a window showing the history of the listing, with the current version at the top, followed by previously saved versions. You can compare any two (or more) versions by clicking their check boxes and the Compare button.
In the Edit Form:
Black arrows on aqua background	Open menus for inserting a new unit, subunit, or line. You can create five kinds of entries (besides units and subunits): Person, Misc., Fax, Email, URL. Use Misc. for any information that doesn't fall into one of the other categories.
Circling Arrows (to the right of Entries)	Sorts alphabetically all the entries below it.
Green Arrow	Moves the line up or down the same number of lines as in the box next to the up arrow. For instance, if you want to move the current line up two positions, type 2 in the box and click on the up arrow.
Trash Can	Deletes the line from the form. CAREFUL, THERE'S NO UNDO! To recover lost material that had been previously saved, exit the Edit window and go to the History window to access your available listing versions.
Done	Saves your changes and exits the Edit window, returning you to your Inbox.
Save	Saves your changes without exiting the Edit window, allowing you to continue working.
Preview	Saves your data and displays it as a web page in a new window.
Cancel	Exits without saving any changes. If you have used the Save or Preview button during your session, Cancel will only undo the edits made after that.
Help	Opens an FAQ that answers your burning questions about Bluepages and Engenda.
In the History:
Magnifying glass	Opens any version for view.
Green turn-back arrow	Allows you to roll back to that version to start over from there. Careful, make sure you want to lose the changes you've made since that version!