README File for iHRIS

iHRIS Full Suite: Manage, Qualify, Common, I2CE and TextLayout

Version 4.0.0

Release date: 2009-07-14

Please note: This release does not include an update of the In-Service Training Management Module, which is disabled in this release (see the section "Known Issues" of this README file for more details. If you are using the In-Service Training Management Module, we recommend that you wait for the update before upgrading to version 4.0. The update is scheduled for release as version 4.0.1 within the next few weeks.

CONTENTS

1. Contact Information

2. About This Software

3. New Features/Bug Fixes in This Release

4. Hardware and Software Requirements

5. Getting Started

6. Known Issues

7. About the Capacity Project

1. CONTACT INFORMATION

HRIS Strengthening team of the Capacity Project

Web: www.capacityproject.org/hris/

Email: hris@capacityproject.org

Voice: 1-919-313-9100

IntraHealth International

6340 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200

Chapel Hill NC 27517 USA

2. ABOUT THIS SOFTWARE

The Capacity Project develops in the iHRiS Suite core solutions addressing specific issues in human resources for health (HRH) leadership. The iHRIS Suite is free and Open Source software distributed under the GPL.

iHRIS Manage is a human resources management tool that enables an organization to design and manage a comprehensive human resources strategy. iHRIS Manage helps an organization manage its workforce more effectively and efficiently, while reducing costs and data errors. Using the system, the HR professional can create a hierarchy of positions for an organization based on standard titles, job classifications and job descriptions, even spread over diverse geographic locations, offices and facilities. HR staff can solicit job applications for open positions, assign employees to fill positions and maintain a searchable database of all employees, their identifying information and their qualifications. Managers can track each employee's history with the organization, including their position and salary histories, and record the reason for departure when the employee leaves. iHRIS Manage is primarily intended to be used to manage health care workers employed by a country's Ministry of Health, a hospital or other large health care organization, or a private provider of health care services. However, it may be readily adapted to other types of organizations and workforces.

iHRIS Qualify is a health worker training, licensing and certification tracking system. The system enables a licensing or certification authority for a health worker cadre, such as nurses or physicians, to track data on the complete cadre in a country from pre-service training through attrition. The database captures information about health professionals from the time they enter pre-service training through registration, certification and licensure, and it is updated every time a professional's license or certification is renewed. This system is also capable of tracking continuing medical education attained by health workers, capturing data about foreign-trained workers applying to work within the country and recording out migration verification requests.

iHRIS Common includes common page classes, template files and images for the iHRIS Suite of software: iHRIS Manage, iHRIS Qualify and iHRIS Plan.

IntraHealth Informatics Core Engine (I2CE) is a set of classes for handling database-driven HTML forms with templates and database abstraction. It is the core programming engine for the iHRIS Suite of software.

TexLayout is tools to handle text layout designed to create nicely formatted PDF files. This is used to generate PDF versions of reports.

3. NEW FEATURES/BUG FIXES IN THIS RELEASE

The following new system administration functions are included in this release:

• The System Administrator can change any field name display in the System Config file (change "district" to "state," for example).
• The System Administrator can create customized roles and assign tasks to those roles in the System Config file.
• The System Administrator can export selected standard data, for use in other systems at a facility level, for example.
• The System Administrator can import data, from facility-level installations for centralized reporting, for example.

The following new user functions are included in this release:

• A registration number and/or license number and the name of the registration council that issued it can be added to an employee's record.
• Position records can be searched by job, facility, department, status, cadre or classification.
• Search for people records can be limited by employee status, job or facility.
• All required fields are now marked with an *.
• Long lists of nested items, such as geographical locations or offices/facilities, can now be selected using a tree display.
• For some items (geographical locations, position codes, etc.), the first few letters of the item can be typed into a field and the system will automatically fill in the name of any matching item.
• Position administration functions have been moved to the Configure System screen along with other database administration functions.

The following bug fixes are included in this release:

• Competencies are displaying correctly for the HR Manager role.
• Errors with report displays have been corrected.
• Issues with the duplicate record error alert have been corrected.

4. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

The following software is required to be installed before installing iHRIS:

• Apache Webserver 2.2+: http://www.apache.org
• MySQL 5.0+: http://www.mysql.com
• PHP 5.2.3+: http://www.php.net
• MDB2 from PEAR: http://pear.php.net/package/MDB2
• MySQL driver from PEAR: http://pear.php.net/package/MDB2_Driver_mysql
• Text Password from PEAR: http://pear.php.net/package/Text_Password
• Console GetOpt from PEAR: http://pear.php.net/package/Console_Getopt
• APC from PECL: http://pecl.php.net/package/APC or http://pecl4win.php.net (Windows)

In order to generate PDF reports, the tcpdf package (http://www.tcpdf.org) is required.

A web browser is required to run the software. Firefox 2+ (http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/) or Internet Explorer 7+ (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/ie/getitnow.mspx) is highly recommended.

Optional:

• Tidy from PECL: http://pecl.php.net/package/tidy (included by default for Ubuntu but not Windows)
• GD Php Library: http://www.libgd.org

5. INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Linux (Ubuntu) installation instructions are available on our wiki: http://wiki.ihris.org/wiki/index.php/Linux_%28Ubuntu%29_Installation

Before using the system, you should read the User's Manual, which can be accessed by clicking the Help button on any screen or on our wiki at http://open.intrahealth.org/ihrismanual/. The section "Before Installing the System" provides helpful worksheets for collecting the data needed to enter in the system.

If you have questions or need support, please visit the iHRIS Website by clicking that button on any screen (http://www.capacityproject.org/hris/) and use the Contact Us form to send us your question.

6. KNOWN ISSUES

The following are known bugs in this release of iHRIS. These bugs will be corrected as soon as possible in a subsequent minor release. Please report any bugs to hris@capacityproject.org or by submitting a bug report at https://bugs.launchpad.net/ihris-suite/.

iHRIS Manage

iHRIS Manage has been upgraded to version 4.0.2.

iHRIS Qualify

iHRIS Qualify has been upgraded to version 4.0.2.

The Decision Maker role cannot search for or view individual records, as intended.

7. ABOUT THE CAPACITY PROJECT

The Capacity Project is developing free, Open Source HRIS solutions, distributed under the GPL, to supply health sector leaders and managers with the information they need to assess HR problems, plan effective interventions and evaluate those interventions. We don't provide just software but rather a program of technical assistance and expertise to ensure that the technology is transferred effectively and serves the ability of decision makers to use data to lead and manage. Our participatory approach results in systems that are appropriate for the context in which they are used and sustainable after we leave.

The Capacity Project helps developing countries strengthen human resources for health to better respond to the challenges of implementing and sustaining quality health programs. The Project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by IntraHealth International and partners IMA World Health, JHPIEGO, Liverpool Associates in Tropical Health (LATH), Management Sciences for Health (MSH), PATH and Training Resources Group, Inc. (TRG). Find out more at www.capacityproject.org

Development of this software was made possible by the support of the American people through USAID. The contents are the responsibility of the user and do not reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government or IntraHealth International.