User Interface
The Petrosoft user interface is designed to be both user-friendly and unambiguous. By using a page-based division of the various functions of the system, users can be given fine-grained access to only the features they need for their day-to-day work, and can handle multiple taks simultaneously without the hassle of window management. Petrosoft can run in a full-screen 'kiosk' mode, which prevents users from accessing the underlying operating system.
Security - Role-based access control
Individual users can be issued with their own account details, and each account can have a different selection of screens from the total number installed on the system.
A typical terminal might have a traffic desk handling order entry and maintenance of driver and vehicle records, and a stock control desk which requires the ability to monitor tank levels and run stock reconcilliation reports.
The Petrosoft terminal automation systems meet these requirements by allowing data enty clerks at the traffic desk and stock control desk to have specialist accounts, with access only to the screens and data they need to perform their role. Stock controllers may be able to access or modify orders or other records or may be restricted, and data entry clerks would likewise either be restricted or able to modify stock-related data. Hovever, total system access may also be given to all parties - the system is totally flexible.
Access control is even more flexible than this - individual users may have read, write and delete priveledges added or removed depending on the type of data being accessed. Users can be organised into groups, with access permissions set on a per-group basis. This makes it possible for changes to a whole set of accounts to be made simultaneously in just a few clicks.
Easy Navigation
Moving between screens is simple - by opening a familiar pop-up menu from a button in the bottom-left of the screen, every screen can be accessed. Each is categorised into clearly-labelled submenus based on function. Should a screen be selected by mistake, the toolbar provides the ability to go back to the previous screen instantly.
A substantial history of the user's movements between screens is held within the client, so the route through the screens can be traced back and forth in a similar manner to a web browser's history feature. A user can modify records in one screen, then visit another screen, then return to where they were originally and continue what they were working on. This is in contrast to most web-based systems which lose user data when a page is left.
As well as navigation, the toolbar also provides a consistent method for creating, saving and deleting unwanted records. These features can be disabled on a per-screen and per-user basis.
Create, save and delete buttons are automatically disabled depending on the type of data being edited and the user's access level.
Online help
Online help is available for every screen by clicking on a button on the toolbar. This opens an unintrusive pane at the right of the screen, which gives the user a comprehensive description of the current screen and how-to guides for sample workflows. Hyperlinks are provided so references to other areas of the system can be followed with ease.
More details on the user interface can be found by looking at Petromanager screenshots and Petrosupervisor screenshots.