TraCS FAQ—Additional Instructions for Fall 2023

The Fall 2023 Update adds significant new functionality to TraCS. As a result, some additional follow-up steps are required to fully install the update. * If the WIPack has a date of 230803 or before, these instructions must be run.

The special one-time instructions below replace the standard update instructions found in Task 5.2: Install WI Pack Updates of the Badger TraCS Maintenance Guide. Once these special instructions have been performed you may go back to using the standard procedures found in Task 5.2: Install WI Pack Updates of the Badger TraCS Maintenance Guide for future WI Pack updates.

Read through the entire task before beginning. All steps must be done in order. After the Master Computer has updated, all remaining TraCS computers need to be updated together as there could be issues with Agency Tables being out of sync.

The following Guides have been updated and are available for download.

• The Installation Guide contains significant updates. We are in the process of moving all Installation Guide Tasks to the Maintenance Guide so this guide will become obsolete. We are doing this because all agencies in the State use TraCS so it would only be needed for new agencies not using the Hosted Environment.

• The Maintenance Guide has been updated. It places all the tasks that you might do on an ongoing basis in one convenient location. We recommend that you download a copy.

• The User Guide has been updated. It places all the tasks that you might do on an ongoing basis in one convenient location. We recommend that you download a copy.

• The Office Guide has been updated. It places all the tasks that you might do as an office administrator. We recommend you download a copy.

Additional documentation and software are available as well.

• The “As-Built” documentation template that you can use to document key configuration settings in TraCS. It is available here: https://trust.dot.state.wi.us/tracs/documentation/tracsdocumentationtemplates.zip

Task: Upgrading TraCS Software to Fall 2023 Release

1. Ensure that all TraCS Office users are logged out. (Field units, or squad cars, running the mobile version may continue to operate during the upgrade.)

2. Web Services Only: If your agency uses TraCS in Web Services mode you must email TraCS badgertracs@dot.wi.gov to enable update and, follow step 1 of Task 5.2(c): Install WI Pack Updates, Web Services Alternative of the Maintenance Guide and then continue as below.

3. Install new update on the master computer.

   1. Start TraCS and click OK when you receive this dialog box.

      Open

      

   2. Log into TraCS with your System Admin account.

   3. You will receive notifications in your Windows task bar that files are downloading.

      Open

      

      1. Then

         Open

         

   4. When you receive the notification that the download is complete, close the TraCS application.

   5. Restart TraCS by right clicking and choosing the ‘Run as Administrator’ option. Failing to run TraCS as Administrator could result in errors.

      Open

      

   6. Log into TraCS with your System Admin account.

   7. Click Yes to start the update.

      Open

      

   8. The update will now begin to run.

Open

Open

Open

2. SQL Server Agencies Only (Agencies using Access Databases can skip down to step #3): Database scripts are required for this update to add new tables and columns to your TraCS database. The Delta scripts are set on auto-run but, you should complete the steps below to verify the update ran completely. The error below is a definite sign that you need to check for delta scripts (see below)

   Open

   

    

   1. Start SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and connect to your TraCS databases with admin credentials.

   2. This step will Create additional fields in the tracs_data database needed for the new fields in the Alcohol, UFAD and Fatal Supplement forms along with the Agency Group found in every form by running the most recent Delta.sql script.

      1. The script will be in the TraCS network folder under the DBData\SQLScripts folder.

      2. The name of the script takes the form of Delta.sql.

         1. Ignore IndexDelta.sql files

      3. You will be working with the most recent Delta.sql script present.

      4. Open the most recent Delta.sql script in notepad

         1. The goal is to run all the commented lines in the Delta.sql script

            1. Delete all uncommented lines of code

            2. Use the find and replace function to remove comment symbols from each commented line.

            3. Save the file.

            4. Run Delta.sql script in SQL Server Management Studio against the TraCS data database only

      5. Go to TraCS Configuration Manager | Utilities Tab | Click DBSync

         1. After this has finished, check the DBData\SQLScripts folder for a new Delta.sql script.

         2. Repeat starting from 2(b)(ii) until there are only IndexDelta.sql scripts generated.

3. OPTIONAL: Only Required if exporting Contact Summary form to RMS: If you export Contact Summary data to your Records Management System (RMS), you are required to configure the export rules for new forms to match the requirements of your RMS. Refer to Task 3.14(a): Configure RMS Transmission Settings, Standard Alternative in the Badger TraCS Maintenance Guide and your RMS Documentation for more information on configuring RMS export instructions.

   1. The Contact Summary form has been updated to version 2.

   2. Put the similar forms together by using the up/down arrows (e.g. incident.frm.exml next to incidentV2.frm.exml)

      1. If form is Active, ensure the new version of the form is Active as well (match the settings from the old version of the form).

      2. Verify the report type using the Reports button (shown below), ensuring the file type, file name extension, and all other settings are the same (needed for ImageToRMS settings.)

         1. NOTE: the Contact Summary form only exports in TraCS 10 Format

            Open

            

4. OPTIONAL FOR WEB SERVICES – For all others ***DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP*** Create new distribution file. ***DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP*** Note this distribution is to export new user files.

   1. If you do not complete this step your field units will continue to receive the following error message.

      Open

      

       

   2. Start the Configuration Manager if it is not already running.

   3. Export user files so that they may be distributed to field units. IF WEB SERVICES DO NOT DO THIS STEP (if you have contact badgertracs@dot.wi.gov to remove the files from the distribution and folder)

      1. Click the Users tab and then click the User Editor button.

         1. Clear the Inactive User field.

            Open

            

      2. Click the Search button.

      3. Select user accounts to export.

      4. If you use TraCS to manage your users, click the Select All button to select all users.

      5. If you use Active Directory to manage your users, only select the #AD_AU_USER# and #AD_TEMPLATE_USER# users. IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT SELECT ALL USERS

         1. Click the User Files button.

         2. The file path will be preselected to your TraCS user folder.

         3. Click OK.

         4. Wait for confirmation that the user files have been created.

            Open

            

   4. Start TraCS

   5. Sign in with a System Administrator account.

   6. Click the Configuration and Distribution button in the Tools ribbon menu.

      Open

      

   7. Click Create Distribution.

   8. Enter your agency’s 3-digit Location ID number and click OK. (NOTE: Some agencies have a different name for their distribution configuration form; use whatever is appropriate for your agency).

      Open

      

   9. Press the Edit button, notice the Version Number field automatically updates.

   10. Open

       

   11. REQUIRED: Ensure the Distribution Type field has both Mobile and Office. (NOTE: You do not have to complete both office and mobile distributions on one form).

       Open

       

   12. Ensure the Automatic Download field has both Mobile and Office if distributions are downloaded automatically. (If your Agency is using a USB (thumb drive) to end shift, you can ignore this step.)

       Open

       

   13. Press the validate button. If the form validates without error, you will receive a message requesting to create the distribution files. Click Ok

       Open

       

   14. Click OK

       Open

       

   15. Click Yes to generate the distribution files and place them in the distribution folders for deployment.

       Open

       

   16. Click OK when the deployment message appears.

       Open

       

   17. Start TraCS on your master computer. Click Yes to allow other computers to begin receiving the update.

       Open

       

5. Alternative Install Instructions for Fields Units