Leveraging Web Services in SIU Mailrooms

Southern Illinois University continues to use the StarRez Web Services to provide specific access to components of the StarRez solution to users who otherwise wouldn't have access. This presentation highlights the use case of mailrooms on the SIU Carbondale campus.

Presented at the StarRez 2012 User Conference in San Diego, CA.

Transcript

1. Leveraging Web Services in
   SIU Mailrooms
   Daniel Reedy, Assistant Manager of IT
   SIU Carbondale University Housing
   

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2. Hello, My Name Is _______
   • Daniel Reedy,
   Assistant Manager of Information Technology
   ‣
   Server Administration
   ‣
   Application Development
   ‣
   Policies & Audits
   ‣
   Computer Lab Admin
   ‣
   PCI Compliance
   ‣
   Cable TV
   ‣
   General Tech Support
   ‣
   And more…
   

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3. SIU Carbondale Salukis
   

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4. SIU Carbondale University Housing
   • 3,830 Residence Hall
   Spaces
   • 868 Apartment Spaces
   • 3 Commons Buildings
   

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5. StarRez History
   RFP Process
   2003
   StarRez
   Conversion
   Spring
   2010
   StarCom
   Install
   Fall
   2003
   Went Live &
   First Check-out
   Spring
   2004
   Maintenance
   Module
   Fall
   2008
   First
   Move-in
   with StarRez
   Fall
   2010
   Live with
   StarAppWeb
   for Contracts
   Fall
   2004
   Front Desk
   Module
   Spring
   2012
   

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6. Living on the Web
   • StarRez Web Serices:
   ‣ Accounts API
   ‣ Reporting API
   ‣ REST API
   • Ruby Wrapper
   http://www.github.com/danreedy/StarRezApi
   

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7. Which API to Use?
   • Accounts API
   ‣ When dealing with dollars
   • Reporting API
   ‣ When pulling information from many tables
   • REST API
   ‣ When working with a single record
   

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8. Use Case: Mailrooms
   

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9. Package Delivery at SIU
   • 3 Dedicated Mailrooms & 2 Front Desks
   • Student Staff
   • Multiple Carriers on Multiple Schedules
   • All tracked with pen & paper!
   ‣ Tracking numbers being written 3 times!
   

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10. A “Slow” Day
    

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11. Package Noti cation Card
    

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12. Goals for the Transition
    • Simplify and Expedite Receipt of Packages
    • Eliminate the need to write anything
    • Improve package tracking & eliminate inter-office
    transfers
    • Expedite Issuing of Packages
    

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13. Front Desk Module
    • Parcels - Visitors - Resources
    • Caution: It’s New! Still being actively developed
    • Provides a great foundation for tracking
    • Worked great for receiving packages
    • Not quite what we wanted for issuing them...
    

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14. Receiving Packages
    • StarRez desktop client
    • Bar Code Scanner
    • Process:
    ‣ Search for Resident
    ‣ Add a Parcel
    ‣ Complete the Wizard
    

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15. Parcel Receipt Wizard
    Letter
    Package
    Oversized
    Poster
    etc...
    UPS
    USPS
    FEDEX
    etc...
    Mailroom
    

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16. Parcel Receipt Wizard
    

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17. Resident Noti cation
    • Replace notification card with print-out
    • Report Generator + Dymo LabelWriter 450
    • Placed in their Mailbox
    • Add Image of printed label
    

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18. Issuing Packages
    • Touchscreen Monitors at Mailroom Windows
    • USB Magstripe Readers at All Locations
    • Housing Portal + Reporting API + REST API
    

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19. Housing Portal Login
    

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20. “Pick-up” Screen
    

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21. ID Search - Ruby Wrapper
    

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22. API Call URL
    https://server/StarRezWebServices/services/
    getreportbyname/PackageSearch.xml?
    Dawgtag=850012345
    

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23. Raw Response
    850012345
    

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24. Converted to a Ruby Hash
    850012345
    

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25. Unissued Package Report
    

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26. Issuing Ruby Code
    

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27. API Call URL
    https://server/StarRezWebServices/services/
    update/EntryParcel/123?
    ElectronicIdentityTypeID=1&ElectronicIdentity=850012345
    &IssueDate=2012-05-25%2016:14&ParcelStatusEnum=1
    

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28. “Pick-up” Screen
    

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29. Demo Time
    

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30. Implementation Results
    • Began February 17, 2012 in one mailroom
    • Added two additional mailrooms and two front desks
    • Issued 6,092 packages 2/17 through 5/19
    

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31. The ToDo List
    • Email Notification
    • Web application to check package delivery status
    • Eliminate notification card (go paperless)
    • Expand to Graduate & Family Apartments
    • See what StarRez does next...
    

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32. Questions?
    

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33. Product List
    • USB Barcode Scanner w/ Stand
    • USB Magnetic Stripe Reader
    • ELO Touchscreen Monitor w/ Magstripe Reader
    • Dymo LabelWriter 450
    

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34. Get in Contact
    • Daniel Reedy
    Assistant Manager of Information Technology
    University Housing, SIU Carbondale
    • Email: dreedy@housing.siu.edu
    • Twitter: @reedy
    • Voice: 618.453.2301
    

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