Common Terms

Active Record

The currently selected FIMS record Data accessed by clicking on FIMS tabs is related to the active record.

Affiliation Code

A code which determines how a Profile is classified, normally used to determine groups for mailing or reporting purposes. Examples include Prspct, BOD (Board of Directors), Planr (Estate planner), and Party (invitee). The automatic affiliations specified in Tools / System Utilities / System Initial Setup / Mailing Setup, the "Vendor" code, and the “Schol” (scholarship applicant) code should

not be applied manually: they will automatically be added to Profiles.

Alphanumeric Field

A field that can contain alphabetic and numeric characters.Apply Date The date which determines the financial period that a transaction affects.

Ascending

Sorting an alphanumeric field so that spaces (blanks) come first, followed by numbers, then assorted odd characters (\, [, ], ^, _, `, {, |, }, ~), then the familiar alphabetical order (A,B,C ...etc.).

ASCII File

(American Standards Committee for Information Interchange) - A data file that uses only the common ASCII characters so that it can be shared by many standard DOS applications. FIMS exports data to ASCII files for merging into word processors, spreadsheets, or graphics programs.

Backup

The periodic process in which the information stored on a computer system is

copied to another server or some form of magnetic media and stored for safe

keeping.

Button

A graphic that you can click on to initiate a function within FIMS. Buttons are

graphical representations of menu selections.

Checkbox

Square box on a dialog box that you can select or clear to turn an option on or

off. More than one checkbox can be selected at a time.

Codes

Codes associated with a FIMS records allow them to be identified and classified.

The coding within FIMS is user definable and virtually unlimited.

Data Grid

A lookup list of important records (for example, Profiles, Funds, or Gifts) where

you can select a specific record to view, edit, or link a Profile or Fund with a

transaction (for example, linking a Donor with a Gift)

Data Source File

An information file that is exported from FIMS for use in MS Office applications such as Word and Excel.

Data Window

The screen area below the toolbar in FIMS windows, used to display and modify database information.

Database

A collection of data that you can search systematically to maintain and retrieve information.

Note: FIMS stores and retrieves information using a relational database.

Date Field

A field that must contain a valid date (for example, 01/01/2009). Most date fields in FIMS also have drop-down lists associated with them that open a calendar where you can select the appropriate date.

Desktop

In Microsoft Windows, the desktop is the on-screen work area where windows, icons, menus, and dialog boxes appear.

Detail Information

Refers to showing information with all of the detail that is available. For example, if a donor gave four gifts in a year, a report would show a line for each of the four gifts with the individual gift amounts, dates and other coding.

Drop-Down List

A menu or selection list that is displayed by clicking an arrow in a code or date field, which groups related commands.

Export

The creation of a data file on disk that contains FIMS data. The information in this file can then be imported for use by other programs.

The most common kind of export in FIMS creates a data file for merging into a word processing document to create form letters.

Field

A unit of information in a record.

File

A collection of data stored on a disk with a unique filename. (for example, word processing documents, spreadsheets, programs).

Example: Gift acknowledgement information is exported to create a data file for merging into thank you letters.

In the FIMS database, a file refers to a collection of similar records (for example, Gift History records). Also known as a table.

Example: When Application records are posted, approvals are recorded in the Grants file.

File Maintenance

Groups of processes for each module that allow users to add, change, or delete records and maintain codes. A File Maintenance menu is available from every

FIMS module.

FIMS (Foundation Information Management System)

A suite of integrated modules that work together within a single relational database. Since FIMS is an integrated system, it allows a single point of data entry, increased reliability, and instant access to information for reports and queries.

Refer to the FIMS Overview in the Introduction for more information.

FIMS Navigator

The first window that opens when you start FIMS. The Navigator provides a visual layout of the main FIMS modules and how they interact with each other. It is also a graphical main menu that you can use to access all of the main modules.

FIMS Reports

The standard sort and select process which, for many FIMS reports, determines the records that are to be included in the report and the sort order in which they are printed.

FIMS Viewer

The window that opens when you choose to send reports to the screen.

Function Keys

Standard keys (usually located near the top of the keyboard), labeled F1 through F12 that you can use to perform several programmed functions in FIMS.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A computer display environment that uses graphics-based screen options, usually in the form of buttons or menus, to allow users to enter commands.

Icon

Similar to a button – an icon is a graphic that you can click to initiate a function (e.g., double-click the FIMS icon on your Windows desktop to open FIMS).

Keyboard Shortcut

A key or combination of keys that you can press on your keyboard to accomplish a task in FIMS. Refer to Keyboard Shortcuts in the Introduction for more information about specific shortcuts that are available.

Logical Field

A field that can contain either of two values such as yes/no, true/false, individual/organization or cash/accrual.

Menu

Provides a list of commands that you can perform in FIMS.

Mnemonic

A device (such as a formula or rhyme) that you can use as an aid in remembering. We recommend that you set up your codes with mnemonic names to make them easy to recognize.

Navigation Buttons

A series of toolbar buttons that allow you to browse to the first, last, next, or previous record a FIMS database table.

Navigator

See FIMS Navigator.

Network File Server

See Server.

Numeric Field

A field that only accepts the digits, 0 through 9, along with decimals and sign characters.

Password

A string of characters that must be entered in order to authorize permission for a user to gain access to a computer system (e.g., FIMS). Passwords are used in conjunction with User Names that identify each user of the system.

ProControl

The utility that stops and starts your FIMS databases (Progress Version 9 and greater). Refer to Using ProControl for more information.

Progress

The language that FIMS is written in. Every organization that uses FIMS must have a Progress license before FIMS is installed.

Radio Button

The round buttons in dialog boxes that you can select to make one choice from among several items (also known as option buttons because you can only select one option at a time).

Record

A group of fields within a file or table (for example, Profile, Donor, Grantee and Contact records).

Relational Database

A database that functions through a collection of tables (files), records, and fields. The table is similar to a file folder. It holds the records, which are like a document in the folder. The records, in turn, hold fields, which are like data elements within the document (for example, name, address, zip code).

Right-Click

Using the right mouse button to access a special menu or function.

Selecting

In FIMS reports, selecting allows you to choose to report on a subset of a particular file (for instance, the gifts for the current month or Profile records that have an Affiliation code of Prospect).

In FIMS Data Grids, selecting means to highlight a record in the list.

Server

In a networked group of computers, the server is the computer that manages file sharing, system security, and station-to-station communication.

Supertab

A group of related windows tabs within a single module.

Tab

A means of displaying titles and navigating to related data areas in a window (similar to the way the tab on a manila folder helps to identify the folder contents).

Table

A collection of similar records (for example, Gift History records) in the FIMS

database. Also known as a File.

Tagging

In FIMS Data Grids, tagging a record places a checkmark next to it, which remains even when you select and/or tag other records. This can be useful for running reports, or seeing a group of related records grouped together.

Toolbar

Located near the top of most FIMS windows, the toolbar provides shortcuts to frequently used commands.

User Defined Code

Code that the user creates, defines and maintains to categorize records (Profiles, Gifts, Grants, Funds, etc.) The fields for which the codes are intended are usually fixed in the Social Service Agency.

User Defined Export

FIMS exports that allow you to select the fields you want to export (standard exports do not provide this ability).

User Name

The name that must be entered in order to authorize permission for a user to gain access to a computer system (e.g., FIMS). Passwords are used in conjunction with User Names to fully identify each user.