The Client RDE program files must be installed on the Client’s PC.  This is typically accomplished by downloading the Client RDE installation file from the RMS website.

To install Client RDE:

1.       If you are running Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows XP, make sure you are logged on as a user with Administrator rights and privileges.

2.       Log onto the Internet, open your browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape or AOL) and type http://web.archive.org/web/20040401155919/http://www.rms-peo.com/ into the browser window’s Address field.  Press Enter or hit Go (depending on your browser).

3.       Look for the link to the timesheet data entry application, and click on it.

4.       When prompted to Open or Save, click Save. 

5.       Allow time for the download to occur.  On a dial-up connection with a 56K modem, this could take fifteen minutes or more.

6.       If security messages appear, click through them to allow installation.

7.       When the Welcome window displays, click Next.

8.       In the Choose Destination Location window, browse to select or create a folder where Darwin is to install the Client RDE program files.  When finished, click Next.

9.       In the Backup Replaced Files window, indicate Yes and click Next.

10.   In the Select Backup Directory window, accept the default location (or change, if necessary) and click Next.

11.   In the Select Components window, leave the four RDE and CPE components marked and click Next.

12.   In the Start Installation window, click Next.

13.   When prompted for a password, type dechat and click OK.

14.   When Darwin is finished, the Installation Complete window will display.  Click Finish.

One way to access the Client Remote Data Entry program is from a shortcut on the desktop.  To create a shortcut, follow these steps:

1.       Choose Start, Programs, Windows Explorer.

2.       Once Explorer opens, browse to display the contents of the folder where the RDE program files were installed and locate the rde4.exe file.

3.       Click on the rde4.exe program file with the right mouse button and choose Send To, Desktop as Shortcut.

4.       At that point, a shortcut icon to the RDE program will appear on the desktop.  If desired, you can rename the icon.  To do so, display the desktop, click the icon with the right mouse button, choose rename, type a new name and press enter when finished.

Once the shortcut has been created and renamed, if desired, the next step in the process of working with the timesheet file is to decide whether you want to work with it as a saved file or as an attachment.  The following section discusses these options.
 

If you plan on working with the timesheet file as an attachment, or plan on opening a timesheet file directly from Windows Explorer, you must first create an association between the .DTS file extension and the RDE program itself.  By creating this association, the RDE program will open whenever you double-click a file with the .DTS extension.  Furthermore, the actual file on which you’ve double-clicked will also open.  To create this association, follow the general steps outlined below.  Realize that these steps may vary, depending on the version of MS Windows you are using:

1.       Open Windows Explorer (Start, Program) and choose View (or Tools, depending on which version of Microsoft Windows you have), then choose Folder Options.

2.       In the Folder Options window, click the File Types tab, then the New Type button.

3.       In the Add New File Type window, enter a description for the type of file for which you’re creating an association and the .dts extension.

4.       For Action, click New.  In the New Action window, enter the action of open.  To indicate the program to be used in order to perform the action, click Browse to locate and select the rde4.exe program file.  Remember that this executable file will be located in the folder in which the RDE program files were installed.

5.       When finished, click Ok to close the New Action window, then close the Add New File Type window.

6.       Once the association has been created, close the remaining Exploring windows.
 

Example 1:  Saving the Attachment

As the remote user, you can save the timesheet file to your PC as opposed to working with the file as an attachment.  Typically, this is the most efficient manner in which to work with the timesheet file because working with a saved file is faster and more reliable than working with a file that is simply being held in memory.  If your PC unexpectedly looses power, for example, the saved file is generally more stable.  To work with a saved file, follow these steps:

1.       Once you receive an email containing a timesheet attachment, click on the attachment with the right mouse button and choose SaveAs.  The file attachment will have a .DTS extension.

2.       When prompted for a location in which to save the file, browse to select the folder where the RDE program files were installed.

3.       When finished, click Save.

Once saved, the file is available to open and the timesheet can be filled out.

Example 2:  Opening the Attachment

Instead of saving the attached timesheet file before working with it, you can simply open the file and work directly with it as an attachment. To do so, follow these steps:

1.       Once you receive an email containing a timesheet attachment, double-click on the attachment with the left mouse button.  The file attachment will have a .DTS extension.

2.       Depending on the email editor being used, you may receive a message alerting you to the fact that some files can contain viruses.  When asked to confirm whether you want to open the file or save it to disk, indicate ‘Open it’.

3.       When finished, click Ok.

4.       At this point, the Client Remote Data Entry program will open and the timesheet file you’ve indicated will display in the Darwin RDE timesheet window.  You will notice that the timesheet file is being held in memory by the fact that the title bar reflects the current location as being C:\windows\TEMP.
 

As discussed above, the RDE program will automatically open if you have decided to work directly with the timesheet attachment, as opposed to first saving the timesheet file to disk.  However, if the file has been saved to your PC, you will need to open the program before being able to work with the timesheet.

To open the RDE program, choose one of the following:

§         If you have created a shortcut on the desktop, as discussed above, open the RDE program by double-clicking the shortcut’s icon.

§         Open Windows Explorer and display the contents of the folder where the Client RDE program files were installed.  Then, double-click the RDE4.EXE file.

§         If you have saved the timesheet DTS file received from RMS onto your PC, open Windows Explorer and double-click on the DTS file.  Not only will RDE open, but so too will the actual timesheet.  This will only work if a file association has been created, as discussed above.
 

To open the timesheet file:

1. In the Darwin RDE program window, choose File, Open.
2. Browse to select the .DTS file that was received from RMS.
3. When finished, click Open.
    

Once the RDE program has been opened and the timesheet file displayed, it is time to fill out the timesheet information.  This may include entering any of the following:

§         the number of hours for which a non-salaried employee is to be paid

§         the number of hours by which a salaried employee’s pay is to be adjusted or reduced

§         the number of vacation or sick/personal hours for which an employee is to be paid

§         the amount of an employee’s commission or bonus; variable benefit or deduction

In addition, various fields of information on the timesheet can be edited.  For example, you may need to change the WC code or SUTA state pertaining to a transaction.  Or, you may need to replicate an employee’s line if the employee works a portion of their time in one department or under one job title and the remaining hours in another.
 

1.       In the Darwin RDE window, fill out the timesheet by entering the appropriate information for any employee for whom a paycheck is to be produced.
 

2.       To select an option from a drop-down list, click the drop-down arrow and choose the desired item.  Typically, the list will remain open for you to confirm your selection by choosing the item again.
 

3.       You can enter multiple transactions for the same employee into one line of the timesheet.  If additional lines are necessary, right-click the employee’s line and choose Replicate Line.  Then select the desired code from the VarCode drop-down list and enter the corresponding number of hours/units in the VAmount field.
 

4.       When finished, save the file then close the RDE window.

Sort                              Indicate the order in which the employees on the timesheet are to display.  Choose from employee name, employee ID, department, job title, and workers’ comp code.

Report                          Indicate the report that will generate when the Reports tab (located at the bottom of the Darwin RDE window) is clicked.  In addition to some custom timesheet reports, the available options include:

Timesheet-Report:  Produces a report showing the totals for each column in the timesheet entry window, as well as related employee information.

Data Entry Form – Standard:  Produces a blank timesheet with the employee name, social security number (if marked in the RDE Profile), department and pay rate (if marked in the RDE Profile) for each pay code column if applicable to the employee.

Data Entry Form – Detail:  Produces a blank timesheet with all employee information listed from YTD information to tax status and vacation and sick availability.

Employee Name          The name of the employees that met the criteria specified in RMS RDE Profile.  If an expected employee does not appear in the list, check the Profile to make sure the DISPLAY ALL EMPLOYEES profile option has been marked.  This ensures that all active employees will be included in the timesheet.

Column Defaults (8)     Column headings are based on the Payroll Codes defined in the RDE Profile.  Up to eight payroll codes can be specified.  A payroll code can be a pay code, variable deduction code, or variable benefit code.

VarCode                      This column is reserved for use to enter additional payroll codes that are not defined in the Profile.  This is useful because it allows you to add transactions to the timesheet without having to change the profile and re-export simply to add another column to the timesheet.

VAdj                             This checkbox is applicable only if a “Salary” type pay code is specified in the VarCode field.  If marked, money will be reallocated, while the employee still receives the same amount of pay.  For example, if an adjustment transaction for 10 hours is entered in the VAmount field with department #2 specified, Darwin will allocate 30 hours to the default department (with no transaction necessary for this) while 10 hours will be allocated to department #2.  In this case, the employee will still receive pay for a total of 40 hours.

VRed                            This checkbox is applicable only if a “Salary” type pay code is specified in the VarCode field.  If marked, the employee will not receive their normal amount of pay.  Instead, their pay will be reduced by the amount entered in the VAmount field.  For example, if eight hours is entered in the VAmount field, the employee will receive pay for 32 hours.  This is useful in a situation where an employee takes time off without pay.

VAmount                      This field is reserved for use only when the VarCode field is used.  The dollar amount or number of hours for the corresponding code entered in the VCode field is entered into this field.
 

Days                             If tracking the number of days worked, enter the appropriate number in this field.  An entry can be automatically filled if the RDE Profile contains an entry in the Default Days field.  If a default setting is not specified, the Days field must be manually entered for each row. 

Weeks                          If tracking the number of weeks worked, enter the appropriate number in this field.  An entry can be automatically filled if the RDE Profile contains an entry in the Default Weeks field.  If a default setting is not specified, the Weeks field must be manually entered for each row.

Timesheet Tab             Click this tab and the main Darwin RDE timesheet window displays.

Report Tab                   Click this tab and the report indicated in the Report drop-down list at the top of the timesheet window will display.  If desired, you may switch to a different report and/or print any of the available reports.

Debug Tab                   Click this tab only if instructed to do so by ThinkWare.  The purpose of this function is to provide a function for diagnostics of RDE timesheet errors.