Citizen Participation Suite

User Guide

Table of Contents

Using This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Tips for Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Notes and Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Content. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Additional Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The Customer Service Portal. . . . . . . . . .7

Launch the CSP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Citizen Participation Overview . . . . . . . .8

Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Launch eComment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Create and Edit eComment Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Open the eComments Subtab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Disable and Enable eComment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Enable Comments for Selected Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Enable Video Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Select and Preview eComment Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Select an eComment Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

User Guide 2

Preview an eComment Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Schedule the eComment Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Submission Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Receive an Email Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

eComments Received Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Edit the eComments Received Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Edit an Agenda Item Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Export the eComments Received to an Excel or PDF File . . . . . . . . 23

Restart the eComment Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Access the Citizen eComment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Access eComments Received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

User Guide 3

Copyright © 2010

Granicus, Inc.

The following documentation is proprietary and confidential information of Granicus, Inc. and its licensors, the use of which is subject to a License Agreement between the authorized licensee and Granicus, Inc.

The Granicus logo, Granicus, MediaVault, MobileEncoder, StreamReplicator, and OutCast Encoder are registered trademarks; Integrated Public Record, Intelligent Routing, LinkedMinutes, LiveManager, MediaCenter, MeetingMember, MeetingServer, MediaManager, Simulcast Encoder, VoteCast, VoteCast Classic, and VoteCast Touch are trademarks of Granicus, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

User Guide 2

Using This Guide

Congratulations on your new Granicus solution! Your solution’s user

guide was written with you in mind! Before you get started, take a

moment to flip through the guide and look for the following things:

Tips for Success

Tips for success are a collection of best practices and shortcuts for

your Granicus solution. These tips, though not mandatory, help you

use your Granicus solution as efficiently as possible. Look for these

tips in the left margin of your user guide.

Notes and Warnings

Additional information is found in the form of Notes and Warnings.

These callouts contain important information you should know in

regards to your solution. Notes and Warnings are located in the left

margin of your user guide.

References

Your user guide contains reference materials such as images,

tables, and a glossary. Please study these reference materials to

enhance your knowledge of your Granicus solution.

User Guide 3

Content

The steps within the this guide explain how to use your solution the

way it was designed. However, your solution’s interface or

functionality may differ depending on your version of software or

user guide.

Complete the tasks in this guide from beginning to end as they are

written. Only follow any work-arounds as they have been assigned

to you by Granicus staff.

Take the time to explore this user guide and your Granicus

solution. The more you practice with your solution, the more

efficient you’ll become!

User Guide 4

Notes

Use this page to record important information, including notes,

usernames, and passwords. Keep this information in a safe place.

Additional Notes

Encoder Username

Encoder Password

MediaManager URL

MediaManager Username

MediaManager Password

Account Manager

Granicus Technical Support

Granicus Support Email

24/7 Emergency Line

User Guide 5

The Customer Service Portal

For additional help not found in this guide, access the Customer

Service Portal. The CSP features the Granicus Help Site, downloads,

training, and exciting updates from Granicus headquarters.

Launch the CSP

1 Open an internet browser such as Internet Explorer 7.

2 Go to http://jurisdiction.granicus.com; for example http://

sanfrancisco.granicus.com.

3 Enter your username and password at the MediaManager

login screen.

4 Click the Help & Training link in the upper right corner of the

MediaManager interface.

5 Confirm the CSP homepage loads in a new browser.

User Guide 6

Citizen Participation Overview

The Citizen Participation Suite allows citizens to digitally participate

in online public meetings without creating additional work within

the public meeting or Minutes annotation process.

The eComment software integrates with MediaManager, allowing

citizens to provide feedback on any public meeting Agenda Item

several days before a public meeting takes place.

Key Features

• Turn on and off eComment

• Select different demographic fields to include in the

eComment application

• Monitor eComments as they are submitted in real time

• Remove or mark inappropriate comments so they will not

become part of the public record

• Generate a report of eComments to share with the meeting body

System Requirements

• MediaManager

• Agenda – If an Agenda is not uploaded into MediaManager,

then eComment will not have a list of Agenda Items available

to citizens. The Agenda can be an uploaded document, or

uploaded via the Parser or Agenda Management system.

User Guide 8

1.1 Launch eComment

You must first launch MediaManager in order to access eComment.

1 Open a browser such as Internet Explorer.

2 Go to your URL (jurisdiction.granicus.com).

3 Log into MediaManager with your Username and Password.

(Figure 1)

Figure 1 Log into MediaManager

4 Confirm MediaManager opens. (Figure 2)

Figure 2 MediaManager interface

Note: The Password is case sensitive, the username is not.

User Guide 9

1.2 Create and Edit eComment Templates

When working in the eComment application you must first create

an eComment Template. This template, created only once,

determines the demographic fields that citizens have access to

when they submit comments.

1 Select the Admin tab in MediaManager. (Figure 3)

Figure 3 Adming tab in MediaManager

2 Select the Templates tab. (Figure 4)

3 Click the New button.

Figure 4 The Templates tab and New button

Note: You must have assigned permissions in order to create and edit eComment Templates. Please consult your Admin user guide for information on assigning permissions.

User Guide 10

4 Confirm the Basic Information for New Template page opens.

5 Enter a Name for the Template.

6 Enter a Description for the Template. (Optional)

7 Select the eComment option from the Template Type

drop-down menu.

8 Click the Create Template button. (Figure 5)

Figure 5 Create Template button

9 Confirm the eComment Form Designer page opens.

10 Select the checkboxes on the left to display the items in the

public eComment form.

11 Select the checkboxes on the right to make the Items mandatory.

Tips for Success!

You can follow the same steps to edit previously completed eComment Template information.

Tips for Success!

Click the Add button to add a menu option field coordinating with the Geographic Area. You can enter email addresses so those interested in a specific geographic area receive emails. Click the X to remove the field.

Tips for Success!

Select either the Comment field or Agenda Item Selector as “Mandatory.”

User Guide 11

12 Click the Save Settings button. (Figure 6)

Figure 6 eComment Form Designer

Warning: If you are an existing user of eComment, your settings will not change, therefore, the defaults you see in the image may be different.

User Guide 12

1.3 Open the eComments Subtab

After you create your eComment template, you are ready to work

in the eComments subtab.

1 Select the Home tab.

2 Select the Events tab. (Figure 7)

3 Confirm the Events menu opens.

4 Select an Event.

5 Click the Edit button.

6 Confirm the Scheduling page opens.

7 Click the eComment subtab.

8 Confirm the eComment page opens.

Figure 7 Working in eComment

Note: You must load and publish your Agenda in MediaManager before you can enable eComments. Please see your Suite user guide for directions.

Warning: If you upload a new Agenda into an existing Event, the Agenda will replace any preexisting eComments.

User Guide 13

1.4 Disable and Enable eComment

By default, eComment will not be enabled for new Events. This

default can be changed to enable eComment for new Events; to

make this change, please contact Granicus Customer Care. When

eComments are disabled, citizens cannot comment on Agenda

Items. (Figure 8)

Figure 8 Enabling and Disabling eComment

Note: When eComment is disabled you may still edit and save other settings for eComment, including the eComment Form Template and eComment Period.

Note: The eComment access point will only be available to citizens if the Agenda for the Event is published, the eComment period is set, and eComment is enabled. See your suite user guide for steps for uploading and publishing an Agenda.

User Guide 14

1.5 Enable Comments for Selected Items

You can choose which Agenda Items citizens are allowed to make

comments on. You can also limit the length of their comments.

1 Enter a character limit for the length of a submitted comment.

2 Click the Selected Items button. (Figure 9)

Figure 9 Selected Items button

Note: By default all of the Items will be selected. Click the Select All checkbox to deselect all.

User Guide 15

3 Click the checkboxes of Items on which you don’t want citizens

to comment. (Figure 10)

4 Click the Add Link button to add a hyperlink for that Agenda

Item. This could be an external link to a video or document.

(Optional)

5 Enter an email in the Email To field. This will send any comments

on the particular Agenda Item to the email address. (Optional).

6 Click the Save button.

Figure 10 Selecting Agenda Items for public comment

User Guide 16

1.6 Enable Video Comments

You can allow citizens to submit comments by video. You can also

limit the length of citizens’ videos.

1 Select a time limit from the dropdown menu. (Figure 11)

2 Select the Enable Video Comments checkbox.

Figure 11 Enable Video eComments

Note: By default, this is not selected.

User Guide 17

1.7 Select and Preview eComment Templates

1.7.1 Select an eComment Template

1 Select an eComment Form Template from the drop-down menu.

(Figure 12)

Figure 12 Select an eComment Template

1.7.2 Preview an eComment Template

1 Click the Preview button to open a preview of the eComment form.

(Figure 13)

Figure 13 Preview the eComment Template

Note: Fields marked with an * are mandatory.

User Guide 18

1.8 Schedule the eComment Period

You can schedule when eComment access points are hidden in

relation to an Event’s start date. Therefore, you can close the

eComment Period, and export and distribute the eComments

received to meeting members before the meeting begins.

1.8.1 Submission Period

1 Enter a number of hours, days, or minutes for the eComment

submission period to begin, or

2 Select the Event Start option to close the eComment period

when the Event is scheduled to begin.

1.8.2 Receive an Email Reminder

The Email Reminder feature sends you an email when the

eComment period closes. (Figure 14)

1 Enter an email address in the text field.

Figure 14 Receive an email reminder

Note: The default time is 24 hours.

Note: The Event Start Option will automatically close the eComment period when the Event begins or you start the Event in LiveManager.

Note: When you receive an email reminder, the subject of the email will read “eComment Period Closed.”

Note: The email reminder will contain a PDF attachment of the Event’s eComments.

User Guide 19

1.9 eComments Received Table

After eComments are received they will display in the

eComment menu. (Figure 15)

Figure 15 eComments received table

Note: When eComments are disabled, any eComments previously received will remain in the eComment menu until the Event runs; the eComments are then archived with the Archive of the Event.

Tips for Success!

Click the scroll bar to scroll through the whole page, not just the table of eComments.

Tips for Success!

The refresh button downloads the most recent eComments to the received menu. Click the Refresh button to renew the eComments list.

Tips for Success!

Click the Video Comment link to open the citizen’s video eComment.

User Guide 20

1.10 Edit the eComments Received Table

The eComments Received table is divided into an eComments

Summary table and rows of Agenda Items commented on by

citizens. (Figure 16)

Figure 16 Editing the eComments Received Table

1.10.1 Edit an Agenda Item Comment

You can edit the text fields of the Received eComments table for

inappropriate content.

1 Right-click the Agenda Item field in the received eComment table.

2 Select Open from the drop-down menu.

3 Confirm the Edit eComment menu opens. (Figure 17)

Note: You can also select Remove from Report from the drop-down menu to remove the eComment from the table. Selecting Remove from Report will prompt a confirmation menu to open. Select Yes to delete the eComment; select No to return to the eComment menu.

Note: Click the View Trash button to view your deleted comments.

User Guide 21

4 Edit the fields.

5 Click the OK button.

Figure 17 eComment Details menu

User Guide 22

1.11 Export the eComments Received to an Excel or PDF File

You can generate an Excel or PDF file of the eComments received.

1 Click the Export to Excel or Export to PDF buttons. (Figure

18)

Figure 18 Export buttons

2 Confirm the eComments Received Excel or PDF is generated.

(Figures 19 & 20)

Figure 19 eComment Report PDF

Note: You must have Adobe PDF viewer or Microsoft Excel downloaded to your machine in order to open and print the eComments.

Warning! If the eComment Period is still open when you click the Export eComments to PDF link, you will receive a warning that additional eComments may be received after you create the PDF. Therefore, the PDF may not be a complete record of the Event’s eComments.

Note: The eComment report generates a graph of the positions for the top discussion Item, a summary of the positions on that Item, and a list of the individual comments.

Tips for Success!

Click the Print button to print a hard copy of the eComments received for each meeting member.

User Guide 23

Figure 20 eComment Excel Spreadsheet

User Guide 24

1.12 Restart the eComment Period

You can restart the eComment period through the following steps.

1 Click the Agenda subtab.

2 Select the Restart eComment Period checkbox. (Figure 21)

3 Click the Save Settings button.

4 Confirm any received eComments have cleared from the

eComment page.

Figure 21 Restarting the eComments Period

User Guide 25

1.13 Access the Citizen eComment

The following directions are the steps taken by citizens to submit

eComments.

1 Open the View Page. (Figure 22)

2 Click the published Agenda link with eComment enabled.

Figure 22 Accessing the Citizen eComment

Note: When a published Agenda is enabled with eComment, there will be an eComment next to the Agenda link.

Note: If you have purchased eComment without streaming, your view page will display only upcoming Events and Agendas without Archives.

User Guide 26

3 Confirm the Agenda loads.

4 Confirm the Public eComment Form opens. (Figure 23)

5 Enter your information in the Your Details fields.

6 Click the Next button.

Figure 23 Public eComment form

Note: The fields marked with an asterisk are mandatory.

User Guide 27

7 Confirm the Select Agenda Item menu opens. (Figure 24)

8 Click the Comment button next to the Agenda Item on which

you want to comment.

Figure 24 Select Agenda Item menu

9 Confirm the Comment menu opens.

10 Enter your comment in the Your Comment field, or

11 Click the Record Video Comment button.

12 Confirm the site finds your camera.

Figure 25 Camera confirmation

Note: You can only record a video comment if you have a webcam installed.

User Guide 28

13 Click the Close button > Allow to grant the site access to

your camera.

14 Click the Record button to capture your comment. (Figure 26)

Figure 26 Video eComment menu

15 Click the Stop button to end the recording.

16 Click the Play Back button to review your recording.

User Guide 29

17 Select your position on the Agenda Item. (Figure 27)

18 Enter the words you see in the security box.

19 Click the Submit button.

Figure 27 Selecting Agenda Item position

20 Confirm you receive a confirmation menu that your comment

was submitted. (Figure 28)

Figure 28 Confirmation menu

21 Click the Comment on an Another Item button to be

brought back to the Select Agenda Item menu.

Note: The position option may not be available depending on how the Template was created.

Note: If you have purchased eComment without streaming your have now finished working in eComment.

User Guide 30

1.14 Access eComments Received

After you run a meeting, access the Archive for that meeting in

MediaManager.

1 Select the Archives tab in MediaManager. (Figure 29)

2 Select the Archive Folder that contains the Archive you want

to open.

3 Select an Archive.

4 Click the Edit button to open the Archive.

Figure 29 Archives tab

5 Select the eComment subtab.

6 Confirm the eComments Summary menu opens.

User Guide 31

Figure 30 Printing eComment

7 Click the Export to Excel or Export to PDF buttons.

8 Confirm the generated eComments Received PDF or generated

Excel spreadsheet open.

Tips for Success!

Click the Office >Print button to print a hard copy of the eComments received for meeting members.

Note: If there are no eComments for the Event, you will receive a message that states, “No eComments received.”

Note: You must have Adobe PDF viewer or Microsoft Excel downloaded to your machine in order to open and print the eComments.

Tips for Success!

Click the Print button to print a hard copy of the eComments received for meeting members.

User Guide 32