PRE-INTERMEDIATE DIET

Defence Agents Booking Application User Guide

First Published: 23 November 2020

Last Updated: 23 November 2020

Version: 1.0

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INTRODUCTION

The Crown has introduced an electronic booking system for every sheriff court to facilitate the PIDM. Agents will be able to book

slots for the scheduled date.

The information that follows provides further details for the necessity of the application and comprehensive Guidance Notes for

defence agents.

BACKGROUND

The Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service has published full background information on the changes in Practice Note 4 of 2020

From 1 December 2020, when a plea of not guilty is recorded, the court, in addition to fixing dates for the intermediate and trial diet,

will record in the minute of proceedings the date on which the parties are expected to engage with each other in advance of the

intermediate diet by way of a Pre Intermediate Diet Meeting (“PIDM”).

This date will ordinarily be 14 days before the date of the intermediate diet.

The PIDM between Crown and defence can take whatever form is most convenient to the parties, but it should take place on the

scheduled date unless, exceptionally, an earlier date is agreed.

The defence agent should be fully instructed for the PIDM. The Crown will usually be available to engage in person at the court

location but the PIDM may also take place by video call or telephone.

https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/docs/default-source/rules-and-practice/practice-notes/criminal-courts/criminal-courts-practice-note-no-4-of-2020-summary-criminal-business-with-sheriff-courts-further-provision-regarding-intermediate-diets-etc.pdf?sfvrsn=4

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Contents Introduction 2

Background 2

User Guidance 4

First time accessing the PIDM booking app (including authentication steps) 4

Logging into the PIDM booking application (Standard Log In Process) 12

Using the PIDM Booking App 17

Book a court time slot 18

Confirmation email 23

Changing a booking slot 24

Cancel a booking 25

COPFS actions 26

1. Booking Cancellation 26

2. Errors 27

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USER GUIDANCE

First time accessing the PIDM booking app (including authentication steps)

When logging in to the PIDM Booking App for the first time, you should enter the username and password provided to you by COPFS. You will be asked to change your password and to set up Multi-Factor Authentication as part of the initial login.

To login, go to the COPFS website at copfs.gov.uk/PIDM. It’s a good idea to add this address to your internet favourites. Once you have opened the COPFS website, select the Sheriffdom, then the Court where the case is calling for the Subject. As shown below.

When the relevant Court has been selected, you will be taken to the PIDM Booking App for that Court and will be asked to enter your login details.

Select the Sheriffdom then the court that the case is calling for the

Subject

http://www.copfs.gov.uk/PIDM

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You should now enter your username that has been provided by COPFS, and then select next. As shown in the example below.

Enter the username that has been provided to you by COPFS.

Select Next in the pop-up box ‘More Information Required’.

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You will now be taken to the Additional security verification registration. You should select Mobile App from the ‘How should we contact you?’ drop down box then Receive notifications for verification from the ‘How do you want to use the mobile app’ and then select Set Up. As Shown Below.

Choose ‘Mobile App’

Select ‘Receive notifications for verification’

Finally, select ‘Set up’

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You will now be taken to the ‘Configure your mobile app page’. Please follow the steps, as shown below.

Install the Microsoft authenticator app from your Apple or Google Play Store

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Continue to follow the steps outlined in the Configure mobile ap

If successfully registered, you will be taken back to the ‘Additional security verification page’.

NOTE:

Step 3 is for demonstration purposes only. A unique QA code will be provided to you during the process.

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Now select next, as shown below.

From here, you should respond to the notification on your mobile device and then select next.

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You will then receive confirmation the verification is successful

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You will now be taken to the ‘change your password’ page. Enter the password provided to you by COPFS and then a new password. As shown below.

This concludes the additional steps required for the first-time log in process. At this point if you wish to commence a booking please

see details from page 16..

Enter the initial password that was providing to you by COPFS.

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Logging into the PIDM booking application (Standard Log In Process)

The following pages details the log in process.

When logging in to the PIDM Booking App, you should enter the username and password provided to you by COPFS with title NOTE

TO DEFENCE AGENTS: Pre-Intermediate Diet Meeting Application: Username Detail.

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Go to the COPFS website at copfs.gov.uk/PIDM (Tip: add URL to internet favourites for ease of access in the future.)

Select the Sheriffdom and Court.

When the relevant Court has been selected, you will be taken to the PIDM Booking App for that Court and will be asked to enter your login details.

Select the Sheriffdom then the court where the case is calling for the Subject.

http://www.copfs.gov.uk/PIDM

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Enter the username and password provided to you by COPFS from PIDM Bookings and the password provided and enter.

A box will pop up asking for additional information. Select Next.

Username Password

Insert Username, and Password

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Your registered mobile device will now be sent a Multi-Factor authentication notification. As shown below.

Multi-factor Authentication maintains security for the user of the service and for COPFS

Mobile app verification

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You will now be entered into the Booking App for the Court where the case for the Subject is calling. You can check this is correct by cross referencing the Court name at the top of the page. As shown in the example below.

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Using the PIDM Booking App

The booking form for the chosen court is shown after successful login to the application. The form displays all the days that are available for booking.

Some days will have ‘overspill’ services to allow more bookings to be made for the court in a single day. These will be made available where the court is extremely busy.

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Book a court time slot

The calendar will highlight the day for the service. If it is not auto selected, click on the date e.g. if the service selected is PIDM – 23/11/2020, click on 23rd November in the calendar.

The time slots available on that day will display to the right.

Where there are no time slots available on a day, the time picker will show a message that there is no availability on that day. You will need to pick a different ‘service’ from those listed at the top of the form.

services

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The time slots are in 15-minute increments. Select the required time if available. Note: All fields are required to complete the booking.

The time slots are in 15-minute increments. Select the required time if available.

Next, complete the contact details for the Defence Agent – scroll further down the booking form to see this part of the form if necessary.

• Name

• Email address

• Phone number

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The next section of the form allows the Defence Agent to add details for the PIDM.

Complete the details for the PIDM

• Intermediate Diet Date

• Trial Date for the subject

• PF Case reference number

• Additional information

• Meeting Method

Data usage consent

The final part of the form is the data usage consent checkbox. This must be checked before a booking can be made.

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Once the form is complete, click on the Book button at the bottom of the form.

If any required information is missing, the following message will be displayed detailing the missing fields.

Booking is complete Please return to the previous step and complete the missing information

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Once you click OK, a summary of the booking can be seen.

To create another booking, click on the New booking button and complete the booking form as above.

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Confirmation email

Having completed the booking, an email confirmation is sent to the email address provided in the booking form as part of the Defence Agent contact details.

Having completed the booking, an email confirmation is sent to the email address provided in the booking form as part of the Defence Agent contact details.

The email will detail the court, date and time, and include a Teams meeting link.

The email will also include a calendar appointment as an attachment. Double click on this to open a calendar event which can be saved into the Defence Agent’s calendar.

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Changing a booking slot

The confirmation email has a link to ‘Change your appointment’. Click on the link to open the booking app to view the summary of the booking.

NOTE: To allow the Defence Agent to log into the booking app with the credentials provided by COPFS (and not any existing Office 365 account), copy the ‘Change your appointment’ link from the email (right click ->copy link) into an in-private

browser.

To reschedule the booking to another time on the same day, click on reschedule. Select another time from the time slots available. If there are no slots available, see ‘Cancel a booking’ below.

Having selected a new time slot, update any contact details or additional information for the booking.

Check the Data Usage policy and click on Update booking.

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Cancel a booking

If you need to reschedule to a different day, then you must cancel the booking first, then make a new booking using one of the services for the day required.

To cancel the booking, click on the Change your appointment link in the booking confirmation email. This will open the booking app to view the summary of the booking.

NOTE: To allow the Defence Agent to log into the booking app with the credentials provided by COPFS (and not any existing Office 365 account), copy the ‘Change your appointment’ link from the email (right click ->copy link) into an in-private browser.

Click on Cancel booking. A confirmation message is displayed.

Confirm the booking cancellation using the Cancel booking button on the prompt.

You will receive an email confirmation of the cancellation.

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COPFS actions

1. Booking Cancellation

There are circumstances where changes may be made by the Crown Office.

A booking may be set up for a Defence Agent by the Crown Office. In these cases, the Defence Agent will receive an email confirmation of the booking like those received when making a booking via the app.

The email confirmation may look slightly different as it is likely to show the name of the administrator who made the booking and, in most cases, the Depute.

The Crown Office may cancel a booking made by the Defence Agent or one made on their behalf. The Defence Agent will receive an email detailing the reason for the cancellation (optional) and a confirmation that the booking has been cancelled.

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2. Errors

For security reasons, the booking form and the booking summary form have a limited time in which it can be completed. Otherwise the form ‘times out’. If so, an error occurs at the point of booking, reschedule or cancellation. If that occurs, a message something like this is displayed:

If this occurs, refresh the form or the summary page and try the action you were trying to perform again.

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For further assistance please contact the COPFS Service Desk at:

servicedesk@copfs.gov.uk

www.copfs.gov.uk

http://www.copfs.gov.uk/