Automatic User Logout in REST Professional 

REST Professional Version 15.5 and above offers an enhancement to the existing locking functionality in REST Professional. Users with sufficient permissions will have the ability to set a lock in the Active User List to automatically log all users out of REST within a specified timeframe.

This feature will include:

• The ability to set a lock that will automatically log all active users out of REST within a specified timeframe (5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes).

• A prompt to all active users that an Automatic Logout lock has been applied, with a clear countdown timer to assist in managing active tasks before the lock is set.

• A prompt to all active users to prevent transactional bulk processes from being started while a countdown timer is running.

• A restriction to prevent new screens to be loaded or saved during the last 60 seconds before REST shuts down.

• The option for users to restore their session at re-login, which will reload some of open files when the timer ran out and REST shut down.

• Enhancements to the File Changes Report to record details of locks set and released in REST Professional.

• Auto-refreshing of the Active User List every 15 seconds to continually show current login activity.

Prerequisites

To set a lock in the Active User List in REST Professional, a security level of Journals/EOM Wizard/Files Update & above is required.

Changes to Screens

• The following options on the Active User List have been renamed. All other functionality for the existing options remains unchanged:
  - May proceed with password has been renamed Other users may proceed with password
  - May only read or print has been renamed Other users may only read of print
  - Must log out has been renamed Prompt other users to log out now

• An additional lock option Automatically log out all users has been added. When this option is selected, an option will become available to set the number of minutes (5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes).

• When the Active User List cannot display all active users, an option will be available to expand the list to view all users and their processes. An option will also be available to collapse the list to the original size.

• Some buttons and options on the Active User List have been repositioned to improve the layout of the screen.

• The File Changes Report will include the option to display details of locks set and released in REST Professional.

• In addition to the existing Refresh Display button in the Active User List, REST will automatically refresh the list every 15 seconds to ensure updated login activity is visible to the user applying a lock.
   

Applying an Automatic Logout lock

To assist all users when an Automatic User Logout lock has been applied, a number of prompts and warning messages will display to the user applying the lock, as well as to the users logged into REST at the time the lock is applied.

To set an Automatic User Logout lock:

1. Select Other > Active User List

2. When the Active User List loads, review the processes currently run by active users.

   • When the Active User List cannot display all active users, select the Expand User List button to view all users and their processes. To restore the User List to the original size, select the Collapse User List button.

- Select the option Automatically log out all users has been added. A new option will become available to set the number of minutes (5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes).

    3. This value will determine the duration of the countdown timer when the Apply Lock button is selected.

    4. Set the number of minutes and enter a reason for applying the lock in the Details field.

   5. Select the Apply Lock button. The countdown timer will start running, and the Active User List will show the pending lock status highlighted in amber.

   6. The following prompt will display for other users logged into REST:

   7. While the countdown timer is running, other users will be able to stay in REST until 60 seconds remains on the countdown timer. During the last 60 seconds, no new users can log into REST, and active users will be logged out of REST automatically when loading or saving a screen.   

Note: You will be required to remain logged into REST to review the Active User List until all other users have been logged out.

   8. When all active users have been logged out of REST, the Active User List will show the pending lock status highlighted in red.

 

   9. After the 60 second timer has expired and all remaining users are automatically logged out of REST, you may exit the Active User List and log out of REST if necessary.

- While the Automatic User Logout lock is active, other users will not be allowed to log into REST.
- If nobody is logged into REST and the Automatic User Logout lock is active, a user with a security level of Statistics/Company Details/Passwords & above will have the option to release the lock at login, as per existing REST lock functionality.

Applying an Automatic User Logout lock when other users are running bulk processes in REST Professional

When an Automatic User Logout lock is applied, the following prompt will display to advise the user setting the lock of bulk processes currently in use by other active users:

Note: The Active User List will only display bulk processes that are in the actual processing stage. Bulk processing screens that are open but not in the processing stage will not display.

• When selecting OK, the timer will start running. The user/s will receive the following prompt when trying to process:

• When OK is selected, the message will close and the selections on the bulk process screen will be retained. If the Automatic User Logout lock is released before the timer stops running, the user will be allowed to continue processing.

• If the user starts processing during the last 60 seconds of the countdown timer, the process will be closed, the user will be logged out and REST will shut down when the user selects OK to the prompt or when the 60 second timer expires.

Starting bulk processes in REST Professional after an Automatic User Logout lock is applied

If you are a user loading a bulk process after an Automatic User Logout lock has been applied and the timer is running, the following prompt will display and the process will not be started:

Some functions, like the ones listed below, can be loaded but the Exclusive Lock prompt will display when saving changes:

• Saving changes to System Options

• Saving changes to Company Details

• Backup Wizard from the Files menu

• System License Upgrade

• Owner Withhold Funds

• Charge Agency Fees

Some functions in REST Professional do not display in the Active User List, but a lock is set when saving the record or transaction, which will prevent another user applying an Automatic User Logout lock until the process is complete. These functions include updates to master files and single transactions.

Restoring files after an Automatic User Logout

When active users were logged out of REST as the result of an Automatic User Logout lock, a prompt will display when each user logs back into REST after the lock is released:

Sessions will be restored if any of the following master files are open at the time the Automatic User Logout lock is set and users are logged out of REST:

• Owner
• Property
• Creditor
• Sales
• Holiday Booking
• Tenant
• Building
• Strata
• Sales Solicitor Details
• Sales Bank Details

Processes that will continue to run after the countdown timer stops

Some processes in REST cannot be interrupted by automatically logging out the user, and will continue to run after the countdown timer stops.

• Reports with a lot of data can take a long time to generate. Users generating large reports will be allowed to continue generating the report after an Automatic User Logout lock has been applied

• Some processes that take a long time to run, for example refreshing the Diary List with a large number of records

When the user has completed the process, they will be automatically logged out of REST when the final prompt displayed during the process is closed, or when attempting to load a new screen after processing in compete.

Important Note

When using REST Professional in a networked or terminal server environment, it is important to note the following:

When an Automatic User Logout lock is applied, REST sets a pending exclusive lock and the timer starts running immediately, but REST is only exclusively locked when there is one minute remaining on the countdown timer.

For example, if a 10 minute lock is set, active users can continue using REST for the first 9 minutes. REST will check the status of all active users after 9 minutes have expired. During the last minute of the countdown timer, other active users will be logged out of REST, and no new users can log into REST.

However, the following events may prevent the exclusive lock from being set during the last minute of the countdown timer:

• When an active user leaves a session active or in hibernation/sleep mode while REST is running, the user will remain logged into REST which will prevent the exclusive lock being set even after the full 10 minutes have expired.

• Leaving message boxes or prompts open in REST Professional will prevent the exclusive lock being set even after the full 10 minutes have expired.
   
• When an active user runs certain bulk transactional processes when the countdown timer reaches 9 minutes, the pending exclusive lock will be released to avoid risk of corruption to data.

• When an active user generates a large report when the countdown timer reaches 9 minutes, the exclusive lock will not be set until that user logs out of REST, even after the full 10 minutes have expired.

• When an active user refreshes the Diary List or Portfolio Check and a large number of records are loading, the exclusive lock will not be set until that user logs out of REST, even after the full 10 minutes have expired.
  
  
   

If you experience difficulties with the setup or use of this new feature please contact Rockend Support via the Customer Lounge at www.rockend.com.au or 1300 657 700