CARA Layout and start page

CARAs layout and menu is designed similar to other applications for an easier orientation. The header of CARA shows the IATF logo the CARA name and the application part the user is in. The left side contains the menu and the rest of the screen is reserved for the information of the site the user is in. On the the start page at the top new messages will be displayed.

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Menu items which will contain a sub menu will be bold and will be only opened when the users accesses the parent menu item.

Menu layout:

1. Overview gives the user access to the start page and the setting menu

2. Reports gives the user access to the four report type groups defined in CARA and a list with all reports of all types

3. Information contains all necessary helpful links, like a small manual and access to the wiki and service desk

Start page

Report type group actions

CARA is designed to give the user quick access to all required function from the start page. It is possible to create, edit and print reports from the start page and to save specific reports or to load them. Because CARA uses the browsers cache report can be kept in that cache and opened directly from CARA without requiring to load a file. The start page displays has five rows with action buttons representing the four report group types and the loading and saving functions row.

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The audit report group shows as example the 6 action which can be accessed from the start page. On the left the two action icons represent the report neutral actions available. The creation of a new report and the access to the report group type list containing all reports saved in the browser for this type.

The other three or four icons are report specific actions. The header line will show the report name, organisation, cb identification no in brackets and audit date of the current active report. This report can be opened for editing. The nonconformity management can be opened if it is available for this report type. Every report can be printed as pdf directly from the start page. The last action enables the user to save the report in json format. Json is the default recommended format and available directly the also supported xml save format can be accessed on the result page of the report and in the report list.

Data management actions

The all report list opens all list of all reports contained in CARA not limited to any report group type.

Cara has four types of loading/import functions for reports. Cara will recognize automatically the right report on loading based on the unique id every report has so it will warn the user if an existing report is going to be overwritten or it has to find the correct report if it has to be extended, Every load function has a specific function which can only decided by the user and not automatically by CARA.

1. Load customer NC management. Loads only a specific part of report and attaches it to an existing report in CARA.

   1. This will load an NC management report or a single NC management action and attach it to the correct report and replace only the organisation part for the loaded action/s. This is used when the organisation sends the NC management report back to the auditor. This functionality will make sure that no manipulation of other data is possible. For further details please check the NC and NC Actions exchange article.

2. Load report/Backup. This is the core functionality for loading saved reports.

   1. You can load reports you have saved. This will replace the report in CARA with the loaded version (you will be asked beforehand)

   2. You can load backups. This will replace all existing data with the data in the backup.

   3. You can load and NC management report or an NC and action and attach it to a report. This will replace existing NC management report or NC action.

3. Load and add to existing report. This function only extends an already existing report with new data on complex elements.

   1. This function will add new complex data elements to an existing report in CARA like processes or sites. This will not update existing sites or processes. For further details please check Extending reports with sites and processes (Load and add to existing report).

4. Load report to merge. This function has a specific logic how to extend and update processes when working with multiple auditors.

   1. This function will merge processes with exiting processes with the other report and keep the data in text fields or replace data in KPIs. For further details please check Work on reports by multiple auditors (Load report to merge)

The final function is the possibility to create a backup/save all reports in CARA. This is used to secure all report entries and settings in CARA against data loss. Which can occur on IT updates or browser cache cleaning. This will enable you also to port data from device to another.