A UTILITY TO REMOTELY MAINTAIN THE CERNER APPBAR FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF USERS
By Naser Sanjar
The AppBar is Cerner’s main application launcher for end users. It displays all the applications
routinely used by a specific end user. Traditionally, users create their own AppBar by logging into the
AppBar application, adding needed executables, and setting their user level preferences. This process
usually takes place during initial user training.
However, a major drawback to this process is that it can be extremely time consuming and often users
select incorrect applications or preferences. This then results in the “all-to-often” call to
the Help Desk on why their applications aren’t working correctly. Further compounding the problem -
AppBar settings are stored at the user level, where Help Desks can do very little to troubleshoot the
problem remotely. Many times the response is to ask the user to delete all their applications from the
AppBar and then re-add them which can be a very time consuming process.
There is another way. This process involves modeling AppBar settings after a user that has the standard
AppBar executables and preferences. A generic user account is created for each position that needs access to
the AppBar. An AppBar can be created and saved at the user level for each of these generic accounts. These
accounts can then be inactivated or suspended for security reasons to act as a generic template.
The AppBar Utility can be used to select one individual user or a group of users and create the AppBar
for them by modeling their AppBar after the generic account. The same utility can be used to reset the
AppBar to its original form for a single user or group of users for trouble shooting purposes. Or, the same
utility can be used to update an already existing AppBar (for example, adding or removing an application or
preference for a single or large group of users).
The inherent benefits of this approach from our field experiences have been:
- It is far more efficient and consistent to spawn AppBar preferences for new domains, user groups,
or facility conversions in this fashion
- The ability to efficiently maintain and flex AppBar preferences for a large and geographically
disbursed health network is immensely enhanced in this manner.
- Facilitates 1st level support call success factors for individual user trouble shooting and AppBar
resets
- Ensures consistency throughout the testing / system validation phases, and the Training phase of
the project life cycle.
If utilization of this utility would enhance your HNAM system management capabilities, please contact us
in person or at www.getvitalized.com to learn more about this and the host of other significant value
propositions contained in the Vitalize Logic Library.
Vitalize Logic Library Overview
Easy to access—Easy to use! The Vitalize Logic Library (VLL) service offering allows authorized
clients the ability to review our repository of CCL, Rules, etc. over the internet with no obligation to
purchase. The intuitive Flash.net application is accessible at your convenience and you may shop
independently on-line, review descriptions, example outputs, pricing, mark items for your internal approval
process, etc. without sales interference. The VLL is a repository for Eclipsys and Cerner custom
reports. You can even review what's new since that last time you visited the repository much like
Cerner’s PowerChart®. These programs are offered at prices 40-60% below normal custom
development costs. Should you want subtle modifications to these, we can easily provide estimates.
Contact vcs@getvitalized.com or 610-444-1233 to get your login
and password today.
Imagine...positive outcomes for a predictable price realizing a quicker return on your
investment.