Software FAQs

What is the difference in using an asterisk or colon in PHAWorks RA Edition and PHAWorks Lite?

Asterisk

An asterisk typed as the first character for an entry in the Recommendations column of the worksheet denotes the entry as an information need. Commonly, the Recommendations column is used to record both recommendations and information needs. Recommendations are suggestions for ways in which risk may be reduced and they become action items when adopted for implementation. Information needs typically identify the need to obtain information that is needed to complete entries in the worksheet.

The effect of the use of such asterisks occurs when generating reports. The asterisk is used by the software to distinguish information needs from recommendations. Thus, reports available for entries in the Recommendations column are:

• Action Items - A report that contains items from the Recommendations column that are not preceded by an asterisk. The reports may contain other worksheet information.
• Information Needs - A report that contains items from the Recommendations column that are preceded by an asterisk. The reports may contain other worksheet information.
• Individual Action Items - An Action Items report limited to those items that are assigned as indicated by entries in the BY column of the worksheet.
• Individual Information Needs - An Information Needs report limited to those items that are assigned as indicated by entries in the BY column of the worksheet.

The asterisk can only be used in this special way in the Recommendations column of the worksheet. When used in other columns, it has no effect on the software.

Colon

A colon typed as the first character for an entry in primary worksheet columns (e.g. Causes, Consequences, etc.) marks the entry as a comment. Such entries are excluded from numbering and from referencing.

For columns that use linked entries (Safeguards, Recommendations, Scenario Groups), comments are not added to the inventory of entries in the respective tab.

Use of the colon outside the worksheet has no impact on how the program functions.

In Utilities / Preferences / Application, you can automatically add comments to quick entry lists. If the option is checked, checked, comments will automatically be added to the quick entry lists in an Auto Added Comments group for the corresponding column.

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