Glossary

Activity	An activity is an event or series of events with which security personnel may become involved. In Perspective, activities are created, scheduled, and assigned to officers or organizations with the help of the Perspective DispatchLog or Dispatch module. When an activity has been closed, the corresponding Activity record is transferred to the Activities component within Data Forms, where it can be further described, investigated, and analyzed.
Administrator	An Administrator sets up Perspective, changes settings, and assigns security protocols to users. Administrators have the highest level of access to all records, forms, and fields; they have no visibility or access restrictions within the program.
Assignment	An assignment is a task that is given to a user by his or her supervisor. Only authorized users can create assignments.
Authentication	Authentication refers to a security measure requiring a user to enter proof of identity (e.g., a User Name and Password) before accessing a network, program, file, or other information.
Averted Loss	In Incident and Case records, a loss that is associated with an involved entity and that is avoided in the course of an incident as a result of a preventative action.
Banner	A banner is a long rectangular button that opens a new section of the program when clicked (e.g., the Data Forms banner, the Analysis Expert banner).
Call Category	A Call Category rollup describes an activity according to its type specifications: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Call Category rollups are hierarchical, meaning that the option selected in the first level of the hierarchy, Level 1, determines what options are available in the second level of the hierarchy, Level 2, and so forth.
Call Code	A Call Code is a combination of alphanumeric symbols that are used in your organization to code the Call Category, optionally combined with the call’s Priority and Site. In Perspective, entering a call code on the new Activity record form will populate the Call Category, Priority, and Site fields. Also, entering the three latter fields may automatically calculate the appropriate Call Code, given its availability in the system. The Call Code specifications can be set in the Administration component of Perspective.
Case	A case is a grouping of incidents related by person, item, location, class, or other commonality, generally requiring further investigation.
Chain of Custody	Chain of custody refers to the complete and thorough documentation of an evidence piece’s seizure or collection, possession, control, transfer, and disposition. When the process is carried out correctly, documented chain of custody verifies that a piece of evidence is authentic, that the evidence is indeed connected to a particular incident, involved person, or organization, and that the evidence has not been tampered with, compromised, or misplaced at any point from its initial collection to its appearance in court.
Child Data	Child data refers to the data that are recorded on Perspective’s subforms, or that could potentially correspond to more than one referent. Examples of child data include information about involved Persons, involved Vehicles, and so on.
Child Node	A child node is a node that can only be accessed when its associated parent node has been expanded.
Class Rollup	A Class Rollup describes an incident according to its Class, Category, Subcategory, and/or Type. Class Rollups are hierarchical, meaning that the option selected in the first level of the hierarchy, Class, determines what options are available in the second level of the hierarchy, Category, and so forth.
Client	A client computer is the computer used to access a software program or application. It is connected to a network of other computers and may request information from a remote computer, called a server, in order to run the application.
Component	A component is a program subdivision represented by a specific type of form. For example, the Data Forms component of Perspective contains such forms, or components, as Incidents, Cases, Activities, Items, etc. The components within Data Forms are graphically represented by banners accessible from the Navigation pane.
Dashboard	The Dashboard is like the Home page or main screen of Perspective. It displays charts summarizing incident information, as well as messages and assignments from supervisors.
Data	Data is information.
Data Entry	Data entry is the process of placing information, or data, in a database. This is usually accomplished by typing data into fields in data forms.
Database	A database is a collection of data stored in a structured format. A database might be compared to an electronic filing cabinet. Databases are often organized into tables that store related information in the form of records (e.g., Incident records, Person records, Item records).
Database Management System (DBS)	A program that allows you to manage information in databases.
Desktop	Generally, when a computer is turned on, the screen opens on the desktop. This is the area where icon shortcuts are found, including My Computer and the Recycle Bin. All types of files can be saved onto the desktop.
Dialog Box	A dialog box is a window that appears on screen when a particular selection is made. It generally provides further options for the selected program feature.
Dispatch	Dispatch has the core functionality of DispatchLog, but is a separately managed application that, like DispatchLog, enables Security Departments to quickly and easily dispatch personnel and agencies, and to create work orders associated with dispatching activities.
DispatchLog	DispatchLog is an integrated module of Perspective that enables Security Departments to quickly and easily dispatch personnel and agencies, and to create work orders associated with dispatching activities. As calls come in, you may use DispatchLog to easily track the location, category, and priority of the activities, and to keep up-to-the-minute records on your officers’ activities, including which officers are available for response, when they arrive on scene, and when they return. Once an activity has been closed in DispatchLog, it is transferred to the Activities component of Data Forms, where it can be further described and investigated. The banner that opens DispatchLog is located on the Navigation pane.
Drop-Down	A drop-down list, or menu, offers a range of selections that have been condensed to save screen space. Click on the down arrow on the right side of a drop-down field, and the field will expand to display a list of options. Select an option by clicking it.
e-Incident	An e-Incident is an electronic Incident report. It may be created in one of Perspective’s optional modules (e.g., Perspective e-Reporting or Perspective Portal), or it may be imported via Perspective’s Import Manager tool.
e-Report	An e-Report is an electronic Incident report submitted from Portal by an employee to inform an employer of an incident or suspicious activity. Once an e-Report reaches the Gateway, it is assessed to determine whether or not it should be accepted as a valid Incident record.
Electronic Report	An electronic report is an Incident, Item, Person, Organization, or Vehicle report submitted electronically to the Gateway. Electronic reports may arrive from a number of sources. Incident reports may be submitted from Portal. Incident reports, as well as Item, Person, Organization, or Vehicle reports, may be imported using Perspective’s Gateway access point. Once an electronic report reaches the Gateway, it is assessed to determine whether or not it should be accepted as a valid Incident, Item, Person, Organization, or Vehicle record.
Entity	An entity is an object, person, event, or other concept that provides information about a larger category recorded in Perspective. For example, in order to create a detailed Incident record, you may need to enter involved persons and items, attachments, assignments, losses, or pieces of evidence that help to create a full picture of the larger category—the incident.
Entity Record	An entity record is a collection of data related to a particular entity (e.g., the record of an Involved Person, Assignment, Loss). In Perspective, entity records are stored as rows in a table that can be expanded into editable, or viewable, subforms.
Export	To export a file is to convert a file created in one software program or application into a format that is usable in another application. For example, exporting a set of query results to Microsoft^® Excel^® involves converting the results into a format suitable for use in Excel.
Exposure	In Incident and Case records, the amount of potential monetary loss associated with an involved entity.
Field	A field is an element within a form that allows you to enter or access a specific nugget of information related to the record type. One field in an address record might be Street.
Filter	When filters are applied in directory searches, they tell the program to return only records in which the content of a specific field matches the criteria set by the user.
Focal Point	Perspective Focal Point is an optional module of Perspective, offering instant access to incident, investigation, and case data, summarized in a series of dynamic charts and graphs. Users can analyze their data to see the big picture, or drill down to review specific details, getting the facts they need, while uncovering areas of concern and sudden trends.
Form	A form is a part of the user interface that allows you to interact with the information contained in the database via a screen populated with related fields and designed to perform specific program functions, like reporting an incident, conducting searches, preparing reports, and so forth.
Gateway	The Gateway serves as an inbox for all electronic reports generated using Perspective’s Portal. Once an electronic report lands in the Gateway, the Gateway Administrator and/or Gateway Approver are responsible for assessing it and determining whether or not the report should be accepted into Perspective as a valid Incident, Item, Person, Organization, or Vehicle record.
Gateway Administrator	The Gateway Administrator initially reviews all new electronic Incident reports (e-Incidents) submitted to the Gateway. The Gateway Administrator can edit e-Incidents, including customizing their security controls, and can either assign them to a Gateway Approver for follow-up or delete them from the system. For all other imported reports (Item, Person, Organization, or Vehicle), the Gateway Administrator may make them available within Perspective for authorized users to add to the main database, or delete them from the system.
Gateway Approver	The Gateway Approver is responsible for following up on all e-Incidents he or she has been assigned by the Gateway Administrator. The Gateway Approver can edit e-Incidents, and can either accept them into Perspective as valid Incident records, or send them back to the Gateway Administrator for reassignment. If an e-Incident contains insufficient information to accept or reject it, the Approver can store the e-Incident in a Pending folder for review at a later date. For all other imported reports (Item, Person, Organization, or Vehicle), like the Gateway Administrator, the Gateway Approver may make them available within Perspective for authorized users to add to the main database or delete them from the system.
Grid	Search results and query results display in the form of a grid, or list, with each entity occupying a row.
Hierarchy	A hierarchy is organized into successive levels, or layers, with each level subject to the preceding levels in the hierarchy. For example, the Class Rollup is divided into four fields ordered hierarchically (Class, Category, Subcategory, and Type); a selection made in the Class field determines what options are available in the Category field, and so forth.
Hyperlink	A hyperlink refers to an image or a string of text that retrieves a file, Web page, or other related information when clicked.
Icon	An icon is a small graphic used to represent a particular file, program, or function. Clicking the icon will open the file or program, or perform the appropriate function.
Import	To import a file is to bring a file into the currently active application. For example, importing an electronic report into the Gateway involves converting the file into a format that is usable within Perspective, and then uploading the properly formatted file into the Gateway.
Incident	An incident is an unusual action or situation affecting persons or property, either accidental or purposeful, which requires notice or follow-up by a security or human resources department.
Integration Services	Perspective Integration Services is a Web Service Application Programming Interface (API) that is designed as a tool for communicating with Perspective data across multiple external interfaces or systems. Integration Services enables secure creation, reading, updating, deleting, and querying of Perspective data across the supported systems.
Interface	Interface in Perspective refers to the visual on-screen means (e.g., windows, dialog boxes, buttons, banners, panes, or icons) by which Perspective modules and components communicate with the user to allow for a seamless entry, display, analysis, and transfer of data.
Investigation	An investigation is a follow-up or close examination of an incident (or of a case linked to one or more incidents) in order to gather facts and learn more about the incident’s causes, sequence of events, involvements, and so forth.
Investigator	An investigator is a person assigned to work on the investigation of an incident (or of a case linked to one or more incidents). Within Perspective, users designated as investigators are permitted access to investigation forms, tabs and functions.
Label Set	See Language.
Language	In Perspective, a language refers to a set of field labels. Custom languages with unique field labels can be created and assigned to particular users. The default language, or label set, in Perspective is System English.
Link	A link is a connection to a specific file, form, or program level.
Link Chart	A link chart, in Perspective Visual Analysis, visually represents the involvements and associations between related Incident, Case, Item, Person, Organization, and Vehicle records. Icons signify the record entities, and colored lines identify the nature of their relationships.
Listing Pane	The Listing pane is the area of Perspective where users view lists of records available for selection; the record entity displayed depends on the selection made in the Navigation pane. The Listing pane is located in the middle of the screen, between the Navigation pane and the Viewing pane.
Logic Formula	A logic formula expresses the reasoning Perspective will use when applying search criteria. It uses letter symbols to represent each set of search criteria and applies AND/OR operators and parentheses to define the relationship of search criteria to each other. For example, the simple logic formula (A AND B) shows that Perspective will only search for results that meet both criteria A and B; in order to include results that meet criterion A or criterion B, the logic formula would need to be modified.
Lookup List	See Drop-Down.
Narrative	A narrative is the story or explanation of an event.
Navigate	To navigate a program refers to using navigational tools, such as menus, buttons, tabs, and links to move between windows and other structural elements of the program.
Navigation Pane	The Navigation pane is the area of Perspective where users navigate to major program components (e.g., the Dashboard, Data Forms, Analysis Expert), and, to some extent, within the program components. The Navigation pane is located on the left side of the screen.
Net Loss	In Incident and Case records, the value determined by subtracting the Total Recovered amount (if any) from the Total Loss amount.
No Impact Loss	In Incident and Case records, any loss that has been associated with an incident that has either been prevented, or remains a potential loss and, hence, does not impact the Net Loss amount.
Node	A node is a point of intersection in a tree that allows users to navigate through the tree to access increasingly specific levels of data or program function. A node can be identified by the small square box to the left of its position in the tree. Clicking the box when it has a plus (+) sign inside will expand the entity and display all its sub-entities underneath. Clicking the box when it has a minus (-) sign inside will collapse all the sub-entities and hide them under the main entity. When a sub-entity also has a small square box to its left, it is known as a child node.
Officer	An officer is a security personnel representative who can be dispatched and responds to activities created in Perspective DispatchLog.
Officer Alert	In Perspective DispatchLog or Dispatch, an Officer alert determines the amount of time set for a dispatched officer to respond to an activity when the officer reaches a specific Status (e.g., On Route, On Scene), Location, and/or when the activity’s Priority matches a specific priority set in the Officer alert. The combination of settings that triggers a specific Officer alert can be set in the Administration component of Perspective. Once activated in DispatchLog or Dispatch, the settings defined for the alert will cause the Officer alert timer to start counting the time for the officer to respond to the current combination of conditions before their status must be modified.
Operator	An operator is used to create a more refined search. Like the calculation symbols used in mathematical formulae, where operators define the relationship between the formula’s parts (e.g., A is equal to B), operators in Perspective express the relationship of the field to the value when setting search criteria. For example, if the Class field is selected and Criminal is the chosen value, an operator of equal to would stipulate that any records appearing in your search results would have a Class equal to Criminal. Examples of other operators include not equal to, less than, starts with, and like.
Organization	In the context of Perspective, an organization is any agency, company, or group.
Organizational Rollup	An organizational rollup indicates the company division or region that a user belongs to, or when assigned to a record, the particular division or region that is permitted to access the record. A user can only view records with the same, or lower, organizational rollup as his or her own. Organizational rollups are multi-tier or hierarchical; the option selected in the first tier determines what options are available in the second tier, and so forth. Moving down the hierarchy, organizational rollups become increasingly specific. A user with an organizational rollup higher on the hierarchy will have greater access to records than a user with a more specific organizational rollup lower on the hierarchy.
Pane	A pane is an area within an on-screen window that contains specific type of information in the form of interconnected files, fields, messages, banners, buttons, formulae, or other information. For example, Data Forms interface is expressed through the functionalities contained in the Navigation, Listing, and Viewing panes.
Parent Data	Parent data refers to the basic data that are recorded on Perspective’s main forms, or that correspond to only one referent. Examples of parent data include, but are not limited to, an incident’s Class, Site, Business Unit, Reported Date/Time, Status, and Created by User.
Pick List	A pick list requires users to select an incident, item, person, organization, or vehicle from a range of records displayed in a separate window. If the desired entity does not appear in the pick list, some pick lists allow users to create a new entity record for selection. A pick list effectively links data entered in a field to an entity record. Click on the green Add icon on the right side of a pick list field to display a window containing a list of records for selection. Once a record is selected, the window will close and the pick list field will automatically populate with the record’s name.
Pop-Up	A pop-up is a window that opens automatically when a particular option is selected in the previous window.
Portal	Perspective Portal is a module for Perspective, enabling any employee, onsite or in a distant location, to report an incident or suspicious activity as soon as it occurs, through the Portal webpage set up specifically for their workgroup. Once an electronic report has been submitted from Portal, it lands in the Perspective Gateway, where it is assessed to determine whether or not it should be accepted as a valid Incident record.
Priority	The level of importance assigned to an incident, activity, or email message (e.g., High, Low, or Normal). The list of available priority levels can be set in the Administration component of Perspective.
Query	A query is a request for information. In Analysis Expert, when the Execute button is clicked, the program sends a message to the database where all information is stored, requesting results matching the query’s specified criteria.
Quick Find	The Quick Find tool allows users to easily locate records containing a particular text string. Quick Find searches text fields across the Perspective database (such as summaries, narratives, and text attachments) for the word or phrase specified, and returns a comprehensive list of records for review.
Radio Button	A radio button allows users to select one option out of a set of options. Before a radio button has been selected, it will look like an open circle, and after it is selected, a dot will appear inside the circle. Once a user has selected one radio button, selecting any other radio button in the same set will deselect the first option.
Record	A record is a subsection of database, holding information about one entity or a member of a category within the database that is stored as one unit (e.g., an Incident, Activity, Item, or Person record).
Record View	A record view is a particular list of records that a user is permitted to access. In Perspective, users are able to create and save their own customized record views in the Data Forms component, allowing them to better organize and manage the records they need to view on an ongoing basis.
Recovery	In Incident and Case records, an entity that corresponds to a loss amount associated with an incident that has been restored or regained, as a result of an action that had been implemented after the incident took place.
Regulated Time to Act (RTA) Alert	In Perspective DispatchLog or Dispatch, a Regulated Time to Act alert determines the amount of time set for a dispatcher to react to and modify an activity when the dispatched officer reaches a specific Status (e.g., On Route, On Scene), Location, and/or when the activity’s Priority matches a specific priority set in the Regulated Time to Act alert. The combination of settings that triggers a specific RTA alert can be set in the Administration component of Perspective. Once activated in DispatchLog or Dispatch, the settings defined for the alert will cause the RTA timer to start counting the time the dispatcher is left to check, and modify, the status of the dispatched officer in Perspective DispatchLog or Dispatch.
Ribbon	The Ribbon locates the most frequently used general administration, navigation, help, and search tools for you to refer to sections of the integrated Help files. In the Data Forms component, the Visual Analysis icon is added, which assists in visual representation of relationships between the records stored in the Perspective’s database. In the Analysis Expert component, the Ribbon is populated with an additional set of icons that perform saving, adding, cloning, deletion, sharing, and execution of queries.
Role	Every user is assigned to a role, which determines how much access the user has to Perspective's functions and features, and what he or she uses the program for. Examples of roles include Administrator, Investigator, or General User.
Rollup	A rollup is also known as a multi-tier or hierarchical lookup list. Rollups are used to streamline the options and functions available to users when making selections from related lookup lists. Each rollup has up to four tiers. The first tier is known as the Root; the option selected in this first tier determines what options are available in the second tier, and so forth. A higher tier in the hierarchy is known as a Parent field and a lower tier is known as a Child field. Any Child fields that are on the same tier of the hierarchy are called Sibling fields.
Screen	A screen is a display of some portion of the program on your computer monitor. The term screen may be used to refer to the main program screen, a program form, or a subform (e.g., the Data Forms main screen, an Involved Item screen, the Analysis Expert screen).
Search	To search a database refers to the process by which the software program looks for data meeting the criteria specified by the user.
Search Engine	A search engine is a computer program that retrieves files or data from a database based on specified search criteria.
Server	A server is a computer that shares information with client computers in a network to help process a software program or application. The term server may refer to either the machine that shares the information, or to a particular software program designed for this purpose.
Sigma (Σ)	Sigma is the Greek symbol for sum. In Analysis Expert, the sigma symbol appears on the heading of a column when Group By is clicked, indicating that the data in the column can be added together.
Single Sign-On	Login authentication that, if configured by a Perspective administrator, allows you to enter one set of credentials to access multiple Resolver desktop applications (Perspective, Dispatch, and/or Dashboard) without re-entering those credentials, as long as your session token (a temporary file that stores your credentials) remains active. The amount of time the session token is active is based on the settings of the SSO provider selected by your administrator, however, logging out of one Resolver application will end the session with all applications (e.g. if you click Logout in Dispatch, you will need to re-enter your login credentials to log into Perspective). Clicking the X at the top right of an application will keep your session token among the applications active.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)	A part of Perspective’s interface that provides guidance on the course of actions in case of an activity with a specific Call Category, Location, and/or Status. The Standard Operating Procedures can be described in the Administration component of Perspective with the help of a brief description, a standardized checklist of actions to be performed under the specified activity conditions, additional attachments, hyperlinks, and automated notifications. The created SOP rule will subsequently feature in Activity records that correspond to the settings specified in both Perspective’s Activity data forms and the SOP component in Perspective DispatchLog or Dispatch.
Status Bar	The Status bar is a part of Perspective’s interface that displays your system and login information, including your username, role name, as well as Perspective’s system and connection statuses (e.g., Connected/ Disconnected). The Status bar is located at the bottom of the screen.
Sub-Administrator	A Sub-Administrator is permitted to create user accounts and modify User Details and User Defaults, but only for users who are within their default workgroup and who have the same (or lower) access level and organizational rollup as their own.
Subform	A subform is a sub-tabbed screen that contains child data, allowing you to enter a large amount of detailed information about an entity in an organized and coherent manner. A subform can only be accessed through its associated parent form. Like its parent form, the subform is designed to perform specific program functions (e.g., recording an involved person, registering a piece of evidence).
Sub-tab	A sub-tab is a tab that can only be accessed through a parent tab when navigating a form. For example, in the Incident form, the Involvements tab has four sub-tabs: Persons, Organizations, Vehicles, and Items.
Supervisor	A supervisor is permitted to access the Controls tab on all records. Among other things, this allows the supervisor to change the workgroups, organizational rollups, and access levels of records at will.
Tab	A tab in Perspective is used to mark a particular section within a data form. It looks like and operates like a tab in a file folder. To access the contents of a tab, users must simply click on the tab.
Table	A structure within a database designed for storing related information, often in the form of records or entity records. Simple databases may contain only one table; complex databases contain many.
Toolbar	A row of icons that activate functions or options when clicked. (e.g., The Ribbon).
Total Loss	In Incident and Case records, the sum value of all Loss amounts associated with an incident that corresponds to losses that actually took place.
Tree	A tree is a hierarchical structure representing the links and relationships between program components. For example, expanding a single node reveals child nodes, which in turn yield further entities, until the user arrives at individual fields containing precise pieces of data. The hierarchical relationship between all these pieces, essentially a navigation map of one particular area of the program, can be described as a tree.
User	A user is a person who uses Perspective, and has his or her own User Name and Password to access the program.
User Defined Field (UDF)	A UDF is a special field developed by an organization to meet their specific needs.
Value	A value is the specific information, or data, entered into a field.
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)	VIN is a unique tracking number that serves to identify a vehicle.
Viewing Pane	The Viewing pane is the area of Perspective where users view record contents. (Depending on their user privileges, users may also be authorized to edit, delete, or add records in the Viewing pane.) The record displayed in the Viewing pane depends on selections made in the Navigation pane and the Listing pane. The Viewing pane is located on the right side of the screen.
Visual Analysis	Perspective Visual Analysis allows data relationships between Incident, Case, Item, Person, Organization, or Vehicle records to be rendered into powerful visual link charts. These visual elements can easily be analyzed and interpreted, bringing clarity to complex investigations and scenarios.
Window	A window is an enclosed rectangular on-screen viewing area that displays programs, files, fields, messages, or Web sites independently of other on-screen areas.
Workgroup	A workgroup, in Perspective, segregates users by department, division, corporate level, region, or any other criteria an organization wishes to use, and allows an organization to limit users’ access to data. Users can only access records assigned to their respective workgroups.