Fine Arts Software Home OPAS Consulting Resources Resources Contact Us Contact Us
Home Fine Arts Software All About OPAS Current Client Downloads Add-Ons Add-Ons to OPAS News News
Downloads technology services for the arts

DOWNLOADS

 

How-To Guides

Note: Keep in mind that some of these documents include technical instructions - these should not be carried out except as directed by your IT department. Feel free to contact OPAS technical support if you have any questions.

If you would like a "How-To" guide for a topic not covered here, please contact Fine Arts Software .

Each document is in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format and opens in a new window (Opens in new window). If you need the (free) Acrobat viewer or "reader", it can be found at the Adobe web site. PDFs can be printed or saved using the icons on the PDF toolbar.

New = this feature or concept is new in OPAS version 8.21

Getting to Know OPAS Opens in new window

Work Space and Screen Settings

 

Screen Layout in OPAS - an overview of anatomy of OPAS screens

 

Customizing OPAS settings - Rows and Columns

 

Customizing OPAS settings - Fonts, Colors and setting the opening screen

 

Customizing OPAS settings - The OPAS Toolbar

 

What to do if a grid does not show an Instrument name or other information

Basic Program Operation - techniques used in all OPAS areas

 

Using Drop-Down Fields - Part One: basic functionality and use

 

Using Drop-Down Fields - Part Two : drop-down fields and linked data

 

Using Drop-Down Fields - Part Three : drop-down fields and the basic search ("Green Screen" search)

 

 

 

Using Grids - Part One: basic grid functionality; adding items to a grid

 

Using Grids - Part Two: adding items to a grid when the item you want isn't among the available choices

 

Using Grids - Part Three: adding items to a grid by creating the item rather than selecting it

 

 

 

List Screen Filters - overview, icons and keyboard shortcuts for filters and sorts used on all OPAS List screens

 

 

 

Data Relationships - how OPAS links data

 

 

Basic Program Operation - Searches

 

"Green Screen" or "Basic Search" - Part One: an overview of the main OPAS search function

 

"Green Screen" or "Basic Search" - Part Two: using wildcards in the Basic Search

 

"Green Screen" or "Basic Search" - Part Three: drop-down fields in the Basic Search

 

"Green Screen" or "Basic Search" - Part Four: linking fields in the Basic Search

 

"Green Screen" or "Basic Search" - Icons and Keyboard shortcuts used in the most common OPAS search functionality

 

 

How to save and instantly recall Searches.

 

How to search for Empty Data or the Absence of Data

Using 'OR' in Advanced Searches

Program Operations - Adding / Editing Data

 

How to Delete multiple items on the List screen, or in a grid, at once

Program Operations - Linking Documents

 

Basics of Linking Documents to records in OPAS

New Document Linking options including drag-and-drop emails, documents and Web addresses

Program Operations - Reminders

 

The OPAS Internal Reminders system / En español

 

Scheduling and Activities Opens in new window

Creating / Changing activities & building schedules

 

Updates to the Calendar area (version 8.21) / En español

 

How to create a new Season

 

An Overview of Projects and Activities - how they are used and how best to configure them

 

How to create a new Project

 

How to de-activate Projects and Activities (so historical Projects no longer appear when booking current / future seasons) / En español

 

How to enter Holidays and Contractual Days Off

 

 

Using the Artistic Planning module

 

Artistic Planning Overview

 

Artistic Planning Operation

 

Artistic Planning Reports and links to other program areas

 

Creating Project Templates

 

How to quickly Create a Season or filling out a schedule by adding rehearsals (summary of the above guides)

   

Working with individual activities

 

How to indicate Pre- and Post-Concert Activities

 

Entering Concert Production information

 

How to Change the Project for a set of activities

 

How to link or assign Corporate or Foundation Sponsors to concerts

 

Suggestions for entering Recitals and other non-orchestral concerts in OPAS

 

How to indicate a Canceled Concert

 

How to Delete an activity when the activity is linked to a contract or service records

 

How to Select a Week in OPAS to print weekly schedules

 

How to Find all Subscription Concerts in a season

Creating / Changing concert programs

 

How to Change a Work on a concert or rehearsal

 

How to Copy a program from one activity to another (for example, copying a program from the concert to rehearsals).

 

How to show a Work on a Program is "TBD"

 

How to Reorder Works on a program

 

How to record Performance Timings

   
 

How to record String Complements

 

How to Change the Instrumentation (or other attributes) of a composition after it has been assigned to a concert

Concert personnel

 

How to Change a Soloist on a concert or rehearsal

 

How to Indicate a Canceled Soloist

 

How to indicate a Soloist debut performance

 

How to indicate there are Two Conductors on a concert

 

Composers and Works Opens in new window

General Operations

 

How to Find and Print a list of works.

 

How to print a Work Performance History

 

How to Create a New Composition in the OPAS Database

 

How to import a composition from David Daniels' "Orchestral Music - Fourth Edition"

 

How to Add Arrangers, Orchestrators, Lyricists or other composers to a Work

 

How to Change the Composer assigned to a Work

 

How to Delete a Work - when OPAS tells you it can't because the "Record is used in another program area of OPAS"

 

How to Merge or Join two compositions in the database (data function & how-to guide)

 

How to De-Active Works so they remain in the database but cannot be programmed

Performances of Compositions

 

How to Change the Instrumentation (or other attributes) of a composition after it has been assigned to a concert

 

How to show only certain movements of a work will be performed

 

How to Reorder Works on a program

 

How to record Performance Timings

Library Management / Rental Scores

 

"Publication" vs. "Publisher" in the Library

 

How to create or Enter a Library Record (scores/ parts you own)

 

How to view your Library Holdings (scores/parts you own)

 

How to print your Library catalog

 

How to link Library Parts and Scores or to a performance

 

How to add Scores to a Library Record

 

How to create Score Types

 

How to create a Rental Contract

 

How to enter and track Library budgets and expenses


 

© 2002-2008 Fine Arts Software | | Privacy Policy | About this site