How long it takes for an AWARDS page to load is dependent on a variety of factors, including the amount of data on the page to be displayed, the speed of your Internet connection, as well as the load on the server at the time you request that page.  In the event that it is taking a long time to bring up an AWARDS page, please be patient.  Do NOT double-click any buttons, and let the process finish uninterrupted.

"Page Cannot Be Displayed" errors can typically be prevented through the adjustment of browser settings.  Specifically, if Internet Explorer is your browser, the following options should be set as specified under Tools > Internet Options > Privacy tab:

→ In the Settings section, click Sites.  Within the dialog box that is displayed, type *.footholdtechnology.com in the "Address of Web site" field,  click Allow, and then click OK.

→ In the Pop-Up Blocker section, if "Block Pop-Ups" is checked, click Settings.  Within the dialog box that is displayed, type *.footholdtechnology.com in the "Address of Web site to allow" field, click Add, and then click Close.

Please keep in mind that if you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer, these settings will vary.

AWARDS keeps data secure by never saving the Web pages you access within the database to your computer's hard disk, because any data stored there may be compromised.  Instead, AWARDS stored the Web pages in your browser's RAM memory, which is automatically cleared when you close the browser.  This requires enough RAM to hold the pages in memory.

If you receive a page expired error, the problem is usually insufficient RAM.  To correct or work around the problem, we recommend you do one or more of the following:

→ Regularly clean out your PC's cache.  This is done from within Internet Explorer by selecting Tools from the file menu, then Internet Options.  On the dialog box that is then displayed, on the General tab, click Delete Cookies, Delete Files, and Clear History.  Note that this process may vary if a browser other than Internet Explorer is used.

→ Free up more RAM on your PC by rebooting, then open your browser and login to AWARDS without other large applications running at the same time (for example, Word or Outlook).

→ Upgrade your PC's RAM.  In the event that this is necessary, please contact your supervisor or your agency's IT department.

In order to prevent two users from trying to update a single record at the same time, AWARDS will lock a record once it has been opened for data entry purposes.  Once the user who has locked the record completes his or her updates, the lock is released and the record is again available for data entry by other users.  In the event that a user does not complete his or her updates in a timely manner (within 15 minutes), any user trying to access that record will be given the opportunity to break the lock.  Please keep in mind that when a lock is broken, any unsaved updates made by the other user will be lost.  The record locked message will specify who that user is, so you may wish to check with him or her before proceeding.