Instructions for PPMS - WEMS users

WEMS uses PPMS for user registration, training requests, equipment access, bookings, incident reporting and monthly charging. The systems listed on PPMS reflect the microscopes, holders and services currently available in the facility. The minimum booking interval is one hour, and core working hours are 09:00–17:00. Users must have explicit out-of-hours permission to work in the facility outside core hours.

To use WEMS through PPMS, users should first create or check their PPMS account. Current users should confirm that their profile includes the correct financial account and that they can view the instruments they are trained to use. New users should complete the relevant WEMS Training Request Form on PPMS: SEM, FIB/SEM, TEM, or Advanced Techniques. External users should create an external PPMS account and contact WEMS administration to arrange or confirm purchase order details before booking chargeable sessions.

Link: PPMS booking system for the Wolfson Electron Microscopy Suite (and X-ray lab) @ MSM

After logging into PPMS, users can check their profile, financial accounts and booking permissions. If an expected microscope or holder is not visible, please contact WEMS staff so that permissions can be checked. Users should report microscope problems through PPMS incidents as well as in the instrument logbook. At the end of each month, PPMS generates charge information from recorded bookings; users should check their booking and expenditure records promptly and contact wemsadmin@msm.cam.ac.uk if anything appears incorrect.

Detailed instructions for PPMS

How to check user account, financial account and available equipment:

1. To check user account, try to log into the PPMS instance (link above). If the account is already set up no action is needed, if not, account creation is needed.

2. After logging in, look under your ‘Profile’ tab. Users will see financial accounts they are authorised to use.

3. Go to ‘Book’ tab; if you can see the microscopes you are trained to use, then you will also be able to book them. If you can't see them, then permissions may not have been set correctly. Please contact facility staff  to update the profile.

4. PPMS allows users to report issues with the microscopes so that technical staff and other users are aware of microscope status. These "incidents" and can be of low, medium or high severity (medium = partially usable, high = unusable). Please remember to use this function, as well as the traditional logbook, to report problems.

5. At the end of each month PPMS generates charge sheets for each user. Please check your booking and expenditure. If there are any problems email MSM Accounts as soon as possible, and within 3 days of receiving the billing notification. 

Keeping records of instrument bookings:

PPMS has a global report function that will allow all users to view, filter and export all their PPMS historic usage data between set dates across the West Cambridge Campus PPMS instance (currently MaxLabs, Physics and MSM). https://ppms.eu/west-cambridge-campus/reports/?pf=1#report-195

Detailed PPMS Video Guidance:

Stratocore have created a video which covers all aspects of PPMS which are relevant to general users. Underlined and in bold below, including time stamps, are parts of the video we recommend watching prior to setting up or checking your user account.

https://vimeo.com/683112691/d30f992f1d

• User Account Creation - 0s – 2min 37s

• User Dashboard/iCal Calendar export - 2mins 38s - 5mins 55s

• Schedules and Booking Calendars Overview – 5mins 56s – 8mins 19s

• Requesting Training – 8mins 20s – 11mins 11s

• Financial Account Requests - 11mins 12s – 12mins – 14s (Please use account type ‘UCAM Grant Code / Cost Centre’ when requesting an account)

• Booking Calendar special environments and colour – 12mins 15s – 16mins 59s

• Incident/Intervention Notification and Reporting - 17mins 0s – 19mins 35s

• Session Cancellation Notifications - 19mins 36s – 20mins 30s

• Novice and Autonomous user Restrictions - 19mins 35s - 21mins 15s

• Booking, rescheduling & cancelations – 21mins 16s – 24mins 40s

• Ordering Services & Consumables – 24mins 41s – 27mins 05s

• Project Creation (can be applicable to different facilities, not WEMS or XRD) – 27mins 06s – 28mins 23s

• Publications (useful for future capital equipment bids) - 28mins 24s – 31mins 22s