SPARCRequest Wiki

SPARCRequest v1.5.5 + SPARCFulfillment 2.0.1 for open source blog

Owned by Melissa Fludd (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Mar 21, 2018
6 min read

SPARC Version 1.5.5 New Features

Release Date: December 7, 2015

SPARC Request New Features:


  1. Improved "move visit" function in Step 2B (visit calendar).



Users can now change the sequence of existing visits by clicking the "Move Visit" button.


2. Visit days display reconfiguration in Admin Portal and in User Dashboard on visit calendar.



The visit calendar now can display four digits and only allows the user to input a maximum of four digits.



Users are now able to see see the correlated day with the visit in the "Jump to" dropdown menu.


3. New data protection function for Visit Calendar (Step 2B)



A warning message will pop-up when clicking the select/deselect all mark if the quantity for R or T section is greater than 1. This is a precaution to protect user data in case of incidental selections.


4. New spinner feature while the visitor calendar is loading.



5. Notification popup when "Save as Draft" is clicked in Step 4



In step 4, a notification pop-up box will appear when the "Save As Draft" button is clicked to let users know that notifications and emails will not be sent out at this time because "draft" has been selected.


6. Version Dating and new configuration for Shared Notes & Documents



The columns on this page have been reconfigured. Also, when users "Add a New Document" in Step 3: Shared Documents & Notes, a version date will be applied to the file being uploaded. The naming of this step changed from "Notes & Documents" to "Shared Documents & Notes.


7. New Project Information Button



When chosen the project radio button, a definition will now appear as the mouse hovers over the "i" button.


8. Help/FAQ link




The "Help/FAQs" button now opens in a new browser for users to review previous questions and/or comment.


9. Student Funded Research is added as a funding source




A new funding source – "Student Funded Research" is added to include the scenario where the research is initiated by students. This update affects both SPARC Request and SPARC Catalog Manager.


10. New function to archive study/project in the user dashboard



Clicking the "ARCHIVE Study/Project" button will hide the study/project from your dashboard for previous studies/projects; Clicking on the "Show All Projects/Studies" button will display the full list of studies and projects.



Clicking the "Show Active Projects/Studies" will lead to display only the active studies and projects; "UNARCHIVE Study" button gives the user the ability to recover the archived study/project back to the dashboard.


11. Add Services in Dashboard



From the user dashboard, if you are adding service(s) to an existing study/project that doesn't have any service yet, then use the "add services" button to add; if you are adding service(s) to an existing study/project that already have service(s), click the "edit original" button that shows up to add/modify the services.



12. Admin Portal Reporting Module Reconfiguration



When signing on to Admin Portal, the layout has been changed in the reporting tab. The "custom reports" tab has also been removed.


13. IRB Expiration Date in Service Request Report



In Admin Portal Reporting module, the "Service Requests" report now has the option to select "IRB" to show in a report. When selected, the report will output the "IRB Approval Date" and the "IRB Expiration Date."


14. Service Request Status in Service Requests Report


In Admin Portal Reporting module, the "Service Requests" report now shows the "Status" of selected service requests.


15. New Customer Satisfaction Survey Function


We are providing customizable survey for service providers at the point of a service completion. Email the SPARC team (sparcrequest@gmail.com) to get access to this new function to be built for your service.


16. The protocol SPARC ID is added to the subject line of the emails sent to service providers.


Service providers will now receive the protocol ID in the subject line of service request for easier protocol identification within their inbox.


17. Catalog Manager: new "do not display" function for inactive organizations and/or services.



In Catalog Manager, users can now:
(1). Check "Do not display in SPARC" box in the general information tab for the program, core, or services that are no longer active or provided;
(2). After saving the choice, the inactive subject will appear in the left-side tree structure in italic font for differentiation;
(3). "Show Available" button gives the users the ability to only see the active program, core, and services.
(4). "Show All" button gives the users the ability to see all the active and inactive programs, cores, and services.



18. Breadcrumb Path added to the Catalog Manager.



In the catalog manager, a breadcrumb path is shown on top of the editable regions on the right side to display the level of the tree structure for the current chosen subject, i.e., institution, provider, program, core, or service.


SPARC Fulfillment New Features:


1. Required Fields are indicated for new patient entry using **



2. Link to the same service is provided from fulfillment to admin portal



Users can now easily access "Admin Portal" by the link provided in Fulfillment. The link will take you directly to the service request in which you are on in Fulfillment.


3. The study calendar new features are also included in the Fulfillment module, such as checkbox confirmation pop-up window.



*Check marks were removed from Quantity/billing Tab and Consolidated Request Tab.



List of Programming Changes with Links to GitHub

SPARC Request:


  • Step 2b: Visit Calendar - A to Z sort change View commit
  • Fixed service abbreviation bug View commit
  • Added protocol id to subject line of service provider emails View commit
  • Linked the Help/FAQ button to the new FAQ page View commit
  • Changed email attachment file type from xls to xlsx View commit
  • Added Step 4 "Save as Draft" Notification/Confirmation View commit
  • Fixed failing feature specs in admin_edit_study_spec View commit
  • Fixed visit calendar "jump to" bug View commit
  • Refactor qtip to Infotip class View commit
  • Remove checkboxes for other tabs on visitor calendar View commit
  • Stop sending draft studies to View commit
  • Fixed completed survey request email bug View commit
  • Added new version column to displayed documents table View commit
  • Re-arranging documents table View commit
  • Adding organization breadcrumb display in catalog manager View commit
  • Change the title of upload documents page View commit
  • Fixed controller specs View commit[
  • Change indirect cost to configurable in admin portal View commit
  • Fix to allow email to be sent to correct user View commit
  • Refactor ProtocolController#index for user dashboard View commit
  • Invalid reset password token - devise gem upgrade View commit
  • Fixed document title text wrapping on document upload page View commit
  • Fixed bug with Ensure:pages var is passed to visit_selector partial View commit
  • Alphabetized en.yml of Sparc Request View commit
  • Altered "Unit type" and "Qty type" table headers View commit
  • Enhanced "Edit Original" function View commit
  • Changed checkbox warning message configuration View commit
  • System satisfaction survey correctly included View commit
  • Added "Student Funded Research" for funding source View commit
  • Added "Survey report" as a new type of report View commit
  • Fixed bug: visit_calendar partial is called from views outside its folder and therefore needs a qualified path View commit
  • Migrated answer for 1st CofC question to the answer for 2nd CofC question View commit[


SPARC Fulfillment:

Copyright © 2011-2020 MUSC Foundation for Research Development