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FAQ's
Why ITSS?
Our focus, as a firm, is the same as yours — solving client problems. To do this we must carefully engage Consultants with the appropriate skills on projects where those specific skills are required. The consistent pride our consultants take in the work they do is one important benefit of a quality ITSS engagement. Since our consultants both represent ITSS to our clients and are represented by ITSS, building mutually productive, long-term relationships based on a good understanding of our shared mission is central to our management approach.

It is fundamental to our success as a company that excellent, skilled people are regularly available to work through ITSS with our Clients. To encourage, attract and maintain relationships with the kind of people our Clients need, ITSS attends to all aspects of our relationships. Paying people promptly, responding to requests and concerns, processing paperwork, monitoring progress and helping consultants on the job are all part of ensuring that our Consultants are satisfied with their engagement and their relationship with ITSS.

If you are a skilled IT Consultant who is attracted to working with a professional organization, ITSS may be a good match for you. Please search our open contract opportunites.
FAQ's
In ITSS' two years of experience in working with Consultants, the reasons we hear most often related to why people prefer contracting to full-time employment are as follows:
  • Better compensation;
  • Desire to incorporate;
  • Ability to work on a variety of state-of-the-art technology projects;
  • Ability to remain current on the change in state-of-the-art technology;
  • Ability to schedule more vacation or relaxation time between contracts.
ITSS will work with Consultants who are incorporated (with a Federal Tax I.D. # and Insurance) or we will hire you as our temporary service employee (W-2).
Typically, it costs a one-time expense of approximately $1000; and, in order to maintain corporate status, it costs approximately $800 per year for filing fees. We suggest that you seek the advice of a tax attorney if you are interested in incorporating.
  1. Discuss and commit Consultant to the contract;
  2. Reformat Consultant's resume;
  3. Interview Consultant (discuss contract and re-commit Consultant to the assignment, term, and rate);
  4. Check Consultant's references;
  5. Submit resume to Client (ITSS submits only one resume per position unless Client requests otherwise);
  6. Set up Client/Consultant interview;
  7. Close the deal with Client and Consultant.
It is a top priority with the entire ITSS organization to retain our Consultants. From the time a Consultant is placed on a contract, the ITSS Account Manager is in contact with the Client Manager and the Consultant to ensure expectations are being met. We have a biweekly Project Status reporting system in place in which the Consultant can give feedback to the ITSS Account Manager as to the status of the project deliverables and schedule. This process allows ITSS to identify any problem areas and to work with the Client and/or the Consultant as required. Additionally, it provides ITSS with a way to measure the performance strengths and weaknesses of every Consultant.

As your contract is ending, we at ITSS are first to know of your availability date. Typically, we will know of your availability two to three weeks prior to the contract ending date. The ITSS Account Manager notifies the entire ITSS Account Management and Technical Recruiting teams of your availability and technical skill set. You now become our top priority to market to our Client Firms.
ITSS provides medical and dental coverage at a group rate plan to our W2 consultants. The insurance plan is established for all NACCB member companies; so when your contract ends with ITSS, should you accept a contract with another NACCB member company, you will be able to transfer the insurance coverage to your new company. Additionally, the premium for this insurance can be paid for with pre-tax dollars. For more specific information about our benefits, please go to Health Benefits & 401(k).
The preferred way is to Email your resume in MS Word, plain ASCII text or RTF formats.
ITSS provides expense reimbursement assistance to W2 Consultants who will be working in a metropolitan area which is a minimum of 50 miles (one way) from their primary residence, and as a result will be incurring duplicate living expenses. This program is in lieu of paying "Per Diem" which we choose not to do because of the complexities and IRS regulations associated with reconciling "per day" expense reimbursement to our hourly pay rate compensation plan.

The Reimbursed Business Expense program allows Consultants the opportunity to designate a portion of his/her pay rate to cover duplicate living expenses. Applicable expenses include:
  • Hotel, Motel, or Rent
  • Car Rental, Mileage, Airline Tickets
  • Laundry/Dry Cleaning
  • Telephone
  • Meals
This portion of the Consultant's pay rate is paid as an expense reimbursement.
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ITSS processes consultant payroll on a weekly cycle. The ITSS workweek begins on Monday and ends on Sunday.

Complete one time sheet for each week. Upon receipt of client approval submit to ITSS for processing according to the schedule. If the time sheet is not received by the due date and time, payment will be delayed another week.
A year 2000 schedule is available and it is also included in your sign up packet. If unsure of the due date contact your ITSS account representative or payroll department. Remember to submit one approved time sheet at the end of each week as soon as possible.
If you know the client manager will not be available for signature, contact your ITSS account representative as soon as possible. Often an alternate can be assigned for approval or a fax or Email approval can be obtained. It is important to remember that compensation can not be processed without client approval.
Several situations can cause delay or non-receipt of compensation.
  1. Time sheet received after the time sheet due date and time
  2. Name not printed or illegible on time sheet
  3. Hours not added correctly (see next questions)
  4. Time sheet was faxed improperly (back/blank side received)
  5. Address change
Your check will be mailed directly from our payroll service provider. Please allow five working days for United States Postal service delivery. Contact the payroll department to place a stop payment. A manual check will be issued for replacement. Direct deposit is not available for replacement checks.
The time sheet is a legal document. The client is authorizing ITSS to pay you and bill them the hours approved on the time sheet. ITSS personnel are not authorized to alter the document. The client must first authorize changes and/or corrections. Obtaining this authorization may result in delays.
Contact the ITSS payroll department. The staff will review your records and make necessary adjustments. If the payroll personnel are not available, leave a detailed voice mail message. Include a phone number where you can be reached during business hours.
Banks require a 10-day pre-notification period, so direct deposit takes two payroll cycles to become effective after you've submitted your direct deposit authorization.

The receiving bank has not updated daily ACH deposit. Contact the ACH Department of your bank.

The Federal Reserve Bank allows for 48 hours to transfer funds to receiving banks. In some instances the 48-hour rule applies. Funds will be deposited the next business day. ITSS does not have an option to expedite fund transfer after the initial payroll transmission.
Complete a new Form W4 and submit to the payroll department.
due to a change in marital status, review Form W4 and check off the marital box that applies. This is a good time to update withholding status. Send the Form W4 to the San Francisco office. Forms are available at all ITSS locations.

Contact the Social Security Administration and apply for a new card.
401(K) contributions are subject to an annual limit regulated by the IRS. When the annual limit is met, deductions are automatically discontinued. The year 2000 annual limit is $10,500. Review the year to date (YTD) pre-tax contribution on the paycheck stub.
Yes, a specified amount can be deposited to a second checking or savings account. Complete a new direct deposit authorization form and submit to the payroll department. Forms are available at all ITSS locations.
Hours worked during the last days of December are PAID the next tax year in January. Compensation and taxes are reported to the State Franchise Tax Board and Internal Revenue Service as first quarter earnings (year of the funds transfer or date of check).
A new direct deposit form is not required for each new contract or after a lapse in employment. The direct deposit remains active until you cancel it. Upon return of employment the pre-note status is waived and the first paycheck is direct deposit (EFT). If inactive for more than six months or have changed banks, complete a new direct deposit authorization form.
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ITSS processes incorporated invoices/payments on a Monthly Cycle.

Complete one time sheet for each period. Upon receipt of client approval submit your time sheet and invoice to ITSS for processing, according to the schedule. If your time sheet and invoice are not received by the due date, payment will be processed in the following period.
Your time sheet and invoice are due within 3 working days of the end of the period. A year schedule is included in the contract signup packet. If you are unsure of the due date contact your ITSS account representative or the Accounting department (see contact information at the end of this document). Remember to submit one approved time sheet and invoice at the end of each period .
If you know the client manager will not be available for signature, contact your ITSS account representative as soon as possible. Often an alternate can be assigned for approval or a fax or Email approval can be obtained.

It is important to remember that invoices can not be processed without client approved timesheets.
Fax your approved time sheet, along with your invoice, to the ITSS Accounting department (see contact information at the end of this document).
To verify that your timesheet and invoice have been received by ITSS, contact our Accounting department (see contact information at the end of this document).
Unless requested to do so, you do not need to mail in your original timesheet and invoice. A clear fax copy will usually suffice.
Several situations can cause delay or non-receipt of compensation.
  1. Your time sheet and invoice were received after the due date.
  2. Your name was not printed or was illegible on time sheet.
  3. Your hours were not added correctly.
  4. "Hold for Pick Up" was indicated on time sheet (check was not mailed).
  5. Your time sheet was faxed improperly (back/blank side received).
  6. Your address change was not reported to the Accounting dept.
Please allow five working days for US mail delivery. Contact the Accounting Department to place a stop payment, if you suspect that your check is lost. A manual check will be issued for replacement.
The time sheet is a legal document. The client is authorizing ITSS to pay you and bill them the hours approved on the time sheet. ITSS personnel are not authorized to alter the document. The client must first authorize changes and/or corrections. Obtaining this authorization may result in delays.
Contact the ITSS Accounting department. The staff will review your records and make any necessary adjustments. If the Accounting personnel are not available, leave a detailed voice mail message. Include a phone number where you can be reached during business hours.
The option for direct deposit is only available through our payroll system. Incorporated consultant checks must be processed through our accounts payable process.
Yes, one time or continued express mail service is available. To initiate express mail service, call the Accounting department prior to the time sheet and invoice due date. A processing fee of $20.00 will be deducted for each overnight delivery.
Some clients require that the consultant's social security number be included on certain documents to serve as an identification number. If you are asked to provide your social security number, it is for this reason and not for tax reporting purposes.
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Your expense report is due within 5 business days from the end of the period. If you turn your expense report in late, it will be included in the following period. See your ITSS account representative for a schedule of the due dates.
ITSS operates on a monthly cycle. One month cycle consists of one period.
For a variety of reasons it is important to submit a separate expense report for each period. Expense reports that combine more than one period should be submitted only upon request of the client.
The items that may be included on your expense report are dependent upon the client and the specific project that you are working on. Also, some clients set a predetermined limit that may be claimed for any one item. See your ITSS account representative for the specific expenses that you may claim and any limits that may be associated with your expenses.
If you know your client manager will not be available for signature, contact your ITSS account representative as soon as possible. Often an alternate client contact can be assigned, or a fax or email approval can be obtained. It is important to remember that your expense reimbursement can not be processed without client approval of your expense report.
Except for mileage, all items on your expense report should be supported by a receipt. Some clients may not require receipts for small amounts. See your ITSS account representative regarding your specific project.
Fax your completed and approved expense report, along with your receipts, to the ITSS accounting department.
To verify that your expense report has been received by ITSS, call our accounting department.
Unless requested to do so, you do not need to mail in your original expense report and receipts. A clear fax copy will usually suffice.
There are several reasons your expense check may be less than your submitted expense report amount:
  • You may have claimed an item that is not reimbursable by the client
  • You may have exceeded a predetermined limit that the client will reimburse
  • You may be missing receipts for some items that you have claimed
  • There may be a calculation error on your expense report spreadsheet
You will be notified if your expense report has been adjusted.
There are several situations that can cause delay or non-receipt of reimbursement:
  • Your expense report was received after the 5 day deadline
  • Your name was not on your expense report
  • Your expense report was not approved by the client
  • Your change of address was not reported or updated
  • You were missing receipts for the items that you claimed
  • There was a technical problem associated with the fax transmission
If you follow the procedure outlined by your ITSS representative, you should not have any problem receiving your expense reimbursement.
The option for direct deposit is only available through our payroll system. Your expense reimbursement is not processed through payroll.
After you submit your expense report it is audited item by item. At this time you will be contacted if there is a problem with your report (missing receipts, etc.). After the 5 workday deadline, client approvals are obtained (where applicable). All expense reimbursement checks are processed at the same time. This process can take up to an additional 5 workdays. Including time for the U.S. Postal service, you may not receive your expense reimbursement for 2 to 3 weeks.
Yes, one time or continued express mail service is available. To initiate express mail service, call the ITSS accounting department at the time that you submit your expense report. A processing fee of $20 will be deducted from your reimbursement for each express mailed expense reimbursement check.
Blank expense reports are available on an Excel spreadsheet, as well as paper. Example expense reports are also available. See your ITSS account representative regarding the report that you should use for your specific project.
Consultant Benefits
  • Computer-based Training
  • 401 (k) Pension
  • Direct Deposit
  • Health Insurance — Section 125 Plan (portable)
While employed with ITSS consultants are eligible for payroll deducted pre-tax premium payments for coverage under the Individual Plans from Blue Cross, which include:

Medical: Choose between a PPO or HMO plan.
Dental: Scheduled benefits — Choose your own dentist.
Vision: 20% discount on exams, frames and lenses.
  • Disability Insurance
  • Income Protection
  • Life Insurance
Up to $50,000 with WellPoint Life Insurance.
  • Child Day Care Expense Program
Child Day Care expenses can be deducted as a payroll deduction before taxes are calculated as long as you are drawing a check.

* Please Email human resources for more information regarding any of these benefits.
Consultant Forms
As a consultant, you’re in a unique position to be both a colleague and customer. You’re a colleague in providing our clients outstanding service and technical expertise, and a customer in our drive to help you achieve your professional goals.

ITSS strives to maintain a friendly and productive workplace. We encourage you to bring your suggestions for improving the workplace to your Account Manager or HR Specialist.

Please continue to periodically check back here for updated ITSS Consultant Forms, (refer to Page Update Date at bottom of this Page).

ITSS has elected to convert to a monthly payroll schedule. For detailed information and forms to accurately record and submit weekly hours please review the new Hourly W2 Consultant Forms for your respective state. Click on the state link below where you are currently employed and download them to your local system.
Effective Date: March 1st, 2000

Please select from the following choices:
  • California W2 Consultant Timesheet and Template
  • Overtime Pre-Authorization Form and Template
  • Weekly Timesheet Schedule
  • W2 Consultant Timesheet and Template
  • Weekly Payroll Memo
  • Weekly Timesheet Schedule
Referral Program
ITSS currently offers a pro-rated referral fee of up to $750 to any person who refers a Consultant that we place on contract for a minimum of three month.
Resources and Links
  • NACCB (Nat. Assoc. of Computer Consultant Businesses)
  • Accounting Affordable Inc (Accounting Services)
  • Bank Of America
  • Technical Dictionary
  • Technical Encyclopedia
  • Computing Dictionary
  • Internet Terminology
  • E-Commerce Dictionary
  • Technical Glossary
  • General Reference (Thesaurus, World Maps, 800 Directory, etc.)
  • Find Zip Codes
  • Loan Calculator/Amortization
  • General Calculators
  • Consultant/Contractor Information
  • Home Fair (Salary Calculator, Relocations Services, etc.)
  • What is a Corporation?
  • Guide to Incorporating
Resume Tips
A summary or inventory of one's qualifications and experience.

Your resume should be composed of your:
  • Skills
  • Experience
  • Achievements
  • Education
  • Training
It is does not include Personal Information — marital status, date of birth, etc.
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  • Allows an employer to become familiar with a potential employee's work and education prior to the interview
  • Functions as a reminder, after an interview, of an employee's assets
  • Screens out unqualified employees in a highly competitive marketplace
Companies today receive many resumes every month. Your resume when done correctly, will stand out above the rest and provide prospective employers with a strong picture of your abilities.

Writing a resume should showcase your strongest skills and achievements and provide a prospective employer a view of what you do best. Don't show every skill you possess. A resume should point out only your strongest skills and those you want to continue to work with and expand your knowledge in.

Your resume will be the first impression that a potential employer will have of you. If your resume ends up in the trash can, they will never meet you. Your job is to convince the employer that you are worth further investigation.
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Below are listed the sections of the resume and some pointers to help you prepare your resume.
  • The Header on the first page should be your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and/or cell telephone number.
  • Use your full name, no nicknames.
  • The entire Header is in Bold typeface and is always centered in the middle of the page.
  • This is the area that is used to catch the potential employer's eye and make them want to learn more about you.
  • It is a quick highlight of significant experiences or areas of expertise.
  • This summary lists all the tools you have worked with in the past and want to continue working with in the future.
  • Potential employers will be mainly interested in the most recent projects and technical skills used.
  • Work experiences should only be shown for the last 15 years. Skills used further back than that are not always applicable today.
  • Summaries written about the Company Description, Project Objective and your role should be brief (2 or 3 sentences each).
  • Reason for leaving a position is never listed on your resume, as this will be asked for on the job application or in the interview.
  • Salary is also never listed on a resume. A salary that is too high may eliminate you from consideration and a salary with a low figure may indicate to an employer that you will work for less than the salary they would have offered.
  • All honors or special achievements should always be listed, in addition to the college, course of study and grade point average/rank in class.
  • Listing the year of graduation is not necessary, as the year you graduated could lead an employer to discriminate against you due to age.
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The Sections of the Resume are listed below in the order that they should be written. Each area lists the information that should be included and the order in which it should be listed. Areas in bold type below should be in bold type on your Resume. All areas should be on the left side of the screen, except your name, which should be centered at the top of the page.

First Name, Middle Name, Last Name

Address
City, State/Province, Country, Zip Code
Area Code and Telephone Number (Home)
Area Code and Telephone Number (Office — optional)
E-Mail Address (Optional)
Cell Telephone Number (Optional)
Listed below are the areas to include when writing your summary.
  • Number of years of experience or expertise
  • Field(s) of expertise or areas of skill (Designing, Evaluating, Installing, Problem-solving, etc.)
  • Type of industries worked in or preferred
  • Your preference to team or individual work
  • Proficiency in languages spoken — optional
Below are some sub-headers you may wish to use to list your various areas of expertise. List only those tools that you are proficient in and you wish to continue working in on your next assignment.
  • Hardware
  • Software
  • Languages
  • Databases
  • Operating Systems
  • Web Tools
Start your resume with your most recent job.
  • Dates of Employment (from mo/yr - to mo/yr)
  • Your Title (Designate whether Full-time Employee or Consultant)
  • Company Name
  • City, State/Province
  • Brief description of Company Business and client names (optional)
  • Brief description of Project and overall objective
  • Brief description of Your Role and then bullet the following statements starting with an action verb.
    • List one "impact statement." (See separate page on how to write)
    • List two to four additional responsibilities.
  • Environment : List those items (Operating Systems, Languages, etc.) from your Technical Summary that you used while working at this company.
List all schools attended even if a degree wasn't obtained.
  • Colleges or Universities attended
    • Degree and Major Field or Course of Study
    • School Name, City and State/Province
    • Grade Point or Rank in School (Your Rank and Number of people in the Program)
  • Technical Institutions attended (Same information as above)
  • Training Courses, Seminars or Workshops completed
    • Name of Course
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It is in the Employment History Section of the resume where you need to describe the jobs you have worked on for the past fifteen years. For each job you have held, you will briefly describe Company Business, the Project and your Role. The sentences that follow should emphasize your responsibilities, what you did, for your employer. The first sentence is called the impact statement, because it should make an impact on how a potential employer will view your resume.
  • The impact statement is your strongest result or accomplishment. When an employer scans your resume quickly, the first statement is the one that is read most often.
  • This statement can be something you alone achieved or you achieved working on a team.
  • The impact statement and other responsibility sentences should begin with an Action or Skill verb. (Use the Action or Skill Verbs page to select the best action word(s) to describe what you did)
Use the following questions to assist you in writing the impact statement:
  • What did you do? Over what period of time?
  • What impact did your accomplishment have on the department, company, city, state, etc?
  • How did you or your result
    - increase performance?
    - add to profits?
    - save time?
    - increase knowledge?
    - decrease errors?
    - save money?
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  • Designed, developed and implemented a new payroll system, affecting 2200 employees. Payroll is processed now in two days instead of three, accuracy is up 2%, with a savings of $38,000 a year.
  • Introduced technology that reduced accounting's time requirements for month-end close of books from seven days to two days. This process was subsequently adopted by the company's three satellite offices.
  • Re-designed a management inventory software program that eliminated three days of costly and time-consuming inventory counts done monthly.
  • Within two weeks after being hired, resolved chronic computer crashes that had plagued the company for over a year. Traced the problem to vendor software.
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The list below includes a partial list of action and skill verbs that you need to use to describe job functions in the Employment History Section.
Adapted Documented Presented
Administered Drafted Presided
Allocated Estimated Processed
Approved Expanded Programmed
Arranged Facilitated Provided
Assisted Filed Recorded
Attained Founded Recruited
Attended Governed Re-Evaluated
Brought Identified Reorganized
Chaired Implemented Reviewed
Classied Improved Revised
Compared Increased Scanned
Completed Indexed Screened
Computed Initiated Selected
Conceived Inspected Solved
Conducted Interpreted Sorted
Coordinated Investigated Stimulated
Dealt Maintained Structured
Defined Modified Suggested
Delegated Operated Summarized
Detected Perceived Supervised
Directed Prepared Tested
Act Diagnose Persevere
Analyze Draw Persuade
Assemble Evaluate Plan
Balance Examine Problem-solve
Build Figure Produce
Calculate Fix Promote
Communicate Imagine Publicize
Compose Influence Reconcile
Consult Interview Remember
Control Invent Repair
Coordinate Judge Reaearch
Copy Lead Schedule
Count Manage Sell
Create Motivate Service
Debate Negotiate Speak
Deicde Observe Systemize
Design Organize Teach/Train
Determine Paint Type
Develop Perform Trouble-Shoot
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  • Resumes should be concise and in a manageable document length.
  • Your Name and Page Number should be located on every page, just in case pages become separated while in the hands of the prospective employer.
  • (The Name and Page number can be in the Header or Footer part of the resume, or at the top of the page using a smaller font size, to avoid distracting the reader. Page Numbers can be written as: Page 2, Page Two, Page 2 of 3, or Page Two of Three.)
  • Do not put a photograph of yourself on the resume. Potential employers will not be hiring you based on your looks! However, International candidates will need to send their scanned photograph to the Systems Integration Solutions, Inc. International Department representative along with the final formatted resume.
  • Type your resume in a word processing document and back it up on a disk. Updating your resume then becomes easy. If you are not a typist, ask a professional to type it.
  • Use one typeface such as Times New Roman, Arial, or other traditional typeface. The standard font size is 11 point. Headers may be increased to 12 point.
  • Margins should be no less than one inch on sides, top, and bottom. The white space serves as a border and keeps the resume from looking cluttered.
  • Avoid underlining within the resume narrative. If you have written the statements well, they will need no further emphasis.
  • Always do a print preview of each page of your resume, to view the layout and spacing.
  • E-mail your resume document, with a short introduction letter to your Systems Integration Solutions, Inc. contact. The document can then be opened, printed, and distributed to clients.
  • Laser-print your completed resume or have it professionally typeset.
  • Give or mail an interviewer your resume printed on an off-white, tan, or light gray quality bond paper. Never give them a photocopy of your resume.
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A prospective employer will spend less than 30 seconds reviewing your resume.
  • Ask yourself a couple of questions after you have prepared your resume.
    • Have I communicated to an employer that I could fill a need?
    • Do my strengths come across in the resume?
    • Have I cited examples of my leadership, initiative, creativity, or problem-solving skills?
    • Would an employer think the resume was too wordy?
    • Have I presented it in a clear, concise, and focused manner?
  • Always check for correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. Read it aloud slowly. Don't rely on spell check to catch all the errors.
  • Ask several friends, family, and trusted co-workers to review it, not only for grammar and spelling, but also for content. They may be able to remind you of accomplishments or skills you may have overlooked.
  • Remember to use action verbs and avoid "I, my duties or responsible for"?
  • Do not abbreviate words or use acronyms that might not be understood by everyone reading the resume? (Example: If you use the abbreviation RPC state that it means Remote Procedures Call)
  • Qualities that will set your resume apart from others are:
    • a sense of confidence and sense of purpose is conveyed
    • clear and concise language has been used
    • page layout is clear and inviting to read
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References should be listed on a separate page.

List names of three Managers who will support you with a strong recommendation. These references should be from the Companies you have listed on your resume.
  • Call the Managers and ask if you can use them as a job reference.
  • Ask them what they would tell a potential employer about your strongest and weakest areas, and what would be their overall comment about you. (This is only for your knowledge, it is not to be typed on the resume)
  • The Heading of the page needs to be: References for "your full name"
  • List the following information:
    • Manager's Name
    • Manager's Title
    • (Area Code) Telephone Number
    • E-mail Address
    • Project
    • Company Name
    • City, State/Province
    • Country
  • The reference page should be printed on the same color quality bond paper as your resume and at least three references should be provided.
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References for (First, Middle, Last Name)
Manager's Name
Manager's Title
(Area Code) Telephone Number
E-mail Address
Project
Company Name
City, State/Province
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MS Word version
Before you can take any Smart Force courses, you must install some files (a plug-in) on your hard drive. You only have to do this once. BEFORE YOU BEGIN!
Because your browser must be closed during the installation of the plug-in, print these instructions before you begin that process. You will need to refer to them during the installation

Minimum Requirements :
  • Windows 95, 98, or NT
  • 32 MB of RAM
  • VGA display (256 colors recommended)
  • 10-20 MB of free hard disk space
For information on using the SmartForce courses on a Macintosh, see the ITSS frequently asked questions page.
After being approved to use the ITSS Smart Force course, and after you first log in, you must download the following file (dyncli32.exe) from the Smart Force Web server to your hard drive. (The file's size is 4.61 MB.) After, all you have to do is double-click that file to install it on your computer.
  1. Click below to download the plug-in.
    Download Windows 95/98/NT plug-in (dyncli32.exe)
  2. Select your desktop as the destination for the file.
  3. After downloading the plug-in, close your browser and go to the desktop.
  4. Double-click on the plug-in installation file (dyncli32.exe).
    (To find the file, click on Start, Find, and then Files or Folders. Type dyncli32.exe and press find now.)
    Always accept the default settings during the installation.
  5. After the installation is completed, delete the plug-in installation file from your desktop.
    • Drag dyncli32.exe to the Recycle Bin.
    • Right-click on the Recycle Bin.
    • From the pop-up menu, select Empty Recycle Bin.
If you are registering for the first time, please click on Create a new account in Client / User Login Section.

CONTACT information is required.

"Confirm Profile" message will appear.

You will be notified of your approval within seconds.
  1. Restart your browser
  2. Go to www.itsoftwaresolutionsinc.com/job central
  3. Learning Central - Select Course List
    To bookmark the ITSS Learning Center site, select Add Bookmark from your browser's Bookmarks menu.
  4. Select the Course you would like information on.
You may want to bookmark this specific page to serve as a shortcut for future access to the list of courses.

At the course description page, you will see information about the learning objectives, content, prerequisites, duration, and intended audience
There are two ways to take ("play") a course:
  1. In LIVEPLAY mode, you remain connected to the Smart Force Web server and access courses "live" via your browser.
  2. In DOWNLOAD mode, you download a course and run it without being connected to the Smart Force Web server
Connecting for Live play
  1. Login into the ITSS Learning Center via the login page, (enter your username & password).
  2. From your Smart Force Home Page, click the My Smart Courses button on the right side of the screen.
  3. Select from the menu at the left, Curricula, Certification, Business Skills, and Careers, All My Smart Courses or select from your Learning Path's.
  4. From the list of courses, select the course you want to begin.
  5. Select Live Play from the menu at the bottom of the screen.
Downloading a Course
  1. Login into the ITSS Learning Center via the login page, (enter your username & password).
  2. From your Smart Force Home Page, click the My Smart Courses button on the right side of the screen.
  3. Select from the menu at the left, Curricula, Certification, Business Skills, Careers, All My Smart Courses or select from your Learning Path's.
  4. From the list of courses, select the course you want to begin.
  5. Select Download from the menu at the bottom of the screen.
  6. When the window opens, click the Download button to begin the download to your PC.
  7. Please note : Course are 6MB or larger and will require long download times via normal modem access.
  8. Close your browser, and go to your desktop.
  9. Double-click on the Course you downloaded to install the course. Accept the default settings.
Taking a Downloaded Course

At your desktop, select Start, Programs, CBT Systems Training, and then the Course.

When the downloaded course prompts you for your Student ID, your Student ID = User Name (your Email address), and the Password is your Smart Force login Password.

Removing a Course from Your Hard Drive
If you know something about a course's subject matter, or if you are not sure you should be taking the course, start by taking the Test (as a "pre-test"). Select Test on the Course Map screen, the first screen in the course.

This can be used as a pre-test. After you complete the test, on the Course Map you will see a red check mark next to those units of study for which you scored 70% or higher. You can go through those units anyway, but the check mark indicates that you might choose to skip them.

To return to the Course Map screen once you have started a lesson, click the Navigate button on the right side of the screen. On some screens, the control buttons are in the CBT Controls box. Click the down arrow to expand the CBT Controls box to see all the buttons, if necessary.)

There is a Help button on the right side of the lessons screens (or in the CTB Controls box, if it is present). This online Help covers topics such as navigating within courses, types of questions, taking the test, and tracking your progress. It does not cover the setup procedure.

CBT bookmarks your place when you leave a course. On subsequent logins, select Bookmark at the Course Map screen and you'll go immediately to the top of the page at which you were working.
Application Development/Programming
Computing for Beginners
E-Business
E-Commerce
Internet/Intranet Infrastructure
Internet Security
Java 2
Java Programming
Management
Organizational Behavior
The Business of Selling
LAN Technologies
Linux
Mainframe
Managing Information Systems
MS Networking Essentials
MS Office 2000
MS Office 97
MS SQL Server
MS SQL Server 7.0 Database Implementation
MS SQL Server 7.0 System Administration
MS Visual Basic
MS Visual C++
MS Visual Interdev
MS Web Development
MS Window NT 4.0
MS Operating Systems/Tools
OOAD with UML
Oracle Introduction
Project Management
Routed Network Protocols
Routing/Bridging/Switching
Systems/Database Design
Technical Support
Unix
WAN Technologies
Web Application Development
Web Master
Taking a Downloaded Course
Getting Started/Installing :
The Dyncli32.exe file installs the plug-in for you (see Getting Started). You have to have the Smart Force Player to be able to use a course.
Netscape has a feature which allows for automatic updates of the browser software over the Internet, whenever an upgrade is released. You can set this feature in the Netscape menu as follows: Edit>Preferences>Advanced>Smart Update. When this feature is enabled, it may cause problems if other software is downloaded from the Internet. Be sure the Smart Update feature is turned off before you start to download the Smart Force plug-in.
The initial installation's executable file is about 4.6 MB. The subsequent installed subdirectories add nearly 7.5 MB. Don't forget, the installer can be trashed once the plug-in is installed, but 20 MB of "elbow room" seems to be a minimum hard disk requirement for initial installation.
Downloaded courses can consume as little as 5 MB of hard disk space and as much as 15 MB of hard disk space.
ITSS Learning Center Smart Force courses are available to Systems Integration Solutions, Inc. staff, and qualified consultants. Please consult the Qualification FAQ section on the Learning Center FAQ page.
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Can I Use a Macintosh?
Currently, the ITSS Learning Center courses run only on Windows 95, 98, or NT. The courses will run on PowerMacs with Connectix's Virtual PC (version 2.1.1 or later) and Windows 95, 98, or NT.

Special note for Mac users: if you are looking for a place to take Smart Force courses on a Windows machine, read about our
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Can I Run the ITSS Learning Center SmartForce Courses with Windows 2000?
There is an incompatibility between the current Player (version 2.52) and Windows 2000 -- if you download the Player after installing Windows 2000. If, however, you upgrade to Windows 2000 with the Player already on your hard drive, you will be able to run the courses. Smart Force (formerly CBT Systems) is planning to release a Windows 2000-compatible Player soon.
We will post the Player at this Web site as soon as it is available. Check what new page for announcements is.
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About the ITSS Learning Center Smart Force Courseware
How do I know which courses to take? Subject areas covered in the 400+ titles include: MS Office 97 and 2000 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access), Internet skills, Windows (95, 98, and NT) and UNIX operating systems, Oracle databases, Java and C++ programming. (To see the list, go to Course Info) Before taking a course, you will see a screen of information about the course itself. Once you have selected a course, you can take a test Fast Track Assessment Test to help you determine if you really want to take that particular course.

If you score well on the test, you may not need to take the course. A red checkmark will appear next to each unit for which you scored over 70%. At the end of your training, you can take the test again.
ITSS's Smart Force courseware is provided by Smart Force (formerly CBT Systems), an international producer and distributor of interactive server-based training. Smart Force works with leading software companies, such as Microsoft, Netscape, Novell, and Oracle to develop vendor-specific training.
Yes. If you need to stop, when you return to the course, use the on-line bookmark feature to go to the location where you left the course. Exiting a course automatically places a bookmark where you left off.
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Hardware Requirements :
The minimum technical requirements to run the Smart Force courses can be found at the ITSS Learning Center, getting started page.
If you are dialing up through the ITSS dial-up service, you can access the ITSS Learning Center Smart Force server on the Web just like from in the office(s). However, unless you have a fast modem, access will be slow, especially for downloads. You may find it more convenient to download the course to a laptop computer or Zip disk while at the office, or request for a CD* copy to take home, install and then take the course at home.

*requires signing agreement to make no illegal copies and to uninstall upon completion.
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Bookmarks :
Book marking occurs automatically when you exit a course, either by clicking an onscreen "Exit" button or by clicking on the X in the right hand corner of the screen. If you press Bookmark at the Course Map screen, then move to another page, work there, and then exit, the bookmark will be where you last worked, not where you set it.
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Navigating through the Courses :
The Step back button works a lot like Netscape's "Back" button within a topic. However, to go back (or forward) to another lesson, click the "Navigate" button and go to the Course Map (or main screen of a course). If you want the last screen of the topic, you'll have to work your way down to there. In summary, to go between topics, you need the Navigate button and Course Map.
Some screens have a small yellow note that looks like a sticky note in the lower, right hand corner. That is a Footnote. Click it to read its contents.
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Printing ITSS Learning Center SmartForce Course Screens :
The ITSS Learning Center courses from Smart Force do not currently offer a printing feature. However, a simple way to print out what you see on the screen is to use the Print Screen feature of a PC (Intel) computer running Windows. Here's how you do it:
  1. While viewing the Smart Force course screen you'd like to print, hold down the Alt key on your keyboard and press the Print Screen key. This places a copy of the course screen on your computer's clipboard.
  2. Without closing the Smart Force course, open a word processing program (e.g., Word or WordPad).
  3. From the Edit menu, select Paste. This puts a copy of the screen in the document.
  4. Note that if you want to print out several screens, you must repeat the steps above for each screen. Every time you press the Print Screen button, the new screen image replaces the previous one on your computer's clipboard.
  5. Print out the document from your word processing program.
  6. You can then return to your ITSS Learning Center Smart Force course and continue working.
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