It may be best to print this page rather than trying to read it online or you can download the Technical requirements guide (PDF-61kb).
To complete the survey, you need to have access to the internet, ideally using at least a version 6 browser or equivalent. To check the version of your browser, click on Help in the internet browser toolbar toward the top of the screen, and then select About.
Login Issues
Sometimes you may see the following messages:
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There has been a problem logging you in - (Not within Study Valid From/To Dates) This means that your organisation’s survey is either not yet open or it has closed.
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There has been a problem logging you in - (Invalid SAC Code) This means you have not entered your survey access code correctly.
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There has been a problem logging you in - (User has completed study) This means the code you are entering has already been used to complete a survey.
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Please make sure you have entered the full SAC code - This will appear when you have not entered the full code correctly or if your Java Script has been de-activated (see below).
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There has been a problem logging you in - (This Survey Access Code is in use. Please try again later.) If you leave the survey unattended for longer than about ten minutes, it will time out. If you then try to log back in, you will see this message because the system thinks you are still connected. You will need to leave 30 minutes after the time out before you will be able to re-enter the survey.
Apple Macs
There have been issues in the past with Apple and Safari browsers. We are confident that these issues have now been solved, but we do advise you to check before starting to roll out your survey. You could start one survey and save it for later. Go back in and check that all your answers from your first visit are shown.
Contact us if not, otherwise we advise that you use Firefox on a Mac to complete the survey.
Concurrent or Simultaneous Logins
Some schools like to get all their staff together to complete the survey at the same time. You should be warned that there can sometimes be issues if you try this because of the load on the systems at both ends of the process.
We have run the survey successfully with 25 concurrent logins, but we’ve not been able to test larger numbers.
Do test your system beforehand if you are concerned or contact Worklife Support.
Closing the Survey
When you have finished the survey, you will see a screen with this message including the advice As an additional security measure, you should close this Window now.
You should close your internet browser down even if you have someone waiting to complete the survey after you. They should start completely afresh.
This is good practice whenever you do anything over the internet that involves sending private information, such as credit card information, address details or survey responses. Browsers can be configured in a variety of ways and it is possible that some of your details can be temporarily captured, or cached, by your computer.
If you use Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, you should be able to click where it says “please click here” and your window will close. Other browsers such as Firefox will need to be closed manually.
Time Outs
The survey times out automatically after 10 minutes of inactivity. If this happens, you will lose any answers you have submitted and will have to start again. If you think you are going to be away from the screen for a time, do save your responses and come back later.
Technical Difficulties
The survey needs to have standard processes called Cookies and Java Script enabled on your computer to run properly. These are standard processes that usually run unnoticed. However, if your computer has been set up in such a way as to control those processes, the survey may not function.
Cookies are small files sent to your computer containing information about the use you make of a web site. Our survey uses them to track the use of your code so that, if you choose to go back to a page, the answers you have given have been saved.
Java Script enables certain actions on a web page, for example, moving to a new page.
If you don’t have your computer set up to run Java Script or to accept cookies, you may well be faced with some errors. These could include the survey page not loading correctly; or, when you click on ‘next’ at the end of the first set of questions, being taken back to the survey home page.
If your computer has been set up in this way, there will often be a very good reason for this, particularly in schools which have to be concerned about safe internet browsing. However, you should be able to change the settings, complete the survey, and then re-set your computer to the way it was.
Security and privacy settings
Java Script is controlled by your computer’s security and privacy settings. To change these, you should click on Tools – Internet Options if you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer; or Tools – Options if you are using Firefox.
If you click on the Privacy tab, you can use the slider to change your settings. The survey needs to have your privacy setting to be no higher than Medium. You will then need to close your browser and open it again to take the survey.
If you want, of course, you can then move the settings back to how they were when you have finished.
To change the security settings to allow Java Script to run, you need again to find your internet options. Click on the Security tab and then on the Custom Level option you will see at the bottom of the Window.
You can edit the detailed settings but the easiest way of making the change is to ensure that the Reset to: option is set to Medium. Click on Reset to make the change and then re-start your browser.
Again, you can change the browser back to how you found it after you have completed the survey.
Please contact your IT support or Worklife Support if you need further help.
Caches
When you browse the internet, you usually look for the current version of a web page each time you select that page. Whenever you look at a web page, your computer takes a copy of that page and files it in your cache.
Sometimes, computers can be set up to look in the cache for a web page rather than checking the live web site for the most recent version.
If your machine is set up in this way, you may well find that you see a screen showing a survey screen that appears to have been already opened. This is because the machine has found an old version of the page on the system.
While this looks disconcerting, you should not worry. If you click on any of the navigation commands, you will normally see the login page of the survey, as that action forces your computer to look for a new page.
Caches can be kept on servers as well as your local machine. Closing your own browser, as covered below, is always the best policy, but in some circumstances you may need to get specialist IT support to clear your server cache.
If your internet service is going through an authority-run scheme (LGfL or E2BN, for example), we may need to get the central management to make sure that the survey web site is allowed access. Equally, if your organisation has a cache pilot, the settings may need to be amended to help the survey run properly.
Summary
Please be assured that the vast majority of people are able to complete the Well-Being survey quickly, easily and with no difficulties at all.
However, given the huge variety of computer set-ups, difficulties can occasionally arise. We hope that that this document helps you to address the main problem areas that may have arisen.
However, if you still have a problem in accessing or completing the survey, please contact your IT support service or Worklife Support.
