Recently, a number of people have found that it can take a long time to open the emails which are sent from the Support Blog.

The problem, as it turns out, is related to Google's Blogger software which I am currently using to write this Blog post. It adds a malformed image hyperlink in the email which causes a delay in opening the email, as the email client (Outlook, Lotus Notes, Thunderbird, etc.) tries to locate the image based on the malformed hyperlink.

A number of users (outside of ECMPS Stakeholders) have been affected and have raised the issue with Google. Google has not added this as a known issue or provided a status update as to when this would be fixed. In the meantime, the work-around is simply to wait until the email opens, or if the email hangs the program, please visit the Blog for updates. If anyone experiences any other problems, please contact technical support.

If you would like to add your feedback to Google to help to expedite the fix, send an email to aff-blog-feedback@google.com.

Labels: Technical Support

In observance of Memorial Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, May 25th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, May 26th.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Independence Day - Friday, July 3, 2009
• Labor Day - Monday, September 7, 2009
• Columbus Day - Monday, October 12, 2009

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Technical Support

There is a known outage at this time. EPA Computing Personnel are working to correct the problem. There is no ETA when the problem will be resolved. However, it is anticipated that the problem can be quickly corrected.

Labels: Technical Support

Limited Technical Support Until the Next Release

In order to focus on the release of the next version of the ECMPS Client Tool which is scheduled for March 17th, technical support will be limited from now until the release of the next version. If possible, hold your questions until after the release.

Any questions submitted will be maintained in the technical support queue, but it is unlikely that a question submitted during this time period will be addressed until after the release.

As a reminder, the EPA Host System (the production system) will not be available beginning on Monday, March 9th. That means that production users will not be able to log in to the EPA Host System, sync data from the EPA Host System, retrieve data from the EPA Host System, or submit data to the EPA Host System.

Also, for those who are using the ECMPS Client Tool Preview (CTP), technical support for CTP will end on Friday, March 13th. At that time, access to the Test EPA Host System will also be ended. All CTP users should then plan on switching to using the production version of the Client Tool.

Labels: Release Schedule Information, Technical Support, Transition to ECMPS

There are a number of odds and ends that need to be mentioned.

1. As has been previously reported, the access to the production EPA Host System will be unavailable from March 9th until March 17th when the next version of the Client Tool software is scheduled to be released. (By the way, as of now, everything seems to be on schedule to release the software on March 17th.)
   
   Sources who have been working with technical support in order to submit 2008Q4 data have been informed about the fact that, in some cases, they will need to wait until the release of the next version of the software to complete their submission.


2. Second, ECMPS Client Tool Preview (CTP) is ending on March 13th. Everyone who has been working with the CTP and has not installed the production version, should plan on switching to the production version once it becomes available. Note, you cannot upgrade from the CTP to the production version. You must install the production version. If you want you can uninstall the CTP, but it is not necessary.
   
   Under ECMPS, it is no longer necessary to have a test environment such as was found in ETS-FTP. In ECMPS, all of your data are evaluated before you submit your data to the EPA. In other words, because the evaluation of the data takes place in the Client Tool, there is no need to submit your data to a test environment. All data which are submitted to the EPA from the Client Tool have already been fully evaluated. (There is an option to submit data with critical errors, but this should only be used in order to submit data to meet the submission deadline, and the data submitted with critical errors must be resubmitted without critical errors as soon as possible.)


3. The support Web site is undergoing some work to improve the delivery of information. In conjunction with the switch to mandatory reporting under ECMPS, the ECMPS Support Web site will be updated to reflect that change. References to testing and the CTP will be removed, and the Web site will have a cleaner, easier-to-use interface to allow stakeholders faster access to support information. The improvements to the Web site can already be seen in the enhanced search functionality. Perhaps, you have used the Web site search previously and did not find it very useful. The search is much more powerful and comprehensive in its indexing of all of the information which is found on the Web site. Look for the complete Web site change to take place around the time of the release of the new version.


4. The next version of the Client Tool which will be released on or about March 17th will be available for 64-bit versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista. The version which will be available for download from the ECMPS Support Web site and the EPA Web site will be 32-bit versions. Users who need 64-bit versions should contact Technical Support.
   
   We are not putting both versions on the Web sites in order to limit confusion in this first mandatory reporting time frame. Most users are still working with 32-bit versions of the Microsoft operating systems. As time goes on, newer machines will have the 64-bit version, and that version will be made available from the ECMPS Support and EPA Web sites.


5. Finally, a reminder about keeping up-to-date with ECMPS. Currently, there are several ways including simply viewing the Web site. The site includes FAQs, information about Known Issues and EPA Host System access status in addition to all of the documentation and other information available to assist you in reporting data and using the Client Tool. For the latest updates that affect your reporting of data, you can sign up to receive emails the day after a post is added to the Support Blog. Finally, for even quicker information, we have recently added Twitter. This is a microblog which will send you information shortly after it is posted. And, you can have Twitter send that information to your cell phone if that is the best way for you to get that information. All of these ways of communication will only become more important in the next several weeks as we move into the 2009Q1 reporting month.

Labels: Release Schedule Information, Scheduled Outage, Technical Support

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Presidents' Day, Monday, February 16th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, February 17th.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Memorial Day - Monday, May 25, 2009
• Independence Day - Friday, July 3, 2009
• Labor Day - Monday, September 7, 2009

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Technical Support

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1st. Technical support will be available again on Friday, January 2nd. Please note that due to many of the technical support staff being out of the office for the holidays, responses to your questions might take longer than normal. To receive the fastest reply to your questions, we recommend sending your questions via email rather than using the telephone. Our technical support staff will be up to full strength beginning on Monday, January 5th.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Presidents' Day - Monday, February 16, 2009
• Memorial Day - Monday, May 25, 2009
• Independence Day - Friday, July 3, 2009
• Labor Day - Monday, September 7, 2009

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Technical Support

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25th. Technical support will be available again on Friday, December 26th. Please note that due to many of the technical support staff being out of the office over the next two weeks for the holidays, responses to your questions might take longer than normal. To receive the fastest reply to your questions, we recommend sending your questions via email rather than using the telephone.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• New Year's Day - Thursday, January 1, 2009
• Presidents' Day - Monday, February 16, 2009
• Memorial Day - Monday, May 25, 2009
• Independence Day - Friday, July 3, 2009

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Technical Support

In observance of Thanksgiving Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Thursday, November 27th and Friday, November 28th. Technical support will be available again on Monday, December 1st.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Christmas - Thursday, December 25, 2008
• New Year's Day - Thursday, January 1, 2009
• Presidents' Day - Monday, February 16, 2009
• Memorial Day - Monday, May 25, 2009

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Industry Testing, Technical Support

There will be limited technical support for CTP users November 24-26. This will allow our technical support staff to focus on providing support for production users who need to complete 2008Q3 submissions.

In addition, there will be NO technical support for CTP and production users on Thanksgiving which is Thursday, November 27th and the following day, Friday, November 28th. Our office is closed on Thanksgiving and our technical support staff is also taking the day off on Friday.

Labels: Industry Testing, Technical Support

The testing period for the ECMPS Client Tool Preview (CTP) has been extended until January 15, 2009. (It was scheduled to end November 21, 2008.) This extension allows stakeholders more time to work with the Client Tool in order to prepare for 2009 when Part 75 reporting must be done using the ECMPS Client Tool.

It is not likely that the test period will be extended beyond January 15, as we will need to use that time to prepare for 2009Q1 production.

Note that, the deadline for registering to test is Friday, January 2, 2009. More information about the CTP and how to register can be found here.

As was previously announced, CTP technical support is limited during the last two weeks of October (Monday October 20 through Friday October 31). This allows our technical support staff to focus on providing support for production users during the crunch time of the submission period. In addition, CTP support will also be limited around the Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays.

During these limited support time periods, you may continue to send emails to ecmps-testing@camdsupport.com during these weeks, but your issue may not be resolved immediately.

Labels: Industry Testing, Technical Support

In observance of Columbus Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, October 13th. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, October 14th.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Thanksgiving - Thursday and Friday, November 27-28, 2008
• Christmas - Thursday, December 25, 2008
• New Year's Day - Thursday, January 1, 2009
• Presidents' Day - Monday, February 16, 2009

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Industry Testing, Technical Support

Thanks for all of the well wishes on our move. The move went smoothly, and we are now enjoying our new space. All technical support systems are up and running and ready to assist with providing technical support. Also, our technical support staff is moved in and ready to answer your questions. Let us know if you experience any problems with either sending a technical support email or placing a technical support call.

Labels: Technical Support

As mentioned in previous posts and via email, Perrin Quarles Associates (PQA) is moving its offices from September 19-22. During that time, we will not be able to provide technical support for either the production or CTP versions of the ECMPS Client Tool. We would suggest waiting until after the move before sending any technical support emails.

Labels: Technical Support

Just a reminder that in order to prepare for the release of version 3 of the production and CTP versions of the Client Tool, technical support is limited this week. Users who ask for technical support should expect a delay in the response to their requests for assistance.

Labels: Technical Support

Perrin Quarles Associates (PQA) will be moving its offices from Friday, September 19 through Monday, September 22. During that time, we will be unable to provide technical support for production and CTP users because both email and telephone services will be unavailable. We would suggest that users wait until after the move to contact technical support with their questions.

Note, that after the move, the contact information will remain the same. Emails for CTP technical support should still be sent to ecmps-testing@camdsupport.com and emails for production technical support should still be sent to ecmps-support@camdsupport.com.

Labels: Industry Testing, Technical Support

In observance of Labor Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Monday, September 1st. Technical support will be available again on Tuesday, September 2nd. However, note that as has been previously announced, there will be limited technical support from September 2nd through the 5th in order to allow us to prepare for the release of version 3 of the ECMPS Client Tool.

The ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Columbus Day - Monday, October 13, 2008
• Thanksgiving - Thursday and Friday, November 27-28, 2008
• Christmas - Thursday, December 25, 2008
• New Year's Day - Thursday, January 1, 2009
• Presidents' Day - Monday, February 16, 2009

You can view the full technical support holiday schedule here.

Labels: Industry Testing, Technical Support

In observance of Independence Day, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will be closed on Friday, July 4th. Technical support will be available again on Monday, July 7th.

Please send any technical support questions you have on Friday to the appropriate technical support email address--ecmps-testing@camdsupport.com for the CTP and ecmps-support@camdsupport.com for production users. We will begin to address your questions beginning on Monday morning.

Note, the ECMPS Technical Support Help Desk will also be closed on the following upcoming holidays:

• Labor Day - Monday, September 1, 2008
• Columbus Day - Monday, October 13, 2008
• Thanksgiving - Thursday and Friday, November 27-28, 2008
• Christmas - Thursday, December 25, 2008
• New Year's Day - Thursday, January 1, 2009

Labels: Industry Testing, Technical Support