On the bookkeeping web form, all forms (Date, Timeline, etc.) are optional.
Submitting all blank forms will reload the current table, any other submission
requires at least the "Sign" box to be filled.  When adding a new entry to the
table, any blank form will be left blank in the table.  When changing an entry,
any blank form will retain its previous value.

There are two web tables: one with the full history of all stages in the
timeline checking process, and one with only the most current status of
the timelines.

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For details on timeline checking see:  Cong's Timeline Checking Cookbook .

Tentative timeline checking process:

Step #1:
The timeline generator (Yi, David H., Wen, or Tom B.) will first submit a
timeline as "ready".  The timeline will be assigned an entry number, and the
date, and timeline name.  If the timeline is totally new, then assign a new
entry number.  If the timeline is just a new version, then use the entry
number of the previous timeline version.  An email will be sent to Cong Xu
to assign checkers.

Step #2:
Cong Xu will assign a checker and approver. 
An email will be sent to the checker.

Step #3:
The checker will verify the timeline and fill out their "checkform"
file.  On the bookkeeping web form, they will fill in the appropriate entry
number, click on "rejected" or "passed" and enter the full pathname of their
checkform file and any notes file (these file must reside on the WIRE Sun
filesystem), and submit.  An email will be sent to the approver and checker
if passed, or generator and checker if rejected.
(There are now three checkers, see  cong_email_16feb99 .)

Step #4:
The approver (Carol, David S., Cong, Perry, Terry, or Nick) will read the
checker's notes and checkform and approve the timeline.  On the bookkeeping web
form, they will fill in the appropriate entry number, click on "approved"
or "rejected", and submit.  
An email will be sent to the checker and generator.

Step #5:
Once the timeline is delivered, the generator will check the "delivered" box
for the appropriate entry number, and submit.

Step # X:
At any time in the process, anyone can add a "notes" file to the table.
If this "notes" file is very important, such as a code bug fix or a
major database change.  Then click on the box: "Append notes file to
rejection resolution log file."

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Signature:
  You must fill in your signature for any state change.  Your signature is 
  your username unless you have given Tom B. an alias.

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Persons authorized for state changes:
  ready    : Yi, David H., Wen, or Tom B.
  passed   : Assigned checker or approver.
  rejected : Assigned checker or approver.
  approved : Carol, David S., Cong, Perry, Terry, or Nick.
  delivered: Yi, David H., Wen, or Tom B.

Persons authorized to assign people as Checker, Approver, and Generator:
             Cong, Yi, David H., Wen, or Tom B.

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Reloading the page:
  If the message "(To reload this page hit "submit" button.)" appears
  at the top of the web page, you should reload (update table) the web page
  by hitting "submit" with all blank forms.  Hitting NetScape "reload" button
  may result in re-submitting your previous status change.

.........
Table column descriptions:

    num      -- entry number.

(1) date     -- date of timeline generation/checking (filled by generator.)

(2) timeline -- timeline name (filled by generator.)

(3) checker  -- checker's name (assigned by generator(?)).

(4) approver -- approver's name (to be assigned by ?).

(5) status   -- status of the timeline (checked each time).
                  >> ready (submitted by generator for checker).
                  >> rejected (rejected by checker or backup).
                  >> passed (passed by checker or backup).
                  >> approved (approved by approver).
                  >> delivered (delivered for operations by generator).

(6) notes    -- this is a link to a "notes" file entered by user.

(7) checkform-- this is a link to a "checkform" file entered by user.

    who      -- this is a the name of user who made a change to the table.

    gen      -- this is a the name of timeline generator.