Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many users per county/organization will be able to use the Production Simulation environment?
A: Active CWS/CMS users (approx. 25,000) will be able to access CWS-CARES Production Simulation. Additionally, it will incorporate their role-based access controls (RBAC) to ensure their permissions accurately mirror the live production environment.
Q: Will data entry into the CWS-CARES Production Simulation map over to CWS/CMS, or will dual entry be needed?
A: Data entered into the Production Simulation will not transfer to CWS/CMS. Since the simulation is strictly a practice environment, CWS/CMS remains the sole statewide system of record. Consequently, any data required for official records will still require entry into CWS/CMS.
Q: How many licenses to the Production Simulation environment will counties get?
A: All users of CWS/CMS will be able to access the Production Simulation environment.
Q: How often will data in the Production Simulation environment be refreshed?
A: While the schedule is still being finalized, we anticipate refreshing the environment approximately three times between May and October which provides updates with less disruption. The strategy will be a key agenda item for the Production Simulation County Advisory Committee (CAC).
Q: Would there be a change in training dates and plans with the change to Production Simulation testing?
A: No, the changes to Production Simulation testing will not affect the training schedule and dates that was shared.
Q: Has the Go-Live Support Group been replaced, and what should counties know about the transition?
A: The Service Desk County Advisory Committee (CAC) now replaces the Go-Live Support Group. To maintain continuity, the February 3rd announcement suggests that counties include their former Go-Live Support members if they choose to participate in the Service Desk CAC.
Q: Is there a specific number of participants expected during Production Simulation?
A: All counties are expected to engage in Production Simulation. The state is working on getting an All County Letter (ACL) that will outline that guidance. We will continue to communicate about this through all county channels.
Q: Will data entered or changed in the Production Simulation environment be saved or written back to CWS/CMS?
A: CWS/CMS production data will be loaded into the Production Simulation environment, but updates or changes will not be automatically saved in CWS/CMS. Any changes will be lost each time the Production Simulation environment is refreshed with new data. Please note that data entered into the Production Simulation will not transfer to CWS/CMS. Since the simulation is strictly a practice environment, CWS/CMS remains the sole statewide system of record. Consequently, any data required for official records will still require entry into CWS/CMS.
Q: Will counties be expected to participate in Production Simulation?
A: Yes, there is an expectation for engagement in Production Simulation. The state is working on getting an All County Letter (ACL) that will outline that guidance (aiming to get it out ASAP). We will continue to communicate about this through all county channels.
Q: Will the State set up all county users/teams/caseloads/offices in Production Simulation?
A: Yes, we will work with your county admin person to set up those users with the exact permission settings they should have and validate that they are correct.