Log in to FAMIS via containment site

Follow these instructions to access FAMIS on the remote portal (also known as “containment” site).

1. Click on the button below from any web browser:
   
   
   
   
   

   NOTE:

   VPN is required if you are not already on the campus network.

2. Sign in with your McGill username and password. If you normally sign into FAMIS with a resource account, you may use that account to sign into the containment site.
   
   
3. Click on the folder named FAMIS (PROD)
   
   
   
   
4. Click the Internet Explorer link labeled pFAMIS.  
   
   
   
   
5. Open the file named "cpub-iexpore-FAMIS....rdp" that is downloaded by the browser. (You may see it in the bottom left corner of the screen or top right, depending on your web browser.)
   
   
   
   
6. When prompted to “trust the publisher of this RemoteApp program”, click Connect.
   
   
   
   
7. The RemoteApp will start up; it may take a few moments to configure your remote session.
   
   
   
   
8. When you see the FAMIS login window, enter your McGill username and password (or resource account credentials) and click LOGIN.
   
   
   
   

You should now see the FAMIS application and have access to the functionality you need.

Tips on viewing, printing, saving, and attaching files

The containment site is a separate computer, and you are not permitted to save files to it. However, your when you use the browse function to save or upload files to FAMIS, your mapped network drives (C:, G:, F:, H:, …) from your McGill-managed workstation will be available to you.

Viewing / opening files

When opening and viewing Reports in Excel, you will see a warning message saying the file format and extension do not match. Click Yes, to continue to open the file.

When the file opens, it will be in the Excel application running on the containment server (not your local computer). You will notice that the application icon on your task bar has a special badge on it so that you can distinguish between the remote version and Excel application running locally on your computer:

Printing files

From the containment site you may print documents to the uPrint campus printing service. You can then log into any printer on campus to release your print job.

Saving files

When saving files from FAMIS, browse to one of your mapped network drives (e.g., C:, F:, G:,  R:, etc.). DO NOT save files locally on the containment site (e.g. Documents, Desktop, etc.)

Attaching files

For those who need to upload/attach documents to FAMIS (e.g., to Work Orders), make sure your files are available on your computer's C: drive or other mapped network drives so that you can access them from the containment site.

Reports

1. On the Reports tab, choose the category of report you need from the dropdown list on the left.
   
   
   
   
2. Then select one of the predefined reports from the chosen category. For example, under Space you might then choose the Building Directors List report.
   
   
3. You may apply filters from the top portion of the page (use the CRTL and SHIFT keys to select multiple entries from a list). Then click Refresh (just below the filter section) to view the results directly on the page.
   
   
   
   
4. Click the Excel button to either Open the report directly in Excel on the containment site...
   
   
   
   
   

   NOTE: When opening Excel files directly

   When opening in Excel, you may see a warning message saying the file format and extension do not match. Click Yes, to continue to open the file.
   
   

   
   
   
   ... or Save the report as an Excel file to one of your mapped network drives:
   
   
   
   
   

   

   NOTE: When saving files from the containment site

   When saving an Excel report you will see a Restrictions message indicating that the operation has been cancelled.
   
   
   
   Click OK (the restrictions message may appear again) but you will eventually continue to a file browser window, where you can select one of your mapped network drives.

   DO NOT save the files to the C: drive, Desktop, or Documents folders on the containment site.

5. Click Printable to view the report in a printable HTML table within the browser. Click the browser’s Print button to print the document on the uPrint campus printing service.
   
   
   
   

Service Requests

From the Service Request tab, you can make requests for services provided by Facilities and Space Management (e.g., adjustments to heating & cooling, lighting, furniture, etc.).

Use the Search menu to view previous requests that you have made.

To create a new request

Click Create New Request and progress through the steps of the Wizard:

1. Confirm Requestor information (your name, phone, email, department)
   
   
   
   
2. Select Service category
   
   
   
   Then select one of the items within the category.
   
   
   
   
   

   TIP:

   Select the Facilities Request for your campus first, and only choose Create your own request if you don’t find anything in those predefined categories.

3. Enter the details of your request.
   
   
   
   
4. Enter location information.
   
   
   
   
5. Review the request information.
   
   
   
   
6. Click Finish to submit your request to the appropriate Facilities team.

Navigator tab

• Navigator basics
• Email feature in FAMIS
• Attachments in FAMIS

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:

• About FAMIS - service description
• FAMIS web page