Updating Participant Records

Updating participant records is an important GTS function. Maintaining accurate information ensures that case participant information displays correctly on reports and can facilitate some functions by populating fields automatically.

Participant records are either maintained directly in GTS or through a case. While some of the information can be updated using either navigation, they also have distinct differences.

Updating Participants through a Case

Update participant information through a case to change information that is specific to a case. This includes:

Name, preferred address, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses.
Relationship to Incapacitated Person
Paid by County for Guardianship of the Person
Paid by County for Guardianship of the Estate
Printing/reprinting the access code letter (guardians only)

To update the participant record through a case, perform the following:

Under Find a Case on your Dashboard, enter the case number and press ENTER. Optionally, if the case number is not readily available, click the Advanced Search link to locate the case. The GTS Case screen opens.

Depending on the case participant that needs to be viewed or modified, locate them in the grid of either the Guardians or Other Case Participants tab of the screen. For viewing or modifying attorney information, see Managing Attorneys on a Case.

Depending on whether you are on either the Guardians or Other Case Participant tab, click the Edit Guardian icon or Edit Other Case Participant icon .

On the Participant Info tab in the popup screen, update the roles and relationship to the guardian or case for the participant or guardian:

a.	If needed, update the Relationship to Incapacitated Person by selecting a new value in the dropdown. This field is available when editing participants on either the Guardians or Other Case Participants tabs.
b.	If needed, select the Paid by County (for Guardianship of the Person) checkbox. This field is only available on this tab when editing guardian participants using the Guardians tab.
c.	If needed, select the Paid by County (for Guardianship of the Estate) checkbox. This field is only available on this tab when editing guardian participants using the Guardians tab.
d.	On the Participant Info tab of the Add/Edit Other Case Participant popup, Roles can be added and removed for the case participant. For example, if an organization is a guardian but is also a care facility for the incapacitated person, the Role of Care Facility can be added. Roles should only be removed if added in error. In some cases, a role cannot be removed. Use the checkboxes associated with the Roles field to make the changes necessary. The Roles checkboxes are only available when editing participants using the Other Case Participants tab.

Use the options in the Name tab to select an alternative name that has been recorded for the participant for use on the case. For example, if someone prefers to use or is better known as Bill Smith instead of their given name, William Smith. If the name needed is not displayed in the grid, it can be added. See Updating Participant Records through the Edit Person/Organization screen below for adding alternative names. Once the alternative name has been added, it is available for selection in the Name tab. The name selected as Preferred will be the one displayed on reports and other areas of GTS. If needed, the participant's name can be updated in the Names grid. However, it should be noted that this action will change how the participant's name displays statewide for all GTS users. Therefore, caution should be used before making any changes and this should be reserved for correcting errors and adding missing information once it has been verified that the information is incorrect. It may be preferable to add an alternative name and select it for the case. To update the name:

a.	Use the fields in the Names grid to record new information or change the current information. Only the Last Name or Organization Name field is required.
b.	When finished, click the Save icon in the far right column of the row being edited.

Use the options in the Address tab to select an alternative address that has been recorded for the participant for use on the case. If the address needed is not in the grid, it can be added. Once the alternative address has been added, it is available for selection as the Preferred address. The address marked as Preferred displays on reports and other areas of GTS for the participant. To update the address or add or update alternative addresses:

Use the fields in the Addresses grid to record additional information or change the current information. When updating an existing address, it should be noted that this action will update the participant's address available to GTS users statewide. Therefore, caution should be used before making any changes and this should be reserved for correcting errors and adding missing information once it has been verified that the information is incorrect. It may be preferable to add an alternative address and select it for use on the case. To update an existing address:

i.	Use the fields in the rows for an existing address to update the information displayed.
ii.	If needed, record Comments related to the address changes.
iii.	If the address is not valid, select the Not Valid checkbox. Checking this box is for informational purposes only.
iv.	If the address is known to be preferred by the case participant, the Preferred radio button in the first column can be selected. Subsequently, this address will display for the participant on reports and other areas related to the case.
v.	When finished, click the Save icon for the address row.

It may be preferable to add alternative addresses to prevent changes to statewide address information which may affect other counties that use the same participant record. To add alternative addresses:

i.	Click the Add Address icon above the grid. A new, blank row is added to the grid.
ii.	Select the Type to identify the address as a home, business, or mailing address. There can be more than one address associated to a single Type. For example, a participant can have more than one Business address.
iii.	Use the fields in the new row to record the address information.
iv.	If needed, record Comments related to the new address.
v.	If the address is not valid, select the Not Valid checkbox. Checking this box is for informational purposes only.
vi.	If the address is known to be preferred by the case participant, the Preferred radio button in the first column can be selected. Subsequently, this address will display for the participant on reports and other areas related to the case.
vii.	When finished, click the Save icon for the new address row.

Addresses that are no longer needed, can be deleted. it should be noted that this action will remove the address available to GTS users statewide. Therefore, caution should be used before removing any addresses. To remove an existing address:

i.	Click the Delete icon for the address row displayed in the grid that is no longer needed. If the Delete icon is not displayed for a row, it cannot be removed due to other actions that have been performed on the case.
ii.	On the confirmation messages that display, click OK. The address is removed from the grid.

When finished making modifications to the address for the participant, click the CLOSE button to return to the Add/Edit Case Participant popup. If the primary address was changed, the change displays in the Address field. If an alternative address was added or updated, it can be selected from the dropdown.

Add or update a phone number:

a.	Click the Phone Numbers tab. The tab provides the ability to add or update a Fax, Home, Mobile, Office, and Other phone number.
b.	Add a new phone number or update an existing one for the appropriate Phone Type displayed. Remove phone numbers by deleting the number displayed. Any information added or removed will change the participant record used statewide by other GTS users. Only remove or update phone numbers if you have verified that the information is incorrect and needs to be changed in GTS. Alternatively, add a phone number under the Phone Type of Other.
c.	After updating a phone number, click the Save icon for that row.
d.	Indicate the Preferred phone number by selecting the appropriate radio button in the first column of the grid. Click the Save icon for that row.

Add or update e-mail addresses:

a.	Click the Email tab. The tab provides the ability to add a CMS (case management system), ePay, Home, Office, and Other e-mail address.
b.	Add a new e-mail address or update an existing one for the appropriate Email Type displayed. Any information added or removed will affect the participant record used statewide by other GTS users. Only remove or update e-mail addresses if you have verified that the information is incorrect and needs to be changed in GTS. Alternatively, add an e-mail address under the Email Type of Other.
c.	After updating an e-mail address, click the Save icon for that row.
d.	Indicate the Preferred e-mail address by selecting the appropriate radio button in the first column of the grid. Click the Save icon for that row.

Review any changes made for accuracy and completeness. If an access code letter is needed for the participant, see Printing an Access Code Letter. Otherwise, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the Add/Edit Other Case Participant or Edit Guardian popup to return to the GTS Case screen.

Updating Participant Records through the Edit Person/Organization screen

The actual participant record in GTS contains a plethora of information. Participant records are created for both persons and organizations. The participant record is available to be used statewide as part of any case in GTS. The information added and maintained in the record is used as search criteria, to match participants with Department of Health death records, populated on guardian reports, and controls payments and notifications. The following information is maintained through a statewide participant record:

General information such as name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and alternate information.
Primary attributes which include the date of birth, driver's license information, date of death. Few primary attributes are recorded for organizations.
Physical characteristics such as height, weight, and eye color. These are not recorded for organizations.
Guardian information such as certifications, trainings, and counties in which they work. Some of this information is maintained for organizations
Indicating the participant is a certified legal Intern or pro hac vice attorney. This is not recorded for organizations.
Participant alerts issued by a judge.
Printing/reprinting their access code letter. These are not used for organizations or attorneys.

Some of these functions are covered in additional topics in order to provide greater detail. This topic covers how to update basic participant information and cross-references are provided to topics where additional details are available.

To update statewide participant records:

Under General Actions on the Dashboard, click the Manage People and Organizations link. The Participant Search screen opens.

Click on the Search By dropdown and select the appropriate option for the type of participant you need to view or update.

Based on whether you selected Person or Organization, enter the participant's Last Name and First Name or Organization Name and/or EIN. Additionally, you can limit the search to existing guardians or Pennsylvania bar attorneys by selecting the Guardians Only and/or Attorneys Only checkbox.

(Optional) Additional search criteria can be entered to limit the number of records that can be returned in a search.

Click the SEARCH button.

Review the search results and perform one of the following:

a.	If the participant is found, click the Edit Record icon that appears to the right of the individual or organization that you need to view or update. The Edit Person/Organization screen displays.
b.	If the participant is not found, try entering different search criteria and searching again. Sometimes using less search criteria can be more effective.

Review and, if needed, update the information in the Names tab as follows:

The Names tab can be used to update the participant's name for person records. Organization names can only be changed by someone that has been designated as an administrator for the organization (AMU) in your county setup. However, it should be noted that this action will change how users view this name statewide by all GTS users. Therefore, care should be used before making any changes and this should be reserved for correcting errors and adding missing information once it has been verified that the information is incorrect. It may be preferable to add an alternative name for the participant and then select this alternative name as part of a case. To update the name:

i.	Use the fields in an exiting name in the grid to record new information or change the current information. Only the Last Name field is required for person records or Organization Name for organizations. These fields are disabled for Pennsylvania Bar attorneys and organizations where you are not the AMU.
ii.	If appropriate, select the Preferred radio button in the first column. The name selected as Preferred will be the one displayed on reports and other areas of GTS.
iii.	When finished, click the Save icon .

If the existing name does not need to be changed but an alternative name is needed, it can be added. For examples, if a participant prefers to use or is better known as Bill Smith instead of their given name, William Smith. Alternative names can be chosen for use on cases in GTS. See Updating Participants through a Case above for selecting an alternative name for use on a case. Alternative names are also returned when searching for participant records. Alternative names are not frequently used for organizations and can only be recorded by the AMU. To add an alternative name to use on the case:

i.	Click the Add Name icon Add Name icon above the Names grid. A new, blank row is added to the grid.
ii.	Use the fields in the new row to record the information for the alternate name.
iii.	If appropriate, select the Preferred radio button in the first column. The name selected as Preferred will be the one displayed on reports and other areas of GTS. Aliases cannot be saved as the preferred name.
iv.	Click the Save icon .

If a name is no longer needed, it can be removed from the participant's record by clicking the Delete icon in that row. Click OK on the confirmation messages to remove the name from the grid.

Review and, if needed, update the information in the Addresses tab as follows:

The Addresses tab can be used to update the participant's address for person records. Organization addresses can only be changed by someone that has been designated as an administrator for the organization (AMU) in your county setup. However, it should be noted that this action will change how users view this address statewide by all GTS users. Therefore, care should be used before making any changes and this should be reserved for correcting errors and adding missing information once it has been verified that the information is incorrect. It may be preferable to add an alternative address for the participant and then select this alternative address as part of a case. To update the primary name:

i.	Use the fields in an exiting name in the grid to record new information or change the current information.
ii.	If appropriate, select the Preferred radio button in the first column. The address selected as Preferred will be the one displayed on reports and other areas of GTS.
iii.	When finished, click the Save icon .

If the existing address does not need to be changed but an alternative name is needed, it can be added. For examples, if a participant prefers to use an office address for correspondence. Alternative addresses can be chosen for use on cases in GTS. See Updating Participants through a Case above for selecting an alternative address for use on a case. Alternative names are not frequently used for organizations and can only be recorded by the AMU. To add an alternative address to use on a case:

i.	Click the Add Address icon above the Addresses grid. A new, blank row is added to the grid.
ii.	Select the appropriate Address Type, such as Home or Office.
iii.	Use the remaining fields in the new row to record the information for the alternate address.
iv.	If appropriate, select the Preferred radio button in the first column. The address selected as Preferred will be the one displayed on reports and other areas of GTS.
v.	Click the Save icon .

If an address is no longer needed, it can be removed from the participant's record by clicking the Delete icon in that row. Click OK on the confirmation messages to remove the address from the grid.

Use the Phone tab to change the phone number to make corrections to existing phone numbers, add additional phone numbers, or change the preferred phone number used by the participant. Only the AMU can make some changes to phone numbers for an organization. To change the phone number:

a.	Add a new phone number or update an existing one for the appropriate type displayed. Remove phone numbers by deleting the number displayed. Any information added or removed will change the participant record used statewide by other GTS users. Only remove or update phone numbers if you have verified that the information is incorrect and needs to be changed in GTS. Alternatively, add a phone number under the type of Other. At least one phone number will be disabled, and cannot be changed, for Pennsylvania Bar attorneys. New phone numbers can be added to an organizations by someone other than the AMU but existing phone numbers cannot be deleted.
b.	Indicate the Preferred phone number by selecting the appropriate radio button in the grid. The preferred phone number cannot be changed for Pennsylvania Bar attorneys. Only the AMU can change the Preferred radio button for an organization, though new phone numbers can be added.
c.	After changing any information, click the Save icon for that row.

10.

Use the Email tab to make corrections to existing e-mail addresses, add additional e-mail addresses, or change the preferred e-mail address used by the participant. To change e-mail address information:

a.	Add a new e-mail address or update an existing one for the appropriate type displayed. Remove e-mail addresses by deleting the one displayed. Any information added or removed will change the participant record used statewide by other GTS users. Only remove or update e-mail addresses if you have verified that the information is incorrect and needs to be changed in GTS. Alternatively, add an e-mail address under the type of Other. At least one e-mail address will be disabled for Pennsylvania Bar attorneys.
b.	Indicate the Preferred e-mail address by selecting the appropriate radio button in the grid. The preferred e-mail address cannot be changed for Pennsylvania Bar attorneys.
c.	After changing any information, click the Save icon for that row.

11.

Review and, if needed, update the information in the Attributes tab as follows:

Review and, if needed, update the fields in the Primary Attributes section as follows:

i.	Record and, if needed, change the Gender of the participant by selecting the value in the dropdown. This field is not available for organization participant records.
ii.	Record and, if needed, change the participant's social security number by entering it in the SSN field. This field cannot be updated for any Pennsylvania Bar Attorneys. Recording a social security number is not required for any other participants in GTS, but can be useful when searching for participant records. This field is not available for organization participant records.
iii.	For organization participant records, enter and, if needed, change the EIN. This can only be done by the AMU of the organization.
iv.	Record and, if needed, change the participant's Date of Birth by entering it in the field. This field cannot be updated for any Pennsylvania Bar attorneys. This field is only required for persons adjudicated as incapacitated. However, it is used to match participants with Department of Health death records and display notifications when a match has been made to a case participant. The date of birth can also be useful when searching for participant records. This field is not available for organization participant records.
v.	Record and, if needed, change the participant's Date of Death by entering it in the field. This field is not available for organization participant records.
vi.	Record and, if needed, change the Driver's License Jurisdiction by selecting the value in the dropdown. This field is not available for organization participant records.
vii.	Record and, if needed, change the Driver's License Number by entering it in the field. This field is only enabled if the Driver's License Jurisdiction has been recorded. This field is not available for organization participant records.
viii.	Record and, if needed, update participant's veteran status by selecting either Yes or No, as appropriate, for the Is Veteran dropdown. This field is not available for organization participant records.
ix.	The Is Unhoused checkbox, applicable only to participant records associated to incapacitated persons (IP), is selected when the court is aware that the IP is experiencing homelessness.
x.	The May Pay Online field is selected by default on all person participant records but not on organizations. The checkbox allows participants to pay fees, if any, online when filing their reports. If the participant should be disallowed from online payment, such as if they are suspected or accused of fraud, clear this checkbox. Clearing this checkbox will prevent the participant from filing any reports in counties that charge a fee.
xi.	The Receives Electronic Notifications field is selected by default on all person participant records but not on organizations. The checkbox allows participants to receive all GTS-related notifications through the Notifications link on their Dashboard. Clear this checkbox if they no longer wish to receive these notifications.

Review and, if needed, update the fields in the Physical Characteristics section. This section is not available for organization participant records. Update Physical Characteristics for persons as follows:

i.	Record and, if needed, change the Height Feet and Height Inches of the participant.
ii.	Record and, if needed, change the Eye Color of the participant by selecting the value in the dropdown.
iii.	Record and, if needed, change the Weight of the participant by entering it in the field. The information should be recorded in pounds.
iv.	Record and, if needed, change the Hair Color of the participant by selecting the value in the dropdown.
v.	Record and, if needed, change the Race of the participant by selecting the value in the dropdown.
vi.	Record and, if needed, change the Ethnicity of the participant by selecting the value in the dropdown.

12.

Review and, if needed, update the information in the Guardian Details tab as follows:

The Is Guardian field is selected by default if a participant has been recorded as a guardian for an incapacitated person. You can select this checkbox if the participant is anticipated to be a guardian on upcoming cases, if needed. This will assign them a unique guardian number and make them eligible to be returned in searches that are limited to existing guardians. Once selected, additional guardian-related fields display in this section.

The Is Professional field is selected by default if a participant is identified as a guardian on three or more cases statewide or on organizations when the Is Guardian checkbox is selected. You can select this checkbox if a person has become a professional guardian but has not yet been assigned three cases, if needed. This will make them eligible to be returned in searches that are limited to existing professional guardians. When new professional guardian organization participant records are added in GTS, this checkbox is selected automatically and it usually does not need to be updated.

Filing fees for the participant can be waived by selecting the Filing Fee Waiver checkbox. For more information, see Adding a Fee Waiver.

If the participant is a guardian that maintains an escrow account that allows the court to drawdown funds, select the Allow Escrow checkbox to authorize this alternative method of payment during the filing process. GTS only conveys this authorization when a filing is submitted that requires a fee and does not facilitate any transfers from the escrow account.

If any of the information above the Works in Counties grid was updated, click the SAVE button.

If needed, add or update assigned counties for the participant. This feature is used to indicate the counties in which a guardian may file reports and the domains of the reports they may file (person or estate reports). To add a new county for the participant:

i.	Click the Add County icon above the Works in Counties grid. A new, blank row displays in the grid.
ii.	Select the new County where the guardian may file reports of either domain
iii.	If the participant can file Guardian of the Person reports in the selected county, select the checkbox in the Guardian of Person column in the grid.
iv.	If the participant can file Guardian of the Estate reports in the selected county, select the checkbox in the Guardian of Estate column in the grid.
v.	Click the Save icon for the new row.

If the domains for a county displayed in the Works in Counties grid for the participant have changed, update the county as follows:

i.	In the grid, locate the county where the domains for the guardian need to be updated. If needed, update the County selected in the dropdown.
ii.	Make changes to the checkboxes in the grid in the Guardian of Person and/or Guardian of Estate columns to reflect the current domains for the guardian in the county.
iii.	Click the Save icon for the row.

If a guardian should no longer file reports in a county displayed in the Works in Counties grid, or a county was added in error, it should be removed. Remove a county as follows:

i.	In the grid, locate the county in which the guardian should no longer be allowed to file. Click the Delete icon in the grid for that county.
ii.	Click the OK on the confirmation messages. The county is removed from the grid.

Trainings and certifications for the guardian can be recorded for person records. For more information, see Adding Trainings and Certifications for Guardians.

13.

Review and, if needed, add individuals to the grid appearing in the Agency Personnel tab. This section is only available for organizations. Add Agency Personnel information as follows:

If a principal or responsible agent needs to be added to the existing list, click the Add Agency Personnel icon above the grid. The Select Agency Personnel popup displays.

Enter the participant's Last Name and First Name. Additionally, you can limit the search to existing guardians or Pennsylvania bar attorneys by selecting the Guardians Only and/or Attorneys Only checkbox.

(Optional) Additional search criteria can be entered to limit the number of records that can be returned in a search.

Click the SEARCH button.

Review the search results and perform one of the following:

i.	If the participant is found, click the radio button that appears in the first column of the results grid and click the SELECT button. You are returned to the Edit Person/organization screen and the participant displays in the grid.
ii.	If the participant is not found, click the Add Participant icon above the grid and create a new participant record. When finished, you are returned to the Edit Person/Organization screen and the participant displays in the grid.

Click on the dropdown in the Agency Personnel Role and identify the individual as a Principal or Responsible Agent. This field will be populated if you created a new participant record, but can be changed if the incorrect role was selected when saving the record.

Click the Save icon for the new record.

Repeat these steps if additional agency personnel are needed for the organization.

14.

When finished making changes, review all of the information for accuracy and completeness.