Sprezzatura FAQ Pages

The system needs to ensure that two people do not access and update the same record at the same time otherwise errors can occur. So whilst one person is updating the record another person can look at the information but they may not update it.

The way the system does this is to put a virtual post-it note on an internal virtual whiteboard saying "User Fred is updating record 124". Then when user Jill wants to update record 124 the system checks the whiteboard before giving it to her. If there is a post-it note the system gives it to her but doesn't allow her to update it.

If the post-it note falls off for some reason then she'll be none the wiser and try and update it at the same time as Fred. This causes GFEs and is not a good thing!

Post-Its fall off for different reasons but they're all normally associated with how the network has been set up.

Another description of how locking works

How do I connect to a network?

What exactly is a Group Format Error (GFE)?

Jargon busters!

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