Hi,
There is a company called Cardiff Software
http://www.cardiff.com/
I was introduced to these folks about 9 years ago. I was working on a
project with a large Trash collection company in the Midwest. They
sent out a questioner to their 10k plus customer list and asked a
number of questions. The customer would answer the application by
filling in the answers and faxing it back to my office, into a fax
modem on a computer. The Cardiff software would then "read" the
answers and place those into a database, with the customer name and
phone numbers and the answers they gave. What was really amazing then,
was these were "hand written" applications, not typed. I was truly
amazed then at how accurate the hand written reading was done by the
software. Of course that was 9 years ago, they've gotten a lot better
these days.
Using their packages you can set up a scanner or fax modem interface
rather easy, and take your filled out applications straight into a
database, where anyone in your company can then access the data by
client, and .... do what ever you want to do really. It's in a
database.You could even have the program check those that do not
qualify and auto email those people, to resend or "thank you very much
.. but" messages, taking a load off your staff.
The package works with just about any API, (I say "just about any"
only because I don't like absolutes) and is very easy to work with.
The newer versions of the software will direct information based on
rule sets from your forms and applications. Any form can be created.
Insurance, Medical, whatever. And as I suggested, if they are filling
this out by hand, this will save a huge amount of time and staffing
costs for you as the program will read and input into a database of
your choice the answers given on the application.
If this doesn't satisfy your needs simply ask for Clarification and I
will find other options for you, but if you are doing enough of this
to warrant a "system" then this software is probably the best answer
out there right now.
Thanks,
webadept-ga |
Request for Answer Clarification by
pay_com-ga
on
16 Dec 2002 06:25 PST
Hi.
Thanks,
Just a couple of questions (or clarifications)
1) I have researched the Cardiff software online (I havn't spoken to
anyone yet) and it seeems that it might be a quite coostly solution.
So would could you provide me with any a list of less expensiver
solutions.
2) I have not any thing to indicate that TeleForm is web enabled
(from a webbrowser) that is a major requirement for us.
thanks
|
Clarification of Answer by
webadept-ga
on
16 Dec 2002 13:10 PST
Hi again,
Okay, I need to ask a few things here...
1) Do you have a webserver with Internet connection?
2) Are people connecting from the internet or just from the office
Intranet?
3) Do you have a database, a real one, not access, but something like
MSQL, MySql, Informix, DB2, ?? with Network connection?
4) do you have a server ? and if so, what is the OS, Win2k? Linux?
Solaris? ??
5) Are you looking to have customers fill in a web form for the
applications? or is everything being done by hand and typed in now? If
they are being typed in, what is holding the data?
See, your clarification request has confused me quite a bit here.
Your form, or customer application for service, is custom. No one has
that form. So it sounds like you are looking for a way to get that
form into a database as easy as possible and allow it to be searched
by everyone in the company so that they can add to it, make comments,
what-have-you. I was under the impression you already had a database
system for this. If you don't then that is a huge stepping stone we
need to get past first. This gets into database design, setting up a
few things and doing some work.
There are "off the shelf" systems that will do most of this, but not
all of it.
6) Can you post or make available to me a copy of this customer
application form? so I can take a look at it? I do a lot of this type
of programming myself and I would like to see if there are any
possible snags and also what needs to be available with the program
you are looking for.
Thanks,
webadept-ga
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
pay_com-ga
on
16 Dec 2002 17:32 PST
Hi - ok here goes
1) Do you have a webserver with Internet connection?
>>Yes.
2) Are people connecting from the internet or just from the office
Intranet?
>>We would like to have people connect via Internet
3) Do you have a database, a real one, not access, but something like
MSQL, MySql, Informix, DB2, ?? with Network connection?
>> MSSQL Behind the Firewall
4) do you have a server ? and if so, what is the OS, Win2k? Linux?
Solaris? ??
>> W2k Server
5) Are you looking to have customers fill in a web form for the
applications? or is everything being done by hand and typed in now? If
they are being typed in, what is holding the data?
>> Right now Salesmen fill in paper forms which they submit to the
sales office. The sales office then sends it to us that data as a
excel dcument and also the physical forms. When we get the excel file
we load that into a Access database and work with the data using
Access forms and query's. We also inspect the documentation to ensure
everything is allright and that everything needed is there - If
something is missing we call (or e-mail) the sales office asking them
to contact the customer and get updated/proper documentation etc...
After we authorize the account we e-mail or call other people to set
up other things (such as reseller agreements)...
Obviously there is much room for improvement.
Here are the problems. We want to:
. Get Rid of the Excel File (streamline that process)
. Automate Form collection and transfer
. Open additional Sales Offices
. Provide access to the system from all over the world
. Be able to integrate with our order entry system
. Electroniclly version and archive all submited documents - linked
by customer
. Implement a workflow for all documents.
So for example I can see wanting a scenerio like this.
Salesman visits customer - Convinces customer to order from us.
Salesman receives forms and docmentation and takes it back to the
sales office (eventually we can have the salesman enter the data on a
palm device etc..)
Sales office logs onto the sysem (over a website) and enters the data
then scans in all dcumentation it has- At that point several people in
our centeral office get e-mails informing them that a new mercahnt has
been enterd etc...
They amke changes to the record - perhaps indicting that certain forms
are still needed, a email automaiclly is sent to the sales office
indicating that other forms are needed etc... Also at any time the
sales office can log on and see the approval process (Of course with
authentcation and athorization modules built in) or scan in new
documents which would send a notification to the main office.
After the Authorization process is completed then a message should
be sent to several other people based on data in certain fields. For
example if lets say a feild marked "request reseller" is checked then
the person designated to handle reseller accounts should be sent a
message.
All this should be accessable from anywhere in the world via the web.
Also anyone in the world should be able to scan in documents if they
have a scanner attached to their machine.
We need to be able to change our workflow and forms on the fly.
We can develop all this in house if we had to. But we would rather see
if we could find something out there that fits or is close enough.
thanks.
Sorry - but at this time I cannot send you a copy of our forms.
|
Clarification of Answer by
webadept-ga
on
26 Dec 2002 21:34 PST
Hi,
Just noticed this, don't know how I missed your request but I did. I
applogize for the delay in getting back to you. I'll go through your
request very soon and get you an answer back. Again I appologize for
the delay and I hope your holidays have been fun.
webadept-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
webadept-ga
on
26 Dec 2002 21:41 PST
By the way, do you have anyone with Perl or PHP experience that you
can use or works for your company. There are several packages that I
have looked at in the past which do what you need done, but they are
not exact in the forms of course. You would need someone to change the
forms and set the package up for you.
webadept-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
webadept-ga
on
27 Dec 2002 21:27 PST
Hi - ok here goes
1) Do you have a webserver with Internet connection?
>>Yes.
Good, this means you can alter and change things as you need to, which
will help. I'm going to address this as I would if I were your system
admin, and give you a course of action. The real trouble with this
question is that there are so many ways to do this and it can get very
confusing very fast. So, like I said, I'm going to act like I'm your
sysadmin and give you what I feel is the best route for you and a
small but growing company.
2) Are people connecting from the internet or just from the office
Intranet?
>>We would like to have people connect via Internet
This is great actually, and will save you some money in both
development and maintenance.
3) Do you have a database, a real one, not access, but something like
MSQL, MySql, Informix, DB2, ?? with Network connection?
>> MSSQL Behind the Firewall
So we are running a Win2k server, which is fine. Install PHP on that
and set it up for MSQL access. I would have prefered MySql for this
project and it is free to download and install, so you may want to
look into this. It also has the ODBC connection for Access if you
choose to stay there. Access is slow, always has been. Mysql is very
fast.
http://www.mysql.com
4) do you have a server ? and if so, what is the OS, Win2k? Linux?
Solaris? ??
>> W2k Server
This is fine. Moving to a Linux box right now would be a pain, but
keep it in mind for the future.
5) Are you looking to have customers fill in a web form for the
applications? or is everything being done by hand and typed in now? If
they are being typed in, what is holding the data?
>> Right now Salesmen fill in paper forms which they submit to the
sales office. The sales office then sends it to us that data as a
excel dcument and also the physical forms.
<BREAK HERE FOR A MOMENT>
Useing PHP, Apache and your MSQL server, it would be very simple to
setup a web form for this information and have them place it directly
into the database, rather than this excel->access->file.. thing.. it's
redunant and not useful at all. A PHP programmer could make this form
in about 3-6 hours. If I had a copy of that form I would have made a
demo for you for this answer, (no problem there I understand) it's
that simple. A good programmer is about 30-45 an hour. Hire one for
the day to make this form for you and tie it to the database.
<CONTINUE>
When we get the excel file
we load that into a Access database and work with the data using
Access forms and query's. We also inspect the documentation to ensure
everything is allright and that everything needed is there - If
something is missing we call (or e-mail) the sales office asking them
to contact the customer and get updated/proper documentation etc...
After we authorize the account we e-mail or call other people to set
up other things (such as reseller agreements)...
See this is much faster is you have it in the main database. The form
should check before allowing the submission that all is okay with the
data, and then puts it in. Having in in Access limits you a great
deal. Ditch that, and use the MSQL database you have. Keep everything
in there. Access will connect to that database, so you can use the
forms and queries you have already made. But anyone in the office and
on the interenet areas can get to the info.
Obviously there is much room for improvement.
Here are the problems. We want to:
. Get Rid of the Excel File (streamline that process)
Already talked about that.
. Automate Form collection and transfer
. Open additional Sales Offices
. Provide access to the system from all over the world
. Be able to integrate with our order entry system
Should be able to upload everything straight in to the MSQL database
from Access.
. Electroniclly version and archive all submited documents - linked
by customer
. Implement a workflow for all documents.
So for example I can see wanting a scenerio like this.
Salesman visits customer - Convinces customer to order from us.
Salesman receives forms and documentation and takes it back to the
sales office (eventually we can have the salesman enter the data on a
palm device etc..)
<BREAK HERE>
Check out http://www.thinkingbytes.com/thinkdbNet/
I set this up for a doctor's office. Very nice to work with and really
easy for them.
<CONTINUE>
Sales office logs onto the system (over a website) and enters the data
then scans in all documentation it has- At that point several people
in
our central office get e-mails informing them that a new merchant has
been entered etc...
They make changes to the record - perhaps indicting that certain forms
are still needed, a email automatically is sent to the sales office
indicating that other forms are needed etc... Also at any time the
sales office can log on and see the approval process (Of course with
authentication and authorization modules built in) or scan in new
documents which would send a notification to the main office.
After the Authorization process is completed then a message should
be sent to several other people based on data in certain fields. For
example if lets say a field marked "request re seller" is checked then
the person designated to handle re seller accounts should be sent a
message.
All this should be accessible from anywhere in the world via the web.
Also anyone in the world should be able to scan in documents if they
have a scanner attached to their machine.
We need to be able to change our work flow and forms on the fly.
We can develop all this in house if we had to. But we would rather see
if we could find something out there that fits or is close enough.
thanks.
Sorry - but at this time I cannot send you a copy of our forms.
<END>
Okay, The system I gave your first is accessible from the Internet if
your database is accessible from the internet. The introduction of the
Palm apps and the fact that the sales people are entering in
information and not some customer makes that option a bit too much
though. A good form will be much better for you and much better for
the sales people as well. So, never mind that.
It is really not possible to match you completely with something
because of the form type being your own, but here are some apts that
are similar and could be altered to fit your needs.
All of these are found on http://www.Freshmeat.net
http://freshmeat.net/projects/nemeinnet/?topic_id=129%2C917%2C130%2C846
Nemein.Net is a Web-based Professional Services Automation suite
including project management, time tracking, document management,
sales force automation, direct marketing, help desk, and a group
calendar. It runs on the Midgard application server.
http://freshmeat.net/projects/pavintheway/?topic_id=129%2C75%2C76%2C234
Pavin' The Way software is one completely integrated Web-based
solution handling many critical business processes. Features include
accounting, procurement, sales, inventory management, e-commerce, and
B2B services. All of Pavin' The Way's applications are implemented
using PHP with database abstraction for easy portability between
platforms and RDBMS.
http://freshmeat.net/projects/relata/?topic_id=129%2C889%2C917
Relata is a CRM platform that currently features a sales force
automation module, with additional CRM modules currently being
developed. Relata has user and administrative interfaces, and allows
you to manage your contacts and accounts from one integrated Web
interface. It can be customized to run with any SQL database; using
Relata, you can create custom fields, manage sales opportunities, and
associate your contacts with various categories (groups).
http://freshmeat.net/projects/relatasyncpalm/?topic_id=889
RelataSync for Palm synchronizes your Address Book contacts, Date Book
items, and To Do List items with Relata, a sales force automation CRM
solution. RelataSync is written in Java and allows you to update your
contacts, date book items, and to do list items with a touch of a
button. It is designed to run as a conduit along-side Palm's existing
conduits, providing seamless integration with Palm's HotSync Manager.
Personally I would do this all in house. Really what you are looking
at is about two weeks total development and testing time to get
everything you want. It seems like a lot to you, because you are in
it, apparently up to your eyes, but really it's not all that much to
develop and get running. But getting the Relata or one of the other
systems and adding to that would be of great bennifit as well, because
a lot of the work is already done for you and you got some extras in
there you will really enjoy.
Thanks,
webadept-ga
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