The Green Sheet 027

INCORPORATING TN I MICROGRAPHICS MARNIT PLACE AND THE MICROGRAPHICS NEWSLETTER Is s u e NO. 27

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M A Y / JUNE 2004

a lso in th is issu e :

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A n a lo g u e only, D ig ita l only, A n a lo g u e to D ig ita l a n d D ig ita l to A n a lo g u e Microfilm is involved with three out of four, not bad for an 1870’s (yes, eighteen hundreds) technology.

By Laurie Varendorjf ARM A A little history: I was first introduced to microfilm in 1974 when I managed a Xerox Copy Centre in Perth, Western Australia. I was fortunate in that I had a Xerox model 1824 (C size) plain paper output from aperture card production printer (no viewer). I also had a Xerox Copyflo at my disposal.

In later years, in the early 1980’s, I became a Canon dealer with the Canon CP370 ft CP380 range of microfilm reader printers which produced electrostatic coated paper prints with liquid toner carried in petroleum liquid. I also had the fortunate, or was that the unfortunate, experience to be the proud owner of several OCE 3710 electrostatic microfilm printers which printed A4 to AO (DIN) or USA A through E size prints. Imtec of the UK, Ricoh of Japan, Schaut and Zeutschel of Germany, plus a number of other manufacturers all had products based on electrostatic coated paper prints with liquid toner carried in petroleum liquid. Wow, am I glad that era has passed!

We also had Kodak with a 35mm 18” X 24” output multi bath automatic photographic printer a little before the electrostatic liquid era. A friend of mine in Melbourne, Ben Tosetto at AMS, has an old, dark battleship grey Bell ft Howell photographic paper reader printer with exposure only of the photographic paper and all manual processing done outside of the unit (an antique) in the foyer of his microfilm and scanning bureau.

Well, enough on nostalgia! Oh, I forgot the wonderful 3M dry silver paper units of various sizes, both wet and dry processing, followed by the dry pressure fusing electrostatic paper unit from Xidex, Fuji and others, before the plain paper era of Canon and Minolta swept the scene, world wide, in 1985 with most other manufacturers of Reader Printers rebadging the Canon and Minolta with the exception of Xidex, Agfa and a few other players.

Where are we now? I will concentrate on the Analogue to Digital products.

Analogue to Digital: Today most micrographic reader printers are basically reader scanners which dump a digital video image to a dumb laser printer, or directly connect to an intelligent laser printer via a PC, with or without operator control at the PC. These products generally come from the Japanese microfilm heavyweights of Canon and Minolta or currently Konica Minolta. The same holds true today with a number of micrographic players rebadging these same products as before in the reader printer era. We also have eImageData with, what I believe is, the previous Xidex base unit which has been updated and improved for the digital era and the Screen Scan product, which was produced in Lichtenstein and also the USA. I bought an A3 size Screen Scan unit from Nanomach in Lichtenstein and fitted it to a disused Canon NP580 and it served me well. The Screen Scan is still available from Indus International, Inc in the USA.

We have addressed most, if not all, of the players in this market with possibly the exception of Datagraphix and their little baby, the ImageMouse, released some years past and now taken over, and I understand, improved with the use of new lenses and CCD arrays by EyeCom in the USA. I was enthusiastic at the introduction of the ImageMouse by Datagraphix and took on selling the product (the first version), much to my dismay. I ended up with a demo model that I eventually gave away to an associate in the hope that he may find a good home for it, without ferocious cats so it could live out its life in peace. I was also hoping that one or two dollars may have passed my way on the deal but several years later, still no joy. At the upper end of this process there are excellent products from Wick ft Wilson, Sunrise, nextScan, Mekel, Kodak, Fuji and some other lesser known players who also have excellent products in this high volume production range of microfilm scanners. Again in some instances these products are rebadged by other micrographic suppliers.

Something New! This is the point I have been leading to, in that there is a new player (and some new radically different and possibly revolutionary products) on the scene at the low to mid range of output.

These new microfilm scanners are from ST Imaging of the USA with two 16/3 5mm roll film Scanners, the ST200 and the ST 100, due for release in June 2004.

I wish to advise readers of my interest in this product as the Australian distributor (even though I probably will not have seen my first unit by the time this article is published), but, that being said, the ST200 is unique (to the best of my knowledge) as the ST200 uses a video camera which leverages the 20 frame per second feed for viewing via a direct connected monitor without a PC being in the circuit. A higher quality and higher resolution image is captured by a separate 36mm CCD array line scanner for quality image capture and transfer to a PC for direct printing or saving to disk for editing, later printing, faxing or emailing. The PC in the circuit can share the same monitor as the ST200 base unit or have its own second monitor. The CCD array scans the image at 2,700 DPI for improved quality.

Visit ST Imaging’s site at www.stimaging.com and make your own assessment.

Is this product so revolutionary that it will cause the big iron boxes of mirrors and extensive light paths to end up as historical relics? Only time will tell!

Happy Microfilming! Or is that digitising?

Contact Laurie at Laurie.Varendorff@Bigpond.com

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H YB R ID S Y S T E M S • H YB R ID S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S •

WHAT'S IN A NAM E? If it's "hybrid", plenty - in terms of benefits and usefulness The world often defines us by our actions, so let’s take a quick look at two interesting definitions in Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition. hybrid - an offspring of two different-races, breed, or species is a definition that falls between huzzah - an expression of shout or acclaim and hydra - a many-headed serpent or monster.

These are very apt definitions.

Because hybrid imaging systems combine analogue (microfilm) and digital (computer) images they certainly are the multi-headed offspring of two different species. And they draw huzzahs because of the outstanding job they are doing as a document management solution that meets both shortand long-term needs.

These hybrid systems are doing the job at service bureaux and within in-house installations. They are doing it whether the images are captured initially on film or by scanning. Today’s technology makes moving from film to digital and vice versa easy and relatively inexpensive. Consequently there are units to handle it either way and there are even units that can scan and film simultaneously.

It comes as no surprise that the biggest users of hybrid systems are also the biggest users of microfilm systems. These are the organisations that have built up the largest databases of film-based information and now want digital access to this information whilst, at the same time, retaining their microfilm bases. Typically, these are government agencies, particularly on the local level, such as county clerks and recorders, libraries and non-government financial organisations such as insurance companies and banks. All have needs that call for both short-term and long-term solutions.

The digital end product is best suited for easy (desktop) and immediate access by virtually unlimited numbers of (networked) interested parties, whether within an organisation or among the general public. The microfilm product offers an inexpensive long-term storage medium when access needs are more limited. It is also a product that can be digitised for mass retrieval when and if that is required.

In this recap we deal with medium- to low-volume usage of microfilm scanners. High production volume units are a category onto themselves and will be covered in detail in a subsequent issue.

Film or scan first?

Need determines choice. Filming first makes more sense if the information has to be kept for any lengthy period of time. It’s absolutely the right choice if an archival record must be created.

Depending on how many users have to see the information, how quickly, and where the users are located, the film itself can be duplicated and used for access or it can be digitised for instant and multiple user access. When that occurs an archive has been created that is available for future digital references as well as duplication. There are also instances where fragile or historic documents are involved. In those cases filming first is called for because the less handling of such documents, the better. With scanning first there always is the likelihood there

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will have to be additional scanning down the line to keep up with changes in digital software and hardware technology.

However, scanning first is more practical if the information has only a short term use and there is no legal or other reason to keep it more than a few years. If that situation changes and an archival need arises, the digital documentation can always then be written to film.

The all-in-one scanner-filmer For those whose needs are to scan and film at the same time, Canon offers the DR 5060F, which it bills as a “scanner with a photographic memory”. It’s actually a digital scanner with a built-in microfilm backup system. The 5060F can simultaneously record images to a PC and an archival microfilm record. A medium-speed unit whose list price has come down recently, the 5060F can scan at speeds up to 100 pages per minute, including different sized originals in the same batch. Microfilm output is on 16mm roll film with a choice of 14X or 57X reductions.

For more information go to www.cusa.canon.com Another hybrid filmer-scanner is the Zeutschel OK 300 line. It is distributed in the US and Canada by Crowley Micrographics, in the UK by Best-Tec and throughout the rest of Europe by Zeutschel themselves. The OK 300/301 has three operating modes. It can scan or film onto 35mm/16mm roll film or do both scanning and filming simultaneously. The size of the originals depends on the camera table used. On the OK 300 they can go up to AO/E size, on the 301 up to Al/D size.

The microfilm camera head is removable and interchangeable.

The scan head is a high resolution CCD sensor that offers black and white 256 gray scale. An image is scanned and/or filmed in less than 10 seconds. A variety of book cradles and camera tables are available.

Visit www.crowleymicrographics.com Scanner-printers For most low- and medium-volume microfilm scanning needs there are currently a number of digital microfilm-scanner printers on the market that convert microfilm images to digital ones.

ALOS, which last year introduced the Z-Scan 45 Microform Scanner, has modified that unit and also just introduced the Z-Scan 46 Microform Scanner. The latter is a desktop universal unit that accepts all types of film - microfiche, jackets, aperture cards, 16mm and 35mm roll film and 16mm cartridges. It offers a 12” x 12” screen and takes the same lenses as the ALOS Z43 reader-printer. Multiple carriers are also available as options. Features include standard and auto image rotation, manual zooming, 6.5 sec/page scanning speed, optical resolution of 400 dpi and 200-800 dpi scanning density. It can be connected to a laser printer for fast multiple printing and allows scanned microform information to go straight to a PC for electronic filing and/or distribution. The PC connection on the Z-Scan 45 has been changed from a parallel to a USB connection. This improves scan speed by 30°/o and is said to also improve image quality.

ALOS sells the Z-Scan units through its dealer network in North, Central and South America.

For more information go to www.alosusa.com

H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S Within the last year Canon has introduced two new desktop microfilm scanners, the MS-350 Microfilm Scanner and the MS-300.

connection. Basically, it is a combination of the 200 and 300 models. The ScanPro 35 reads large format film images that may be on aperture cards or 35mm film.

The more recent MS-350 builds on the features of the 300 and joins the earlier MS-400, MS-500 and MS-300 Microfilm Scanners. The MS-350 has scanning speeds of up to 5.5 seconds for a letter-sized document and delivers image quality of up to 600 dpi optical resolution through Canon’s BASIS sensor technology. The MS-350 supports multiple scanning modes, including black and white and gray scale and scans images that are up to 8-V 2” x 14”. It comes with Canon’s CapturePerfect software and is compatible with Canon’s optional image SCAN software. Interchangeable film carriers allow use of 16/35mm roll film, ANSI “M” type cartridges, fiche, jackets and aperture cards.

For more information go to www.cusa.canon.com

The most recent member of the line is the ScanPro Direct. It offers all the standard features plus the ability to print directly to a laser printer with no computer required.

Visit www.e-imagedata.com, in the UK www.microfilm.com

e-Image Data has been in the marketplace with its ScanPro series of universal microfilm scanners for three years. Its first offerings were the ScanPro 200 and ScanPro 300, followed by the ScanPro 400 and most recently the ScanPro 35. The ScanPro 200 is a digital reader printer that comes in a print only version (with its own laser printer) but it requires no PC. The ScanPro 300 is a microfilm scanner with a USB connection that allows all microforms to be scanned directly to a PC. The unit comes with its own scanning software that allows storage to a CD, as well as e-mailing and faxing images. The ScanPro 400 is a step further up the chain - a digital reader-printer and microfilm scanner with USB

EyeCom offers its DRS 3000 Digital Retrieval System and DRS 3000 workstation. The system, touted as “The high-speed portal between film-based media and today’s digital world”, accepts all film types and sizes, depending on the carrier used.

Image magnifications of 24-48X, 10-36X and 7-30X are available with storage of the digitally-translated images on CD-ROMs or hard drive.

The DRS 3000 workstation is a more compact unit that views images in negative or positive modes. Originally designed to view and translate microfiche and jacketed images, it also offers optional manual roll film, motorised roll film and motorised 3M carriers, as well as a motorised ANSI carrier.

For more information go to www.eyecom.com

and Workstation

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Fuji’s M Drive microfilm scanner is a desktop 16mm unit that connects to a PC. It has been a well accepted player on the microfilm scanner scene for more than a half dozen years.

While there have been few major changes since its introduction, except for price reductions, Fuji’s software partners have made improvements that, in effect, have changed and improved some of the M Drive’s features. For example, non-blipped and blipped film can be read on the same M Drive whereas in the early days of the unit’s existence users had to purchase blipped or unblipped units.

For more information go to www.fujifilm.com Indus sells its 4608 Print Station but has also added a specialised hybrid Super Carrel for libraries. The Indus Super Carrel 3-Step reader printer is a hybrid that combines the Indus Super Carrel Library reader with digital scanning and p r i n t i n g capabilities. Three versions are available. One is the Super Carrel 3-Step RP which prints directly to an attached laser printer. Another is the Super Carrel with ScreenScan Model PC. This unit can scan and send TIFF images to a PC from the Super Carrel.

The size of the screen area is letter size. Third option is the Super Carrel with a ScreenScan Model A3. This allows film images to be scanned and TIFF images sent to a PC. In this

version the size of the scanned area is ledger size (11" x 17”).

In addition, Indus is offering the UDMS workstation that allows 35mm film (in aperture cards) to be viewed with a motorised transport on an A3 size screen and for the entire 11” x 17” image to be scanned in one pass. These scans go to any PC and then to any laser printer or large format printer for printing back on E-size paper.

For more information go to www.indususa.com Minolta’s established MS6000 and MS7000 digital microfilm scanner-printers are being sold through Konica Minolta dealers as well as through Eastman Kodak, which brands the units as the Kodak 2400 and 3000DSV. Visit www.minoltausa.com or www.kodak.com Some more true hybrids Eastman Kodak has pretty much cornered the market on high speed conversion of digital images into film images with its Archive Writers. The newest in the series is the two-year old 9600 line which replaced the earlier 4800 series. The newer version offers a better image quality, having gone from 4800 pixels to 9600 pixels. At a 24X reduction this translates 170 digital images per minute to 16mm film. At 40X reduction, it converts 400 images per minute.

The Kodak i7300 scanner When the 9600 was introduced, Kodak also announced a new Archive Writer film and also a software module that allows for a seamless bridge between a paper scanner, the Archive Writer, and Kodak’s i7300 scanner, which replaced the earlier Intelligent Microimage Scanner (IMS).

For more information go to www.kodak.com For the past year Staude has been marketing the Multi-Fly, a fiche carrier that can fit on the Canon MS300 /350 /400 /500 and 800 microfilm scanners as well as the Kodak 2400 and 3000DSV (the Minolta MS 6000 and 7000). It allows these units to be turned into production fiche/jacket scanners. One of the Multi-Fly’s major advantages is that it enables users to work with mixed image size fiche and jackets.

In the UK the Multi-Fly is handled by The Microfilm Shop.

Visit www.e-staude.com or www.microfilm.com Also available for high volume users are the high production level microfilm scanners previously reported in these pages, including those from Mekel, nextScan, SunRise Imaging and Wicks and Wilson. All of these are vital components and invaluable members of the hybrid systems industry and will be covered in The Green Sheet later this year.

Brand new formatted Web Site from The Microfilm Shop

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www.screenscan.com

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S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S • H YB R ID

Anacomp joins Koiax partnership programme P artn ersh ip to p ro v id e co m p lete D ocu m en t C aptu re, S to ra g e an d A rchive Anacomp, Inc. a global provider of information outsourcing services, maintenance support and imaging and print solutions, announced mid-October that it has joined the Kofax Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) programme. Kofax is claimed to be the world’s largest information capture vendor.

In conjunction with this announcement, Anacomp released two software programmes: Ascent to docHarbor and Ascent to Archive. These programmes integrate Kofax Ascent capture software with Anacomp’s scalable docHarbor outsource service and Image Express solution.

Anacomp’s docHarbor solution provides a central, Web-based repository that automatically transforms print streams, as well as scanned documents, into searchable business documents. The solution presents the requested information in an exact view through a standard Web browser. Anacomp’s Image Express is a onestop fdm solution for creating indexed document images and storing them on microfiche or 16mm film for archival purposes.

The Kofax Ascent platform enables companies to collect large volumes of forms and documents, transform them into useful, retrievable electronic information and deliver it all into a variety of workflow and document management systems. It can also capture e-documents, XML streams, and it enables front-end integration with enterprise applications.

The integration of Kofax Ascent makes Anacomp’s outsourced solutions immediately available to end-users. This capability allows an enterprise, agency or institution to scan documents, just as they normally would using Ascent, but now they can automatically direct the scanned documents to an economical online repository or to 16mm film or microfiche for long-term storage.

“In this age of corporate accountability, our ability to ‘shake hands’ with Ascent, provides an attractive option for users of Kofax’s industry leading software,” states Jeff Cramer, president and CEO of Anacomp. “Any enterprise can now begin to address its regulatory compliance requirements or prepare for potential litigation simply by making a choice to archive relevant documents in Anacomp’s secure Web repository, or by placing scanned documents on film or microfiche for long-term preservation. Once the choice is made, users don’t have to do anything else - the rest of the process occurs automatically.”

Anacomp performs scanning operations, both in its nationwide network of data centres and at customer locations. It is also the leading outsource storage provider for critical documents, e-mails and scanned images. Anacomp’s turnkey solutions assist companies in enhancing their business processes and achieving regulatory compliance while also providing a safeguard against possible future litigation.

Film SCAN STATION Wicks and Wilson Microfilm ScanStations deliver:-

High Speed 16 and 35mm bitonal and greyscale scanning 600dpi resolution Powerful software Exceptional image quality 1000ft spool option Affordable prices

Anacomp’s docHarbor solution accepts electronic data in print stream formats or as the result of document imaging. These documents are automatically indexed for online storage and accessed from a highly secure, hosted data centre. Exact-view replicas of printed documents, scanned documents, or e-mails are accessible on a 24/7 basis by authorised users through industry-standard Web browsers.

“More and more businesses are turning to information capture to cut time and cost out of processing paper documents, and Ascent has been the platform of choice for more companies than any other application,” said Anthony Macciola, VP Marketing for Kofax. “Anacomp’s seamless integration of Ascent with its archiving solutions is a prime example of the value that our TAP programme brings to our joint customers.”

The Kofax TAP programme includes more than 125 software, technology and application vendors whose solutions complement and extend the range of products offered by Kofax. Members of the programme include input device manufacturers, third-party independent software vendors, application developers and general technology partners.

For further information visit Anacomp’s web site at www.anacomp.com.

'Excellence by design' W i c k s a n d W ils o n Wicks and Wilson Limited, Morse Road, Basingstoke Hampshire, RG22 6PQ, United Kingdom Telephone. +44 (0)1256 842211 Fax: +44 (0)1256 840997 Email: sales®wwl.co.uk Web:www. wwl.co.uk

H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S • H YB R ID S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S

‘PAPERPRINF ■ TRAPPING THE TOME RAIDERS Unless rare literature has been photographed and comprehensively described, it is unlikely to be recovered if stolen. A new pioneering solution from Solar Imaging Systems marries technology with the study of paper to enhance the security of rare books and collectibles, whilst doubling-up as a valuable research tool.

One of the most prevalent types of international crime is the theft and trafficking of cultural objects, according to Interpol.

Among other antiquities, the theft of rare and collectible books accounts for a sizeable percentage of these crimes. In light of this growing trend librarians and curators are re­ evaluating security measures to ensure the preservation of rare books for generations to come.

out detailed research into the origins of paper using the PaperPrint method. As a result, Solar Imaging Systems, with the help of a SMART Award*, is now refining the APIS system for commercial use.

Unlike existing imaging techniques, the distinguishing feature of the APIS device is its ability to record the structure of the paper itself to provide a digital fingerprint. Using the APIS device, the PaperPrint method allows hand-made paper to be ‘fingerprinted’ without leaving any marks on the page. Dr Ian Christie-Miller, inventor of the PaperPrint method, said, “By fingerprinting each unique characteristic of handmade paper

Tracing the crime Both portable and high-in-value, rare books are an attractive target for potential thieves. Many are smuggled from literary institutions for re-sale to unsuspecting auctioneers, market traders and antique dealers. Furthermore, the likelihood of pinpointing the perpetrator at the scene of the crime is virtually impossible - particularly as this type of theft can go undetected for long periods of time.

In this way, documentation plays an important role in the protection of art and antiques. Without a detailed level of pre­ loss recording it can prove impossible to recover and return objects to their rightful owners.

Security conscious In recent years, there have been a number of incidences of rare book theft in the UK. A case involving a Cambridge graduate - dubbed ‘The Tome Raider’ by police - resulted in the perpetrator receiving a four year jail sentence for ransacking hundreds of rare books valued at an estimated £1.1 million. The stolen books included first editions of Principia Mathematica by Sir Isaac Newton, works by Galileo and The Wealth of Nations by the Scottish economist Adam Smith. Other cases highlight the popular practice of stealing ‘plates’ - usually pictures or maps - from ancient atlases and horticultural literature.

Aside from damaging the ancient works of authors, book kleptomaniacs are forcing literature collectors to reassess security systems in a bid to safeguard their collections.

Current security methods include blind-stamping and selective page marking, as well as lockable display casing and rapid checking systems for secure and open shelves. While effective to an extent, these measures are not hindering the offenders that continue to commit this type of crime.

and archiving in a database, the solution enables users to hold digital records of their rare collectibles - both as proof of identity and for posterity.”

The PaperPrint method relies on the ability to obtain twin high quality images. By layering the two images and archiving in one single electronic file, a complete paper fingerprint is obtained. The first image is taken using light reflected from the page. The second uses light transmitted from a flat, cool light sheet placed under the page to transmit the light through the page and record its paper structure. The unique distribution of paper structure presents an exclusive ‘PaperPrint’ for each page.

Conservation concerns The overriding design requirement for the advanced imaging system was to offer valuable protection for the safe handling of high-value works at a 45 degree opening. The APIS device has been specifically designed to minimise handling of rare and fragile works unnecessarily.

Fingerprinting for paper By performing stringent pre-loss recordings that detail a book’s unique identity, the task of verifying its rightful owner is a straightforward process. A pioneering new digital imaging method PaperPrint, which records the unique qualities of paper, has been developed from researches into ancient manuscripts.

In line with conservation techniques, librarians and curators responsible for collections of rare books, manuscripts and special materials are able to use the APIS device to catalogue images taken from books which may only be opened at a 45 degree angle. Using the PaperPrint method, the pages of any book can be turned without the risk of bending delicate originals.

The researcher, Dr Ian Christie-Miller, was working on 16th Century Kabbalistic manuscripts in France - one of which had no known date. To trace this information, Dr Christie-Miller used the book’s unique watermarks to solve the problem.

From this discovery, he built a device which now forms the basis of APIS - the Advanced Paper Imaging System - to carry

Dr Christie-Miller explains, “Books are extremely vulnerable to damage from light, moisture and heat, as well as rough handling, during photocopying for example. Early and rare books are often stiff and should not be forced open beyond the point of resistance. The APIS device ensures that collectibles are imaged safely and with no risk to the book itself.”

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H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S • H Y B R ID S Y S T E M S Not just revolutionary in its imaging techniques, the APIS device is instrumental in the study of handmade paper types and watermarks. During the process of documenting a book’s fingerprint, the imaging solution can also detect alterations such as abstractions and insertions.

Enhanced identification A covert enhancement for the security of books, the PaperPrint method also provides a potential deterrent to thieves. The solution acts as a legitimate measure to enhance security control by enabling rare books to be catalogued according to their unique properties.

Dr Christie-Miller continues, “Pre-loss recording in this way is a powerful tool: it ensures that if a book is stolen, the item can be explicitly identified and, crucially, the owner can be sure the book will be returned to its rightful home. Would-be thieves are unable to tell which pages have been imaged for identification and which have not, unlike the obvious librarystamping practices usually adopted.”

Digital imaging In proving its importance for research into the origins of paper and security enhancement, Dr Christie-Miller used the APIS device to record the paper structure of ‘The Grete HerbalT (dated 1526) for the Digital Records of Paper Structure at the British Royal Horticultural Society.

Furthermore, a recent grant from the Paul Mellon Centre for the Study of British Art enabled Dr Christie-Miller to visit three sites in the US for the same purpose. His objective was to collect PaperPrints from three copies of the same book, held at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, the Hariy Ransom Centre at the University of Texas, and the Huntington Library in California.

Consequently, it is now possible to compare digitally the numerous types of paper and watermarks taken from each copy of the same book. In addition, the complete set of images has now been archived with the Artloss Register** in a bid to protect the works from theft and trafficking. Dr Christie-Miller said, “This is the first time an entire volume has been recorded digitally using the PaperPrint technique. In doing so, the book’s security has been significantly enhanced and unique elements of the book’s composition have been discovered.

Moreover, a fully searchable database has been created and made available for further analysis.”

Meeting safety standards Both efficient and safety conscious, the solution enables users

to catalogue up to 200 pages per day without damaging originals. Although initially created to archive, index and document rare and collectible literature, the APIS device has enormous potential to deliver enhanced security for alternative industries looking to keep digital records of important information, or trace its origin.

In protecting rare collections against criminal activity, museums and libraries have to strike a balance between safeguarding early editions and allowing people to enjoy them. The PaperPrint innovation enables a proactive approach to preserve valuable literature by ensuring it remains digitally intact. An affordable and high-quality solution, this new product will help ensure safety standards are met and the market for rare book theft is diminished.

‘SMART (Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology) Awards are Government grants given to establish the feasibility of innovations and inventions, and help the development of products through to the pre-production state.

Dr Christie-Miller received a £ 10,000 SMART Award from the Department of Trade and Industry for APIS - Advanced Paper Imaging System - in 2003.

"Artloss Register is the world’s largest private international database of lost and stolen art, antiques and collectibles. The Artloss Register provides recovery and search services to collectors, the art trade, insurers and law enforcement through technology and a professionally trained staff of art historians._________ _______ __ _________ Dr Ian ChristieMiller PhD is a Vi s i t i n g Research Fellow at the University of London, in the School of Advanced Studies within the Institute of English. Dr Christie-Miller, in partnership with Solar Imaging, is developing and marketing the Advanced Paper Imaging System and PaperPrint (Patent pending) method for the covert enhancement of security of books.

Solar will be launching the APIS at the 2004 Library Information Show.

Contact: Dr Ian Christie-Miller at Solar Microfilm Equipment Ltd on 01634 290099, Email: mail@solar-imaging.com or visit www.solar-imaging.com or www.earlypaper.com.

Solar Im agin g http://www.solar-imaging.com/ CQ

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www.solar-imaging.com 1 Laser Quay, Culpeper Close, Medway City Estate Rochester, Kent ME2 4HU

GOD c °ofuc'> y

• Roll 16/35mm • A3, A2, Portfolio • Fiche • Aperture Card

• Splicer • Film Cleaners • Inspection Loaders • Quality Control

°3nn®' • 16/35mm Microfilm • Fiche • Aperture Card

c3nn® • A2, A1, AO, Planetary • Transparencies, Xrays • Books • Maps • 3D

Tel: r44 (0)1634 6 9 0 0 6 9 Fax: +44 (0)1634 9 9 0 1 1 0 Email: mBil@Bolar-imaglng.oom

Managing the information black hole

By Liz Maloney, UK Managing Director, Hummingbird

documents, copy others immediate communication.

into

When email was first introduced to businesses, it promised to i m p r o v e communication across the globe between customers, colleagues and partners - enabling us to attach messages and allow

Years on, however, businesses are beginning to see the problems that email has brought with it. Now, email can be less of a miracle and more of a milestone around the neck of the IT manager and end-users.

Many people receive more than 200 emails a day which means, not only is the process of reading spam and deleting emails time-consuming, but people are handling vast quantities of business-critical information with no guidelines in place to deal with it. With so much information at the business’ fingertips, vital knowledge is being deleted at the click of a mouse or stored away in personal email files.

INFORMATION OVERLOAD The problem lies with how people manage email. People are given email tools with no advice or training on how to deal with the information they receive, such as what to store away and what to delete. Although there are strict policies and procedures to deal with hard-copy information, staff are less likely to have processes in place to handle softcopy data. With most information flowing into a business in the form of soft-copy, this presents a real danger.

Corporate compliance and regulation have been massive issues since scandals such as Enron and WorldCom, which have made businesses sit up and look at how they are managing information in all its forms, including email. An increasing amount of corporate compliance will require more businesses to retain certain records for a limited time, at which point they may be deleted. There’s also the issue of the Data Protection Act, which requires data “not to be kept longer than necessary” - posing problems to people with information ranging from staff records to client details held in inboxes.

Companies are also becoming increasingly aware of the conflicting pressures on data management from regulations such as the Higgs report, Basel II, revisions to the UK Companies Act and new EU directives on corporate disclosure.

The UK has always been streets ahead of the US in the compliance game. The Cadbury Report, published in 1992 is considered to be the “Magna Carta” of corporate governance and UK directors in many industries have

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improved processes and put in place controls to avoid corporate scandal.

It’s not just a case of managing information, but email also has legal issues attached to it. Emails can now constitute a record - which means an email could end up being “exhibit A” in court of law. All emails pertaining to a particular business matter should be stored safely and organisations should be made aware of correspondence implications relating to everything from financial affairs to customer services and personnel issues.

GIVE PEOPLE THE POWER With research from the University of California showing that more information will be generated in the next three years than in the entire history of mankind, businesses are going to have to give up some staff time to manage email.

However, this can’t be done without policies and procedures in place to guide staff on keeping or deleting emails as well as how and where to file them. This will ensure that business-related emails that need to be kept are stored and that others are deleted so as not to overload the IT system. In any organisation, this is going to involve a fairly radical culture shift and possibly an investment in technology to support it.

Email-archiving technology is one idea but it could be used as a “data dustbin” and end up more like a black hole rather than a properly managed archiving solution. In a busy department, there usually isn’t time to try and locate emails archived in this way.

THE SOLUTION A more intelligent solution is to use document and records management technology to safely store business-relevant emails. Such systems are transparent to users, as they automate the filing of emails and are globally accessible within the organisation. With such a tool, anyone can quickly find what they are looking for and be assured that they have retrieved all the relevant documents and nothing is missed. Such a system will also ensure there is no duplication of information and the system will not be overloaded with unnecessary data storage.

Managing email and storing it using an intelligent solution will also mean that the business can start creating a knowledge framework that effectively manages and controls corporate information. This, together with empowering individuals, will ensure business process and productivity improve and that it won’t be caught out by legislation and regulation.

Businesses need to start putting the necessary policies and procedures in place and begin investing iir suitable technology to help straddle the paper and electronic age the onus now for them is to be proactive and face the compliance challenge head-on.

For more information, visit http://www.hummingbird.com

CASE STUDY

Cardiff Solution selected by Bournemouth Borough Council to improve Citizen Access to Public Services Council to implement Cardiff LiquidOffice eForm solution to help meet UK government e-GIF mandates that seek to make all government services available electronically by 2005 Cardiff Software Ltd., a leading global provider of document capture and eForm solutions for the enterprise, recently announced that Bournemouth Borough Council has selected Cardiff LiquidOffice to automate processing of public and internal forms in order to meet the UK government’s e-GIF (Government Interoperability Framework) mandates. Cardiffs eForm solution will aid the council in meeting the goal of complete Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) by 2005. The solution was implemented by certified Cardiff reseller Ftarlequin Solutions.

LiquidOffice will be used initially to make public facing forms available on the Borough Council Web site, providing citizens with round-the-clock access to government services. Once this phase of the implementation is complete, Bournemouth will extend the use of LiquidOffice to internal functions such as Human Resources and Finance, where it will automate the way forms are submitted, processed and routed for approval.

LiquidOffice was selected ahead of five other competing solutions for its ability to seamlessly integrate with the Harlequin Punch portal content management solution and conform to eGIF specifications. Additional decision criteria included LiquidOffice's adherence to open standards, and its ability to meet the growing and future demands of the council.

“Other solutions could not meet our stringent requirements of integration with existing technology investments and scalability for future expansion,” said Dave Greenshields, head of client services at Bournemouth Borough Council. “The portal is central to our system and Cardiff s open standards architecture allows us to easily integrate with our existing systems. Cardiffs established presence as a business process automation vendor gave us further peace of mind”

SCAN STATION Wicks and Wilson Microfilm ScanStations deliver:-

Maximum productivity Superior image quality Fully featured software 600dpi resolution Affordable prices

The council is taking advantage of LiquidOffice’s Web-based interface and open architecture to quickly capture, process and connect to pertinent information submitted by its constituents and employees via easy-to-use, online forms. In addition to providing an online interface for submitting forms, LiquidOffice enables the council to reduce data entry costs through its ability to transfer form data directly into back office applications and databases. LiquidOffice's ability to bring forms online will enable the council to be even more accessible and responsive to its citizens, which ultimately supports its commitment to providing the highest level of customer service.

“We have seen a growing number of local government agencies in the UK adopting LiquidOffice to improve citizen accessibility to government services, improve responsiveness to constituents and reduce costs,” said Tim Dubes, vice president of sales and marketing EMEA. “As the drive towards full electronic service delivery in 2005 gathers momentum, we expect more and more government agencies to turn to LiquidOffice.”

'Excellence by design' W i c k s a n d W ils o n

Contact: Warren Daniels, EMEA Marketing Communications Executive, Cardiff Ltd., 77a Boston Manor Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 9JQ Email: WDaniels@Cardff.com Tel: +44 (0)20 8326 1100 Fax: +44 (0)20 8326 1122

Wicks and Wilson Limited, Morse Road, Basingstoke Hampshire, RG22 6PQ, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)1256 842211 Fax: +44 (0)1256 840997 Email: sales®wwl.co.uk Web:www. wwl.co.uk

!HE CESSIT U

IS T

...or so they say, and that is exactly why Tiff Tools Ltd came into being

By Jon Gill, Managing Director of Tiff Tools Ltd Only a few short years ago there was simply no way to easily produce a page count of all tiff images within a folder structure, including single page and multipage tiff fdes. This practice of course is essential for the scanning bureau to record accurate information when invoicing the customer for the pages scanned. An equally important role for tiff counting software is for use, by the customer, as a means of verifying that the invoiced page counts, from the scanning bureau, actually agree with the images received.

And so the first product was bom, “Tiff Counter”.

Now in use in many organisations throughout the world, providing detailed audit information about each tiff image file including; CRC validation, file date/time, pagecount and index keystrokes count. The Cyclic Redundancy Checksum (CRC) validation enables the user to refer back to the original audit at a later stage and confirm, or otherwise, if the file is the same as it was when it was first audited. Even changing just one pixel on a tiff image will result in a changed CRC value, thereby showing violation of the integrity of the original file.

One further point worth mentioning is the very reasonable price of the Tiff Counter - FREE!!! Yes, that is right, you did read that correctly. Prior to last year you would have had to pay for it, but Tiff Tools made the decision during the latter part of last year to give this excellent tool away, absolutely free of charge, and it can be used on as many pc’s within your organisation as you wish.

Next came two highly successful products, “Tiff Compiler” and “Tiff Splitter", both tools highly valued amongst document scanning departments Et bureaux. Tiff Compiler enables the user to point at a top level folder and drill down through all subfolders to compile all The Tiff Compiler single page tiff files within a folder, into a multipage tiff file, named the same as the parent folder of the individual tiffs.

Tiff Splitter, surprise surprise, does the reverse. Again, the software will drill down through entire folder structures, seeking out multipage tiff files and splitting them into single page tiff files, placing the single pages into folders named the

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same as the original multipage file. Both products are available as GUI applications and commandline utilities. Tiff & Tools MD, Jon Gill, said “Our ability and willingness to revise our products to Output tofctof meet specific customer requirements has proved to fief be very popular. Indeed, if we do not currently have the tool that you require we will write it specifically for The PDF Splitter you.

Furthermore, depending upon the usefulness of the software to a wider audience, you may not even have to pay for any development work, just a very reasonable retail price.”

The tiff tools Document Manager application can make a big difference to the way you manage your day to day MSWord, MSExcel and tiff image documents. Within the concurrent multi-user environment of Document Manager you are able to control your entire organisations documentation. Once a document is created or added to the system it is allocated a unique document reference number and revision/issue status.

If you need to revise the document, simply ‘check it out’ to work on it. All other users can still view the document whilst you have it ‘checked out', but nobody else can revise it whilst you have it ‘checked out’.

Once you are happy with your revisions, simply click ‘check in’ and the previous version is archived and the new version is made current and is then available to all as the latest version. The revision number is automatically incremented.

The Document Manager ‘controls’ your document management.

You are not limited to certain file types either. Document Manager accepts ANY windows file type, all microsoft office word, excel, powerpoint, etc. document types. All image types including tiff and jpg. All file types including zip and txt. Absolutely any document or file can be managed by the Document Manager to enable you to fully control versioning of everything within your organisation.

The powerful search algorithm enables the user to simply type in any part of any word, or combination of words in any order, and the Document Manager will find your documents. For example, a search for ’’Johnson pipes inch 42” would return all items in the database that include all of the search words. Similarly if you searched for ’’John 42 pip inc” the complex search algorithm would return the same list of items.

Optionally, you can further ‘hone’ your search by. selecting the document type, author and/or customer from the user customisable drop down picklists. You can search on one field or a combination of all fields.

The basic user licence is a 5 concurrent user system at a remarkably low price. The software requires no ‘server’. The

m o f m vcnnan" entire concurrent multi-user functionality will work in any environment from a simple peer-to-peer network, to a full server environment.

Installation is very simple. Install the application once only on either a pc hard drive (in the case of a peer-to-peer network) or into a central shared hard-drive.

There is no software to install on the desktops themselves at all, a simple shortcut is all that is needed.

Document management specialists Dectel Security Limited has been using the Tiff Tools Document Manager since December 2002 and has been a key player in the continued development of the product. Dectel MD, John Ellis, said “We manage the creation and revision of all of our internal documents including quotations, IS09001:2000, customer correspondence, job specifications, personnel records, minutes of meetings - the list is endless. The built-in twain scanning engine is also extremely useful for getting the all important correspondence paper attachments into the system. The document revision process within Document Manager is very comprehensive and is yet another example of extremley good value for money within this product.”

Fiche SCANSTATION Wicks and Wilson Microfilm ScanStations deliver:-

High speed bitonal and greyscale scanning The PDF Tool Box And then of course there is the PDF Toolbox. Just like the other great products, the PDF Splitter ft PDF Compiler enable you to drill down through complete folder structures in all modes. Thumbnails are automatically embedded. PDF Toolbox is a set of tools that work together within a single product as a ‘plugin’ to Adobe Acrobat version 5 or above. It enables the user to batch process all the time consuming tasks of:★ ★ ★ ★

600dpi resolution Productive 'batch' scanning Impressive image quality Advanced software Affordable prices

Compiling multi-page pdfs from any combination of single page and multi-page pdfs Splitting multi-page pdfs into single page pdfs Counting all pdf pages to provide audit or invoicing information.

Create PDF files from Tiff and Jpeg files

All of the processes are batch ‘unattended’ processes that will drill down through entire folder structures and work on all pdfs (or tiff and jpg) within the Folder structure, including all subfolders. All the processes are completely non-destructive to your original files.

PDF Compiler - Take a folder of pdf files and compile them all into one large multi-page pdf file. Option to keep or delete the original pdf s.

PDF Splitter - Take a multi-page pdf file and split it out into single page pdf s.

PDF Page Counter - Excellent for both the imaging service bureau to provide page count information for invoicing, and equally good for the customer to check that he has indeed been invoiced for the correct number of pages processed by the service bureau.

Convert Tiff/Jpg to PDF - Quite simply, it will convert every tiff file and jpg file it encounters into a pdf file, named the same as the original tiff/jpg.

Contact: sales@tiff-tools.com

'Excellence by design' icks and Wilson Wicks and Wilson Limited, Morse Road, Basingstoke Hampshire, RG22 6PQ. United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0)1256 842211 Fax: +44 (0)1256 840997 Email: salesOwwl.co.uk Web:www.wwl.co.uk

CASE STUDY

FLS Aerospace Cakes flight with PowerRetrieve spent walking to and from the Reader Printers.

Therefore a process to both convert the analogue microfilm into electronic format and then deliver to the end users on the hangar floor was required.

2. FLSA also required that their “workpacks” be scanned progressively as the check takes place allowing a prompt return of the workpack to the aircraft operator.

Also providing the ability for both FLSA staff and the aircraft operator to retrieve this data quickly and efficiently.

Keeping an aircraft flying is a testament to good engineering and maintenance. Every time an aircraft is serviced, specialist technicians are involved in checking everything from the Radome to the Tail Fin. FLS Aerospace is Europe’s leading independent Maintenance Repair Organisation. The company operates a network of maintenance centres from airports around Europe and has more than 3,000 employees worldwide. Customers include Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic, easyJet, MyTravel and Ryanair.

When FLS Aerospace perform maintenance on an aircraft, they use a schedule of maintenance tasks known as a “workpack”.

Each workpack has a series of task cards containing detailed maintenance tasks for the aircraft check. As the check is performed in the hangar these task cards are completed and signed by the mechanics working on the aircraft. These task cards are a critical account of the service history of the aircraft. The original audited workpack must be returned to the aircraft operator post check, and a copy is held by the maintenance provider FLSA. The aircraft mechanics also use highly detailed technical manuals. These manuals may be available in either Microfilm or CD-ROM format. It is required that the aircraft mechanics have easy access to these manuals throughout the aircraft maintenance.

In October 2000, FLS Aerospace undertook a project called Formula One (FI). The main objective of this project was to increase the efficiency of the aircraft check maintenance process by improving existing procedures and adding new processes. A vital element was to reduce the tumtime required to overhaul an aircraft. The use of workstations was introduced, which are basically winterms and work areas placed at each zone of the aircraft. For example a workstation is located at the wings, cabin, tail dock etc. This reduces the requirement for the aircraft mechanic to move away from the zone from where he is working, thus increasing production efficiency.

Two important projects within FI were identified and John Conlon, a Project Engineer with FLS Aerospace, Dublin, was given the responsibility to deliver on the following: 1. To fully utilise the use of workstations, it was deemed necessaiy that all technical manuals be available in electronic format. This reduces the ineffective time

14

Following several pilot runs on various systems, FLSA selected PowerRetrieve, which embeds Convera’s intelligent search and retrieval system, RetrievalWare. InfoCAP, a UKbased software developer specialising in information management and retrieval technologies and a partner of Convera, developed PowerRetrieve.

“PowerRetrieve was the only product that we found that addressed both business needs,” explains John Conlon. “The software could capture and convert the analogue microfilm manuals and store them in a format from which data could be retrieved simply and efficiently by the end users, allowing the aircraft mechanics to easily locate the appropriate section within the correct manual.”

Part 1: Digitising of microfilm The process began by converting the microfilm images into a digital readable format using PowerRetrieve’s Capture feature which includes OCR (Optical Character Recognition) turning the images into computer readable text documents, PowerRetrieve then automatically indexes the results. The resultant text and tif files are all brought together by the PowerRetrieve index, which created what is called a fileroom of the stored data. The manuals (Maintenance Manual, Illustrated Parts Catalogue, Structural Repair Manual, etc) can then be put onto CD-ROM for viewing. A full PowerRetrieve search engine is then used to retrieve this data on the hangar floor, which allows the user to simply type in the required ATA chapter for viewing of the image within seconds. The page can then be printed if necessary. This process has the added advantage of extending the life of the information, as microfilm can fade with use over time.

Part 2 Workpack Scanning The second stage of the project was to use PowerRetrieve to transform the maintenance workpacks into a digital archive that could be indexed and searched by both FLSA staff and the aircraft operator. This consisted of both scanning the documents in an efficient manner and then user friendly retrieval of the task cards. This provides FLSA with an electronic library and efficient data retrieval, resulting in close to 1 million sheets of paper taken out of circulation.

Each workpack consists of a series of task cards, which the aircraft mechanic completes as he carries out his tasks on the aircraft. Prior to this project implementation, these cards were copied and stored in FLSA’s Quality Assurance department as paper records; this made it extremely difficult and time-

consuming to find information regarding a particular part of the check maintenance.

After much research FLSA decided to use Kofax Accent Capture, a document scanning system to scan and index the task cards. This software is coupled with a hardware scanning unit. This combination allows FLSA to index each scanned document, as per task card barcode and also per document type should there be no barcode. The resultant is again a tif and text file for each image scanned. With PowerRetrieve’s index and search function, these files are transferred into an electronic file room.

In addition, the powerful index engine automatically indexes the entire contents of the workpacks providing a search capability that the end user can search for information based on the barcodes or on any content within the workpack themselves. For example anywhere “wings” is printed on the entire workpack can be retrieved, printed and e-mailed within seconds. This greatly decreases the time taken to retrieve a particular card or content within a workpack for FLSA’s Invoicing, Engineering, Planning and QA departments.

Retrieved documents can be printed, faxed or e-mailed at the click of a button. This is in stark comparison to physically going through boxes of information. “The content search proved extremely helpful,” says Conlon. “Any printed text from the whole workpack can be retrieved.”

Once the entire workpack is complete, the contents are transferred onto a CD-ROM, and the data is made available across the LAN.

FLSA now has the capability to provide the unique service of providing a CD-ROM of the completed check to the aircraft operator’s technical representative. Together with a copy of the entire Workpack service records, a copy of PowerRetrieve Search is also added to the CD, providing an electronic history of maintenance that allows the representative to search and retrieve any document from the workpack using a Windowsbased PC. The user can then browse through folders or search on the contents of the Workpacks using PowerRetrieve’s unique pattern recognition search engine. Using this new leading edge technology, FLSA can also now provide information scanning and electronic storage of data for third parties.

One of the key benefits of working with InfoCAP was the company’s flexibility. The aerospace maintenance sector is extremely specialist and, following an early trial of PowerRetrieve, the company requested several small changes to tailor the software more closely to its requirements. Once these improvements were made, the software was rolled out across FLSA. “PowerRetrieve has been a hugely successful tool in the indexing and retrieval of both scanned documents and microfilm,” continues Conlon. “The time to copy a workpack and the efficiency of data retrieval have improved greatly.”

Contact David Dawes, MD, InfoCAP Technologies Ltd DavidD@infocap.co.uk or visit www.infocap.co.uk

TRANSM EDTA LTD

C O N V E R S IO N S P E C IA L IS T S

020 8686 4222

enquiries@tmt.co.uk

0 1 7 9 2 5 8 1441

www.tmt.co.uk

CASE STUDY

Swiss Tax Office processing more returns As the eighth largest city in Switzerland, the tax office in Lucerne processes the tax returns of about 40,000 people.

Using Captiva’s InputAccel, they were able to adjust to a major increase in throughput, while concurrently speeding processing and generating cost savings, all of which contributed to them realising a return on investment in only two years.

The Challenge Since January 2001, tax authorities in Lucerne have been faced with a revision of the tax law that involved transitioning from a two-year taxation system to a one-year system. Until the year 2000 the following system was in place: Every odd year (e.g., 1999), taxpayers received a tax form.

This form was used to declare income and asset information for the two outgoing years (in this case 1997 and 1998). But with the new tax system, taxpayers are now required to submit a tax return every year, which created a 60°/o increase in the amount of tax returns to be processed annually.

To handle the increased workload, the tax office in Lucerne would have had to increase its staff by at least 15 people, which would have meant additional spending of approximately one million Euros per year. Dr. Esther Muller, director of the tax office in Lucerne, summarised the challenge: “Our goal, ambitious as it was, was to handle this 60 percent increase without increasing the number of tax officials.”

Achieving this goal was also complicated by the face that this project was the first of its kind in Switzerland, and many uncertainties had to be cleared up for the Lucerne tax office employees - work processes had to be modified, and fears of handling new technology had to be eliminated.

The Solution The Lucerne tax office first hired Interact Consulting, a company that had already garnered valuable experience in the efficient handling of extremely sensitive personal data during their “Swiss Federal Census 2000” project. Interact selected InputAccel, Captiva’s enterprise level documentcapture solutions, and DOKuStar from Oce, a combination they had previously implemented with great success.

The project was done in two phases: Phase 1 consisted of capturing returns from the previous tax assessment period with automatic document recognition, which allowed staff to gain digital access to data for previous tax periods.

Concurrently, the tax forms were customised to meet the new technical requirements. In Phase 2, the system was used to automatically read and process taxpayers’ handwritten information on returns from the current tax assessment period. This data was then transferred to the new tax assessment solution, which activated an automatic tax estimate for each.

The tax returns, mostly filled out by hand, and their related documents are now scanned directly at the mailbox with the help of InputAccel capture software. The taxpayer’s various forms are automatically recognised by the system using DOKuStar. The main focus in all of this was to automate the routine work so that employees could concentrate more on

the core duties for which their tax expertise was needed. An additional reason for choosing InputAccel as the capture platform is the timely and geographically flexible task processing it provided with its signature strength of distributed capture.

The Results The tax office in Lucerne now possesses the most modem tax return processing solution in Switzerland, which delivers some very impressive benefits within the overall workflow and directly to the bottom line.

Not only was the tax office able to easily handle a seemingly overwhelming increase in workload - 60°/o - but they were able to do so without hiring additional staff, which would have cost millions. On top of that enormous savings, they added an additional cost reduction of approximately 5.33 Euros per return (213,200 Euros annually), and witnessed a complete return on their investment in only two years.

Additionally, the tax office has witnessed a higher level of customer satisfaction as taxpayer inquiries are handled much more quickly than before. However, it’s not just the customers enjoying the benefits of the new system; it’s also the staff members themselves. As mentioned, at the beginning of the project many Lucerne tax office employees had reservations about changing work habits and adapting to new technologies...but not anymore. Now, clerks enjoy having information available in only seconds with just one mouse click, which in turn provides them with more time for tasks wherein their true expertise lies, such as generating tax assessments. Employees are as busy as ever, but where they were previously busy pushing paper, they are now performing qualitatively high-value tasks, increasing their worth to the organisation, and working more productively within the new parameters of the paperless office.

“The decisive element for our success was the introduction of a new and flexible scanning system,” says Dr. Muller. “We are very satisfied with the project results and are now seeing other possibilities for the concepts used here.”

With InputAccel as their capture platform, the Lucerne tax office now has a powerful, flexible solution that can address their existing processing needs and be easily scaled to adapt to new requirements when they arise. Their staff members are experiencing increased job satisfaction, their customers are enjoying faster service, and the overall organisation is benefiting from faster, more accurate throughput and tremendous cost savings.

For more information visit www.captivasoftware.com

F R E E INFORMATION G G Baker & Associates - suppliers of unbiased reference works for over 30 years - invite you to use their very extensive website at

www.ggbaker.com The UK's most comprehensive directory of document management products and services.

Tutorials relating to electronic document management, micrographics and hybrid systems.

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T h e co n te n t is re g u la rly u p da te d an d can be accessed w ith o u t charge .

The Green Sheet/BSI Regional Seminar Programme hits town!

This year’s seminar programme was launched at UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) in the old industrial heart of the North West of England.

With the prevailing South Westerly winds providing ideal damp conditions for providing water power to the mills, this was the centre of the English cotton industry for over two centuries. The first record of cloth manufacture was in 1352 when “Manchester Cotton,” a kind of woollen cloth, made from the fleece in an unprepared state, was introduced. But it wasn’t until the 1750’s that cotton production, based on raw material from the southern states of the USA, started in earnest. The business was based on the infamous slave triangle of manufactured items from Britain to West Africa, slaves to the Americas and cotton back to Britain. The slave trade was stopped by Parliament in 1807 but the cotton trade prospered, and Manchester with it, until the 1960’s when business was overtaken by low cost imports from developing countries.

Today, Manchester is a modem cosmopolitan city with a proud heritage and a diverse culture. Its wealth is based on a diverse mix of commerce and industry with strong cultural and academic organisations.

But Manchester was spinning to a different sound when the Green Sheet / BSI seminar programme came to town on the 13th May. Although the UK has had more than any country (over five years) to prepare for Freedom of Information legislation, the impact has still to be felt in many organisations.

Maurice Frankel, director of The Campaign for Freedom of Information (http://www.cfoi.org.uk), was recently quoted as saying: “We are going to write to every newspaper in the country, explaining the act, offering training on the act and explaining what they can do to put the act to test,” Frankel told an EGovemment Bulletin seminar last month. “You are going to be tested on this legislation the moment it comes into force by your local newspapers, by national newspapers, by local groups of various kinds. It’s going to be on the front page if you don’t do it properly.” He declined to offer precise details of the form the test for councils would take, to preserve an element of surprise. “There’ll be very little sympathy from the public or press if you say ‘we’ve only had a little time to prepare’.

Nobody’s going to believe you.” said Frankel.

The seminar outlined the changes needed in terms of the attitude of individuals, organisational policies and procedures and the way technology could be employed. The training materials currently available were explained and elements demonstrated.

Reaction from delegates was very positive with marks for content, presentation skills and knowledge all in the 85% to 95%. Nearly 80% of delegates found the content relevant to their needs and would recommend the course to colleagues.

Comments such “Excellent course overall” summed up the day.

The main concern of delegates was the practical implication of

training front line staff to recognise enquiries as formal requests under the appropriate legislation and to react and, if necessary, refer the enquiry to the appropriate part of the organisation. This is not necessarily that easy, as enquiries may constitute requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI), the Data Protection Act (DPA), the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), Section 8 of the Human Rights Charter or Environmental Information Regulations (EIR). Some of these requests need to be in writing and some do not; there is a requirement to respond under FOI or EIR within 20 days, and 40 days for DPA. If your child leaves the local swimming pool with their eyes streaming and you ask the staff about the chlorine levels, then that constitutes a formal request under EIR. Similarly if a cleaner in a local hospital or school accidentally spills neat cleaning solution on somebody’s leg and they ask “what’s that?” then that also constitutes a request under EIR. As front line staff are unlikely to be able to differentiate in detail, it will be necessary to inculcate a positive attitude from the top down. Obvious questions should be answered swiftly (What are the library opening hours?) and appropriate procedures should be put in place to refer more difficult questions to the right people. The FOI act even stipulates that queries should, where necessary, be referred to other bodies in a pleasant and constructive manner.

Given that district councils, police forces and NHS Trusts typically employ thousands of staff, and county and unitary authorities employ tens of thousands, such training needs to be part of the induction process. This is in addition to existing specialist training and general job training in Health ft Safety, physical and computer security, responsible use of web and email, protection of personal data etc..

The task on a national basis is daunting and most existing training concentrates on the required strategies (which should, by now, be in place) rather than practical implementation. As the pressure builds up we can expect to see even more demand in the months to come.

Host - Mr David Aspinall The Green Sheet/BSI seminar was hosted by David Aspinall, Director, Datum Solutions Limited with guest speaker Philip Jones, Head of Information Resources for Staffordshire County Council, who is currently President of the International Records Management Council.

Guest Speaker - Mr Philip Jones ►

The next event takes place at Reading University on the 30th June. Book your space NOW!!

Delegate places are limited so anyone that would like further details should contact Tim Nixon on 024 7638 2328 (tim@green-sheet.net) or David Aspinall on 01252 612805 (daspinall@datum-solutions.co.uk) as soon as possible.

Alternatively, you may book places on-line by visiting www.green-sheet.net.

17

HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS • HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS

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Automatic Invoice Processing can cut the rising paper/data mountain down to size - but only when it’s done right. Colin Dean, MD of document management and data capture specialist ITESOFT UK takes a look at the issues.

Every single working day you are swamped by incoming web, faxes, paper and email invoices that have to be sorted, prioritised and distributed, this takes time - lots of time -which costs money, creates delays and keeps you away from your real work.

Automatic invoice processing such as EDI (electronic data interchange) have proven a big help, but its only solved part of the paper chase. Large businesses, for example retail, manufacturing and supermarket chains, successfully manage known supplier invoices by operating tight contractual agreements with suppliers - 70 per cent of invoices follow set rules and therefore can be automatically processed.

But not everything is so simple - what about companies that, by the veiy nature of their business, are unable to implement such agreements and even companies with these rules in place are unable to control the ‘casual relationships,’ the 30 per cent of unknown invoices that still require manual processing, an error prone process that averages 25 days per invoice.

Time in hand Businesses often believe they have implemented automatic invoice processing - but they haven’t. Unless they have been implemented within the last 24 months, most invoice management solutions are typically a hybrid of imaging devices such as printers, scanners, copiers and faxes that combine with enterprise content management software. At best they automate only a part of the overall AP process.

Most companies receive the majority of their invoices on paper. Some will scan into a “key from image” system; others will key directly from paper originals into the corporate accounting system. Mistakes or mis-keying at the manual keying point are common, cause queries and discrepancies at a later stage - even after payment in some cases. The cost of these errors in reprocessing and the effort of referring back to original documents can be onerous.

Outside of a small group of efficient retailers and manufacturers, an average invoice costs between $15 - $50 to process. To measure the true cost to an enterprise of processing invoices, you must look beyond the cost of keying data. What happens to an invoice after data capture? The paper invoice is compared with purchase orders and, in exceptional cases, when for example the value is high, or the PO’s don’t tally, the invoice will be sent to the original purchaser for approval, signed and returned, a process prone to delay and loss of documents.

Queries and disputes often demand retrieval of paper documents - a costly exercise. The process is inefficient and storage space is invariably at a premium. Information at the point of enquiry may not be sufficient to enable accurate retrieval.

The paperless transaction remains a myth Given that paper is unlikely to become obsolete any time soon, businesses must continue to look for ways to manage it

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more intelligently and refine how paper and electronic document tools work together across the business process.

However businesses continue to operate to varying business rules, this non-conformation means that automatic invoice processing technology has struggled to achieve the efficiency that has been expected from it. But advances made in the last two years mean that this does not have to be the case.

The Great White Hope Attempts have been made to automate at least part of the supplier invoice process. EDI was touted as the wonder application, but in most cases it has failed to eliminate paper from the process, as supplier invoices continue to arrive on an ad hock basis from a whole host of businesses.

Such invoice solutions work extremely effectively on invoices that meet the strict criteria laid out by the business - but what about the 30 per cent that don’t? A good example is European car manufacturer, PSA Peugeot Citroen Group, who until recently were receiving 1.5 million supplier invoices a year of which of nearly 500 thousand invoices still required manual processing. However ITESOFT’s automatic invoice processing technology that incorporates OCR (optical Character recognition) technology eliminates this costly process.

Leading the way Today OCR technology is able to read 100 per cent of all in­ coming invoices. By eliminating manual data entry and cross checking PO’s against delivery notes there are significant cost savings to me made.

New invoice technology is able to process up to 90 per cent of all incoming voices within six months of installation from either known or unknown suppliers depending on the quality of the invoice emerging from the purchase to pay process. The real issue is not if the technology works but how well the surrounding processes work.

Luminar Leisure, one of Europe’s largest late night event companies receives over two hundred thousand supplier invoices per year. However much purchasing activity is decentralised and this means that it is difficult to operate the tight contractual agreements previously discussed. But with ITESOFT’s automatic invoice processing software, ITESOFT.FreeMind for Invoices, the constant problems they previously had with fixed invoice templates in both quality of data capture and control have been eliminated - data is now in an accessible electronic format that can be fed into the businesses workflow environment.

Keeping Britain Tidy Like it or not eveiy business operates differently, and there-in lies the problem. For traditional automatic invoice processing solutions to operate effectively it is essential that each invoice follows a strict set of business rules but this just doesn’t happen. We live in an untidy world but the latest automatic invoice software means that this does not have to be the case with invoice processing.

Visit www.itesoft.com

HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS • HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS ™

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C O L O U R C O D E D FILING S Y S T E M IS J U S T W H AT T H E D O C T O R O R D E R E D !

A doctors’ surgery in Birmingham has solved its patient record filing problems thanks to document management specialists Cave Tab pic.

The surgery, in Shenley Green, Birmingham, has almost 6000 patients and is home to four doctors, two nurses, a counsellor and receptionist staff, as well as providing facilities for student training.

Following a major re-development of the local area, the surgeiy moved to new premises in September 2003 and took the opportunity to review its filing system. Previously, Lloyd George Pockets were employed for holding patient notes, but inevitably the pockets became over filled and began to split.

This looked untidy and resulted in misfiling in the previously installed front opening cabinets, thus wasting time in searching for files.

After researching alternative methods of indexing, it was decided that Cave Tab had the best solution to the problem.

Patient notes were transferred into colour-coded files - the brightly coloured labels have the benefit of being highly visible and contribute to complete accuracy. If a file is put in the wrong place, the run of colour is broken.

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Additionally, Cave Tab have provided the surgery with software to produce their own labels, so for every new record created, a file index label is automatically produced, which means the filing system is always up to date.

To house its newly created files, the surgery opted for the Cave Tab Twin File rotating storage unit - this offers the most efficient use of space and enables both front and rear access to the files. Staff also have the added bonus of being able to close the storage unit at night, which improves security and helps prevent dust damage.

A dedicated team from Cave Tab worked on site to complete the system conversion in transferring notes from the old system to the new.

Speaking of the new document management system, Vicki Chambers, Practice Manager at Shenley Green surgery said “Reception and medical staff at the surgery are extremely impressed with the results of our implementation of the Cave Tab system. The modem design of the cabinets fits in well with our new building. Misfiling problems have been solved and file retrieval times have been dramatically reduced.”

Contact: Anita Chapman, Cave Tab pic, 1 Sovereign Court, Round Spinney, Northampton NN3 8RH Tel: 01604 798 555 Fax: 01604 798 524 www.cavetab.co.uk, www.scanningfiles.co.uk

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HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS • HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS CASE STUDY

Purge and merge and "scan on demand provide the answer for medical centre

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When two relatively small, local U.S. community hospitals (Waynesboro Community and King’s Daughters) merged and built a new facility, the Augusta (Maine) Medical Centre, all records were consolidated. Shortly after, all the materials from the two “old” hospitals were saved to microfilm by the supplier, ImageMax, and then purged. But this was only a temporary fix to a records management problem.

reduce document conversion expense and position the hospital for transition to a future electronic document image management platform, ImageMax implemented an indexed roll microfilm programme with a database supporting retrieval as well as the digital retrieval equipment. The exact roll and frame location for each patient record is maintained in the database.

Within a short time the new institution’s service volumes were up by 20°/o-62°/o (depending on the service) from pre-merger levels. This is a sizable increase - even before consideration of the significant number of added forms and documentation since the merger. Most additional forms don’t replace old ones, they just add to them. And file space has not increased.

When records are requested, they are queried in the database.

The roll is pulled and the location reference is keyed into the microfilm scanner-printer and driven directly to the chart.

Selected pages, or the entire chart, may be scanned for immediate printing. Software supporting the microfilm scanner can print the film images locally or at designated printers throughout the hospital network. Alternately, images can be faxed or sent as attachments via E-mail. The Medical Centre is also now positioned to support “scan on demand” from the microfilm should the Centre implement a digital image platform.

The Medical Centre asked ImageMax to develop an improved film-based image management programme to allow better management of existing storage space, protect required health information, and create an easily accessible archive. The programme developed includes on-site record purging, off­ site microfilming, and delivery of indexed roll microfilm. The index information is added to the Medical Centre’s chart database and the film is reviewed on a digital microfilm scanner-printer.

A year ago ImageMax finished the third major purge of patient records since the merger. Each purge involved several months of work. Combined, these projects have extracted more than 15 million pages from the Centre’s file room. To

Until then, the hospital is very happy with its film-based solution. According to Darlene Lilly, director of Health Information Management, it is especially proud that requesters rarely notice that the information they receive has been scanned and then printed from microfilm. “They enjoy the same quality as if they had just copied the original documents” she notes.

Visit: www.imagemax.com

Regional Healthcare System goes for Digital Solution Nash Healthcare Systems is a regional healthcare provider located in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The 353-bed system is made of up various groups that offer healthcare technology and services. While the locations are distinctly separate there was a need for centralised and easily accessible records.

Nash’s old operation was encumbered by a proprietary software program that limited the ability to access scanned images quickly and efficiently. Improved distribution and access were needed throughout the hospital departments; the problem was turned over to Nash’s Health Information Management Department (HIM), which is responsible for managing the records produced by numerous areas within the system. One particularly critical area was the ER (emergency room) department. These records required daily handling by four full-time employees. For a solution, HIM turned to its outside supplier, Virtual Image Technology (VTT).

VIT installed an on-site Kodak scanner in the HIM Department, augmented by BayView Net and VITAL Access

20

software; the latter is a Web ASP solution. Under the new system document images are captured and transmitted daily to VIT’s production server. Using the software, records are now available within 48 hours and fewer employees are needed to process them. In fact, two employees were able to be diverted to other areas in the Nash system.

VIT also provides backlog conversion of records as well as secure storage for CD and microfilm backup media for various Nash departments for a complete end-to-end solution for data retrieval and storage needs.

Through the provider-supplied system Nash has been able to create a complete electronic archive without any extended internal ramp up. The image archive platform has been extended to other departments and applications and there is easy sharing of data among departments within the system.

Contact: Virtual Image Technology, 11632 Harrisburg Road, P.O. Box 609, Fort Mill, SC 29716-0609, U.S.A.

HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS • HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS CASE STUDY

Kodak scanners capture pharmaceutical records Document storage for pharmaceuticals Pharmaceutical companies operating in the UK and wishing to submit electronic data to the FDA for licenses must adhere to the Food and Drug Administration final rule 21 CFR Part 11, which dictates what an organisation must do to meet regulatory compliance requirements. All pharmaceutical companies must keep all drug or product-related documentation for at least the lifetime of the drug, which is usually interpreted as indefinite.

Specialist records management and storage company, Datacare Business Systems, uses two high-volume Kodak scanners as part of its document capture and storage solutions to help pharmaceutical customers deal with a number of challenging issues: • The need to keep records for the long-term.

• The requirement to submit records to regulatory bodies when requested (for audit purposes and legal reasons).

• The risk that paper documents can deteriorate, fade and be damaged over time.

• The compound growth of archives, resulting in higher costs to run the larger teams required to manage and access records.

• The difficulty of sharing paper-based hard-copy archive content.

By taking this approach, Datacare can offer its customers a two-pronged solution: 1) Secure storage of the original, often single source, information in its current format. This is stored away from the customer site in ultra-secure premises.

2) Digital conversion of documents to enable their easy integration into a document management solution that typically resides on the customer’s site.

Phlexglobal provides document management and administration solutions for the pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology industries and works with all the leading companies in these sectors, including GSK, the Johnson ft Johnson Group and Pfizer.

Projects within this sector vary in terms of requirements, but one recent implementation took place following the merger of two companies, both of whose existing clinical data was stored in different systems. As such, there was an urgent need to integrate the two. Phlexglobal provided a consultative service to explore the problem facing the merged businesses and then turned to records management company Datacare to provide the storage solution. In turn, Datacare involved technology expert, Kodak, to convert paper-based information to digital records.

Clinical trials information needed to be transferred into an electronic format, so that the organisation could ensure regulatory adherence to final rule 21 CFR Part 11, and enable

information from different sources to be stored in different locations. Sponsor companies (and their teams of investigators) must retain all the clinical trial information and if this is paper-based, electronic back up is ideal in case the paper-based material is damaged or destroyed.

In this case, a great deal of paper was involved - 230,000 pages - and once transferred to an electronic format, this information had to be stored so that it could be retrieved easily and quickly, from (potentially) anywhere in the world.

Time was of the essence in capturing the information too, so it could be returned to the storage location in case it was needed for reference.

“For us to meet our clients’ requirements, it is essential that the initial document capture is accurate, clean, clear and fast.

Kodak scanners are easy to manoeuvre and use, and meet our needs perfectly,” added Nigel Murgatroyd, Commercial Director, Phlexglobal Ltd. Why Kodak?

“Efficient, reliable, high-quality document scanning is absolutely critical to our solution. We tested other vendors’ scanners and found that Kodak provided the most accurate method of converting paper to a digital format, which is an absolute requirement for us to be certified as compliant,” said

" The total package provided by Kodak Comm ercial Imaging is head and shoulders above that o f any other m anufacturer," said Jon Clarke, Managing Director, Datacare Business System s Ltd. Clarke, Managing Director, Datacare Business Systems Ltd. “The technology behind the feeding mechanism is second to none - and the ability to capture and manage different sizes and types of document is mission-critical for us,” added Clarke. “Kodak’s scanners have proved to be extremely reliable and far more robust than those of other manufacturers.”

Kodak Service ft Support “We have also taken advantage of Kodak’s Service ft Support offering. It’s crucial that scanner downtime is minimised, as we always work to stringent client deadlines. Datacare, via Kodak, has constantly ensured that any technical issues are resolved immediately,” commented Murgatroyd. “Reliability is key to all our projects, so it is reassuring to have Kodak Service ft Support on hand in case of a problem.”

Useful links for further information: <www.phlexglobal.com>, <www.datacareltd.com> and <www.kodak.co./go/docimaging>

21

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Railex solutions the right medicine Railex Systems Ltd, specialist in storage and filing solutions, has completed an impressive installation at Shepshed Health Centre in Loughborough.

Efficient filing is central to the performance of any medical establishment and with the Freedom of Information Act fast approaching, the quick, error-free retrieval of patient notes has never been so important.

surroundings. The Designline cabinets from Railex do just this. "The cream finish we have chosen fits in well with the light, airy reception and as they are low-height cabinets, they form an attractive, unimposing barrier between front of house and rear storage area.

So, when Shepshed Health Centre decided to improve its storage facilities, it turned to industry expert Railex Systems Ltd for help.

Railex supplied and installed three Designline Medical Cabinets, ideal for the task.

Each cabinet provides an impressive 14.4m of filing space while having a footprint of only 1000mm X 450mm, using minimal space to maximum effect.

The fibreboard trays in each drawer provide the perfect organisational tool for patient records, while autolock technology ensures that they are kept secure at all times.

In addition, the Designline Medical Cabinets specified for Shepshed feature a unique flipper section, which allows for the safe storage of personal items during the day an important feature in a busy reception area.

But impressive storage capacity was not all that Shepshed was looking for in its new units.

Marie Bowen-Brooks of Shepshed Health Centre comments: ”As well as facilitating efficient storage and filing, we also needed cabinets that would blend in well with the

In addition to these features, the Designline Medical Cabinets are also engineered in such a way that they actually absorb sound, making them ideal for areas where peace and quiet is favourable.

Designline Medical Cabinets are just one of the storage solutions that Railex has to offer, details of which can be found on www.railex.co.uk.

Contact: Bill Gilmour, Railex Systems Tel: 0870 600 6664 Fax: 01704 225 814

Coping with ever-increasing archival volume A leading US-based global pharmaceutical firm faced problems familiar to its industry - ever growing volumes of critical documentation and the need to create a system that would protect that documentation should it ever be needed.

The firm had to create efficient and centralised processes for managing the physical records that minimised paper requirements but processes that could be quickly implemented and that would save space and still enable creation of a digital archive. The solution was to turn to Eastman Kodak’s Digital Archive Writer (DAW) to rapidly convert digital documents to analogue, human-readable images stored on microfilm.

The pharmaceutical company processes 5 million pages per year, primarily involving documents critical to research and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) compliance. In order to comply with FDA regulations, records and electronic signatures must be protected and backed up in a humanreadalrle format.

The existing system used an antiquated database programme for storing index information and relied on manual processing. It was almost impossible to keep up with the growing document volume. Proposals were solicited for a three-level disaster recovery programme that would include paper, microfilm and digital on-line.

Document Conversion Associates, a Kodak reseller, was selected as the provider. Its solution allowed a Digital Archive Writer to be networked and used remote scanners. This enabled digital files to be moved to the DAW over the corporate IT backbone. Kofax Ascent Capture software is used with the scanners along with Kofax Ascent Scribe plus Kodak Imagelink Archive Writer Interface Software in conjunction with DAWs. Paper is sorted and scanned for PDF files required for FDA submission. These same image files are written to film on the DAW and indexed all in one pass. By contrast, when paper was being filmed optically to film, the process required more steps and indexing was not integrated with the rest of the system. Now two microfilm copies are created for each document - one for on-site use and another for vital records/disaster recovery stored offsite. As a result, the company no longer has to worry about refilming, the microfilm process is automated, and records can be researched more efficiently. The human-readable microfilm is archival quality and there is no danger of technological obsolescence or digital media degradation.

Bottom line: steps are reduced, productivity is enhanced, compliance is assured, quality is improved and money is saved. no

HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS • HEALTH AND M EDICAL RECORDS

Inadequate storage systems can seriously damage your healthcare

By Richard Tong and Edward Nelson, NORD-PLAN Storage systems Meeting physical storage requirements for medical records, documentation and files is often perceived as primarily a hospital estates or facilities problem. The implication of this view is that the selection of appropriate systems is no more than a routine decision for those concerned with the fabric and furniture of a hospital, clinic or medical centre.

★ Pressure on space Storage space is often one of the last things to be considered when buildings are designed, and healthcare facilities are no exception. Even on relatively new sites, users can find that the space allocated for support functions seems to follow the ‘quart into a pint pot’ model. Here again, well-designed and imaginative storage systems come into their own, making effective use of space and keeping the footprint to a minimum. ★ Quality-driven selection Robust, high quality equipment, which may not be the cheapest option initially, can offer best value in the long term. It is probably fair to say that until quite recently the selection of furniture, fittings and equipment in the NHS (and other public sector organisations for that matter) was a predominantly pricedriven process. The result was that lower specification products were favoured, even when it was clear that these would not offer the same ergonomic benefits.

But in reality, the way an organisation manages its medical records and documents can have a significant bearing on efficiency, resource utilisation and - ultimately - the quality of patient care. So if this is the case, the responsibility for identifying storage solutions and implementing best practice ought to be seen in a wider context. Department heads and architects clearly have a significant input to make. But the views and insights of front line staff, managers, administrators, external organisations and patients are equally important Diverse healthcare needs Perhaps more than in any other environment, the storage needs of the healthcare sector are extremely diverse: busy medical record departments needing constant access; patient files to xray units that store large, heavy images; pharmacies that stock everything from tiny tablets to bulky supplies. Each has particular requirements that will never be met by ‘one size fits all’ solutions.

But there is also a set of generic needs that exists in almost every healthcare environment where storage is an issue. None of these needs is unique to the health sector, but there is a common pattern: ★ Fast and easy access By its nature, the healthcare sector is one where particular importance is placed on the speedy and easy retrieval of records and documents. When any individual patient file is needed, staff want to locate and retrieve it without delay. Poorly designed systems or shelves packed so tight that files cannot be easily identified mitigate against this. ★ High volume Hospitals and clinics deal with thousands of patient records and dispense large quantities of medicines every day. The need for fast retrieval means that the storage is best located within the immediate work environment. This places conflicting demands on storage facilities: large volumes but all close to hand. Welldesigned and imaginative storage systems play an important part in this mix, making effective use of space and keeping the footprint to a minimum.

24

The pressure for delivery of quality services, benchmarking and wider recognition of best value as a key purchasing criterion have all supported a significant shift towards quality-driven selection of equipment. The most widely used definition of clinical governance emphasises the importance of quality: “Improving the quality of services and safeguarding high standards of care by creating an environment in which excellence will flourish.” The establishment of ogc.buyingsolutions has enabled organisations within the NHS to focus their selection on those suppliers who have already met extremely rigorous quality controls. ★ Fit-for-purpose Storage systems are subject to consistently high levels of usage.

The inevitable consequence is that they will sometimes be pushed to the limits of their functionality and therefore need to withstand robust treatment without failing. Lost records or unaccounted-for items have potentially serious consequences.

Fit-for-purpose storage facilities play a significant part in minimising the possibility of mishandling or loss. This can encompass anything from shelving designed to stop items falling into gaps, through to sophisticated electronic security devices that allow selective access by different staff to extensive blocks of records or comprehensive tracking systems for files. ★ Integration with electronic records The growth in the use of electronic records in conjunction with paper-based systems has an increasing impact on the way that information is stored and accessed. The dynamics of medical records filing and retrieval are altered if front line medical records staff, for example, use computer terminals for routine access to basic patient information. There are likely to be fewer staff accessing physical records, lower referral rates and fewer simultaneous searches.

So, if these are generic requirements common to most healthcare situations, what are the specific needs of those areas that place the largest demands on dedicated storage^space and facilities? And how can these be met by tailored solutions? We look here at some of these areas. ★ Medical records The need to hold paper-based medical records for patients is one of the main uses for document storage and management

systems. And the way in which medical records are fded, stored and retrieved can have a significant impact on the efficiency of a unit. Even with the use of computer records, paper documentation will be important for the foreseeable future.

★ Pharmacies Here, the biggest requirement is for the storage and distribution of medicines, equipment and medical supplies - both products required on a frequent basis and highly specialised drugs that are only held in small quantities for occasional use. Items held in a pharmacy also come in a whole variety of sizes and packaging, ranging from individual tablets to heavy bulk supplies like intravenous drip fluids. It is this great diversity of items and usage that makes flexibility such a high priority for the pharmacy.

Better records support better care A theme running through this overview of healthcare storage is the need for analysis and evaluation. Even where there are common requirements such as easy access or the maximum storage in minimum space, the optimum solution will vary depending on local conditions, constraints and opportunities.

Only when storage systems are well planned to meet user and patient needs is there the potential to transform the quality of this aspect of service delivery.

Effective medical record storage solutions need to take account of some specific factors, including: ★ Simultaneous searches ★ Filing and retrieval normally a shared staff responsibility ★ Constant usage ★ An expanding record-base with new patient records being incorporated into the system on a regular basis ★ Controlled access by approved staff to maintain confidentiality and minimise the risk of inappropriate usage.

Hence a manufacturer’s warning: inadequate storage systems can seriously damage your healthcare. Or, as the NHS Clinical Governance Support Team puts it more positively, “better records support better care".

For further information, contact Edward Nelson or Richard Tong at NORD-PLAN (01293 776795]

An analysis of the relative importance of these requirements will help determine the most appropriate scheme in any given environment.

Graphic Data

In particular situations there may be additional requirements to be taken into account. For example, managers at one hospital overlooked the fact that their older records, which were stored on custom-made wooden shelves, were held in oversized files.

So they calculated the capacity of their proposed integrated filing system for the design brief using the dimensions of the new smaller files only. Had this not been identified on the site visit, some 20°/o of the records would not have fitted.

Our engineers carry out repairs and maintenance on all microfilm and scanning equiment.

★ X-rays As a rule, x-ray departments and other specialist areas are less busy and thus simultaneous access by multiple users is unlikely to be a constraining factor in the storage system design. On the other hand, x-ray output is heavy due to its metal content.

Consequently, when it is stored in high volumes, the shelving needs to withstand particularly large loadings, holding up to 90kg per metre.

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Take into account: ★ The maximum loadings needed within the shelf and system design ★ The need for an assured robust construction that will not suffer long-term degradation ★ The possible need for reinforced flooring where the storage footprint is subject to concentrated heavy loads Heavy-duty mobile systems that minimise the storage footprint while maintaining easy access are potentially the most costeffective and space-efficient solution. However, for health and safety reasons, electronically powered units or low-geared manual systems with easy to use handles should always be specified to ensure that staff do not suffer injury through long­ term usage.

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A B O U T

New Guides to Film Preservation For new librarians and other information professionals who have no - or virtually no - background with microfilm storage and preservation, help has arrived in the form of two new reference tools. The titles of these publications are The Film Preservation Reference Guide: Basics for Archives, Libraries and Museums and IPI Media Storage Quick Reference.

The Film Preservation Guide is published by the National Film Preservation Foundation. The Image Preservation Institute prepared Media Storage Quick Reference.

The 136-page Guide traces the path of film (motion picture and microfilm) through the preservation process, from the first viewing to the presentation of access copies to the public.

Media Storage Quick Reference has more accent on motion picture storage but includes information on critical presentation issues in many media. It is designed as a booklet with a “look-up wheel”. Its format is similar to that of IPI’s guides for colour photographic material and acetate film.

Copies o f the two publications can be downloaded from the web sites o f NFPF (www.filmpreservation.org) and IPI (www.RIT.edu.ipi).

The future of information management?

According to The Washington Post, flexible display screens are bringing e-newspapers and e-books closer to reality. A polymer Vision Screen, using technology developed by E Ink, a Cambridge, Mass, company, is a plastic-coated sheet that can be rolled up and carried in a pocket. Embedded in the screen are tiny capsules smaller than the full stop at the end of this sentence.

Each capsule is filled with thousands of particles, some black and some white. The particles have opposite electronic charges, so depending on whether a positive or negative charge is applied to that capsule, either the white or black specs leap to the screen’s visible surface at that spot. By applying positive or negative charges in pinprick patterns across the “page”, the black and white specks can be arranged to make letters and words that look like those printed with ink on paper.

Unlike standard computer displays, which generate tiny points of light, the E Ink system simply reflects ambient light off its white background.

Flexible screens will be aimed first at special niches, including the military. Consumer applications, such as e-maps and newspapers that roll up like window shades, remain further off. But this Spring Sony is expected to release an e-book using Phillips and E Ink technology.

Ongoing Access to Kodak Oracle Microfilm “BlipChip Products Company is pleased to advise that it continues to supply its BlipChip Omega controller for Kodak Oracle users needing to upgrade to newer retrieval equipment, including automatic printing/scanning units.” Ed Rummel, V.P. of BlipChip Products told The Green Sheet. “The price for the upgrade kit is still US$5,950 as it has been since 1990. The kit consists of the controller, sensor and interface. For a little extra, ANSI-blipped film, including tri-level, can be read as well, and the controller can be interfaced to a PC for computer-assisted retrieval/scanning and/or automatic code uploading.

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“BlipChip was the first to offer Kodak Oracle users an alternative with plain paper printing in 1987, with more automatic features than the original 1976 introduced Kodak Oracle Terminal. Until 1990 BlipChip Omega was marketed as the MRS450. The product was improved three times, and a special version was made for Kodak to market for its IDW in the mid 90's.

“Some recent new BlipChip Omega customers with large Kodak Oracle microfilm collections are doing automatic, ondemand scanning and saving the scans for the next time they are needed, thus having the benefits of both worlds without the high cost of scanning their entire microfilm collection.

“BlipChip Omega is simple to install and operate and can be added to all popular retrieval units.”

Contact: Ed Rummel, BlipChip Products Company, 260 Hartshorn Drive, #33, Short Hills, NJ 07078-1914 Tel: +1-973-379-6431 Fax: +1-973-379-3900 Email: erummel@blipchip.com or visit www.blipchip.com AIIM announces partnership with Reed Exhibitions AIIM is delighted to announce the conclusion of a partnership agreement with Reed Exhibitions (RX) in connection with the London staging of Information Management Expo, subject to contract.

Reed Exhibitions will be investing in the London event and bringing to this industry their expertise of running successful IT events on an international basis, including Infosecurity and Storage Expo. The parties will jointly develop IM Expo in London as the leading UK national event for Enterprise Content Management. AIIM will continue to own and develop the regional elements.

AIIM will be creating a Board with RX to develop the event in line with the industry’s needs. RX will bring its databases, marketing and logistical support as well as its relationship with Computer Weekly to IM Expo. Through its market understanding and its close links in the user and supplier community in the UK, AIIM will continue to drive the editorial and feature programme at IM Expo in London.

Commenting on the agreement, John Mancini, President of AIIM said, “This agreement brings the UK event structure into line with the one we have in the US. We work in partnership with a leading international event organiser to stage the national event in the U.S. and we bring our local capability to the fore through regional engagement between the user and supplier community. We are looking forward to developing IM Expo in London jointly with Reed.”

Tim Porter, Reed Exhibitions Director of Technology Show Development Worldwide said, “We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with AIIM and to help in the development of what is already one of the strongest and most highly regarded IT events in the UK. Information Management Expo is a logical addition to both Infosecurity and Storage Expo in Reed Exhibitions’ UK portfolio, and creates a group of events addressing the key issues of management, storage and security of information."

For further information on AIIM visit www.aiim.org.uk, email sarah.drew@aiim.org.uk or contact on + 44 1905 727600 For further information on Reed Exhibitions contact Tim Porter on +44 208 910 7900

British Library goes for Film Sean Film Scan Technologies Ltd has been chosen to supply the British Library with two SunRise S2000+ digital roll film scanners. The systems will be installed at the St Pancras and Colindale sites and both will be capable of scanning all forms of roll film including 1000ft reels in 12-bit Greyscale.

Digitising images using these state of the art systems will give a new lease of life to the archives and allow previously unseen material to be displayed as close to the original image as possible. SunRise systems were chosen due to their exceptional image quality and their unique ability to scan images at true dpi, without interpolation, something that is very important to the Library

of IBM Deutschland GmbH’s subsidiary DISOS. The acquisition adds nine records centres in five new markets: Berlin, Stuttgart, Leipzig, Dresden and Erfurt to Iron Mountain’s existing German centres.

The winning caption was supplied by Ian McMinn of Wicks Et Wilson and was as follows:“How many coates can you get in a case? I don’t know, the wife does the packing”

As the keeper of the UK’s most comprehensive historical newspaper collection on film, the British Library needed a reliable system that could cope with the varying quality and formats to be digitised. This winning combination was chosen due to SunRise’s well documented capabilities in scanning varying quality images, and Film Scan Technologies wealth of experience in supporting and maintaining such sophisticated equipment.

Other suggestions included:“That’s the worst limbo technique I have ever seen.”

“See, I told you size matters.”

“Yes, you can get off your knees now we’ve clinched the Irish deal, but that still does not make you an honorary leprechaun” “What does a man have to do to get his monthly expenses signed by you?”

“You know, I bet the prize is a miniature!”

“I hope you are using your enlarging lens!”

“Ian, even kneeling - you are still taller than me” “Well, can you read my name badge now?”

“Yes, but Ronnie Corbett is useless at selling microfilm!”

“I told you the light from that scanner was very bright from down here” “You’ve got what in that matchbox? Eeeerrrrr!”

For more information on SunRise scanning systems contact info@fstl.co.uk For more information on the British Library microfilming and digitising programmes contact Colin Beesley (Press Office) 01937 546825 Iron Mountain continues European expansion.

Iron Mountain, the US-based outsourced records storage and services giant, announced the expansion of its European services with the acquisition of the archive services business

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Fuji benefits from restructure.

As of January 1, Fujifilm USA restructured its US operations and, as a result, the company reports solid improvement for its Document Products Group, which includes microfilm products.

It says that three years ago, when Fuji Document Products partnered with Houston Fearless to sell through an H-F subsidiary, ACS, Fuji was about two-thirds the size of Kodak, its main film competitor, from a total sales revenue viewpoint.

Today, from that standpoint Fuji says company revenue roles are reversed with Fuji about 50% larger than it was, an accomplishment it achieved with roughly the same total number of employees.

The restructuring has included diversification into many different digital product offerings according to Randy Peetree, National Sales Manager for the Document Products Group, based in Dallas, Texas. The group is primarily responsible for the distribution and technical support of Fuji’s microfilm products, but it also is expanding by offering digital storage products to the document imaging marketplace. Microfilm products currently consist of Fuji microfilms and the M Drive. Other microfilm-related hardware may come into the US in 2005.

Microfilm products are sold directly to service companies and to major distributors, rather than to individual dealers as in the past. In the digital area, computer-related products are sold through channels such as VARs and VADs. Steve Jones, formerly a microfilm sales manager, heads customer service for all document products. US customer service is centralised out of Valhalla NY. The Document Product Group is a business unit of Fuji’s Recording Media Division which is mainly responsible for distribution of Fuji’s digital storage products. These include computer products (CDs, DVDs), magnetic tape products and other digital media. All the Recording Media sales forces are combined but do have separate selling niches. Thus former microfilm specialists still concentrate on analogue products but also sell some digital products.

Under the new structure, Stan Bauer is Senior VP-Sales of Fuji Recording Media and he reports to Steve Solomon, Senior VP and GM for the division. Solomon in turn reports to Stan Freimuth, Chief Operating Officer of Fuji USA. Contact Randy_Petree@fujifilm.com 2004 Midwest States Micrographics Conference.

The 17th Annual Midwest States Micrographics Conference will be hosted by the state of Illinois and held in Springfield, the state capitol, September 21-23. The event typically draws 100+ state micrographics managers and executives, though in the recent recessionary years attendance was down.

A preliminary programme lists sessions on the work of the Illinois State Archives, 50 years of microfilming at the University of Kentucky, digital paper solutions, security microimaging, updates on microfilm and imaging programmes in the states of Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Wyoming as well as roundtable discussions. The latter will cover budgeting, personnel issues, productivity, equipment upgrades, and any other micrographics or imaging problems attendees will want to bring up.

28

Also scheduled are optional tours of the Illinois State Capitol building, the State Archives and Micrographics Services sections, and a tour of noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Dana Thomas House in Springfield. Special hotel rates are available for attendees.

For further information go to:www.cyberdriveilliinois.com/departments/archives/micrographic s/ micrograph ics_conference. html ARMA’s 49th annual conference and expo.

ARMA International will hold its 49th annual conference and expo Oct. 3-6 in Long Beach, California’s Convention and Entertainment Centre. The conference will have more than 70 sessions broken into four tracks focusing on: electronic records, legal and compliance issues, career development, and the business of RIM (records and information Management). In addition to the conference sessions there is a 2-1/2 day product and services expo with more than 300 booths expected to be filled. Based on recent years’ attendance, the combined conference and exposition should draw 3,000-4,000 visitors.

Long Beach is a city of 450,000 on the Pacific Ocean some 22 miles south of Los Angeles. The scenic Convention Centre faces the Pacific. Long Beach, which has become known as a vacation destination, is the home of, among other attractions, the historic Queen Mary ocean liner. Special hotel rates are available for ARMA attendees in the city’s hotels, including berths on the Queen Mary.

For further information go to http://expo.arma.org Kodak dropped from Dow Jones index.

Effective April 8, Eastman Kodak - as well as ATEtT and International Paper - were dropped from the Dow Jones financial index of 30 companies. They were replaced by financial services company American International Group, telephone carrier Verizon Communications, and pharmaceutical firm Pfizer. Dow Jones said the move was taken to “recognise the growth of the financial and healthcare sectors of the US economy and that basic materials and manufacturing stocks have become less important in the US stock market.”

Library of Congress to create digital Stars and Stripes edition from microfilm.

Very few original issues of The Stars and Stripes, the newspaper for US troops founded in 1918 during WWI still exist. The Library of Congress, however, owns two bound copies of a 1920 facsimile edition, which includes 1918-1919 copies, and a master microfilm negative of the edition. The latter is being used, along with available subsequent editions, to create a digital collection of The Stars and Stripes. The project is part of an experiment by the Library’s Serials and Government Publications Division to develop techniques for expanding access to microfilmed newspapers.

As part of the experiment the Division has created a new viewer that displays the full-page view on the left side of the screen, with a zoomed-in view on the right. A red box on the full page view indicates which part of the page is being displayed by the zoomed-in view.

Historians are using the newspapers to document the day-to-day atmosphere of the times. Genealogists are using the newspapers to look for names that are often not in the headlines, but rather buried several paragraphs deep within individual articles.

Rotten news: CDs won’t last forever.

News reports in the US quoting web and graphic designer Dan Koster are the latest additions to mounting evidence that CDs, touted as well-nigh indestructible when they were introduced in the mid-1980s, are in fact quite destructible. Many suffer from “CD rot,” a gradual deterioration of the data-carrying layer.

Roster’s collection of discs, most of which were produced in the 80s, are now 15-20% rotted to some degree. Other long-time CD users report similar problems.

According to Jerry Hartke, Media Sciences, at Marlborough, Mass, lab that tests CDs, the rotting can be due to poor manufacturing or poor handling by users. “If people treat discs harshly, or stack them, or allow them to rub against each other, the very fragile protective (lacquer) layer can be disturbed, allowing the atmosphere to interact and (oxidise the CD’s aluminum layer....” says Hartke.

Fred B Byers, an information technology specialist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, has looked at writable CDs on behalf of US government agencies that need to know how long their discs will last. The answer is that it’s hard to tell, despite some manufacturers’ claims of life spans up to 100 years. There are no standardised tests and manufacturers frequently change materials and manufacturing methods without notifying users.

Perhaps the best advice is to treat CD and DVD discs like fine wines. Store them in a cool, dry place with stable temperature....and pray for the best results.

Lason had net income in 2003.

Lason President and CEO Ronald Risher said the company was happy with the 2003 results because, despite the analogue services continued decline and economic conditions delaying many buying decisions, Lason still ended the year with net revenues of $166.9 million, as well as operating income of $3.7 million and net income of $1.1 million.

Under those conditions, Lason found the favourable results gratifying and “exciting”. More growth is anticipated in 2004 for the firm which still has 55 locations and facilities management sites in 22 states, India, Mexico and Canada as well as a service relationship in China.

Iron Mountain revenues, income rise.

In the first quarter of 2004 (March 31, 2004), Iron Mountain, the records storage and information management services firm, had total revenues of $434 million (up 23%), operating income of $86 million (up 19%), and net income of $23 million (up 20%).

The revenue gains were driven by improved internal growth and acquisitions.

Anacomp elects new chairman of the board.

Anacomp’s board of directors in March elected Michael E. Tennenbaum as chairman of the board, which he joined in February 2003. He is the Managing Member of Tennenbaum 8t Co., a private investment firm, and the Senior Managing Partner of Tennenbaum Capital Partners, which is Anacomp’s largest shareholder.

Phil Smoot, who served as chairman of the board since 2001 and who guided the company through a successful restructuring, announced his retirement as a director. He will remain as a consultant to Anacomp through the end of 2004.

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RERDERSLETTERS Dear Editor, I was interested to read the article in the JAN/FEB issue of your magazine regarding the activities of Her Majesty’s Land Registry (HMLR). I was particularly interested in the assertion that in relation to electronic maps, the Land Registry is “the only entity currently to make the service available over the Internet”.

The Registers of Scotland and HMLR have had close relationships at a number of levels over the years and continue to cooperate and share experiences. They may be separate organisations with different lines of accountability and operating under different legislative frameworks but there are many common types of activity.

The Registers of Scotland Executive Agency is the organisation that has responsibility for the registration of titles to land and other heritable interests in Scotland. The registers created and managed by the Agency, including the Land Register for Scotland, are and have always been, open to public inspection. The Agency has been involved in providing and developing electronic access to its information for more than 10 years and has been actively promoting an on-line service since early 1995. In the early years, as implied in your article, there were technical issues involved in delivering and displaying maps at speeds that were acceptable. Since that time the Agency has developed and launched its Registers Direct service which provides access to a number of public registers, including the Land Register. The service was demonstrated at the AGI Conference in September 2001. A feature of the service is the ability of the customer to view and print vectorised image title plans. The service also has a facility to navigate across the Landline mapbase for Scotland and to identify and view registered titles within customer defined areas of the map.

Over the past three years the range of customers using Registers Direct has grown far beyond what might have been expected both in the public and private sectors and many of our customers are outwith Scotland. The response being encountered by the Land Registry Direct Service mirrors our experiences.

More information on the work of the Agency and the services supplied through Registers Direct can be obtained from our website (www.ros.gov.uk).

Allan MacKinnon Registers Direct Development Manager Tel:0131 479 3623 Email: allan.mackinnon@ros.gov.uk

Dear Editor, Cimtech have been in labour and brought forth a web directory of suppliers of document management goods and services. They state that it is an online version of their publication Electronic Document, Records and Content Management which they describe as “The UK’s most comprehensive user Guide and Directory.” I remembered seeing the first edition of their Directory in 1992 and discovering that it was a flagrant copy of my successful DIP Year Book, so I decided to see how their new venture

30

RERDERSLETTERS compared with our well established document management website at www.ggbaker.com.

As you know, entry to our web directory is absolutely free and unrestricted. Access to the Cimtech online directory is also claimed to be “free” - but only if you subscribe to the Cimtech membership package or purchase a copy of the printed version for £45! I found that access involved a fair amount of typing. It required 17 keystrokes to get on to the Cimtech website, one click to go to “Publications”, another click on “The Cimtech Directory”, and then 16 keystrokes to enter my “User Name and Password”. When I finally reached the home page it contained a list of categories very similar to those that can be accessed with 15 keystrokes at www.ggbaker.com.

Curiously, Cimtech have not requested me to keep my user name and password confidential, so I can presumably publish them on my website with impunity.

With their book, Cimtech sent me a letter giving me muchneeded instructions on how to enter the “online version” which, they say, lists the “products and services available from nearly 400 UK suppliers.” The word ‘nearly’ in a communication from Cimtech prompted me to turn to the address section of the printed book and count the companies.

I make it 359 including several in the USA and Eire. We already list 536 UK providers of document management products and services on our site and have more to add when we have sufficient information, so their claim to offer the UK’s most comprehensive directory is open to debate.

But these are petty points - the major difference between our website and the Cimtech product is that we provide a public service by offering an unlimited number of users unrestricted access to extensive information concerning document management, including micrographics. In addition, we include a large amount of impartial educational material at no charge in the form of three Tutorials - which have proved so popular that they accounted for around 20% of over half a million “hits” we received last year. Cimtech do not reproduce their “complete guide to theory and practice” on their website, presumably because it appears in the expensive book they oblige searchers to purchase. They also pay scant attention to micrographics which, although no longer in the white heat of advanced technology, still attracts many hundreds of searchers to our site.

It was an agonising decision for me to close our publishing activity after 34 years in order to concentrate on our website, but it must be obvious that an annual printed book and a website covering the same subject are incompatible.

Advertisers have to make a difficult choice between one or both. Frequent update of the website creates conflict with what appears in the related publication. Editorial effort is duplicated with no added value and users may not know which version to use for a specific search.

I am no altruist, but I aim to ensure that my work makes a contribution to available knowledge - however small. Cimtech are perfectly entitled to play follow-my-leader if it makes them happy, but if I were in their shoes I would have produced something more original, rather than an inferior version of an existing facility.

Regards, G G Baker Senior Partner - G G Baker ft Associates

Rates are £35 ($50) per insertion with a limit of 25 words. Each additional 25 words or fraction are £35 ($50). There is an additional £10 ($15) charge for the use of Box number. For display (boxed) ads add £20 ($30). To place a classified ad, send copy to Micrographics Marketing Ltd, 65 Winchester Drive, Burbage, Leic LE10 2BA UK, or fax it to +44 (0) 24 7638 2319 or Email it to tim@green-sheet.net.

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