Resource Development Associates Announces A Problem Tracking and Reporting
Utility for Managing and Supporting Microcomputer Workgroups.

Rochester, MA 4/10/95--Resource Development Associates' Microcomputer
Management Problem Reporting System is a utility for tracking problems
with computer hardware, software and operations. It is designed to help
hardware and software support staff (or the group computer guru) track and
manage problem reports and solutions. VARs and system integrators can
install it at client sites and use it as first line support and as a way
to build an in house knowledge base from experience gained at multiple
sites. It provides quick lookup of previous solutions to improve support
staff productivity. And best of all its only $89* per copy and it is
available now! ($400 for a 5 user license. $5 S&H per single user or 5
user pack + 5% MA tax)

Until now, if you support a group of computer users you might find yourself
knowing that you heard that problem before but can't quite remember how
you solved it last time. You probably find yourself tracking problems with
Post-its. You wish you had help desk software but can't justify the
thousands of dollars they cost. This is the solution for you!

While it is not as full featured as most Help Desk software it is designed
for staff who support a group of users as part of their day to day
activity or for those who don't need all the features of help desk
software (or the expense of help desk software).

With the Microcomputer Management Problem Reporting System you can capture
problem event data, categorize events, record actions taken to resolve
problems, detail problem resolutions and search and report in a variety of
ways. The program is easy to use and customize, network installable for
single or multiple users and allows you to aggregate data from multiple
installations.

Facilities are included which allow creation of any number of categories
for classifying problem reports. Facilities are also included to build a
data set of organization staff reporting problems and departments within
the organization which are involved in the problems. Any problem report
can be classified by any number of categories and also connected to any
number of departments. Actions taken to solve problems can be captured at
whatever level of detail you want. Problem descriptions, action events and
problem resolutions support a virtually unlimited amount of text. Problems
descriptions and resolutions may be searched for key words on line. This
can provide quick access to past solutions for support staff and helps you
create a customized knowledge base for your organization. Additonal
details about the system are included below.

Resource Development Associates is a problem solving company which provides
program development, management consulting, staff development and
training, data management system development and implementation, computer
system development and training, organizational planning and analysis,
research and evaluation design and implementation, and financial system
development and automation. We have been providing services to health
care, nonprofits and governments since 1982.

We specialize in custom system development for managing and reporting on
organizational activity. We have developed systems such as a clinical
tracking system which manages patient care data in a specialty service
unit and provides automated tracking and follow up for up to 10 years on
each patient. We have also developed a contract management system for a
major HMO which provides both management of all outside utilization
relationships and also acts as a referral system for clinicians requiring
those outside services. We take the time to understand your organization's
activity and focus on solving business problems and improving
organizational operations and productivity.

Resource Development Associates
(508) 295-7350
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Basic Operation Notes for Resource Development Associates' Microcomputer
Management Problem Reporting System
Version 1.0

The Microcomputer Management Problem Reporting System is a utility for
tracking problems with microcomputer hardware, software and operations.
The basic functions of this system allow capture of problem event data,
the categorization of the event by type and department involved, the
capture of actions taken to resolve problems and problem resolutions. This
information can be searched and reported in a variety of ways. The system
also contains features which allow the aggregation of data from multiple
installations of the utility to provide organization wide reporting and
analysis of support use and needs.

This software can be used on a stand alone PC or in a networked
environment. On a network it can be set up as a multiuser utility or can
be configured for use only by a user at a single workstation.

The minimum system requirements for this software include: a 386 Processor,
4 MB RAM, Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups and 12 MB free disk space
(9.5 if software using Borland's IDAPI is already installed, 1.5 if
Paradox for Windows 5.0 Runtime is already installed).

Below is some information on the fields which are available and their
intended use. Most of this information is available in the field help in
the application itself. Other help is available through the help menu in
the application. In addition, all buttons have either labels or icons and
when the mouse enters them additional information on their function is
displayed in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. Other system
messages such as record counts and how to activate lookup help and fill
are also displayed in the status bar as appropriate. Some shortcut keys
are also described below. Others may be found in the help system by
selecting Contents and looking in the Keyboard section.

The ID is a system generated sequence number which identifies each problem
record and links all Actions, Department and Problem category records to
that problem record. It can not be edited but it can be used for primary
searches.

The Call Date is the date on which the Problem report was received. The
default is today but may be edited.

The Call Time is entered on a 12 hour clock. Type 2 digits and a colon will
be inserted automatically. Then type 2 more digits and A or P. To override
the second digit before the colon type the colon manually. You can also
enter single digit hours as 2 digit hours (e.g. 09:15A). To timestamp the
time as now press the spacebar until the time is completely entered
(including AM or PM) from the system clock.

The Caller is looked up from the user list (Press Control-Spacebar for
lookup). When the caller is selected both the name and the phone number
will be filled in if they are in the lookup table. To ensure data
integrity only values which exist in the lookup table may be entered in
the Caller field although they can be typed manually. Use the Add Users
Button if the Caller is not presently in the lookup table.

The Location is looked up from the Location list (Press Control-Spacebar
for lookup). When the location is selected both the code and the name will
be filled in if they are in the lookup table. To ensure data integrity
only values which exist in the lookup table may be entered in the field
although codes can be typed manually. Use the Add Locations Button if the
location is not presently in the lookup table. The location field is
intended to capture callers' locations.

The Ticket number is a tracking number assigned by an external entity (such
as a service bureau or help desk). It may be left blank.

The Problem field is a memo field which provides space for essentially
unlimited free text describing the problem. It should not contain action
or resolution data as they have their own fields on the next page of the
form. The Memo Edit button adds extended editing features such as carriage
returns and tab characters to any memo field window. Lines of text can be
scrolled using the slide bar to the right of the text.

The Departments Involved Table is used to associate this problem with all
the departments involved with it. Department Codes can be looked up from
the Department list (Press Control-Spacebar for lookup). When the
department is selected only the code will be filled in. To ensure data
integrity only values which exist in the lookup table may be entered in
the field although they can be typed manually. Use the Add Depts. Button
if the department is not presently in the lookup table. To add additional
departments move to a blank line in the table before using the lookup.
There is no limit to the number of departments which may be listed. Lines
of text can be scrolled using the slide bar to the right of the table.
Moving to this table on the form (or among any form's table images) can be
speeded up using the F3 and F4 function keys as well as by using the
mouse.

The Problem Categories Table is used to classify each problem. Category
Codes can be looked up from the category list (Press Control-Spacebar for
lookup). When the category is selected both the code and description will
be filled in. If the description is to long to be read in the lookup table
display the field may be resized with your mouse. To ensure data integrity
only values which exist in the lookup table may be entered in the field
although codes can be typed manually. Use the Add Problem Category Button
if the category is not presently in the lookup table. To add additional
categories move to a blank line in the table before using the lookup.
There is no limit to the number of categories which may be listed. Lines
of text can be scrolled using the slide bar to the right of the table.
Moving to this table on the form (or among any form's table images) can be
speeded up using the F3 and F4 function keys as well as by using the
mouse.

The Action Date is the date on which the activity described in the
connected note occurred. The date can not be repeated for any one problem
report (See Action note help for more details). The default is today but
may be edited. The default date is entered automatically when you begin
typing an action note.

The Action Notes field is a memo field which provides space for essentially
unlimited free text describing the actions taken to resolve the problem on
any particular date. All Actions on a specific date should be contained in
the same Memo as duplicate action dates are not allowed for a single
problem ID. Action notes should not contain problem or resolution data as
they have their own fields on this form. The Memo Edit button adds
extended editing features such as carriage returns and tab characters to
any memo field window. Lines of text can be scrolled using the slide bar
to the right of the text and date records can be scrolled using the slide
bar just to the right of that.

The Resolved field indicates the call resolution status. The default is N
but changes automatically to Y when a Resolution date is entered. It can
be used for primary searches to step from one unresolved (or resolved)
call to the next. Tip: you can begin a search on one field and then move
your cursor to another field. Pressing the next button will continue the
search on the criteria and field to which it was originally assigned.

The Resolution Date is the date on which the problem was finally resolved.
The default is blank but may be edited. As with any date you may enter
all, or part of today's date by pressing the spacebar 1 to 3 times.

The Resolution Notes field is a memo field which provides space for
essentially unlimited free text describing the actual solution to the
problem. It should not contain problem or action data as they have their
own fields on this form. The Memo Edit button adds extended editing
features such as carriage returns and tab characters to any memo field
window. Lines of text can be scrolled using the slide bar to the right of
the text.

Report Listing

All reports can be sent to the screen or a printer. All reports can be
printed by page range or all pages from either the screen report or the
direct to printer report functions. Additional reports can be created by
any database or reporting software which can read Paradox 5.0 tables.

Main Report Set

** Volume by Category - Lists the call categories and the number of calls
assigned to each. Also provides an actual count of calls.

** Volume by Department - Lists the departments involved and the number of
calls assigned to each. Also provides an actual count of calls.

** Volume by Department and Category - Lists the departments involved and
the number of calls assigned to each. Within each department lists the
call categories and the number of calls assigned to each. Also provides an
actual count of calls.

** All Call Data - A full report of all data associated with each call.

** Resolved Call Summary - Listing of resolved calls by days to resolution
and average resolution time.

** Unresolved Call Summary - Listing of unresolved calls by days
outstanding and average length of time outstanding.

** Unresolved Call Details - A full report of all data associated with each
unresolved call.

** Unresolved Call List- A list of unresolved calls by Call ID, Date, Time,
Caller, Location and Phone.

Selection Criteria Reports

** All selection criteria reports allow selection of up to four criteria
within the category.

** Location Selectable Reports - All Call Data report and Volume by
Department and Category report

** Department Selectable Reports - All Call Data report

** Problem Category Reports - All Call Data report

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