AIM Frequently Asked Questions |
The following is a list of the most frequently asked questions regarding the AIM software and Dayton Technologies. If this page does not answer your questions, please feel free to contact us directly at sales@daytontech.com or by phone for more information.
Q: How are specimen collection services handled?
A: It is a multi-step process. First, the AIM administrator develops the rules used to assign color groups to calendar days. Then, the AIM Schedule Manager uses a rule-based procedure to automatically schedule an entire year's worth of specimen collection services. The AIM user can then assign a client to a specific service using the AIM Intake Manager. From that point forward, the client is scheduled to appear for collections according to the master service schedule.
AIM can be configured automatically print a COC form and specimen label when a client arrives at the Intake desk and presents an ID to be scanned, or the AIM user can print a batch of all COC's and specimen labels for those clients due to appear on a particular date. The label, containing client name, PCF number (and barcode), and current date, is affixed to the specimen and the partially completed COC form can be filled out by the collecting officer and the client as necessary.
Q: Can we generate custom reports from the AIM database?
A: Yes. The AIM database can be used with a variety of third party report writers, including Microsoft Access Reports and Crystal Reports. Although the database is formatted to be more efficient for the AIM system than for humans, there is an upcoming add-on module to provide a more "human-readable" version of the AIM database for ad hoc reporting.
Q: Can we modify the format of the AIM ID cards and "Chain of Custody" forms?
A: Yes. AIM uses Microsoft Word documents as templates to print the ID cards and the Chain of Custody forms. Therefore, any administrative user with knowledge of Microsoft Word can modify the layout of these documents.
Q: We have multiple OCC sites, can the AIM handle this?
A: Yes. There are several ways to configure AIM to handle multiple sites. In installations where there is an existing wide-area network (WAN) infrastructure, the AIM application can (and should) be configured to use Microsoft SQL server as its database platform. In these cases, each AIM installation contains a site identifier, which is appended to each record in the database. Therefore, all AIM users are accessing data from a central database, but each client record and transaction is tagged with a site ID to specify its origin.
In smaller installations where no full time remote connectivity is available, the AIM database can be configured to user Microsoft Access files. In this case, the administrator can periodically build composite client and transaction tables from the various individual copies of the AIM databases at the various sites. The site identifier is useful in these circumstances as well.
Q: Can we use wireless barcode scanners with the Attendance Manager?
A: Yes. The standard Attendance Manager 4.0 module that ships on the AIM distribution CD works with keyboard wedge scanners only. For those users wishing to move to a wireless barcode scanning solution, Dayton Technologies provides a replacement Attendance Manager module (4.0W) that communicates with wireless scanners from Handheld Products. Note that this module represents additional AIM cost and requires additional hardware and software from Handheld Products to function.
Q: Is there a help function for AIM?
A: Yes. AIM has full context sensitive help in Microsoft Windows Help format. Each window in the every application has an associated help topic to describe its functions, and each application contains a "strategies" section to provide a tutorial outline of the steps required to perform basic AIM functions.
Q: How much does the system cost?
A: Check out the new AIM 2001 Pricing page for details about standard system pricing.
Q: What if AIM is not EXACTLY what we need? Is it customizable?
A: Yes. Dayton Technologies is a software development company, not a reseller. We are here to support our customers and to provide a solution that works for them. If our standard package does not meet your requirements exactly, then we can create a custom solution that does. Contact us at sales@daytontech.com for more information about customizations.
Q: What about installation. Is there a single setup program? Can we install this system ourselves?
A: Yes and No. The AIM Setup is designed to be as user-friendly as possible. In an initial installation, however, there are several steps that must be taken to initialize the various database tables and customer-specific information that AIM uses to fill lookup lists, etc. These initializations must be performed by administrators who are familiar with Microsoft Office applications and standard Microsoft Windows techniques. Dayton Technologies provides an AIM Deployment Guide to outline the necessary steps for performing an initial AIM installation.
If your organization cannot provide such a user, arrangements can be made to provide remote or onsite support, and/or customized AIM setup media which already includes all customer-specific data.
Once the initial installation has been completed, the standard AIM Setup provides all of the necessary installation functions to allow a customer to deploy AIM to new workstations at will.