IMS has come a long way over the last few years. With the feedback and support from our subscribers we are continually developing new features that assist your business improve management and operational processes. Since our last newsletter we have implemented a number of new features including the ones we have listed in this newsletter, please take the time to read this as some of these feature may help you.
Knowledge Base   Multiple signatures  

A new Knowledge Base support tool to further help you get the best out of IMS has been implemented. The KB allows you to ask questions, add information to existing posts and search previously asked questions. You are also able to join in discussions on how IMS can be used to improve specific business processes or proposed enhancements

  

IMS now supports multiple signature capture on OHS & compliance forms allowing all employees, customers or contractors to sign off on compliance items where required.

 
Invoicing from site!   Timesheet Expenses   Leave Time & Calender

We have implemented the site-invoicing module. This allows your field technicians to generate an invoice from site that can be printed out on a mobile printing device. The invoice can also accept a customer signature and has check box's to indicate that the customer has paid

  

It is now possible for employee to add expenses to timesheets. Items like call out allowances; height allowance or even cash expenses can be documented with a timesheet improving the support for the payroll process.

  

The schedule calendar can now be automatically linked to leave time allocation so when leave is entered against a resource in advance of the actual date it will be displayed in the calendar. This can assist in ensuring scheduled resources are available

Task Material Lists   Job Profit & Loss   Customised Forms

IMS now has the option of grouping inventory items by task types making it easier for field technicians to locate material, reducing the time spent documenting material lists & purchase orders. This feature also reduces the risk of material not being booked out because the list prompts users of what they usually use for such jobs.

  

A job specific Profit & Loss report is now available from the invoicing area allowing you to generate a job specific profit & loss statement based on actual information booked out against a job, in real time!

  

The customised (OHS) compliance forms have been enhanced to give you more flexibility in your form layouts, they also now support multiple choice options (radio buttons) and can accept signatures.
 
Tax Implications   GPS Alternative?   Security

Purchasing software outright is a Capital Expense and ties up your captial. Hosted or 'rented' solutions like IMS can be written off as an expense in the year subscriptions are incurred freeing up capital for your business.

 

For those who have had some interest in GPS tracking and are on the Next-G network take a look at the 'Where is everyone' function, you can add contacts to your list (with their approval) and then locate their position at any time by selecting their name. This is cheaper and less intrusive than GPS but is only currently available on the Telstra network

  

We recomend that you change your password on a regular basis to help maintain system security. We also advise that you have reputable virus software installed on your machine.

IMS is hosted in a Tier One data centre giving you corporate level security and backup of your data. The greatest security risk for IMS users is on their own machines so they need to take appropriate measures to reduce this risk.

 
Improve process efficiency without investing in expensive I.T infrastructure.