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eRoom for rich data gathering

A geographically distributed process comes together in one place by using collaboration tools and a familiar user interface

Our client, a business process outsourcing provider, was responsible for data gathering and reporting on activities in 150 regions in the UK. Their challenge was to design a process that would allow for easy-to-use online/offline data entry mechanisms and flexibility with respect to data requirements without the complexity of software distribution. The process needed to cater for 6,000 inspection forms submitted each reporting cycle.

Aptus helped our client design and implement an eRoom solution supporting the full reporting cycle:

  • Inspection form design (the design is updated every reporting cycle)
  • Distribution of inspection form templates
  • Data capture from completed inspection forms
  • Extraction of quantitative and qualitative information from submitted inspection forms
  • Synchronisation of results to a central database for reporting and analysis

    • Microsoft Word was chosen as a common interface for inspection forms that all respondents would be familiar with and which would work on off-line laptops. Forty types of forms were prepared in Word, ensuring that data entry fields were indicated by bookmarks. For each inspection form type, an XML translation schema was created to extract respondents' answers from the forms. This approach ensured that the Word-based inspection forms could be formatted as required without compromising the robustness of data extraction.

    Aggregation of responses is handled by way of a hierarchy of eRooms and folders, all connected to a master eRoom. Data points are extracted from the Word-based inspection forms using XML translation and copied into eRoom regional databases. The regional databases are then in turn rolled up into a master database from where the data can be viewed or exported to analysis tools.

    "It has been a very good experience working with Aptus. I found them to be proactive, flexible and professional. I would use them again."

    The solution allowed our client to continue the operation of an outsourcing contract with an important customer while at the same time making the process more efficient.