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September 26, 2007
Volume 3 Issue 9
In this issue:
*New Feature* - Claims Tracking |
Scanner Review | Database
Backups
 From the Editor
In the version 3.024 we'll be releasing the claims
tracking feature. See the article below and visit the website for more
information on this useful addition to the program.
I've also revisited two articles from past newsletters:
Scanner Review and Database Backups. Unfortunately, in the past couple
of months, we've had some clients who completely lost their data because
they didn't have a backup. The Scanner Review article is always helpful
for those looking to purchase a new scanner or for a new customer who is
just getting started with document imaging.
If you have a question or topic you would like
explained, a story to share, or just a quick useful tip, we'd love to
hear from you. Please send your responses to tina@agencyadvantage.com.
Tina Stewart
Editor
Claims
Tracking
A new feature in the latest version of The Agency Advantage is
claims tracking. New claims tabs on both the Customer Folder and the Policy Details screen allow you to record and view policy claim activity.
Use these Claims sections to follow open, closed, or
refused claims, complete with dates reported, policy numbers, detailed
description areas and line item payout sections.
Learn more about Claims Management >>
Scanner Review
When selecting a scanner there are
several things you'll need to consider.
·
Twain compatibility - Our software requires the scanner to have
TWAIN drivers. Without these drivers our program cannot communicate with
the scanner. When looking for a scanner make sure it is TWAIN compliant.
·
Scanning volume - How much scanning will your
office be doing? If you are going to be scanning more than a few sheets
at a time then you'll need to purchase a scanner with an automatic
document feeder or ADF. This holds a stack of paper and feeds it through
the scanner one page at a time.
·
Scanning speed - Speed comes with a price. The
faster the scanner the higher the price tag. If you are scanning in
high volumes then higher speed may be a good investment.
·
Price - Quality scanners can be found for less than
$1,000. However, if you want the premium features mentioned above be
prepared to spend at least $500. As noteded previously, the faster
scanners are more expensive. Many of the higher priced scanners are also
duplex scanners - meaning they can scan both sides of the paper in one
pass. This is an excellent feature to have if you scan in large volumes.
To conclude the scanner review topic, We would like to
direct you to our personal picks. These scanners are all TWAIN
compliant, boast a very quick PPM [pages per minute] and most have
duplex scanning capabilities. The details are available in our
Agency Advantage Scanner Review.
Database Backups
Database corruption happens to one of
our clients at least once a day. 99% of the time a database corruption
can be quickly fixed by double clicking on the database file. However,
in some extreme cases the database cannot be repaired. This is a
situation in which you would need to restore from a backup. But what if
you don't have a backup? What happens to your agency?
There are several types of backups:
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Tape backups - We do not
recommend these backups as they have been found to be very
unreliable and occasionally fail without warning.
-
Online Backup Services - To
the right is a list of online backup companies where you can pay a
fee for them to keep backups of your data. You would need to upload
your data to them periodically.
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Flash Drives - Flash drives
are inexpensive portable drives that you can plug into your computer
via USB port and copy the files over manually.
-
External Hard Drive - You
can copy your files over to this external drive and take the drive
with you to have an offsite backup. This sort of backup (along with
the online backup service and flash drives) would be beneficial in a
natural disaster such as hurricanes, earthquakes, or other severe
weather.
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CD or DVD - Burning to CDs
or DVDs is a common practice if you don't have a flash drive or
external hard drive. You can purchase CDRWs and use them over and
over or keep them on file for record keeping.
Database corruption can be caused by
bad weather, network failure, hard drive failure, or a computer locking
up. Make sure your agency is protected by having reliable backups. See
the related links to the right for online backup websites.
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