DPR: Data Management
The Business Challenge
In October 2002, the CA Department of Parks and Recreation, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division's (OHMVRD) first priority was to immediately begin collecting data from California State parks cards. Information from these cards would enable the Department to determine important accident statistics. The Department needed an ongoing technology solution that would automatically and accurately extract vital information from these cards, and more importantly, tabulate the extracted information in easy-to-read, meaningful report, charts, and graphs.
The SyTech Solution
OHMVRD employed the services of SyTech to help streamline their access to mission-critical data from disparate locations. On November 1, 2002, OHMVRD began collecting California State parks data, utilizing "check-box" cards designed by SyTech for scanning. Meanwhile, SyTech quickly set up a Kofax document imaging system and software by January 15, 2003, to accurately image thousands of OHMVRD cards per year.
SyTech processes cards on a monthly basis, currently scanning approximately 13,000 California State parks cards a year. SyTech captures data from those cards via Kofax Ascent Capture, stores the scanned images in an Alchemy database, imports the captured data into Microsoft Access, and hosts an online query/reporting system to tabulate the data. Tabulated data is delivered on CDs to OHMVRD monthly.
The Kofax document imaging system utilizes Ascent Capture, an industry-leading software that tracks each batch of cards through the entire conversion process. It enhances scanned images, and has the ability to automatically identify forms and perform highly accurate recognition of the data, whether it is handwriting, machine print, check marks, or bar codes. Ascent Capture then tracks each batch through the "indexing" and "validation" stage, where the scanned images are indexed and "blind" verified, according to specific indexing criteria required by OHMVRD. Ascent Capture ensures the highest level of accuracy (99.9%).
The online query system provides instant data to OHMVRD for effective knowledge management and decision-making. It allows OHMVRD users to run reports as needed that include a summary of the data and a visual representation of the data in the form of a pie chart. The system has multiple query options for real-time data collection. Users can specify parameters to narrow the report to a specific location and time frame. Additional queries can also be written upon request, giving OHMVRD unlimited query potential. In addition, table data can be exported and copied into other applications, such as Microsoft Excel, Word, and Access. The visual representation of the data can also be copied into other Microsoft applications for reporting purposed, and converted into multiple formats (i.e. PDF, BMP, JPG, GIF).
SyTech continues to develop the online query system to handle additional capabilities. Advanced queries that include multiple parameters will allow users to further narrow their search, known as drilldown reporting. Users will be able to view their data in additional chart types, such as bar graphs and line graphs. Comparison charting will allow users to plot a chart with data from one year over a chart with data from another year. More-over, customizable report formatting will allow users to customize the appearance and format of their report.
Statistics Simply Meaningful
OHMVRD is reaping many benefits through its collaboration with SyTech. SyTech's technology solution is accomplishing OHMVRD's main goals to scan its files, tabulate its vital information, and easily access its data. By scanning its cards, OHMVRD does not occupy valuable office space with accumulating documents. OHMVRD also saves a great deal of time and money by not having to waste its own people on the time-consuming task of manually tabulating information from thousands of cards, which often produces more errors. This leaves OHMVRD staff to focus on the core of its business, which improves OHMVRD's productivity. Statistical information is available to OHMVRD instantaneously via any web browser. This information is made meaningful via the visual charts that areautomatically created. These charts can be immediately useful for analysis, presentations, reports, or other.
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