Computer Systems

Software Systems

ArchivesOne maintains a barcode-based system. To maintain our position as a technological leader in the records management industry, we have made several upgrades and improvements since our original shift to barcode technology. Our computer tracking system allows us to be the quickest and most accurate records management company in our marketplaces. Here's how it works.

Barcoding with Portable Smart Scanners

Every box or file is tracked at all times with our portable smart scanners. The use of portable smart scanners (coupled with dynamic locations and barcode labels) enables us to eliminate the two most prevalent errors made in record centers - data entry errors and misfiles.

Even the most successful data-entry personnel will make some mistakes in entering box numbers and locations into a non-barcode system. Portable smart scanners make virtually no data-entry errors so that you have access to your records inventory at all times.

In permanent location or "pigeon hole" systems, records center staff tell the computer (employing keyboard data entry) that a box is ready to be returned to its original location. The warehouse employee then either successfully re-shelves the box or misfiles it in some other location, accidentally. Since the computer thinks that all boxes have been re-filed successfully, these misfile errors are not tracked. Trying to find a misfiled box can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

With the ArchivesOne system, our record center team members place the box into a rack location first and then scan the rack location and the box with a portable scanner. This information is downloaded into the computer so that the computer tracks where the box is located after it is placed, thus eliminating potential misfile errors.

In addition, the use of portable smart scanners has cut the time from pick-up to storage on the shelf and in the system substantially. In older systems, boxes are picked up, then labeled and given a location on the floor of the record center. When this manual process is complete, the boxes are placed in the appropriate locations, and they are entered into the computer system. Only after all these steps does the customer receive verification of box pick-up and documentation of where the box has been located in the record center.

At ArchivesOne boxes arrive at the dock and can be immediately taken by forklift to the nearest open location and their barcodes scanned with a datawand into place. The data in the smart scanner is immediately downloaded into the computer so that boxes picked up from customers are re-shelved and entered into the system within 24 hours.

Records Tracking Database

All barcode systems are not created equal!

In the records management industry there are many different software programs that are used for the most essential task of tracking boxes. Most are proprietary databases developed by individual companies on an ad hoc basis. Some are done on a more professional level and sold to records centers

ArchivesOne and many in the records management industry find that the best program by far is by O'Neil Software, Inc. We use the powerful RS-SQL software system, which enables ArchiveOne's customers to access their records inventory from the Web.

The RS-SQL system is flexible enough to provide many different types of reports that allow our customers to access their records inventory on line, view the activity of each box and file, everyone in the customer's company who has ever requested a particular box or file, where all their records are currently located, destruction date information and departmental breakdowns.

Our database also has a custom report generator module, which allows us to create almost any type of report that you can imagine, sorted any way that our customers want. Additionally, inquiries or confirmations are handled immediately while the customer is on the phone - we simply pull up the appropriate screen and handle the request.

Back-Up Systems
We have spent a great deal of time designing our back-up systems.

Over a three-year period, with the help of a records management computer consultant, we developed a fail-safe system for backing up our computer systems. Our tracking software runs on two separate hardware systems at all times; so if one system goes down, we can continue to locate your records.

We also back up our data nightly and take it off site. An Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) system keeps our hardware from going down in case of an area-wide electrical problem or brown-out. Lastly, our Disaster Recover Program includes a regular cycling of all vital data.

Microsoft VM
To end users who require the Microsoft VM Package.
Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows XP
Windows NT and Windows 2000

1. Simply double-click on the appropriate link.
2. Choose "Save to Disk". After the download is completed, double-click on the file to run the installation program.