The ARCHIBUS Best Customer Service and Support is awarded to the ARCHIBUS Business Partner who has demonstrated consistent and exemplary service and support of a client’s ARCHIBUS implementation, providing both technical and business expertise.

Idisis is extremely proud of this award and thank all of our clients who nominated us — Todd Hutton.

2012 ARCHIBUS Best Customer Service & Support Award

In most of our projects there is a business need that is verbalized by senior management and it is often requested in very straight forward “here is what I need, don’t waste my time, go get it done” type of language.

One of the requests Idisis gets is integrating mapping information (yes, like Google Maps and Utility Drawings) with facilities management information. At this point the large GIS elephant walks in the room and jaws drop wondering how we are going to tackle this massive beast. It’s simple, use the right tools and the right team.

There is no need to embark on a large conversion effort of your facilities management information into your GIS and mapping system. Instead, go the other way…leverage external or internal mapping information into your facilities management system, coupled with information pertinent to you and the facilities group.

Recent project examples include; Utility Drawings on a Campus Map and Floor Plans Integrated to Emergency Management (e911).

The following example utilizes Autodesk’s Infrastructure Map Server (AIMS) or MapGuide OpenSource (provided to the open source community by Autodesk, Inc.)

Utility Plan Overlays in OSIS – Using Autodesk AIMS or MapGuide OpenSource

“here is what I need, don’t waste my time, go get it done”…This example was created in approximately four hours

Technical Details:

• Utility drawings are exported to Autodesk MapGuide Server from AutoCAD Map in dwf (Drawing Web Format)
• Each utility drawing is assigned the same coordinate system as the Map created in MapGuide Studio or MapGuide Maestro (the open source version of MapGuide Studio)
• Datasources are created in MapGuide Studio or MapGuide Maestro to point to each DWF file
• Layers are created in MapGuide Studio or MapGuide Maestro to point to each data source
• Layers are assigned to the map (Campus Map in this case)
• Campus Map is deployed via OSIS and includes a layer of security to ensure only those that should see utility information can see utility information
• Campus Map is connected to an Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) database. In this case ARCHIBUS.
• Source mapping data includes Aerial Imagery (TIFF format), ESRI .shp (Shape files) and Autodesk .sdf (Spatial Data Files)

Below is a step by step procedure on how the user can adjust the report field length.  **Note: that the user must have ‘Admin’ access in order make these adjustments.

1.  Find the field that you want to adjust its length and locate the HTML tag name.  You can accomplish this by right-clicking the column you want to modify and then clicking inspect element.  It will show you what the HTML tag name is. (see figure 1).

Note: The “inspect element” feature is only available on Google Chrome and Firefox browser

figure 1

2.  Go to ‘Admin’ from the OSIS application. (see figure 2)

figure 2

**Again, if you dont see the ‘Admin’ button, then you do not have access to make this changes.  Please contact your System Administrator.

3.  Choose ‘Report Author’. (see figure 3)

figure 3

4.  Select the report that you would like to edit.  If you know what the report number is, enter the number and click search.  If you do not know the report number, use the drill down folder structure to find the report. (see figure 4)

figure 4

5.  Add the script (shown below) into the report header text box on the OSIS Admin. (see figure 5)  Adjust the width accordingly, based on what you need.

<style>
.colh1_udf_bl_id {width: 70px }
</style>

figure 5

6.  Save the report.

There you have it … in a few easy steps, your report field length is now correct and you can view your report on one page!

That was the question I had when I heard first heard the name in 2000.  I was told a marketing firm was hired to gather some unique and memorable names that fit our core business.  Research was conducted and a number of names were presented to the ownership group. Of all the ones proposed, “Idises” stood out the most.

Why Idises you ask?  Because of it’s “meaning and history”.  The word has its origin in Germanic/Norse Mythology.  Idises were goddesses and female guardian spirits who helped humans in times of need, provided protection, and watched over a family or clan.  Even before the Roman Empire, people used to worship Idises and gave them different names based on their attributes.  Like all goddesses, Idises worked in the background, out of sight, making sure important things were taken care of.  They provided gifts to humans such as fertility, health, children, and foresight. They were able to harness the power of nature to support those who called upon them for assistance.  Individual towns, regions, tribes, clans, families, and households frequently had their own dedicated Idises.  Numerous stone altars dedicated to Idises can still be found across Western Europe.

"The Dises" (1909) Dorothy Hardy

When the partners of the new company went to register the title and secure the domain name, they learned it was already owned by someone who wouldn’t sell.  It was decided to substitute the “e” with another “i” and Idisis was born.  An acronym was created for the name:

Innovations for Dynamic Integrated Spatial

Information Systems

We are over twelve-years-old and soon to move into our teenage years.  Idisis has seen much change and growth since our birth and we anticipate more to come.

Many parents give names to their children hoping they will embody the values and attributes of  that name. The partners and founders of Idisis had the same intent.  Like the ancient Idises, the vision of the company has always been to provide specific services to those in need.  We protect our clients, their data and institutional memory by harnessing the power of technology and tools ensuring facilities and land are managed well.  Idisis works in the background taking care of details often out of sight.  We hope our many clients – cities, universities, school boards, and commercial businesses – can think of us as their personal Idises.  Our name is “Idisis” but worshipping us, however, is not required!

ARCHIBUS has released it’s annual Call for Presentations for the 2012 ARCHIBUS Users’ Conference in Boston.

If you are interested in presenting please complete the online Call for Presentation form, including the required information on all co-presenters. (Maximum of two other speakers)

Here are some of the guidelines for the presentations…

Colleagues or clients who co-present must take an active role in the presentation.

• Limit of one Business Partner co-presenting per session.
• Remember to attach a 150-250 word presentation abstract (with title) which fully describes the business value (time/money saved, etc.) you have achieved, and a brief description of your (and co-presenters’) career experience.
• Submit your information by November 18th, using ARCHBUS’ online Call for Presentation form. (Selected presenters will be informed by November 28th.)

Gain a Conference Presenter’s Discount

• To thank you for your participation as a Conference presenter, you and your co-presenters will receive a discount of over 50% off the Full Registration Rate. Please Note: We are unable to underwrite hotel and travel expenses.

If you have any questions please contact Sarah Arsenault at Idisis.

So what the heck is a UDF?

Well, first of all, UDF is an acronym for User Defined Function.  That doesn’t help does it?  I know, maybe that is why we always call them just…UDFs.

For a simple description, a UDF provides the ability to do more than simply query some data from a specific table or view and present it in a standard format.  UDFs provide a side door to all kinds of exciting functions.  Exciting to me at least.

Here are some examples of how we can use UDFs to integrate various OSIS features into reports.

• Links to Other Reports
  • sample UDF link

  • Code block

    '<a href="/osis/reports/rpt_adv_main.cfm?rpt_id=137&bl_id=' + rtrim(rm.bl_id) + '&fl_id=' + rtrim(rm.fl_id) + '&rm_id=' + rtrim(rm.rm_id)+ '" target="_blank">Show Details</a>'
  • That results in:

• Links to Floor Plans
  • sample link from Floor that automatically loads with the Department Layer Set on

  • Code block

    '<a title="Click for Department Highlights" href="/osis/map.cfm?bl_id=' + rtrim(rm.bl_id) + '&fl_id=' + rtrim(rm.fl_id) + '&ils=dp_ls" target="_blank">' + rm.fl_id + '</a>'
  • That results in:

• Sample link from a Room to highlight that room

  • Code block

    '<a title="Click for to Show Room" href="/osis/map.cfm?bl_id=' + rtrim(rm.bl_id) + '&fl_id=' + rtrim(rm.fl_id) + '&rm_id=' + rtrim(rm.rm_id) + '" target="_blank">' + rm.rm_id + '</a>'
  • That results in:

• Links to Forms to Edit Information

  • Code block

    '<a target="_self" href="/osis/osis.cfm?rcom=o_frm&st=1&fid=1&d=' + RTRIM(rm.bl_id)+ RTRIM(rm.fl_id) + RTRIM(rm.rm_id) + '&ml=1"><img style="padding-top: 3px;" src="images/icon_edit.gif" />Room Classification</a>'
  • That results in:

Other ways to use UDFs in reports include:

• Apply Specific Formatting to Data in a Report
• Calculations in Reports
• Transform Data in Reports
• Query Additional Data from Other Tables

We will cover these in a subsequent post.

Let us know if you would like access to our demo site to try some of these out.

We have recently used the Aspose library to assist with creating new documents from an existing Word document template. When a job is run, it takes in, for instance, a lease code and is able to load various information about the lease into the document at various points. This is done by inserting Merge Fields into the document, which are later replaced with actual data. This functionality is not only limited to Word documents, it also applies to Excel spreadsheets.

Alternatively, documents can be created from scratch and content can even be managed using the Messages table.

We are excited about the possibilities this has opened up for reporting in Web Central, and hope you will be too!

Last year, Idisis implemented and upgraded over 30 IWMS systems with five of those being larger work management projects. Ken Erickson, Process Improvement Manager for Edmonton Public Schools, forwarded an article to me released from Engineering News Record (www.enr.com) that hits key points with regards to setting craftspersons up for success. One of my favorite quotes from this article is…

“Crafts workers know how to do their jobs better than anyone. I try to set them up for success rather than try to avoid failure.”

The article was written by Bruce Buckley with reporting by Johnathan Barnes.

Where The Savings May Be Found
The Construction Industry Institute’s RT 252 research team shows that prep work and time on task rarely exceeds 50% of how crafts workers spend a typical day — a big opportunity for higher productivity.

Where The Savings May Be Found

Where Does The Time Go?
What the CII Research shows Direct “wrench time” gets less than a third of an average day.

Where Does The Time Go?

New Ideas!
A steel erector working on One World Trade Center in Manhattan has arranged for a Subway sandwich shop to be jacked alongside the tower’s frame, saving iron-workers up to 30 minutes for the trip down to the street for lunch.
Photo by AP/WIDEWORLD

New Ideas!

Article Link:
http://enr.construction.com/business_management/workforce/2011/0601-DontBlameTheWorkers-1.asp

Sustainability covers a diversity of topics that include energy management, water conservation, emissions, and hazardous waste.   Many facility managers struggle with what a “Sustainability Program” is and how to implement one.  With an array of involved subjects, it is important to start with a single activity and from that point, tailor a program to suit your organization.

As sustainability is the focus of many organizations working to improve their triple bottom line-Profits, People, the Planet- goals, efforts, and developments have been focused on Profits and People.  Now, the Planet is taking center stage.  Organizations are realizing that sustainability programs do not only benefit a positive environmental stewardship, but increase profits as well.

Along with a positive influence on the environment, demonstrating a return on investment (ROI) will get projects approved and will build momentum.  An application of sustainability that quickly demonstrates a ROI is an efficient Energy Program-information for analysis aggregated with streamlined management tools.  Using a guide that couples and compares the analysis of current industry examples and government information, an Energy Program is created and sustainability principles can be applied in your organization.

For more information, please read  ENERGY_MATTERS_IDISIS or contact Scott Cornelison at scott.cornelison@idisis.com.

For those of us with CAD backgrounds, the challenge of accessing and printing floor plans have long been difficult to appreciate. “It works just like it does in AutoCAD” is a common refrain. But most people don’t have that background. We’ve taken pains to simplify this process in OSIS 3.0. Some of the highlights appear below.

1. It starts with a search – find and open the floor plan you’d like to print
   • The Floor Plans list includes a simple quick search box to quickly find the building you are looking for.
   • 
   • Other navigation options – group floors by Department and other options
   • 
   • Enter on the keyboard – it is a simple thing but simply using the Enter key on the keyboard as the final step of any search saves you time
2. One click to open a floor plan – it’s small but now a single click on any floor opens the drawing
3. [ Print ] just what you want
   • Layer Sets – quickly turn on groups of layers with a single click
   • Searches – use Find a Room style searches to isolate specific rooms with highlights
4. Automatic legends and title blocks
   • OSIS automatically includes a legend in any print layout (based on the current layer set) that can include statistics as well
   • 
   • Title Blocks are also included in any print layout. Choices include Portrait, Landscape, Tabloid, and Legal sizes
5. Add notes
   • Notes can be added to be included in the printed floor plan to help document and communicate with others.

There’s more that I haven’t mentioned of course. Check it out in OSIS 3.0 and let us know if you need access to our demo site. Email me at reeves.davis@idisis.com and I’ll make sure you get all set up.

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