Metro has moved!
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We relocated in October to
435 Devon Park Drive, Suite 510, Wayne PA 19087. Phone numbers
are the same:
Toll free:
800-658-5716
Local:
610-296-7450
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| Save the dates! | |
Metro's 2011
User ConferencesTuesday, March 22
Conference Center
at Penn State Great Valley, Malvern, PA.Wednesday,
March 30
Regional Learning Alliance, Cranberry Township, PA.Details to come.
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| Welcome new users! | | |
Among the departments that
have recently installed Visual Alert are:
Albion PD (PA)
Exeter PD (Falls, PA)
Haddon
Township PD (NJ)
Lackawanna
County DA (PA)
Lake City PD (PA)
Taylor PD (PA)
Warren City PD (PA)
York City PD (PA)
Youngsville PD (PA)
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Better communication
to better serve our clients
A message from Metro CEO Anthony Iannacone
Welcome to the first issue of Update, our new email newsletter. We developed Update to improve the quality and consistency of the information we provide to support our valued clients.
Starting in the first quarter of 2011, Update will inform you about the availability of updates to Visual Alert (more on that below, including a link to download the inaugural update to Visual Alert version 2). This newsletter also will provide relevant news, helpful tips on using Visual Alert, notice of upcoming events and occasional features about our clients.
Please email me with your comments and suggestions as we work to make Update a useful and interesting publication.
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Coming soon: More ways
to get the training you want
Many clients have requested Visual Alert 2 training, new user training, and refresher training on query language or some particular module in the software. Metro is developing two new training options to meet your needs and your budget.
We will continue to offer on-site training at your location, using your equipment or our portable computers. This may still be the best option for some departments, but we know others would welcome alternatives that are less expensive and better insulated from the distractions of a busy stationhouse.
With that in mind, we are working to bring you two new options in early 2011: classroom training in our new facility and live webinar training provided over the Internet.
Metro's move to larger quarters has given us the space we needed to develop the first Visual Alert Training Center. At our new location at 435 Devon Park Drive, Suite 510, Wayne, PA, we are creating the ideal learning environment. Groups of six to eight users can escape the distractions of their normal workday, settle into comfortable chairs in a modern conference facility, and focus on gaining the skills they need. Metro's experts do the rest, leading participants through hands-on training sessions using networked computers and high-end AV equipment.
Pricing for training at the Visual Alert Training Center will be significantly lower than equivalent training at client sites. The center is close to major highways and, for clients located some distance away, there are hotels nearby. We will begin booking in January for 2011 training dates.
Live webinar training, available starting in January, will be the lowest cost training option. Participants will be able to logon to the webinar from any computer and interact remotely with the presenter. We are booking now for 2011 webinar training.
To schedule training in 2011 or learn more, email support@metroalert.com. |
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Improvements in the
delivery of software updates
To better support our clients, we are streamlining our software update procedures.
First, we will begin using this publication as the vehicle to let you know about updates to Visual Alert, starting in early 2011. The only exceptions are critical updates, which will continue to be delivered immediately, and updates requested by a client to address an emergency situation.
Second, we are simplifying our release numbers. Release numbers for the software are found in the upper left-hand corner of the application.
The new format will have three numbers separated by dots. The first number is the version of Visual Alert. That is followed by the update number or release number. The final number is the build. Example: Visual Alert 2.1.0 is version 2, release 1, build 0.
For your convenience, each update notice we publish in this newsletter will include a short summary of modifications or features added to the software as well as a link to download the update and the accompanying release notes.
The inaugural update for Visual Alert version 2 is 2.2.1. To download the update, click here. To download the instructions for performing the update please, click here.
Below are the highlights of the modifications made in the release:
Case Management
- When assigning tasks in Case Management a bulletin is issued to the assigned individual alerting them to the tasks. Another bulletin will be sent if the task is overdue.
Citations
- Traffic - allow for "PERM" and "SEMI" for Trailing Unit 1 and Unit 2 in the REG YR field.
- Traffic - E-Citation form is now available via the Quick Forms menu. Approval from AOPC to electronically send the citation is pending.
- Traffic Warning - added Offense Date/Time and Issued Date/Time to printed form.
- Fixed various issues with the saving of data.
Incidents
- When printing a summary/narrative directly from the Summary form the printout will now contain a Reference Number field.
- Incident number is now generated when the incident is saved. Must have parameter set to Automatic Generation of Incident Numbers under the System Setup menu.
- Checking for errors on the AA500 Accident Report before sending to PennDot includes an additional 350 error checks provided by PennDot.
Person Form
- If a person has been assigned a role of Offender and How Charged is listed as "Arrested in Another Incident" a field displays called Ref Incident in which the associated Incident number can be entered.
- Caution Flag is now available. Nature of caution should be entered in Comments field.
- Added a Subpoena checkbox in the Role area of the form. Check this box to have the individuals name and address appear on a Subpoena listing when the complaint is printed.
Queries
- Ability to graph reports has been corrected.
Reports
- New report called Citations by Person. The report lists the individual, the citations
Roll Call
- Item selection is now based on incident date or date of supplement
User Setup
- Security Tab will only show permissions for active modules
Utilities
- Resolved error message when in Create a Related Incident menu option
- Provided an option to print the badge table.
Vehicle Form
- Based on the parameter "Add Vehicle Owners to Incident" which is found on the System Setup menu Vehicle owners are automatically added to the incident when parameter is set to "Yes"
- Vehicle Release printout now contains a header containing department name, address and phone number.
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Look for future issues
of Update every six weeks
Tentative publication dates for 2011 are: January 18, March 1, April 12, May 24, July 5, August 16, September 20, October 31 and December 6.
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