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FDM Technical Overview
Table of Contents
System Architecture and Design
Security
Navigation and usability
Flexibility and Customization
Querying and Reporting
System Architecture and Design
FDM Software develops open standards-based systems that use XML, TCP/IP, ODBC
and other widely used technologies. This allows our systems to operate on the
industry standard Windows platform and integrate with external devices and
third-party systems. Our architecture supports a wide range of configurations,
from single-user, standalone desktop systems to enterprise-level operations.
FDM systems are designed to be flexible and scalable, as your department's
needs inevitably change over time.
FDM uses an n-tier architecture, which logically and physically separates
data, business rules and user interface layers. This provides a flexible,
reliable and extensible application that can be easily upgraded to incorporate
enhanced technology and system updates.
For maximum reliability and performance, FDM systems are available on either
Microsoft SQL Server or Sybase SQL Anywhere databases. These
industrial-strength database systems enhance FDM’s robustness and provide users
with a comprehensive tool for managing FDM databases.
FDM’s Administrator software is included with every system, and offers
Windows-integrated utilities to simplify system maintenance and configuration
tasks. These Administrator utilities also give you the ability to customize
your RMS system without any programming knowledge or the need for expensive
custom programming.
Security
FDM provides application security, managed using the FDMSecurity utility, a
program that delivers with your FDM system. Security is based on user groups
that you define, with the individual users in groups inheriting the rights of
the groups they belong to. With FDMSecurity, Administrators have full control
of all aspects of user security management from adding users and passwords to
securing transactions, data entry screens and reports. Security definitions are
highly flexible, and can support nearly any configuration required by a
customer’s unique business processes. FDM’s security provisions are HIPAA
compliant.
Navigation and Usability
FDM systems present a readily familiar Microsoft Windows based interface to
users. Although one of the major strengths of our CAD and RMS systems is its
breadth of functionality and its customizability, our primary design goal is
usability. We provide several unique features that shield the end user from the
software's power and complexity. The user can concentrate on getting their work
done, instead of concentrating on the system. These usability features include:
- Desktops are personalized by user, reflecting the tasks that are part of his or
her daily environment.
- Data entry is wizard-based, with color-coded data validation. The NFIRS 5.0
Wizard, for US clients, is unique in the industry, stepping users through the
entry screens of the complex NFIRS form, presenting fields and screens that are
context-sensitive to the incident type.
- Reports available to the user can be generated, on-demand without leaving the record
or form they are working in.
Flexibility and Customization
FDM systems are fully customizable and offer users the utmost in flexibility and
ease-of-use. With FDM RMS your departments gets the best of both worlds, a
complete, ready to use, “off-the-shelf” application with the added option to
modify everything from the structure (relationships, data elements) and the
appearance (screen and report layouts) to the behavior (data validation rules
and workflow capabilities) of the software. Additional users and modules can be
added at any time to meet your department’s changing needs, without impact to
the existing system. Our Version 4.7 release of FDMCAD brings the same level of
flexibility to the CAD marketplace.
Querying and Reporting
The FDM RMS provides two powerful data query engines for creating basic and
advanced data queries and customized data views. Users build queries using
plain language commands, incorporate drop-down lists and drag and drop actions
and select directly from elements in the database. Queried data can be viewed
in printed report format, visually displayed in graphs and charts or exported
to .PDF, RTF, .CSV or HTML formats for publishing to the Internet and for input
into popular desktop applications, or mail-merge features used for generating
business correspondence. FDMCAD automates most aspects of report printing, such
as sending "rip-and-run" reports directly to remote station printers.
Dispatchers also have immediate access to the reports they need.
FDM provides a comprehensive library of starter reports, gathered from our users
across North America. Your department can do as little or as much customization
to these canned reports as you need. In addition, reports can be built for
virtually any purpose, from mirroring paper-based forms to formulating press
releases for external audiences.
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