The conventional wisdom is that Winter is cold and flu sea-son. We just had a great An-nual User Group Meeting and

those of you who were there know that we got an early start with the whole cold and flu thing. Sorry about that! The good news however, is that we have the survey results back and you don’t seem to have held it against us…much. We covered a lot of ground at the UGM but one of the main topics was how we’ve implemented Applica-tion Program Interfaces (API) across the entire JusticeTrax product line and how we expect that to radically change the landscape when it comes to third party product integrations and custom projects. In this issue of JusticeFacts, we’ve tried to bring that news to all of you, so I hope you’ll take the time to read Melissa’s update. The UGM was a chance for us to bring you up to date on the other big effort underway at the company, which is the move from LIMS-plus 3.7 to LIMS-plus 3.8. Matt and Paul’s article does a good job

of bringing you up to speed on how we’re progressing with the move and what changes that is generating in the software.

This winter we’re going to be keeping our eye on the main goal of building out the APIs and moving as many LIMS-plus v3.7 customers to LIMS-plus 3.8 as we possibly can. I encour-age all of you to consider making the move as soon as it’s practical because the sooner you do, the sooner you get the benefits of much of the work

we’ve been doing for the last couple of years. It’s our privilege to do this work, but I’d be lying if I said that we didn’t care about your opinion of it. If you use LIMS-plus 3.7 and you haven’t already, please get in touch with Customer Care and start the process of moving to LIMS-plus 3.8. We’ll be happy and we think you will be, too.

Thanks for your continued support.

- Simon

December 2017

S I M O N S AYS

API and v3.8 Progress Thaw Winter Freeze

Simon KeyPresidentEMAIL

Copyright 1995 - 2016 © JusticeTrax, Inc.

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LIMS-plus v3.8 Roll-out

PAGE 2

API Integration Partnerships

API

PAGE 6

Ask Customer Care

This integration allows users of Caseworks Digital Evidence Management to directly link the image files in Caseworks to the appropriate Caseworks folders representing the LIMS-plus Cases and Case Entities by doing LIMS-plus Case searches directly in Mideo. Users can continue uploading and storing the majority of image files and metadata in the Caseworks application and perform all of the imaging functions necessary. Of course, we implemented Role-based security permissions within the API framework to ensure that Mideo Users searching for LIMS-plus Cases are limited to the results of only the Cases to which they have access as LIMS Users. As an added function, Users are also able to send lower resolution copies of selected images into the LIMS-plus application for potential inclusion in

Worksheets, Final Reports and Case Packets where necessary.

At this year’s annual User Group Meeting, we focused many presentations on a relatively new topic for

JusticeTrax: The development of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for our products and their use to integrate with commonly-encountered partner products Mideosystems and Qualtrax. APIs, in general, offer a standard way of communicating between software

applications. JusticeTrax APIs use ReSTful services over http/https to allow data to be queried and transported between products that share similar information.

The impetus of JusticeTrax developing APIs is the understanding that our software applications are only one part of an entire collection of products that are used both inside and outside the

laboratory. We wanted to ensure that our customers had a standardized way of developing the communication between JusticeTrax products and the other products they use. This communication allows the sharing of data between applications and agencies to be simpler, more streamlined and lead to more efficient, effective, and error-resistant processes. We have spent a significant amount of development time in the past year creating these APIs as well as creating a few integrations that utilize them.

Two integrations of note are the ones between LIMS-plus v5 and Mideosystems’ Caseworks application; and between LIMS-plus v5 and Qualtrax Compliance Management Solution. Although both integrations utilize APIs as the link, the Mideosystems Caseworks integration was built to use the v5 Core API (owned and developed by JusticeTrax), whereas the Qualtrax integration uses the Qualtrax API.

API Integration Partnerships

2

Qualtrax and Mideosystems' Caseworks

Image Attachments from Mideosystems' Caseworks added to LIMS-plus

CONTINUES ON PAGE 3 >>

Melissa BennettProduct ManagerEMAIL

Mideosystems' Caseworks

In order to better serve Quality Management operations in laboratories using LIMS-plus, we are leveraging the Qualtrax API to allow Users to search for and instantiate Qualtrax workflows related to LIMS-plus Cases, Case Evidence, and/or Case Requests. This allows a direct link between the workflows used to manage quality in the lab with the LIMS-plus records that may be affected. Examples of the use of this integration can include recording Quality Action Requests (such as Corrective or Preventive Actions) and linking them directly to the analytical workflows or evidence items to which they refer; or tracking Court Testimony Reviews related to Cases and Requests worked in the lab as well as many other uses. With the new Qualtrax tab available on

each LIMS-plus Case, users can see all instances of workflows related to individual Case items and requests as well as those that apply to the entire Case.

API Integration PartnershipsContinued from page 2

Qualtrax

Qualtrax tab in LIMS-plus

Welcome to JusticeTrax

CUSTOMER LOCATION CUSTOMER PRODUCTS

Glendale Police Department Glendale, AZ LIMS-plusLIMS-plus Portal

Seattle Police Department Seattle, WA LIMS-plusCIMS

In 2017, the following joined in using our applications:

3

As noted in the last issue of JusticeFacts, LIMS-plus v3.8 has left “beta.” It is now being used in

production and is being rolled out to existing and new customers.

The original goal of LIMS-plus v3.8 was to reproduce LIMS-plus v3.7 as a browser-delivered application. Since meeting that goal, we are now working on forward development for the application. In the most recent releases, we have added features including:

• Batch Review of Attachments • Custom Forms Wildcards • Dynamic eCaseFile TOC • Enhanced Autotext Usage• More Configurable Tox Panel

Uploads • Favorite Agencies • My Items with Rapid Distribution

We have some exciting new features available in the most recent release, LIMS-plus v3.8.35, including support for the extended Unicode character-set, so you can enter data using special characters like Cyrillic and Chinese. We have also added a language engine which allows for full translation of the interface into any other language. Even if you are not interested in using LIMS-plus with another language, consider this feature to be tailorable labels on steroids; you can change the English verbiage of just about everything in the application.

Our next big project will be the replacement of iPreLog and iResults with the new JusticeTrax Portal. Currently available for our LIMS-plus v5 customers, this portal

provides a cleaner and more integrated way for your customers to interact with you.

With v3.8 being put into production in mid-2017, we have many other customers that are following closely behind to take full advantage of v3.8 at their earliest opportunity. While v3.8 is being implemented quickly with a couple of new customers, it is our established v3 customer base that will need to go through the transition process.

Many customers have taken advantage of the availability of the Health Check tool to fully evaluate their data, make corrections and prepare it for compatibility once moved to the new v3.8 database. Depending on your past use of v3, this could take a few weeks to a few months. Once you are satisfied with the health of your data and hardware configuration, it is only a matter of a single installation, configuration and testing to have your laboratory on its way.

Currently, about fifteen customers are making their way through the upgrade process and are at various states of implementation. We are expecting a handful of these to be ready early next year to make v3.8 LIVE. If you haven’t started your v3.8 upgrade transition process yet, don’t worry, as we anticipate at least a year to get everyone in a position to start their journey.

4

LIMS-plus v3.8 Roll-out

Extended unicode character-set support and a configurable translation interface are included in LIMS-plus v3.8.35.

Matt MurphyCustomer Care ManagerEMAIL

Paul TracyLIMS-plus v3.8 Product ManagerEMAIL

2017 User Group Meeting

Simon Key gives the Keynote address.

Paul Tracy prepares to facilitate a discussion during the OpenSpace.

Jenna Oakes-Smith introduces a customer panel. Wednesday night's murder mystery dinner.

Customers submit topics for the OpenSpace.

“I was truly impressed with the commitment JusticeTrax has to its users and felt like

no problem was too big or too small for them to help with and make the most of your

LIMS experience.”~2017 UGM Attendee

6

Zendesk is the primary way that System Admins can request support from JusticeTrax. When you

submit a Zendesk help ticket, everyone in Customer Care will receive the support request – so you get help faster from the best person to help you.

Anatomy of a Zendesk TicketA S K C U S T O M E R C A R E

Jenna Oakes-SmithImplementation SpecialistEMAIL

Brittany CangeImplementation SpecialistEMAIL

Add individuals to a ticket through their email addresses. This could include other application administrators, IT support members, or supervisors.

A brief but descriptive title for the issue in the ticket. Detail in the title allows for easy understanding and referencing of the ticket in the future.

As the Subject is entered, Zendesk will recommend existing Zendesk articles that may be relevant. Clicking the article title hyperlink will open the article.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 7 >>

CC

Subject

Articles

A detailed explanation of the problem. The more information you provide in the initial description, the better Customer Care Staff can assist you. In addition to the problem description, you should also include any internal troubleshooting or fact finding that you have tried.

Description

7

Anatomy of a Zendesk TicketContinued from page 6

What is happening? • Detailed account of the issue, including

the behavior of the application and any errors that are occurring. Screenshot attachments help!

How is it happening?• What are the steps to reproduce the error/

issue?• Can it be reproduced reliably or is it

intermittent?

To whom is it happening?• Does the issue happen to everyone or a

single user?• Is it limited to a specific group on

your network or a security role in the application?

Where is it happening?• Does the issue happen on all computers?

Does the behavior change based on who is logged into the computer?

• Can you reproduce it in all browsers? Does the application behave the same way in each browser?

• Where in the application are you? How did you get to that screen?

When is it happening?• What are the specific order of steps taken

and when does the error occur?• Does it happen at a specific time of day?

Of the week?

The product that you are writing about in the specific ticket, even if you have multiple products installed. In addition to specific products, you can also choose to submit your question about other topics such as reporting or simply “general topic”.

The specific version of your installed product; the version typically takes the format of 5.3.20, 3.7.38, or 1.1.1 . Your issue may have been resolved in a later version of the application which we can share with you quickly. Also, if we have your version of the application available, we will test on the same version that you are using.

• CIMS: The version number is in the lower right corner of the dashboard.

• LIMS-plus 3.x: The version number can be found under Help > About

• LIMS-plus 5.x: The version number will be displayed on the right-hand side of the screen under the user’s profile picture.

• LIMS-plus DNA: The version number is in the lower right corner of the dashboard.

• Portal & iProducts: Versioned by their LIMS-plus version.

Screenshots of user screens and error messages, video recordings of the steps needed to reproduce the error, error logs collected during fact finding, and any other files that can assist us in resolving the ticket.

Access Zendesk Now!

Description (cont.)

Product

Product VersionA

ttachments

Phone: 800-288-5467Fax: 480-222-8999Email: info@justicetrax.com

SALESPhone: 480-222-8921Email: sales@justicetrax.com

JusticeTraxOne West Main StreetMesa, AZ 85201

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!JusticeFacts is our periodic newsletter with news and information for your benefit.

To make each issue more interesting and valuable, we need your feedback. This feedback will enable us to tailor JusticeFacts to your information needs and interests. JusticeFacts is your newsletter, so help us make it a valu-able resource that you’ll look forward to receiving and reading, issue after issue.

By all means, send us your recommendations as to what content you want more of, but also can do without. Do you want more photos, screen captures, other graphics? What kind of information will help you in your work?

Please send your comments to: david.epstein@justicetrax.com

Meanwhile, enjoy JusticeFacts, and we’ll be on the lookout for your suggestions.

David Epstein, Business Development Manager

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