Inter-est World is our next-generation technology platform. It provides secure, reliable, centralised storage of your estimates and allows you to access them from any computer. It will be available to all Inter-est customers from Monday 10th August.
To prepare for Inter-est World, we recomment that you read the two-page Quick Start Guide now.
The most significant change that Inter-est World introduces is that all data will be held centrally on our servers. This has two important benefits. Firstly, because estimates, images, etc. no longer have to be stored on your own computers, you can access them from any computer that has internet access: around the office, at other sites, or even at home. Secondly, you will no longer have to devote time and resources to storing and managing the data on your computers.
Centralising customer data may be new for this industry, but it is being implemented throughout the world by many organisations. Leading technology companies like Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft now give companies and individuals the ability to store emails, photos, and documents on centrally managed servers and access them from anywhere. Inter-est World brings the benefits of this technology to your business.
The key benefits of Inter-est World are:
- Accessibility Data and solutions can be accessed from any PC, anywhere
- Collaboration Share information – reduce duplication. More diverse organisations can access information.
- Automation Introduce process control across diverse organisations
- Security All data sits in a secure data facility
- Consistency All allowed parties view the same data set
This first phase of Inter-est World is just the start. It forms the foundation for future exciting developments such as customisable management information and reporting, and access to estimating using mobile phones. Organisations will also be able to access the Inter-est system using “web services” to further streamline workflow and automate the claims cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I start using Inter-est World?
Inter-est World will be available to all customers from Monday 10th August.
What do I have to do to use Inter-est World?
Nothing. Inter-est World will be available to all users and your data will be automatically transferred to our servers.
How much will Inter-est World cost me?
There will be no extra change. Inter-est is making this investment in the solution.
Why are you doing this?
There are many reasons for moving to a central data storage solution. The main drivers for adoption are convenience of:
(a) Access information from anywhere
(b) Data sharing
(c) Secure storage.
Inter-est World enables us to more tightly integrate and improve our solutions. One “active desktop” will give users unrivalled access to Job management; including estimates, invoices, tracking data and key management information.
Where will estimates be stored?
All estimate data will be stored securely within the Inter-est World server system.
Is my data safe?
Data will be stored on our highly reliable servers within a secure hosting facility. The servers are protected by enterprise-class firewalls and 24x7 monitoring, and have multiple internet connections and power supplies. All data is held on a high-integrity storage system and is backed-up daily.
How do I access my data?
As you always have done. Inter-est World is accessed from the same Inter-est Vision application that you currently use. The Inter-est solution manages how and where data is stored.
Do I need to change any firewall settings?
Maybe. Inter-est uses its own optimized communications protocol so we use dedicated ports. You may need to open ports 4104 & 4105 to gain access. Please call Inter-est if you need help doing this.
How many copies of an estimate will exist now?
One. A major benefit of centralising the estimate data is that everyone sees the same data.
Will Inter-est World store versions of estimates?
Yes. Inter-est World will store estimate versions.
Can I review estimates I create at work from my home PC?
Yes. The beauty of the centralised approach is that you can process your estimates using any PC with internet access.
Can I create estimates remotely? Will Inter-est World support mobile estimating?
Yes. You can create and review estimates using a laptop computer with a 3G or GPRS connection. Estimates created remotely can be reviewed immediately by office staff or authorisers.
Will Inter-est World be different to what I'm used to? Will I need to re-train?
No. The first phase of Inter-est World uses the same look-and-feel as the current Inter-est system. We will provide a full "quick-start" guide to help you understand the relatively small number of changes that have been introduced.
If you have further questions then please contact us on 01625 616020 or email worldinfo@inter-est.net.