PROFESSIONAL INVESTIGATOR
Case Management Software for PIs
BY EUGENE NIELSEN

   Recognizing that S.W.A.T. has many private investigators among its readership, this month we will take a look at Professional Investigator, software that has been written specifically to meet the needs of those working in the investigative industry. Developed by a British software company (Acclaim Software Ltd.), Professional Investigator is a user-friendly software program that's designed to assist investigators in managing cases, contacts and reference information.
   The selection of contact and case management software is one of the most important technical decisions that an investigator needs to make. The appropriate software can greatly enhance the work flow process by streamlining and automating many tasks, as well as allowing quick and easy access to data. The end result is greater productivity and more effective investigations. Although there are a number of contact and case management software programs available on the software market, very few are targeted at the needs of the private investigator.
   The key to an effective contact and case management program is the design of its database. Running an investigative business requires the ability to enter diverse data, so flexibility is essential. The ability to quickly access that data is also necessary. Professional Investigator meets these criteria. It's a flexible program that allows users to instantly access all of their data with a single application through a relational design.
   Professional Investigator has six main databases: Contacts, Cases, Repository (a database of external data and evidence such as files, CDs, photographs, etc.), Staff, Expertise and Tasks. Each of these may be easily accessed by simply clicking the appropriate button on the toolbar.
   There are also a number of small "lookup" databases designed to allow the user to look up a value without having to type it. This eliminates the need for repetitive typing and provides consistent values that aid in searching. The look-up databases include: Categories, Label Formats, Case Roles, Work Done Types, Expense Types, Transaction Types, Payment Methods, Countries and Currencies.
   All of the databases are cross-linked. This allows the user to immediately see if a particular record is associated with a record in another of the databases. As an example, while in the Contacts database the user can instantly check if a particular contact is associated with any case.
   The databases can be broken down into as many categories as the user can devise. Each record can have an unlimited number of additional records connected to it, including photos and graphics (BMP, GIF, JPG, WMF or POX format), as well as unlimited textual data.
   The software allows the "administrator" to control who has access to what data and to control who can change it. Each user has his or her own password. An event log tracks all changes to the database and who made them.
   Professional Investigator comes with a separate program, the dedicated Backup and Restore Module, that allows all data to be quickly and easily backed up to external media, such as a CD-ROM, Zip disk or a floppy. To back up or restore data or image files, all that's necessary is to run the backup program and click the backup button. It isn't necessary to specify files.
   Professional Investigator allows users to set up a budget for a particular case and compare actual spending versus budgeted spending. The case ledger can be categorized into fees, hours (including tenths of hours), mileage, expenses and income (including retainers).
   Professional Investigator contains two database search tools: Instant Search and Power Search (the "Query Wizard"). The Instant Search allows the user to find a
word or a phrase from anywhere by clicking one button. The Power Search is designed for more complex search criteria and allows the user to specify more complex searches using plain English.
   Professional Investigator also contains a number of additional features that make life considerably easier for the investigator. They include a Report Wizard that simplifies the task of preparing reports, a Task Manager that provides a full diary and a pop-up alarm system.
   Other features include the ability to launch the user's Internet browser directly from Professional Investigator and full mail merging of documents written in Microsoft WordTM with the Contacts database.
   The software has been designed to follow Microsoft's interface guidelines as closely as possible. What this means is that Professional Investigator has the same look and feel as Windows 95/98, NT 4.0 and Microsoft Office applications. This makes navigating the program a snap.
   There's full context-sensitive help for every window and field. There are also "Tool Tips"—brief help that pops up when the user hovers the mouse over a tool button. A "Tip of the Day" also is shown at start-up to help the user more quickly navigate the software's many features.
   The software comes with a 68-page electronic user's manual in Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) format. The manual contains a comprehensive index and is easy to understand, even for those with limited computer experience.
   System requirements are minimal. All that's necessary is a 486DX2/66 processor or better, Windows 3.1 or higher, 16 MB of RAM, at least ten MB of free hard drive space, MB video adapter with a 640x 840 display or better, and a 3.5 1.44 MB floppy drive. A Pentium PC, Windows 95/98 or NT, 32 MB of RAM ,, 2OxCD-ROM and an SVGA monitor are recommended.
   Acclaim Software offers a try before you buy the program. Professional Investigator may be downloaded from the company's Web site with no obligation to buy. The software comes with a free 30-day trial period. The software may be purchased at any time during or after the evaluation period. Data that has been entered during the evaluation period won't be lost or harmed after the trial period expires and will be accessible once the program has been purchased and "unlocked."
   In summary, Professional Investigator is an easy-to-use, full-featured contact and case management program that will allow private investigators to manage their businesses more effectively. It's a powerful program that can easily be configured to the needs of the individual user.