When InfoSlips were first released to market they were seen as a new type of user interface, but they offer more than merely a way of distributing and displaying information. Not only do InfoSlips offer a rich client interface combined with the versatility of a Web page; they also seamlessly integrate data from diverse sources into an easy-to-read package. A differentiating feature is that once a person has received their InfoSlip, usually via email, they can work totally offline and independent of any connectivity or servers.
Alan Burger, CTO of COSA Business Solutions, driver of the InfoSlip revolution in South Africa and Europe, offers a simple example: "By offering staff their payslip as an InfoSlip, companies not only display the relevant payroll information to each person, but they can also integrate data from the HR database, the medical aid database, each person`s mini bank or credit card statement and personal details from almost any source they choose - even offering financial advice.
"The employee can simply click on his pension contribution to view his accumulated totals, or click on her medical aid deduction to immediately view her latest medical aid statement," he continues. "InfoSlips have revolutionised the process of providing standard information to people - and there`s much more to come."
Not only does an InfoSlip contextualise information from multiple systems and package it in a readable format; it is also a secure method of communicating, with guaranteed delivery and it can notify the sender once it has been read.
Additionally, more querying facilities are set to appear on new releases of InfoSlip technology. Once an executive receives a report, for example, clicking on an item of interest will allow him to drill down into the corporate database (as far as he has authorisation to delve) from the InfoSlip. There is no need for third-party applications or to understand business analytics; simply point and click.
Because of the Microsoft technology behind InfoSlips, information does not have to be displayed as text either. The interface can be engaging and graphical, presenting information in charts and graphs, again allowing the user to click on a diagram to drill down for more information.
Burger adds this flexibility is necessary as different people process information differently. "Two people can look at the same piece of paper and come away with two different impressions of what information the page delivered. The same can happen with InfoSlips, except each reader can be guided to the information the sender wants them to see and they can view it in the format they prefer".
"In terms of compliance regulations, the InfoSlip is the ideal vehicle to extract data from various sources, package it so that it`s easy to read and send it securely to people within and external to a company," adds Burger. "Management can ensure every person who should receive the information actually gets it and reads it".
Like an e-mail, each InfoSlip can also be digitally signed to ensure the information delivered is the same as the information sent and nobody has intercepted the message and read or changed the data. In an age where data security is top of mind for most IT managers, InfoSlips are ready for the most stringent security policies.
InfoSlips can be used for almost any task companies use to supply information, either to customer or employees, whether a statement, payslip, an invoice or even reports on the status of the company. The ability to easily display a rich interface and to drill down to more in-depth data, even if it resides on multiple, disparate, remote systems with a click differentiates this technology from others that simply display static information.
"In a world in which access to information is critical, the InfoSlip is a personalised, integrated independent information portal delivering real-time data into the hands of readers," concludes Burger.
Share
Editorial contacts