REIGATE, January 8, 2008 - Canon, a world leader in digital imaging technology, today announced it has created an eCopy* connector for the nationwide management information system (MIS) for schools, SIMS .net. The integration of eCopy with SIMS .net enables users to scan and attach paper documents to online records using Canon scanners and multifunctional printers. The eCopy connector will reduce teacher admin time by allowing instant access to all student records from a teacher’s desk. The connector, which has been developed in consultation with Bristol-based Chipping Sodbury School, is accredited by Capita, the company behind SIMS .net, and will be available to primary and secondary schools with immediate effect.

• The Canon and eCopy connector will help schools achieve their mission to reduce paper consumption, improve backup and hold secure digital records for every student

• The Canon and eCopy solution connects with  SIMS .net to enable schools to easily scan and attach paper documents to online school records

• Chipping Sodbury School used as test bed – “it’s improved productivity and changed the way we work,” Andreas Burt, Network Manager

SIMS .net is used by over 22,000 primary, secondary and Special Education Needs (SEN) schools in the UK and holds a comprehensive record for each pupil and staff member electronically in one place.  The Canon eCopy connector will allow schools to deal more effectively with paper documents within this system, reducing the delays associated with locating hard copy documents. 
 
Chipping Sodbury School has been beta testing the connector for the past month, and has contributed greatly to the development of the final version of the connector.  The school has almost 1,000 pupils and 120 staff and has been using Canon’s eCopy connector in a key project to enter parental forms into SIMS .net as part of the year seven induction.  The connector allows forms to be attached to digital records at the touch of a button rather than using a flatbed scanner or entering the data manually, and has improved the speed with which paper documents are filed and accessed.
 
“Allowing easier access to data will lead to huge time-savings for us in the long-term,” explains Andreas Burt, Network Manager, Chipping Sodbury School. “Traditionally, to access students’ records, you would have to walk to the Head of Learning’s office, where they are all kept.  For much of the time the Head is teaching, so you can waste a lot of time trying to get hold of pupils’ records.  By keeping all information on SIMS .net I can access everything from my desk.”
 
The eCopy connector simply adds a new button to the existing eCopy interface – ‘Scan to SIMS’ – and is extremely easy to use.  A teacher or administrator positions a document on their scanner, presses ‘Scan to SIMS’, logs-in to their account, and then chooses the pre-determined document type (e.g. medical record, absence report) and who they would like to attach the document to.  It then becomes part of the chosen pupil’s SIMS .net record.
 
Teachers can also use the system to turn a hard copy document into an attachment, which can then be emailed to an entire class at the touch of a button.  “Teachers are extremely time poor and a device such as Canon’s eCopy Connector, which streamlines admin tasks will soon become indispensable.  Every day we use the system we find a new use for it,” continues Andreas.
 
Canon’s eCopy connector will be available to new and existing Canon customers and can be purchased through OGC and other framework contracts.  Canon will sell the connector directly and through approved Canon partners, at the retail price of £600.00.
 
Andreas says: “My mission statement is to reduce paper consumption, improve backup and ensure that comprehensive digital records are kept on each student.  Digital records are far more secure as access can be completely controlled.  Canon’s eCopy connector will be a vital part of our success as it makes the process of turning a hard copy document into a digital record incredibly quick and straightforward.  We plan to install the connector on all our scanning devices.” 
 
Andy Vickers, Managing Director, Canon UK, said: “Feedback from our customers in the education sector has been that digital student records are not only more convenient, but that increasing inter-agency interaction between schools, social services and the police is making easily accessible, searchable and secure student records a necessity.  The Canon eCopy connector is a market-leading device that makes the process of turning paper documents into digital incredibly quick and easy.”

Can't find what you are looking for?  Why not visit our News Archive to search our news database for a specific item.

News