Newsletter May 2001
CDM Revised AcoP
Stephen Wright is the policy section head at HSE responsible for the Revised ACoP for the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations. Having headed the team that provided the consultative document, Stephen now expects to put the new document through its final approvals this summer as planned. Attendees at our September 2000 User Forum will remember Stephen's presentation to us then. He has kindly agreed to return to our next CDM Seminar on Thursday 4th October 2001 to update us on the new ACoP. We will be contacting you in August with more details of the event; please keep the date free.
CDM UK
I thought you would like to share a message I received from some distant shores. It is always good to hear from overseas parties interested in how we are progressing:
"Thanks for the very informative and in-depth explanations on the CDM Regulations, its ACoP, requirements and interactive websites. After accessing, I gained a better and clearer understanding of these Regulations. Presently I am heading a working technical committee to draft similar regulations for applications in Malaysia. Good luck and God Bless You."
The message demonstrates several issues. Ai Solutions have noted that all the information accessed by our correspondent was provided free of charge. The cdmuk.com site has become a great resource to use as a starting point for anyone involved in CDM. Please pass the message on to anyone who needs access to it!
Asbestos Register ToolKit™
The development of our new Asbestos Register software continues to focus our attention. We need to hear from you if you are one of the many parties who need to comply with the new regulations. If you are using large database management systems, we would particularly like to know what your plans may be for system integration so that we can include them in our own development plans too.
Our web site www.aisolutions.co.uk has a downloadable datasheet including pricing. Please let us know if you want to take advantage of the 50% discounts available for the next few months until September 2001. With prices starting at around £500, this has to be a bargain release, so please tell your building managers about it!
Microsoft Make Changes
As a Microsoft Certified Partner, we are pleased to pass on the news that Microsoft has now announced their new Licensing Model (10th May 2001). This is a significant announcement in that it is likely to affect the manner in which all software is eventually supplied. With the trend towards software rental, annuity style contracts, and a general tightening up on how software vendors are rewarded for their development efforts, there is much to consider for purchasers and vendors alike.
Microsoft Office XP is due for release at the end of May and Windows XP in October this year. These are major releases and the intended marketing spend (4 times that for Windows 95) is enormous! The new licensing arrangements mean that we can supply Microsoft products more competitively, so please put us in contact with your software buyer.
CDM ToolKit™ 2000 Service Release 6
Our next service release has been delayed for some weeks now due to some issues with two of our software suppliers. We now believe we have resolved the problems we were having and will be in a position to release SR6 later this month. The main developments that have taken place include the following:
Project Dates List
Appears underneath status comments and in Summary. Lists dates that have been entered about the project.
Updated Letters Module
Ability to mail merge to multiple people.
Updated Tasks Module
Ability to flag and select different types of tasks.
Updated Drawings & Documents Registers
Ability to insert a drawing or document register into a plan by ticking a check box.
Updated Document Status Screen
Shows numerous selected document properties and now includes a "Completed" tick box.
Updated "Other Principals"
Allows re-naming of any role, and grouping of Other Principals into teams.
Bullets and Numbering Support & Table Support
Improved functionality for bullets, numbering and tables.
Updated Grids
Every grid within the ToolKit™ has improved functionality with the ability to hide, select, change order etc.
Knowledge Centre
The Library has moved from within Tools to its own node on the main Tree View and has been re-named Knowledge Centre.
Updated Help File and KnowledgeBase
CDM (Amendment) Regulations; Architectural Glass; Window Cleaning.