The Express Custom Reports option (see Figure 85)was designed to give the user the ability to create unlimited custom reports using information from any of the fields located in the Evidence Log. The custom report writer was created so an average person can design complex reports. You don’t have to be a programmer or computer expert to become efficient with express custom reports.
To create a Custom Report, select the Reports tab located on the main screen, then select Express Custom Reports (Ctrl+F11). Once the custom report screen opens, select an option in the FROM drop-down list (see Figure 86); (Evidence Log, Asset Log, Archive Log, Activity Log, and Evidence Detail Log).
Figure 86
After you have selected one of the options from the drop-down list, you will need to choose the fields from the list in the left pane that you want to include in the report. SELECT field (see Figure 87).
Figure 87
For example, if you want a report that includes a case number, date of recovery, evidence description, evidence type, item #, suspect, and the tracking number, you simply follow the instructions and select the fields you want to include from the left pane. First, choose SELECT by clicking on it with your mouse button. Next, choose the desired fields in the order that you want them to appear on the report (see Figure 88).
If you want to refine the information regarding a selected field, you need to click WHERE and then select the field from the left pane in order to filter the information (see Figure 89).
Figure 89
Figure 89
Once you have selected a field from the left pane, you will need to choose an option from the drop-down list to establish how you want to filter the information. There are 8 options to choose from and the available comparisons are as follows:
= Use this option for exact data. (If the user wants to set the criteria where a field is blank, they need to use the = for the comparison option and then leave the criteria field blank). Not applicable for date fields.
NOT = (use date or text fields for an exact comparison).
LIKE (choose the LIKE to search for word(s) see Figure 90). Can also use wild cards.
BETWEEN (used for date fields)
greater than (used for date fields)
greater than OR = (used for date fields)
less Than (used for date fields)
less than OR = (used for date fields)
Figure 90
The LIKE option will allow you to include wildcards (%) to help you find information when you may not know the exact spelling or how it may have been entered when the record was created. For example, if you choose the field Recovered By and using the filter LIKE and then enter [%Gray%] the program will display every record where Grayson, Dick Grayson, D. Grayson, Grayson D or where Gray is listed anywhere in the text string.
Once you have selected the type of filter to use, you need to select what the criteria will be. Criteria can be but is not limited to:
Date – mm/dd/yyyy
Word – ex. Guns
Blank – when the user wants to pull all data that has that particular field blank or empty.
Wildcard Search – use a % as a wildcard along with the key letter(s) or word(s).
Once you have set the desired parameters, you need to select Run at the top of the window to run the report. The requested data will be displayed in the data table at the bottom of the window (see Figure 91). Please, also notice how the data is displayed, the report is displaying the data in ORDER BY which you have chosen the fields beginning with Case Number.
Figure 91
You could Highlight data in the table by moving your mouse to the area you want to copy, press and hold down the left mouse button and then drag the cursor across the field, columns and/or rows that you want to copy. If you then Press Control, then C on your computer keyboard you can copy the data to paste into another document. Most departments have various standard letters, forms and other documents where they can use the copy paste feature to save time.
If you want to create a report from a Custom Report you can do that by selecting Report Viewer to create the report and see what it will look like before printing or exporting, (see Figure 92). You can even include signature lines at the bottom of the report if you choose.
Figure 92
The user can also export any custom report by selecting the Export Data option at the top of the window, then creating a name for the report (see Figure 93). The file will then be saved in an Excel format where you can generate statistical values for the various columns. The default configuration is in a (*.psv) ~ Pipe Delimited Format. You can also create a .pdf file and attach the document to an email, to be distribute to one or multiple recipients, or you can simply print it out.
The “Activity Report” will present the user with a screen (see figure 94) that lists all users under “User ID.” The user will select the username in question then input a “Start Date,” “End Date,” or enter “Free Text.” Once the desired parameters are entered, the user can then select “Create Report.”
Figure 94
The report will display all actions the user performed (see figure 95) while logged into the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application. This is also known as an audit trail.
The “Change Case Number” option is how the user changes an incorrect case number input into the application. By selecting “Change Case Number,” a screen will appear (see figure 6).
Figure 6
To change a case number, the user can input either a “Tracking Number,” for single items, or by “Case Number” to change a case number for all items in a case. If all the items listed have a green checkmark beside them, the user can successfully change the case number by typing the correct case number in the bottom box and selecting “Save.”
The PMI Evidence Tracker™ System Setup screen is located under the “Setup” tab on the main screen, (see figure 3) and then, by selecting “System Setup” (see figure 4) located at the bottom of the list. The “System Setup” is where the user can view the path to the evidence, asset, and shelf labels, as well as the path to where the evidence and asset attachment files are located. The user can also run or set a scheduled backup, and perform a database restore.
Figure 4
After completing the required information, select “Save and Close.”
Once the user selects “Log In” the user will be prompted with a message telling them they need to define their department to continue in the application. Defining the department (see figure 2) is the first task the user will need to perform before any other actions can be taken.
Figure 2
Fields highlighted in yellow throughout the application indicate that they require data to save and continue. Once the required fields have your department’s accurate information entered, the user will then select “Save and Close” and continue to the main screen.
The “Batch In” (see figure 60) option is used to batch MULTIPLE items into the evidence/property room. Remember all items the user wants to batch into the application, need to be going to the same “Evidence Room Location.” The user will need to either scan the tracking number on the evidence label or input the tracking number via the keyboard into the yellow shaded box labeled “Tracking Number.”
If the items can be batched into the application, there will be a green “checkmark” shown in the “Valid” column as shown in figure 62. If the user receives a red “X” in the “Valid” column, the user will need to search the chain of custody log and verify the item was batched out.
The user will then need to input information for “In From Person/Place,” and “Received By.” Then the user will need to select “Save.” (see figure 62)
Figure 62
batch out
The “Batch Out” (see figure 64) option is used to batch items or evidence out of the evidence/property room, for example, if an item is returned to the owner, the user would use this option. The “Out To Place” would be the disposition of that item, i.e., “OWNER.” The “Received By” would be the person accepting the item from the evidence/property room. The “Date Out” is automatically stamped by the PMI application. The “Reason Out” would be information the department needs to process the item out, i.e., “Court Order.”
Figure 63
The “Case Number” option should only be used if the user is batching ALL pieces assigned to the case number in or out and to the same destination.
final out
The “Final Out” checkbox is used for items that will not be returned to the evidence/property room. For example, if a case is closed and some of the items were not used as exhibits in the case, the case is closed and there is a recorded conviction. The custodian will use the “Final Out” checkbox to remove the item from the evidence log and end the chain of custody.
The “Evidence” tab has two options under it, “Log” and “Batch Bin Transfer.” The user can gain access to the “Evidence Log” or “Log” by using the F5 key on the keyboard. The “Evidence Log” (see figure 28) is where the user with administrator permissions can customize the field header names, drop-down lists, and arrange the layout as they desire.
Figure 28
Evidence Log
The “Evidence Log” is the key to the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application. This is the screen users will use to input evidence into the database. This screen is customizable by any user with administrator permissions. Although possible, only one user should be able to customize the “Evidence Log” screen. Things can get very confusing if more than one user is customizing the “Evidence Log.”
Customizing the evidence log
An admin user has the ability to arrange the input fields any way they choose. Most departments arrange this screen to mimic the screen or document the department was previously using to make the transition easier for everyone. The admin user can also re-name the field header names to relate to the current policies for labeling information (see figure 29).
Figure 29
As shown, the “Case Number” was changed to “Incident Number.” To achieve this, the admin user will place the courser over the field header name i.e., “Case Number,” right-click the mouse, and select “Edit Name” then input the desired field header name and hit “Enter” on the keyboard. Once the admin user has re-named all the desired field header names, they will need to select the “X” button at the top right of the “Evidence Log” screen. They will then be prompted with a window informing them the field layout has changed if they would like to save it (see figure 30). Select “Yes.”
Figure 30
The “Evidence Log” window will then close. Just select “F5” to reopen it. Once the window is open, they admin user can continue customizing the layout. They can arrange fields to their desired layout by right-clicking on the field header name i.e., “Offense” and selecting “Move” (see figure 31).
Figure 31
Once the option to move is active by selecting “Move,” take the courser and left click the desired position in the layout. The relation of the courser is the left position of the field being moved. For example, if the user wants to place “User Field #1” between “Case Number 2” and “Case Number,” the user will place their courser right of “Case Number 2” input field and left of the “Case Number 3” input field. The field will then reside between “Case Number 2” and “Case Number 3” (see figure 32).
Figure 32
Once the admin user has moved the fields to the desired locations on the “Evidence Log,” they will repeat the steps for saving the layout (see figure 31).
On the “Evidence Log” there are 38 input fields, 12 of which are drop-down lists, and 6 of the 38 are expandable fields that allow 100, 250, or 4,000,000 characters.
To edit a drop-down list, the admin will place the mouse courser over the field header name and select “Edit List,” a window will appear (see figure 33) with options to cancel, save, delete, and add. To add information to a list such as a name or a word, select the “Add” option then input the information into the yellow field. Once the user has completed inputting the name, select “Save,” Repeat these steps for all drop-down lists in the PMI application.
Figure 33
To delete a name or word, select the name from the list, it’ll move to the yellow field, once the desired word is in the yellow field, select “Delete.” The user is prompted with a window asking if they are sure they want to delete this record (see figure 34).
Figure 34
If the information was used in any record, the application will not allow the user to delete the information (see figure 35).
Figure 35
The admin user is also able to “Hide” fields on the layout they believe their department will not be using. These hidden fields are stored at the bottom of the “Evidence Log” layout in a container marked with a green plus (+) symbol (see figure 36).
Figure 36
By selecting the green plus (+) symbol, a table will appear with a list of the hidden fields (see figure 37).
Figure 37
The left pane (see figure 38) of the “Evidence Log” the user will see our logo (attachment thumbnail), “Current Item Location” information, and six option buttons: “Print Label,” “Search,” “Add,” “Cancel,” “Save,” and “Attachments (0).”
Figure 38
Logo
Our logo at the top left corner of the “Evidence Log,” if the user attaches a photograph to the evidence record, the logo (see figure 39) will then be replaced with a thumbnail of the attached image.
Figure 39
Current item location
The “Current Item Location” information displays (see figure 40); “Where” the item is located in relation to the information in the application; “Why” the item is in that location; “Who” had possession of the item last, or currently has possession of the item; “When” When it was taken or stored.
Figure 40
The “Print Label” option allows a user with the correct permissions to print an evidence label (see figure 41). Also, when a user adds a piece of evidence in the “Evidence Log” and saves it, they are prompted (see figure 41) to select the number of labels they want printed for that piece of evidence.
Figure 41
Search
The “Search” button is where ALL users should conduct their searches in the PMI application. Once the “Search” button has been selected, a screen will appear that the user will use to select by which does the user want to search, i.e., “Case Number,” “Tracking Number,” “Evidence Type,” etc. (See figure 42).
Figure 42
After selecting an option from the list (notice “Total Evidence Count” at the very bottom) a window will appear asking for the user to specify the data they want to search for (see figure 43).
Figure 43
Once the user inputs the desired information in the search bar and selects “OK,” the results will display at the bottom of the “Evidence Log” in the matrix table (see figure 35). I elected to search by “Tracking Number” and input “1500” into the search bar, then selected “OK.” The results were then displayed at the bottom of the window in the matrix (see figure 44). This is a great tool for editing records, the user can search by “Case Number” which will display ALL of the records with the case number the user entered in the search box. With only the results showing at the bottom in the matrix, the user can easily edit the record and move to the next seamlessly.
Figure 44
Add
The “Add” option will open a new, blank record (see figure 45) for the user to input data. The PMI application associates items with the case number. If a user inputs a case number of “2022-01152458,” inputs data in the required (yellow highlighted) fields, then saves the record. If the user opens a new, blank record, then inputs the same case number (2022-01152458), all fields with the “Auto-fill” option selected, will auto-populate information from the previous record that was saved.
Figure 45
Cancel
If at any time the user is uncertain the information, they input is accurate, the user can simply select the “Cancel” option and cancel the record. This feature is also utilized during emergencies. In some department a patrol officer also has the role of Evidence Tech and when a call comes in, they must drop everything and go. The “Cancel” button will help keep the database clean from any errors or missing/inaccurate information. The “Cancel” button, like the “Save” button is only operational when a record is being edited (see figure 45).
Save
The “Save” option is used when the user has completed entering the information required by their department or they have completed the record edits.
attachments
The “Attachments” option (see figure 45) is used to attach documents, picture, audio and video recordings, or pdfs and shows the total number of attachments to that record. Once the user selects the “Attachments” option, a new window will appear (see figure 46). The user can add numbers by “Dragging and Dropping” a file into the gray space on the window shown in figure 46 or the user can browse to the file in its folder location. If the user has successfully attached a file, they will see them listed in the gray space (see figure 47).
Figure 46
Figure 47
The record will then display a photo at the top left (see figure 48) in the “Evidence Log” if a photo is selected as the default as shown in figure 47.
Figure 48
display grid
The grid (see figure 49) at the bottom of the “Evidence Log” lists, by default, the last “50” records recorded into the application. There are also two other options “500” and “ALL,” that will display 500 of the last records or “ALL” of the last records. This is also where the user will view records and edit records.
To view a record, locate the desired record by using the “Search” option as explained under the “Search” heading. Once the user has located the desired record, simply click once to view the information in the record.
To edit a record the user must first have edit permission then they must locate the record, once located, double click the desired record to edit it.
Figure 49
Entering evidence
The “Evidence Log,” modeled after the commonly used evidence bag to facilitate moving from a paper system to a computer application. Once a user selects “Log” under the “Evidence” tab, the “Evidence Log” will appear with information from the last record input into the application. To enter a new record, the user will need to select the “Add” option from the left pane area. After selecting “Add,” then the “Add” option will appear grayed out, then “Cancel” and “Save” will then become selectable (see figure 28). The user will start by inputting a “Case Number” then hit the “Tab” key on the keyboard to move to the next field. (Remember the “Tracking Number,” “Item#” and “Item Of” will auto-fill by the application.)
The next required field (as indicated by the yellow shaded box) is “Offense.” The user will then need to input information into “Offense” which is a drop-down list in which the user can select a preadded offense (If the admin user added the offenses to the drop-down list the user should not enter a new word or phrase).
There are 7 fields that require information to save a record: “Case Number,” “Offense,” “Offense Location,” “Evidence Type,” “Evidence Description,” “Date of Recovery,” and “Recovered By.” If one of these fields is missing data, the user cannot save the record. Please refer to the “Evidence Log” then “Evidence Log Fields” for the data character limits for each field.
Case Number
The “Case Number”field will accept up to 20 characters and is the number that determines the “Item#” and “Of” i.e., “Item#”_2_ “Of” _3_ . The application provides fields for additional case numbers such as, “Case Number 2,” “Case Number 3,” and “Case Number 4.” These fields can be used for additional case numbers or can be renamed and repurposed for other needs. These fields can also be used to input another case number assigned by an outside entity such as the “ATF.”
tracking number
The “Tracking Number” is a unique number that is automatically generated by the application. The “Tracking Number” is unique, will never be duplicated, and cannot be manipulated. The “Tracking Number” ensures the integrity of the PMI application. The “Tracking Number” is not assigned until a record is saved.
Item number
The “Item#” indicates what item the user is currently viewing, adding, or editing as the “Of” number is automatically adjusted as items are added to a case number. These numbers correlate with the case number. If an item input has the same case number, the “Item# and Of” will adjust as pieces are added.
victim/complainant
The “Victim/Complainant” field is an expandable field for the user to input a name and an address or two names and an address.
offense
The “Offense” field is a drop-down list that the admin user will populate with data for officers to choose from. The admin user building the list for officers to choose from helps keep the database clean and uniform.
offense location
The “Offense” field is a drop-down list that the admin user will populate with data for officers to choose from. The admin user building the list for officers to choose from helps keep the database clean and uniform.
offense location
The “Offense Location” is an expandable field where the user will input the address where the offense occurred or a description of the location if no address is available.
evidence type
The “Evidence Type” field is a drop-down field, and the admin user will populate the list with evidence types the department commonly encounters. (The admin user can add to the list, but no evidence type assigned to a record can be removed from the list, the application will not allow it.
Figure 50
Figure 51
Figure 52
Figure 53
The “Drug Details,” (see figure 50)which populates by selecting “Drugs” in the “Evidence Type,” is where the user can select one of the listed options (Quantity, Weight, Volume) to better describe the drug evidence collected. The corresponding boxes are for inputting the value of the selected option i.e., Quantity [100] or Quantity [100 pills], Weight [.25] or Weight [.25 oz], Volume [2 Tbs] or Volume [2 tbsp].
The “Gun Details,” (see figure 51) which populates by selecting “Guns” in the “Evidence Type,” is where the user can input data for “Make,” “Model,” Caliber,” and “Serial Number.”
The “Cash Details,” (see figure 52) which populates by selecting “Cash” in the “Evidence Type,” is where the user can input the number of each denomination collected, i.e., $100 (3), $20 (6), $5 (13). The “Cash Details” window will add all the input denomination and present the user with a “Bill Total, Coin Total, and Grand Total.”
The “Biological Details,” (see figure 53) which populates by selecting “Biological” in the “Evidence Type,” is where the user can select one of 6 options from the drop-down list provided i.e., “Blood Sample, Urine Sample, Sexual Assault – Rape Kit, Extracted DNA, Tissue Sample, Other Item(s).”
Evidence Description
The “Evidence Description” field will accept more than 4 million characters and is best used to describe, in more detail, the evidence collected. Please understand, the “Evidence Type” should be a simple word to describe the evidence, i.e., “Drugs.” user to list the finer details of the evidence collected and will accept as many as 4 million characters.
date of recovery
The “Date of Recovery” must be entered in a mm/dd/yyyy format, the user can also add a time in the format of hh:mm if desired. The date and time pertain to when that piece of evidence was collected. The time can be entered in a regular or military configuration. If military time is used, it will be converted into regular time and the appropriate AM/PM designation will be added when the record is saved. If the user is using regular time, be sure to add the AM or PM. Otherwise, the application will. by default, save the record with an AM time.
review months
The “Review Months” field is used for assigning a “timer” to a piece of evidence the user wants to review for purging when the timer expires. This is a great tool designed to help users purge items from the evidence/property room and should be utilized.
recovered by
The “Recovered By” field is for the name of the individual who collected that piece of evidence. This is a drop-down field the admin can add names to but can also accept free text. The user can type the first 2 characters of a name from the drop-down, and it will auto-fill the selection, or the user can choose directly from the drop-down list.
location of recovery
The “Location of Recovery” field is a detailed description of the specific location where the evidence was collected. The user should input an address or a description of the location where the evidence was collected.
transported by
The “Transported By” field is for the name of the person transporting that piece of evidence from where it was collected to the temporary or permanent storage location.
reason seized
The “Reason Seized” field is for entering the reason for which that piece of property is being retained, i.e., to be tested, holding for court, etc. This is a drop-down field but can also accept free text. Remember, free text can pollute the data with multiple entries spelled differently. The user can enter the first 2 characters of a word from the drop-down list, and it will auto-fill, or the user can choose an option directly from the drop-down list.
temporary location
The “Temporary Location” field is a drop-down list the admin will populate with the temporary location officers use to store evidence in before it is accepted into the evidence/property room by the evidence tech. The user can enter the first 2 characters of a location from the drop-down list, and it will auto-fill, or the user can choose a location from the drop-down list.
evidence room location
The “Evidence Room Location” field is a drop-down list containing all locations in the evidence/property room. When an evidence/property room custodian collects a piece of evidence from the temporary location and verifies the information and evidence, they will then assign that evidence a location it will be stored in the evidence/property room. Assigning a location to a piece of evidence in the “Evidence Log” then saving that record, will simultaneously enter the record into the “Evidence Log” and log its first chain of custody record into the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application.
case status
The “Case Status” field has two options, “Active” or “Inactive.” These two radio buttons indicate whether a case is active or inactive, the default setting is “Active.” After data is entered for a particular piece of evidence and then saved, that evidence is now officially an “Active” piece of evidence.
suspect
The “Suspect” field is for recording the name, address, and other important information pertaining to the suspect(s).
disposition
The “Disposition” field is a drop-down list and is used to designate how evidence is to be disposed of when a case is closed and the evidence is no longer needed, or when an item is to be returned to its owner. The admin will need to populate the list with options used often by your department.
date of disposition
The “Date of Disposition” is a field the application automatically inputs a date and the time of when a piece of evidence was set to “Final Out.” This is something we will cover in the “Chain of Custody” tab of the PMI application. If a user tries to input a date and time into the “Data of Disposition” field they will get a message (see figure 54).
Figure 54
Dispose
The “Dispose” field (see figure 55) is an option that a user can select after it has been determined that the evidence is no longer needed and is ready to be permanently removed from the evidence room. By selecting “Dispose” the user can run a report listed in the “Reports” tab that will report all items that have “Dispose” selected.
Figure 55
user fields
The fields labeled “User Field #1 – #4”are drop-down fields in the “Evidence Log” that function like the other drop-down fields where the list can be edited to fit the department’s needs as well as the header name. This allows for the admin to re-purpose the fields as needed. “User Fields #6 – #12”are text fields that scroll and are available for re-purposing by the admin user.
notes
The “Notes” field is a free text field for inputting notes relative to the piece of evidence currently open in the “Evidence Log,” information concerning that piece of evidence, or notes pertaining to the case.
The “Audit Module” (see figure 107) enables the user to conduct audits using a tablet, laptop, or other such devices, making the process faster and more efficient than ever. If the user is not using the “Audit Module,” they will have to conduct the audit by hand. Hand audits will require the user to go into the evidence log to check missing items to see if they were batched out. The “Audit Module” includes specialized software accompanied with a small wireless barcode scanner to automate the process of conducting a Random, Bin, or Full Audit very quickly. It gives the user the ability to conduct the audit in real-time and will identify any items that are checked out, in the wrong location, or missing. Using the Audit Module can reduce the time it takes to conduct a full audit, from days to a few hours, plus the user will know the status of every item in real-time.
(Figure 107)
Random audit
When a user selects “Random Audit,” (Figure 107) they will need to choose what type of evidence to inventory. To select all evidence in the system, select “Add All” (see figure 108) at the bottom of the screen. To select a certain category, select the desired choice on the left, it will move to the right side of the screen. Then select next.
(Figure 108)
The application will randomly select several items from the database based on the quantity selected when setting up the “Audit Options” under the “Audit Tab.” The next step is to perform the audit. First, scan the bin location label (see figure 109) and then scan the tracking number. If the item is in the correct location, the system will show the item highlighted in green if it is present and in the correct location.
(Figure 109)
Once the audit is completed, it can be saved or printed in a report format (see figure 110). The report will present details about each piece of evidence and provide two signature lines for each officer, the officer performing the audit and the witnessing officer to sign at the bottom. After completion, the report should be saved or filed.
(Figure 110)
Bin Audit
When a “Bin Audit” is selected, the user will need to select which “Bin(s)” to inventory from the left pane (see figure 111). Select each bin to audit and they will then appear on the right-side pane. Once all desired bin locations have been selected, select next, the user can then choose an evidence type.
(Figure 111)
Next, the user can select an evidence type on the left pane. Once the user has selected the Evidence Type, they will move to the right pane (see figure 112). Select “Next” to perform the audit.
(Figure 112)
First the user will scan the “Bin Number,” (see figure 113) then scan the “Tracking Number.” If the item(s) is in the correct location and present, the item will be highlighted in green.
(Figure 113)
After the audit is complete, the user can save, and or, print the results. To run a report, select the “Report” tab at the left; the following message will display (see figure 114).
(Figure 114)
If the user wants a report to list all evidence, including those that are present, missing, or checked out they will need to select “Yes.” However, if the user only wants to view items missing or checked out, they will need to select “No.”
The report (see figure 115) gives details about each piece of evidence and provides two signature lines, one for the officer who performed the audit and the other for the witnessing officer. After completing, the report should be saved kept on file.
(Figure 115)
Full Audit
When the user selects a “Full Audit,” it will list all “Bin” locations (see figure 116) in the evidence room. First the user will scan the “Bin Number,” then scan the “Tracking Number” for each piece of evidence in that bin.
(Figure 116)
Once the user has completed the audit, they can save, and or, print the results. For results in a report like format, the user will need to select the “Report” tab on the left of the screen and follow the directions on the screen. If the user wants the report to list all evidence, including those that are present, missing, or checked out, they will need to select “Yes;” however, if they only want to view items missing or checked out, select “No.”
The report (see figure 117) will provide the user with details about each piece of evidence and has the ability to add two signature lines, one for the officer performing the audit and the other for the witnessing officer. After completing, this report should be saved and kept on file.
The “Assets” tab is how the user will access the “Asset Log” module of the application. The “Assets Log” is designed similarly to the “Evidence Log.” This feature is available for anyone with “Asset” permissions and has 4 new tabs to choose from (Setup, Reports, Archive, and Help).
The “Assets Log” (see figure 96)is the primary input screen for assets and the heart of the asset management portion of the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application. All property is logged neatly and systematically into the program, ensuring that each piece of equipment is managed in a consistent and accurate manner. Information on an asset, its location, and to whom it is assigned can be quickly produced on demand.
Figure 96
Notice the “Asset Log” uses a simple, one-screen format for entering data as well as seven options listed in the left pane, i.e., “Print Label,”“Find,”“Delete,”“Add,”“Cancel,”“Save,” and “Attachments” as in the “Evidence Log.”
Customizing the asset log
To customize the “Asset Log” the user must have “Administrator” permission. The customization process of the “Asset Log” is identical to the “Evidence Log.”Please refer to the process for customizing the “Evidence Log” as a guide to customizing the Asset Log.
Entering Assets
When the user first access the “Asset Log,” they will notice that some fields are shaded yellow. All yellow shaded fields are mandatory and must be filled in before a record can be saved. The user can move from field to field in this screen either by pressing the “Tab” key or by selecting the desired field.
Setup
The “Setup” tab is where the user can reset the field headers by selecting “Reset Field Headers.”
Asset reports
The “Reports” tab (see figure 97) will list all preloaded “Asset” reports. (Asset List, Archived Asset List, Asset Category Report, Asset Receipt, Audit Report, and Express Custom Reports (which will open the same Express Custom Reports as the reports tab on the main screen)).
Figure 97
asset list
The “Asset List” report (see figure 98) generates a report that displays all assets entered in the “Asset Log.” The report will also show items that have been “Liquidated.”
Figure 98
Archived asset list
The “Archived Asset List” report (see figure 99) will display all assets that have been archived. The report will also show all information regarding that asset, it will also show the date it was liquidated.
Figure 99
asset category report
The “Asset Category Report” will populate a new window (see figure 100). This window will display a list of the department’s asset category. The user will then select a category from the list that they wish to recall information about.
Figure 100
After they select a category and select “Report” a report will populate showing all items under the category that are active (see figure 101).
Figure 101
asset receipt
The “Asset Receipt” report (see figure 103) will produce a receipt much like the property receipt in the evidence portion of the application. When the user wants to print a receipt for an asset, they will select this option which will populate a window (see figure 102) where the user can input the tracking number of the item they wish to print a receipt for.
102
Figure 103
Asset Audit Report
The “Audit Report” (see figure 105) in the “Asset” module area of the application if selected will populate a window (see figure 104) for the user to input their desired audit parameters. The report is for a user to print and conduct a hand audit of the assets.
104
105
archive
To archive an asset, the user must first edit the record and add “Date Liquidated.” If there is no date for the “Date Liquidated” the item will not show in the archive list (see figure 106) to be archived.
Figure 106
The system will not show an item in the list of assets to be archived if the “Date Liquidated” has not been entered. To move an item from active to an archive, double click an asset to archive and then select “Archive One.” If the user wants to archive all the items listed in the “Archive Case” list, select “Archive All.” Once completed, the item will be PERMANENTLY removed from Assets. The user can view the archive database at any time by running “Archived Asset List Report.”
The “Reports” tab has six pre-designed reports (see figure 65) that will help the user organize and maintain the evidence/property room. Please don’t forget to set the proper permissions for users to use the application as the administrator wishes.
Figure 65
Case and custody report
The “Case and Custody” will present the user with (see figure 66) a window that will list all active items and case numbers for the user to choose from. The user can select “Report on Selected Item,” “Report on Selected Case,” “Filter List,” or “Report from Case #.”
Once a case number or item in a case has been selected, the user will need to select one of the previously listed options. Once the report is generated, it provides documentation that can be placed in a case file or given to an individual their records.
Figure 66
The “Report on Selected Item” option will produce information regarding the item selected and its’ chain of custody log. The “Report on Selected Case” option will generate a report for ALL items listed under the selected case number and each items chain of custody records. The “Filter List” option enables the user to filter the information displayed in the list down to a case number that might have many items related to it. The “Report from Case #” (see figure 67) option will enable the user to enter the case number they wish to view case and custody information for.
Once the desired report is displayed and the user has all the information they need. They can choose to print the report by selecting the printer icon in the upper middle of the report screen. Another way to run the report is to highlight the desired case number and click onto the “Report on Selected Case.” This gives you a report of all records in the case. A third way to run the report is to click onto the “Filter List” button and it gives you a drop-down to select by Case Number or by Tracking Number. A fourth way to run the report is to click onto the “Report from Case Number” button and a case number input screen will be displayed. Enter the case number you want to run a report on and click the “OK” button.
Figure 67
The “Case and Custody”report (see figure 68) will show the case number, the department information, and the current date at the top of the report. Each piece of evidence will be listed numerically by tracking number and will display information on each item in the case along with all chain of custody logs.
Figure 68
Archive Case and custody report
The “Archive Case and Custody” report (see figure 69) is structured similar to the “Case and Custody” report previously described with one exception; it only generates reports on cases that are archived. To run a report on an individual case number, the user will select “Report on Selected Case.” If the user would like a report generated by inputting a case number, they can select the bottom option “Report from Case #.” The steps are identical to the steps listed in the “Case and Custody” report.
Figure 69
Case Out report
The “Cases Out” report (see figure 70) will generate a report on an item that have been batched out from the evidence/property room and not yet returned.
Figure 70
The report (see figure 71) header will display the report title, the department information, date stamp, and page count. The report will display the information on each piece listed and the batch out information regarding to its’ location. The user can generate a “Cases Out” report at any time to display which pieces of evidence that are checked out of the evidence/property room. To generate a report for all items currently logged out, the user will select the “Report on All” option, and it will display a report on all the records that are out of the evidence/property room.
Figure 71
Inactive cases report
The “Inactive Cases” report (see figure 72) will display all cases marked as “Inactive” in the “Evidence Log.” The “Inactive Cases” report header displays the report title, the department information, a date stamp, and page count. The report includes the “Case Number,”“Tracking Number,”“Evidence Description,” “Evidence Room Location,”“Date of Recovery,” and “Recovered By.” The “Inactive Cases” report can provide the user a list of items that can be disposed of or decide which cases can be archived.
Figure 72
Review By Month Report
The “Review by Month” report (see figure 73) will display a window for the user to select a “Review Period,” then the user will select “Run Report.”
Figure 73
The report (see figure 74) will generate a list of items in the evidence/property room with a status tagged for review based on the number of months that were selected in the record. The report is often required by Local, State, and Federal jurisdictions for maintaining an accurate count for “Guns,” “Drugs,” “Cash,” and “Biological” items.
Figure 74
Disposition Report
The “Disposition” report (see figure 75) will generate a report on items where the user selected the “Dispose” checkbox. The checkbox is used to indicate the intention to dispose of the item later and is how the application will recall the items to generate the “Disposition” report.
Figure 75
Cash detail report
The “Cash Detail” report (see figure 76) is a detailed list of all pieces of evidence that have been tagged as “Cash” in the “Evidence Type” field. This report gives the user a grand total of cash logged into the evidence/property room at the top left under the department information. The information listed in the report for each case number will provide the user with a total bill count, a total coin count, and a grand total listed under the case number. This feature only works if the user inputs the necessary information in the trigger window after selecting “Cash” as the “Evidence Type,” and the user inputs the correct bill and coin count. The “Cash Detail” report can be used as a quick cash audit for the evidence/property room.
Figure 76
Drug Detail Report
The “Drug Detail” report (see figure 77) will list all pieces of evidence that are tagged as “Drugs” in the “Evidence Type” field. This report gives the user details relating to each piece of evidence including the quantity, weight, or volume.
Figure 77
Gun Detail report
The “Gun Detail” report (see figure 78) will display gun detail information about every piece of evidence in the evidence/property room that has been categorized as “Guns” in the “Evidence Type” field. This report provides the user with detailed information including the Make, Model, Caliber, and Serial Number of each gun entered if the record creator input the information.
Figure 78
Biological detail report
The “Biological Detail” report(see figure 79) will display a list of all pieces of evidence that are tagged as “Biological” in the “Evidence Type” field. This report provides the user with detailed information as to the type of biological substance has been recovered.
Figure 79
Property reciept by tracking number
The “Property Receipt by Tracking Number” (see figure 80) is a receipt the user can print that will display all the information pertaining to the tracking number they input in the search bar (see figure 81). As shown in the figure below, the receipt has two signature lines, one for “Received By” and the other “Officer Witness.”
Figure 81
Figure 80
Property receipt by case number
The “Property Receipt by Case Number” (see figure 82) is similar to the “Property Receipt by Tracking Number” except instead of entering a tracking number, the user only enters a case number for which they want to create a receipt. One receipt will be generated listing all the pieces of evidence entered under the selected case number in the “Evidence Log.”
Figure 82
Express Custom Reports
The “Express Custom Reports” option (see figure 83) was designed to give the user the ability to create various reports using information from any of the fields located in the “Evidence Log.”
Figure 83
Creating a custom report
To create a “Custom Report,” select “Reports” located on the main screen, then select “Express Custom Reports” (Ctrl+F11). Once the custom report screen opens (see figure 83), select an option from the “FROM” drop-down list (see figure 84); (Evidence Log, Asset Log, Archive Log, Activity Log, and Evidence Detail Log).
Figure 84
After the user has selected one of the options from the drop-down list, they will then need to add field headers to the “SELECT” field (see figure 85). The user will need to select field headers from the list in the left pane that they want the information from displayed on the report. For example, if the user needs information about case number, date of recovery, evidence description, evidence type, item#, suspect, and the tracking number, they will select those field headers from the left pane. First the user will need to select “SELECT” by clicking on it with the left mouse button. Once “SELECT” is selected it will highlight in green. The user will then select, by their desired order, the field header names they wish to recall information about (see figure 86).
Figure 85
Figure 86
If the user has specific information they wish to find, the user will use the “WHERE” field to filter the information before the information is recalled for viewing. This is accomplished by selecting “WHERE” then, selecting an option from the left pane (see figure 87). Once the user has selected a field header from the left pane, they will need to select an option from the drop-down list i.e., “BETWEEN.” There are eight options to choose from (see figure 88).
Figure 87
The “LIKE” option will allow the user to use “wildcards” (%) to help them find information they may not know the exact spelling or information. i.e., Evidence Type LIKE [“%Gen”] will produce any record with an Evidence Type like General, general, or any words listed in the Evidence Type that start with “gen.” This can be especially useful if spelling is questioned.
comparison and criteria
If the user wants to filter the selected field information to only include certain conditions are met, they will need to select “WHERE.” Next the user will select which field they want to use to filter the data. By clicking on a field header in the left pane. If the user selects the down-down, they will see a list of 8 options to choose from.
Figure 88
The available comparisons are:
“=” Use this option for exact data. (If the user wants to set the criteria where a field is blank, they need to use the “=” for the comparison option and then leave the criteria field blank.) Not applicable for date fields.
“NOT =” (use date or text fields for an exact comparison).
“LIKE” (choose the “LIKE” to search for word(s)) (see figure 89) Can also use wild cards.
“BETWEEN” (used for date fields)
“greater than” (used for date fields)
“greater than OR =” (used for date fields)
“less Than” (used for date fields)
“less than OR =” (used for date fields)
Figure 89
Once the user has selected the type of comparison to use, they need to select what the criteria will be.
Criteria can be but is not limited to:
Date – mm/dd/yyyy
Word – ex. “Guns”
Blank – when the user wants to pull all data that has that particular field blank or empty.
Wildcard Search – use a “%” as a “wildcard” along with the key letter(s) or word(s).
Then select “ORDER BY” and select the fields (again from the left side column) the user wants to order the report by. This puts the information of the report in the specific order that the user chooses. (See figure 90).
Figure 90
Once the has set the desired parameters, the user will select “Run” at the top of the window to run the report. The raw data will show up in the data matrix at the bottom of the window (see figure 91). Please, also notice how the data is displayed, the report is displaying the data in “ORDER BY” tracking number.
Figure 91
The user can then select “Report View” to view (see figure 92) what the report will look like before printing or exporting it.
Figure 92
The user can also save their “custom report” by selecting “Save” at the top of the window then creating a name for the report (see figure 93).
Figure 93
Activity report
The “Activity Report” will present the user with a screen (see figure 94) that lists all users under “User ID.” The user will select the username in question then input a “Start Date,” “End Date,” or enter “Free Text.” Once the desired parameters are entered, the user can then select “Create Report.”
Figure 94
The report will display all actions the user performed (see figure 95) while logged into the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application. This is also known as an audit trail.
The “Archive” tab is where the user can find the “Archive Cases” (F7) which is where cases that have been set to “Final Out” will display in a list (see figure 64) and the user can now archive the case, so the items and information do not show in the application, as well as keep the database clean.
Archive cases
When a case is completed and there is no more activity, a case can be removed from the active database and transferred to an archive database for permanent storage. Archiving keeps your active database from getting cluttered with cases that have been completed and no longer require attention.
Before a user can “Archive” a case, they will need to verify the “Date of Disposition” is listed in the record and ALL items in the case have been changed to “Inactive.”
Figure 64
If the user wants to archive all cases listed, they only need to select “ArchiveAll.” If the user only wants to archive one case, they can either highlight the desired case number and click select “Archive One,” or double click the desired case number. The user can still edit any record in the “Archive Case” list if it has not been “Archived.”
The “Chain of Custody” tab will have three options the user can choose from. The first option in the list is “Log,” (F6) followed by “Batch Out,” (see figure 59)and then, “Batch In” (see figure 60).
The first option, “Log,” (see figure 58) is the log that displays the chain of custody the application records when a user batches in or out a piece of evidence. This is the menu option that keeps track of each piece of evidence as it is batched in or out of the application from the evidence room. This is one of the most important tools used for maintaining the integrity of the chain of custody, because of its critical importance, only designated property room custodians should have permission for “Chain of Custody.”
Figure 58
Figure 59
Figure 60
These windows look identical but there are a few differences. Please notice the “Batch Out” window has two additional options, “Reason Out” and a “Final Out” check box. These windows will perform differently as to not allow the user to batch an item out when they mean to batch an item in.
Custody Log
The “Log” window under the “Chain of Custody” tab (see figure 58) has a few options the user can choose from: “Check In/Out,” “Batch In,” “Batch Out,” “Find,” “Save,” “Cancel,” and “Delete.”
When the user enters the “Log” for the first time, there is already information in the matrix (see figure 58) that contains data about pieces of evidence that have been assigned an “Evidence Room Location.” Remember, when an evidence room custodian assigns a piece of evidence and evidence room location, that starts the first logged chain of custody record in the application. The “Log” records the movement of each piece of evidence when it is batched in or out of the evidence room.
Check In/out – allows the user to enter a tracking number to move a piece of evidence in or out of the property room.
Batch In / Batch Out – allows the user to check MULTIPLE items in or out of the evidence/property room.
Find – enables the user to search for chain of custody records by “Case Number” or “Tracking Number.”
Save – after all information has been entered into the appropriate fields, the record must be saved. After the “Save” function has been completed, the new record will be added to the top of the information matrix at the bottom of the screen.
Cancel – allows the user to clear information entered on the screen before it has been saved.
Delete – allows the user to permanently remove a record from the application. If a user deletes a chain of custody record, it will be permanently removed from the active database and cannot be retrieved.
Check in/out
The “Check In/Out” (see figure 61) option is used to check a single piece of evidence in or out of the application. First, scan the tracking number bar code found on the evidence label or the user can input the tracking number into the yellow shaded box. The application will review the database and determine if the item is currently batched in or out of the evidence/property room, the cursor will then move to the next appropriate screen.
Figure 61
Batch In
The “Batch In” (see figure 60) option is used to batch MULTIPLE items into the evidence/property room. Remember all items the user wants to batch into the application, need to be going to the same “Evidence Room Location.” The user will need to either scan the tracking number on the evidence label or input the tracking number via the keyboard into the yellow shaded box labeled “Tracking Number.”
If the items can be batched into the application, there will be a green “checkmark” shown in the “Valid” column as shown in figure 62. If the user receives a red “X” in the “Valid” column, the user will need to search the chain of custody log and verify the item was batched out.
The user will then need to input information for “In From Person/Place,” and “Received By.” Then the user will need to select “Save.”
Figure 62
Batch Out
The “Batch Out” (see figure 59) option is used to batch items or evidence out of the evidence/property room (see figure 63), for example, if an item is returned to the owner, the user would use this option. The “Out To Place” would be the disposition of that item, i.e., “OWNER.” The “Received By” would be the person accepting the item from the evidence/property room. The “Date Out” is automatically stamped by the PMI application. The “Reason Out” would be information the department needs to process the item out, i.e., “Court Order.”
Figure 63
The “Case Number” option should only be used if the user is batching ALL pieces assigned to the case number in or out and to the same destination.
Final Out
The “Final Out” checkbox is used for items that will not be returned to the evidence/property room. For example, if a case is closed and some of the items were not used as exhibits in the case, the case is closed and there is a recorded conviction. The custodian will use the “Final Out” checkbox to remove the item from the evidence log and end the chain of custody.
The “Batch Bin Transfer” (see figure 56) is an option for users to move multiple items from a location to another “SINGLE” location i.e., Destruction Bin. This feature is used to record an item transferred from one bin location to another inside the evidence room. The user can transfer multiple items at once as long as they are all going to the same location. The user can add items to the list by either a “Tracking Number” or “Case Number.” To remove an undesired item from the list, right-click on it and select “Delete” or the user can simply use the “Delete” key on the keyboard. Items that are assigned an “Evidence Room Location” and are able to be transferred will appear with a green “Checkmark” in the list. Items that aren’t valid for a “Batch Bin Transfer” will appear in the list with a red “X.” (See figure 57.) At the bottom of the window, input the desired bin location in the box labeled “Target Bin,” then select “Save.” When this task is completed, be sure to reprint an evidence label for each piece of evidence moved to display the new bin location and keep the evidence/property room free of errors.
An authorized user can edit information in an evidence record that has been previously input and saved in the application. To edit a record, first, the user must locate the desired record. Once the user locates the record by using the search option in the “Evidence Log,” they will need to double click on the record they want to change. The record will then open in edit mode and information about the piece of evidence can be edited. When the user is finished the changes will not take effect permanently until the record is saved by selecting “Save.”
Under the “Audit” option tab (see figure 20), there are six options to choose from which include “Audit Options,”“Random Audit,”“Full Audit” (Hand Audit),“Full Audit” (PDT Data), “Full Audit Variance” (showing only variances), and “Tablet Audits.”
Figure 20
Audit options
By selecting “Audit Options” the user can establish the parameters they want for conducting random audits (see figure 21). The audit period can be set for days or months, the user can enter the number of items to be randomly selected from your database and set an alarm for when the next audit is to be conducted.
Figure 21
Enter the desired frequency for conducting random audits in the “Remind Me Every” field. Then select either days or months for an outcome of; “’Remind Me Every’ (3) ‘Months’.” Then input the number of items to be “randomly audited.” The application will now remind the users when they should perform a random audit. The software uses a mathematical algorithm to randomly select the items to audit from all the evidence in the PMI Evidence Tracker™ database and record the date of when the last random audit was conducted, the timer will then repeat.
By selecting the “Audit System Active” an alarm will be set to remind the users when the next audit is due. Make sure to save the settings by selecting “Save and Close” before closing the window.
Random Audit (Hand Audit)
If the user selects “Random Audit” a window with three options will appear (see figure 22). The three options to choose from are pertaining to how the random audit is sorted on the report, “Evidence Room Location,” “Case Number,” or “Tracking Number.”
Figure 22
After the user selects one of the three options the report will appear in a new window. The report is designed to show the case number, tracking number, evidence description, evidence room location, and the date the report was executed (see figure 23). Located on the right side of the report are two empty squares, one for “Missing” and one for “Present.” The user will need to print out the random audit report, locate each item and check the item as “Present” or “Missing.” After completing the audit, they will need to return to the computer and adjust the information in the database.
Figure 23
Full Audit (Hand audit)
If the user selects “Full Audit,” a window titled “Find Evidence Room Location” will appear with a “search” bar. In the search bar, by default, is “ALL.” The user can simply proceed by selecting “OK” to audit all locations (see figure 24) or the user can alter the parameters of the audit by inserting wildcards (%) and a letter or phrase, such as, %A, %A%, or %Destruction.
Figure 24
The user conducting the audit will then print the report so that they may conduct the paper audit as explained in the paragraph under (Figure 22). Please pay close attention to the title of each report. The report for Random Audit reflects at the top of the report (see figure 23). The Full Audit report looks the same but is titled differently (see figure 25).
Figure 25
Tablet Audits
If the user selects the “Tablet Audits” option, the user will be prompted to select either “Assets” or “Evidence” (see figure 26). This option is only available if your department purchased the tablet application software.
Figure 26
If the user selects “Assets” or “Evidence,” a new window will appear that allows the user to load or delete either an asset or evidence audit (see figure 27) previously saved from an audit conducted with the tablet application. If the user chooses to load an audit, it will show the results of the audit conducted from the tablet after it is synced with the database.
The “Setup” tab (see figure 9) includes the following options: “User Admin”, “Define Department”, “Import Data”, “Graphic Label Design”, “DB Col to Evid Log Field List”, and “System Setup”. This is one of the most important areas on the application and the application admin should have a full understanding of this tab and the options in it.
Figure 9
User admin
The “User Admin” (see figure 10) option under the “Setup” tab is where the administrator will add other users, set or adjust user permissions, and reset passwords (see figure 10). (If your department recycles badge numbers, PMI suggests NOT using badge numbers as the “ID#” for users) Prior to editing a different user in the user field, the admin must save the changes he or she made to the currently selected user. The first user your department should create is a designated user with administrator privileges. The administrator is the individual who will have the responsibility to manage the program and determine what level of access each user will be assigned. The system administrator is the only user who can customize the application and access the setup tab. If your department purchased a “Standard Package” or above, the system accepts an unlimited number of users. With the option of unlimited users, the administrator can add an additional administrator to help cover shift gaps.
Figure 10
To add additional users, select the “Add” button, a new window will appear titled “User Name” (see figure 11)with a box to input a new user name. After entering a new username, then select “OK” to continue.
Figure 11
Once the administrator selects “OK” the “User Setup” (see figure 12) will show the new username. The administrator will then need to add a first and last name, or something relative to the department such as “St. Johns” (First Name) and “Sheriff’s Office” (Last Name) for “community users” (common in the basic package with a limit of 2 users) and (optional) “ID#.”
Figure 12
The next step in the process for adding a new user is to grant permissions to which the user will need to perform their duties as desired by the department head. To give a user access to specific parts of the application, check the corresponding permissions box(es). For example, the department head might want to allow a patrol officer to add or “enter” evidence but not access any other areas of the application. By ONLY checking the “Add Evidence” checkbox, that user will have rights to add evidence and no other permissions. Once the administrator has completed setting up the individual, select “Save” and “Set password” to finish adding the user. Then provide that user with their assigned username, have them sign in, and set their password. When the user first tries to log in, they will get an error message “Incorrect password or the User ID ********* does not exist. Try again.” Do not be alarmed, this is the proper error message the application displays for incorrect passwords. The password must contain letters, at least one number, and one special character. Also, the password cannot relate to the username, first name, or last name of the user, and no double numbers (22) or double letters (oo). To save the password, DO NOT use the tab key the user MUST use the mouse on this screen! (See figure 13).
Figure 13
Continue this process until all desired users have access to the application and set their desired permissions or roles. Remember, only the administrator will have access to the “User Setup” screen.
permission definitions
The following list explains their available permissions and their role in the application.
Admin – The “Admin” permission gives access to all areas of the application, it also allows the user to change the Evidence Log layout, field header names, and edit drop-down lists.
Add Evidence – The “Add Evidence” permission allows the user to add evidence to the application and print a label for that evidence.
Edit Evidence – Allows an authorized individual to edit existing records in the Evidence Log.
View Evidence – Allows an authorized individual to only view evidence records.
DeleteRecord – Allows an authorized individual to permanently delete records.
Print Label– Allows an authorized individual to print labels.
Run Report – Allows an authorized individual to view and print reports.
Design Label – Allows an authorized individual to have access to the label design portion of the program where they can design new labels or modify existing ones.
Add Custody– Allows an authorized individual to check items in and out of the property room using the Custody Log.
View Custody – Allows an authorized individual to view records in the Custody Log.
Archive Records – Allows an authorized individual to move inactive records from the active evidence database file to an archive database file.
Dispose – Allows an authorized individual to tag items of evidence for disposal.
Asset – Allows an authorized individual access to the “Asset Management” portion on the application.
DB Admin – Allows an authorized individual to log into the PMI application.
define department
The “Define Department” task should have been completed during the initial install and setup. See “Initial Start-Up” for more information.
Import data
The “Import Data” (see figure 14) option is for a ONE-TIME data import from another SQL database or a csv file into the PMI database and requires a higher-than-average understanding of the PMI application. Please give us a call before attempting this on your own.
Figure 14
The PMI Import Module provides a method to bring evidentiary data into the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application from another source, such as an RMS (Records Management System), by directly connecting to the source (RMS) system database. To connect to the source system database the user will need to know the connection settings: server name, instance name, database name, the correct authentication mode, (either Windows or mixed mode) username and password. The import can operate on a one-time basis or on a continual basis depending on how the process is setup. The import process is tedious and should include a fair amount of thought before attempting to import any data. Give PMI Support a call with any questions.
Steps required to complete the import process are as follows:
Select the “Setup” tab located on the home screen, then select the “Import Data” option.
The “Data Import” screen will appear (see figure 14). The user can select one of the four options listed at the top of the screen: “Load Config File,” “Save Config File,” “Database,” and “Delimited.”
The user can select “Load Config File” which is for loading previously connected database connecting settings.
There is also an option to “Save Config File.” This option is for saving a set of connection settings after connecting to a database for polling.
Then there are two radio buttons to choose from, “Database” or “Delimited.”
Database – If the user selects to use database settings to import data, they will need to enter the correct information in the four boxes: Server Name, Database Name, Instance Name, and choose the authentication then input the correct credentials for the connection settings. If the “Connect” button turns green, then you have successfully connected to that database. If the connect button turns RED, the connection was not established successfully.
Delimited – The delimited option is for importing data from a .csv file or similar. Simply select the “Delimited” radio button, browse to the correct file, select the type of delimiter, and then, select “Open File”. If the “Open File” button turns green, then you have successfully loaded the .csv file. If the button turns RED, the load was NOT successful.
Once the user has successfully connected to the database or loaded the .csv file and has selected “OK” (see figure 15). The drop-down fields hold the table names from the database connection or the loaded file. The user performing the import will then need to match the imported data tables with the PMI application data table names (the yellow highlighted tables are required to successfully import data).
Once the user has completed mapping the table names for the database option, they should select “Save Config File.” This will save the settings for future use if the need arises due to any connection disruption.
For one-time imports, after matching the table names, the user will need to select the “Import Now” button. It will then turn red until the import has been completed. The user should take a quick screenshot of the table matches in case there is any need to revisit this step in the future.
Figure 15
Graphic Label design
The “Graphical Label Design” application is for visually designing the department’s evidence and asset labels and is accessed under the “Setup” tab (see figure 16).
Figure 16
This area of the application (see figure 17) is used to change what information is printed on the label or remove information not desired on the label.
Figure 17
There is also an option to add a black and white photo of the department’s patch or badge in place of “Your Department Here.” PMI suggests waiting to see what information your department desires on the label before changing it.
Asset label
The “Asset Label” is entirely different from the Evidence Label and has “Property of: ‘Your Dept Here’” and a barcode (see figure 18).
Figure 18
DB col to evid log field list
The “DataBase Column to Evidence Log Field List” is a great aid for users that cannot remember which field headers they changed from. This option, if selected, will populate a window that shows the user the Evidence Log field header names and the database column names side by side (see figure 19). This will help tech support if the user is having any field header issues.
Figure 19
system setup
The PMI Evidence Tracker™ System Setup screen is located under the “Setup” tab on the main screen, (see figure 3) and then, by selecting “System Setup” (see figure 4) located at the bottom of the list. The “System Setup” is where the user can view the path to the evidence, asset, and shelf labels, as well as the path to where the evidence and asset attachment files are located. The user can also run or set a scheduled backup, and perform a database restore.
Figure 4
After completing the required information, select “Save and Close.”
The “File” tab (see figure 5) is located far left on the taskbar on the main screen. Under the file tab are “Reset Field Headers,”“Change Case Number,”“Print Shelf Labels (4×1),”“Print Shortcut Label (4×3),” and “Exit.” If the user does not have the proper permissions, the options are limited under the “File” tab.
Figure 5
Reset field headers
Selecting the “Reset Field Headers” option under the “File” tab, will set the field headers on the Evidence Log back to the default header names, i.e., “CAD Number” will then be changed to “Case Number” which is the default field header name. This will change ALL field header names on the Evidence Log back to default.
Change Case number
The “Change Case Number” option is how the user changes an incorrect case number input into the application. By selecting “Change Case Number,” a screen will appear (see figure 6).
Figure 6
To change a case number, the user can input either a “Tracking Number,” for single items, or by “Case Number” to change a case number for all items in a case. If all the items listed have a green checkmark beside them, the user can successfully change the case number by typing the correct case number in the bottom box and selecting “Save.”
Print shelf labels
The “Print Shelf Labels (4×1)” (see figure 7) option is for printing ALL shelf labels or to print individual labels. If the user would like to “Print All Locations,” which will print all of them automatically. The “Evidence Room Location” list must have the locations listed and saved for this option to work properly.
Figure 7
Print Shortcut labels (4×3)
Shortcut labels are best utilized for batching evidence out to someone who takes items often, to place evidence is commonly sent such as “Drug Lab” or “Court House,” and for the same reason.This option enables the user to scan those words into the system instead of typing them.
To create a shortcut label, select “Print Shortcut Labels (4×3)” under the “File” tab, a new window will appear (see figure 8). In this window, the user will enter the information they want to be able to scan.
Figure 8
Exit
The “Exit” option is the best practice for exiting the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application.
The “Main Screen” (see figure 3), or “Home Screen” is the first screen the user will see after logging in. The main screen has nine tabs to navigate, which include: “File,” “Setup,” “Audit,” “Evidence,” “Chain of Custody,” “Archive,” “Reports,” “Assets,” and “Help.”
To use the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application double click on the icon. A login screen will appear (see figure 1). When the login screen appears, input “admin” for both the “User ID” and “Password.” Be sure that you use lower case for both fields, as they are case sensitive. Once you have entered the User ID and Password, select “Log In.”
Figure 1
Define department
Once the user selects “Log In” the user will be prompted with a message telling them they need to define their department to continue in the application. Defining the department (see figure 2) is the first task the user will need to perform before any other actions can be taken.
Figure 2
Fields highlighted in yellow throughout the application indicate that they require data to save and continue. Once the required fields have your department’s accurate information entered, the user will then select “Save and Close” and continue to the main screen.
Main Screen
The “Main Screen” (see figure 3), or “Home Screen” is the first screen the user will see after logging in. The main screen has nine tabs to navigate which include “File,” “Setup,” “Audit,” “Evidence,” “Chain of Custody,” “Archive,” “Reports,” “Assets,” and “Help.”
Figure 3
System Setup
The PMI Evidence Tracker™ System Setup screen is located under the “Setup” tab on the main screen, (see figure 3) and then, by selecting “System Setup” (see figure 4) located at the bottom of the list. The “System Setup” is where the user can view the path to the evidence, asset, and shelf labels, as well as the path to where the evidence and asset attachment files are located. The user can also run or set a scheduled backup, and perform a database restore.
Figure 4
After completing the required information, select “Save and Close.”
The ZD220t requires a 2-flash media calibration to print the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application labels as shown in the video below.
ZD420t
The ZD420t requires approximately a two second hold down process of the pause ( II ) button and the cancel ( X ) button as shown in the video below.
GC420t
The GC240t requires a 4-flash media calibration to print labels in the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application. The following is a video of a 2-flash media calibration to show you how to perform the 4-flash calibration.
The “Evidence Log,” modeled after the commonly used evidence bag to facilitate moving from a paper system to a computer application. Once a user selects “Log” under the “Evidence” tab, the “Evidence Log” will appear with information from the last record input into the application. To enter a new record, the user will need to select the “Add” option from the left pane area. After selecting “Add,” then the “Add” option will appear grayed out, then “Cancel” and “Save” will then become selectable (see figure 28). The user will start by inputting a “Case Number” then hit the “Tab” key on the keyboard to move to the next field. (Remember the “Tracking Number,” “Item#” and “Item Of” will auto-fill by the application.)
The next required field (as indicated by the yellow shaded box) is “Offense.” The user will then need to input information into “Offense” which is a drop-down list in which the user can select a preadded offense (If the admin user added the offenses to the drop-down list the user should not enter a new word or phrase).
There are 7 fields that require information to save a record: “Case Number,” “Offense,” “Offense Location,” “Evidence Type,” “Evidence Description,” “Date of Recovery,” and “Recovered By.” If one of these fields is missing data, the user cannot save the record. Please refer to the “Evidence Log” then “Evidence Log Fields” for the data character limits for each field.
Case Number
The “Case Number”field will accept up to 20 characters and is the number that determines the “Item#” and “Of” i.e., “Item#”_2_ “Of” _3_ . The application provides fields for additional case numbers such as, “Case Number 2,” “Case Number 3,” and “Case Number 4.” These fields can be used for additional case numbers or can be renamed and repurposed for other needs. These fields can also be used to input another case number assigned by an outside entity such as the “ATF.”
Tracking
The “Tracking Number” is a unique number that is automatically generated by the application. The “Tracking Number” is unique, will never be duplicated, and cannot be manipulated. The “Tracking Number” ensures the integrity of the PMI application. The “Tracking Number” is not assigned until a record is saved.
Item Number
The “Item#” indicates what item the user is currently viewing, adding, or editing as the “Of” number is automatically adjusted as items are added to a case number. These numbers correlate with the case number. If an item input has the same case number, the “Item# and Of” will adjust as pieces are added.
Victim/Complaint
The “Victim/Complainant” field is an expandable field for the user to input a name and an address or two names and an address.
Offense
The “Offense” field is a drop-down list that the admin user will populate with data for officers to choose from. The admin user building the list for officers to choose from helps keep the database clean and uniform.
Offense Location
The “Offense Location” is an expandable field where the user will input the address where the offense occurred or a description of the location if no address is available.
Evidence Type
The “Evidence Type” field is a drop-down field, and the admin user will populate the list with evidence types the department commonly encounters. (The admin user can add to the list, but no evidence type assigned to a record can be removed from the list, the application will not allow it.
Biological
The “Biological Details,” (see figure 54) which populates by selecting “Biological” in the “Evidence Type,” is where the user can select one of 6 options from the drop-down list provided i.e., “Blood Sample, Urine Sample, Sexual Assault – Rape Kit, Extracted DNA, Tissue Sample, Other Item(s).”
Figure 54
Cash
The “Cash Details,” (see figure 53) which populates by selecting “Cash” in the “Evidence Type,” is where the user can input the number of each denomination collected, i.e., $100 (3), $20 (6), $5 (13). The “Cash Details” window will add all the input denomination and present the user with a “Bill Total, Coin Total, and Grand Total.”
Figure 53
Drugs
The “Drug Details,” (see figure 51)which populates by selecting “Drugs” in the “Evidence Type,” is where the user can select one of the listed options (Quantity, Weight, Volume) to better describe the drug evidence collected. The corresponding boxes are for inputting the value of the selected option i.e., Quantity [100] or Quantity [100 pills], Weight [.25] or Weight [.25 oz], Volume [2 Tbs] or Volume [2 tbsp].
Figure 51
Guns
The “Gun Details,” (see figure 52) which populates by selecting “Guns” in the “Evidence Type,” is where the user can input data for “Make,” “Model,” Caliber,” and “Serial Number.”
Figure 52
Evidence Description
The “Evidence Description” field will accept more than 4 million characters and is best used to describe, in more detail, the evidence collected. Please understand, the “Evidence Type” should be a simple word to describe the evidence, i.e., “Drugs.” user to list the finer details of the evidence collected and will accept as many as 4 million characters.
Date of Recovery
The “Date of Recovery” must be entered in a mm/dd/yyyy format, the user can also add a time in the format of hh:mm if desired. The date and time pertain to when that piece of evidence was collected. The time can be entered in a regular or military configuration. If military time is used, it will be converted into regular time and the appropriate AM/PM designation will be added when the record is saved. If the user is using regular time, be sure to add the AM or PM. Otherwise, the application will. by default, save the record with an AM time.
Review Months
The “Review Months” field is used for assigning a “timer” to a piece of evidence the user wants to review for purging when the timer expires. This is a great tool designed to help users purge items from the evidence/property room and should be utilized.
Recovered By
The “Recovered By” field is for the name of the individual who collected that piece of evidence. This is a drop-down field the admin can add names to but can also accept free text. The user can type the first 2 characters of a name from the drop-down, and it will auto-fill the selection, or the user can choose directly from the drop-down list.
Location of Recovery
The “Location of Recovery” field is a detailed description of the specific location where the evidence was collected. The user should input an address or a description of the location where the evidence was collected.
Transported By
The “Transported By” field is for the name of the person transporting that piece of evidence from where it was collected to the temporary or permanent storage location.
Reason Seized
The “Reason Seized” field is for entering the reason for which that piece of property is being retained, i.e., to be tested, holding for court, etc. This is a drop-down field but can also accept free text. Remember, free text can pollute the data with multiple entries spelled differently. The user can enter the first 2 characters of a word from the drop-down list, and it will auto-fill, or the user can choose an option directly from the drop-down list.
Temporary Location
The “Temporary Location” field is a drop-down list the admin will populate with the temporary location officers use to store evidence in before it is accepted into the evidence/property room by the evidence tech. The user can enter the first 2 characters of a location from the drop-down list, and it will auto-fill, or the user can choose a location from the drop-down list.
Evidence Room Location
The “Evidence Room Location” field is a drop-down list containing all locations in the evidence/property room. When an evidence/property room custodian collects a piece of evidence from the temporary location and verifies the information and evidence, they will then assign that evidence a location it will be stored in the evidence/property room. Assigning a location to a piece of evidence in the “Evidence Log” then saving that record, will simultaneously enter the record into the “Evidence Log” and log its first chain of custody record into the PMI Evidence Tracker™ application.
Case Status
The “Case Status” field has two options, “Active” or “Inactive.” These two radio buttons indicate whether a case is active or inactive, the default setting is “Active.” After data is entered for a particular piece of evidence and then saved, that evidence is now officially an “Active” piece of evidence.
Suspect
The “Suspect” field is for recording the name, address, and other important information pertaining to the suspect(s).
Disposition
The “Disposition” field is a drop-down list and is used to designate how evidence is to be disposed of when a case is closed and the evidence is no longer needed, or when an item is to be returned to its owner. The admin will need to populate the list with options used often by your department.
Date of Disposition
The “Date of Disposition” is a field the application automatically inputs a date and the time of when a piece of evidence was set to “Final Out.” This is something we will cover in the “Chain of Custody” tab of the PMI application. If a user tries to input a date and time into the “Data of Disposition” field they will get a message (see figure 55).
Figure 55
Dispose
The “Dispose” field (see figure 56) is an option that a user can select after it has been determined that the evidence is no longer needed and is ready to be permanently removed from the evidence room. By selecting “Dispose” the user can run a report listed in the “Reports” tab that will report all items that have “Dispose” selected.
Figure 56
User Fields
The fields labeled “User Field #1 – #4”are drop-down fields in the “Evidence Log” that function like the other drop-down fields where the list can be edited to fit the department’s needs as well as the header name. This allows for the admin to re-purpose the fields as needed. “User Fields #6 – #12”are text fields that scroll and are available for re-purposing by the admin user.
Notes
The “Notes” field is a free text field for inputting notes relative to the piece of evidence currently open in the “Evidence Log,” information concerning that piece of evidence, or notes pertaining to the case.
The “Evidence Log” has 31 fields that allow the user with the correct permissions to input data, 5 fields the application automatically adjusts, a date field that only accepts a date format, and the “Review Months” drop-down list. The following lists each field with the corresponding CHARACTER LIMITS.
Case Number – 25 (Scrolls)
Case Number 2 – 25 (Scrolls)
Case Number 3 – 25 (Scrolls)
Case Number 4 – 25 (Scrolls)
Tracking Number – 9 (Auto-filled by application)
Item# — 6 (Auto-fills with each item with the same case number)
Of – 6 (Auto-fills with each item with the same case number)
Victim/Complainant – 120 (Expands)
Offense – 25 (Drop-down list)
Offense Location – 99 (Address) (Expands)
Evidence Type – 25 (Drop-down list)
Evidence Description – 4,000,000 (Expands)
Date of Recovery – 00/00/0000 00:00 (Date and Time Format)
Review Months – 3 (Drop-down list)
Recovered By – 25 (Drop-down list)
Location of Recovery – 99 (Expands)
Transported By – 25 (Person’s name)
Reason Seized – 25 (Drop-down list)
Temporary Location – 25 (Drop-down list)
Evidence Room Location – 25 (Drop-down list)
Suspect – 120 (Expands)
Disposition – 25 (Drop-down list)
Date of Disposition – (Auto-filled once item is set to finale out)
If the user selects the “Tablet Audits” option, the user will be prompted to select either “Assets” or “Evidence” (see figure 26). This option is only available if your department purchased the tablet application software.
If the user selects “Assets” or “Evidence,” a new window will appear that allows the user to load or delete either an asset or evidence audit (see figure 27) previously saved from an audit conducted with the tablet application. If the user chooses to load an audit, it will show the results of the audit conducted from the tablet after it is synced with the database.
If the user selects “Full Audit,” a window titled “Find Evidence Room Location” will appear with a “search” bar. In the search bar, by default, is “ALL.” The user can simply proceed by selecting “OK” to audit all locations or the user can alter the parameters of the audit by inserting wildcards (%) and a letter or phrase, such as, %A, %A%, or %Destruction.
The user conducting the audit will then print the report so that they may conduct the paper audit as explained in the paragraph under. Please pay close attention to the title of each report. The report for Random Audit reflects at the top of the report. The Full Audit report looks the same but is titled differently.
The Asset Log, built in to the PMI Evidence Tracker, functions the same way that the Evidence Log does and you enter an asset the same way you enter a piece of evidence.
Adding Assets
Click Add. Fill out the form with all the relevant information. White fields are optional. Yellow fields are required by the program. Date fields can be in standard MM/DD/YY notation or MM/DD/YY hh:mm notation. Click Save when you are finished.
Making Fields Required (NEW in version 7.3)
Any filed in the Asset Log can now be made a Required Field (Note: This is only available to program Administrators). Simply right click on the field name and click ‘Required’ in the context menu. The field its self will turn yellow and is now required in order to create a record in the Evidence Log.
Assigned To The biggest difference between the Asset Log and the Evidence Log is the ‘Assigned To’ field. This field, when used properly, can tell the Quartermaster who had that particular piece of equipment before it gets reassigned to someone else. In this way, it helps the Quartermaster keep track of those using the items and the condition that they are brought back in.
Working with attachments
Once an item is saved to the Asset Log you may want to add attachments to it. Simply select the item and click the Attachments button.
Click Browse to add files. Alternatively, or Drag and Drop files into the list to add them.
To delete attachments simply right-click on one and select delete.
A picture attachment can be set to automatically preview when you select an item on the Evidence Log. To determine which attachment is previewed click on the Default check box for that item.
Printing Labels
Printing labels is pretty straightforward. Select the item you want to print a label for and click the Print Label button.
The system loads the label template that is specified in System Setup. Based on the layout of the template file the system prints a barcode label to the printer specified in System Setup. If your barcode label printer name does not match the name specified in System Setup then Windows hangs onto the print job and nothing prints out. Make sure your label printer is named PMIPRINTER, not ZDesigner GC420T.
Finding An Item
Click Find.
Select which field you want to filter the Asset Log by.
Type in what you want to search for. Add percentage signs (%) for wildcards at the beginning and the end as necessary.
Click OK.
Deleting an Item
To delete an item simply double-click it and click the Delete button.
Working with the data grid
The asset items that your department has are displayed on the bottom of the Asset Log in a grid.
Showing more rows
For better performance the Asset Log loads the most recent 30 transactions by default. To see more click on the 500 or ALL tabs at the bottom of the grid.
Sorting by column
By default the Asset Log grid is sorted by Tracking Number, descending to show you the most recent items at the top. If you want to sort it a different way simply click on the column header of the column you want to sort by. Keep in mind that you may need to load more than 30 rows to use sort the way you intend.
Customizing the Evidence Log
It’s very easy to customize the Evidence Log to your needs and preferences. An Admin user can Rename a field, Hide a field, Move a field, and Edit the list of items for a Drop Down Field.
Rename a field
To rename a field right-click on the name and select “Edit Name”. Type the new field name. Click outside of the text box to finish editing.
Hide a field
To hide a field right-click on the name and select Hide.
Add a field
To show previously hidden fields click on the Green Plus symbol just above the top of the grid. Then select which field you want to bring back.
Move a field
To move a field right-click on the name and select Move. A box is placed around the field that is going to be moved.
Now click on where you want the field to go and it will move there.
Saving your layout changes
Editing, Hiding, and Moving fields are changes to the layout of the window. For this new layout to be saved you need to close the window and say Yes to whether you want to saved the changes. Then re-open the window.
Until you close the window and save the changes all other users will continue to see the old layout.
Edit the list of items for a Drop Down Field
Right click on the field name, then click ‘Edit Items’ Another context window will pop up. Click the Add button and then type what needs to be added to the dropdown. Click Save. You new item has been added to the list. You can now close the context menu.
Unlike Editing, Hiding, and Moving fields, when you edit the items in a list it is saved immediately.
