10.20.2011

On October 5th, at the 2011 Career Fair at Grove City College, two of the four employee representatives from B–Three Solutions were recent graduates of Grove City.

Jamie Schultz, Vice President of Operations, said that the presence of those recent graduates demonstrates that B–Three has built a “win–win–win” relationship with Grove City.  Expanding on that statement, Schultz stated:  ”The college’s IT department benefits from its interaction with B–Three; individual students launch their IT careers; and B–Three gains mature, talented employees.”

The other representatives of B–Three were Bob Elliott, Director of Project Development, and Systems Analysts Aaron Cuffman and Adam Schultz.  Elliott explained that the two recent graduates give B–Three instant credibility with current students:  ”Every company in this room is talking the talk — in this case, talking to the students about opportunities and career paths.  At B–Three, we also walk the walk, and Aaron and Adam can testify to that!”

The 13th annual Career Fair attracted more than 100 organizations:  businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, graduate schools, and branches of the armed forces.  At the B–Three table, printed materials and a continuously running slide show emphasized B–Three’s distinctive fixed–fee approach to software development projects.

In conversations with the students, the B–Three representatives called attention to B–Three’s internship program, which has included three Grove City students.  An internship with B–Three can be an excellent starting point for a career in Information Technology.  Four members of our current development team first came to B–Three as interns.

Student response was encouraging.  B–Three received more than 30 resumes on the spot, and others are expected to come in as the fall term draws to a close.

 

08.23.2011

Pittsburgh, PA — Expanding its development staff to handle an increasing volume of business, B–Three Solutions has created its own version of the A–Team with its three most recent hires.

Aaron Cuffman, Andrew Nagle, and Adam Schultz are three promising IT professionals who have joined a B–Three staff that averages more than 15 years of IT experience per person.

Before coming to B–Three as a Systems Analyst, Aaron Cuffman worked for a large firm in the real estate field.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Grove City College in 2009.  Cuffman’s IT experience includes a variety of inventory–related applications.  He has shown an aptitude for quickly mastering a new platform and developing software for it.

Prior to beginning his studies at Pittsburgh Technical Institute, Andrew Nagle excelled in competitive software development events sponsored by the Business Professionals of America.  In the process of earning an Associate in Science degree in Computer Programming, he also demonstrated the ability to share his expertise with others.  Nagle served as the manager of the Computer Programming division of PTI’s DirectConnect peer–to–peer mentoring program.  After graduation, he joined B–Three as a Systems Analyst.

After interning with B–Three during the summer of 2010, Adam Schultz returned to Grove City College for his senior year.  Upon graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, he accepted a position with B–Three as a Systems Analyst.  Schultz’s wide range of technical experience extends beyond hardware and network troubleshooting, and into such fields as audio and the programming of stage and auditorium lighting.

Cuffman, Nagle, and Schultz are working with other team members at the B–Three Solutions office in Plum Borough, and at customer sites throughout the Pittsburgh area.

08.02.2011

Pittsburgh, PA — Pittsburgh’s rich jazz tradition was celebrated this summer at the Monroeville Jazz Festival, and B–Three Solutions was pleased to once again be a sponsor of the event.

Held at Boyce Park on July 23, this year’s festival was truly an all–star gathering of Pittsburgh musicians, featuring Joe Negri, Judi Figel, Kenny Blake, Roger Humphries, and Benny Benack III.  In addition to enjoying some great jazz, attendees supported the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank with donations of nonperishable food items.

Since the company’s founding five years ago, B–Three Solutions has made a practice of supporting activities in the community.  Along with the Monroeville Jazz Festival, B–Three has recently supported:

• • Stampede in the Park, a 5K race that raises money for leukemia research at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute’s Hillman Cancer Center.
• • Youth soccer programs in the Highlands and East Allegheny school districts.
• • Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County, which serves victims of domestic violence and other forms of abuse.

01.27.2011

Pittsburgh, PA — B–Three Solutions, Inc., announces an alliance with Vertical Solutions — an R. L. Nelson and Associates Company — to deliver comprehensive custom software development services.

B–Three Solutions, a leading provider of software requirements engineering, software design, application development, and software development staffing, is partnering with Vertical Solutions, which delivers business management software solutions and managed IT services, as well as infrastructure expertise to organizations throughout the Mid–Atlantic, to provide comprehensive end–to–end product development.  This allows organizations to receive complete services during a custom software development project.

Organizations today typically require multiple solution providers to deliver infrastructure upgrades, managed IT services, and software design for a successful custom software development project.  This partnership not only eliminates the waste associated with multiple providers, it enables the client to plan and budget for the project with certainty, and make business decisions based on a definite rollout date.  Usually, every component of the project is delivered for a fixed fee, within a fixed timeframe.

“I think it has become clear that you can not be all things to all people.  Figure out what you do and be great at it,” said Bruce Nelson, CEO of Vertical Solutions.  ”Once you have committed to that, you can find partners like B–Three with a similar philosophy and deliver an end–to–end solution.”

Michael Walton, President of B–Three Solutions, pointed out that Vertical’s Microsoft–certified expertise with the Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP system complements the wide range of software expertise offered by B–Three.  He emphasized that the partnership is built on a foundation of shared values and mutual confidence:  ”Before we agree to work with another firm on a fixed–fee project, we have to feel certain that the other firm shares our commitment to deliver top quality IT services to the client — on time and on budget.  That’s exactly how we feel about Vertical Solutions, and that’s why we are particularly glad to partner with them.”

About Vertical Solutions
Founded in 1986, Vertical Solutions — an R.L. Nelson and Associates, Inc. Company — is a business and technology consulting firm that enables small and mid–sized organizations to profit through a partner who supports them across functions.  Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Vertical Solutions delivers a full range of business management software, business process, infrastructure, and managed IT services expertise.  Vertical Solutions delivers results through in–depth expertise in various industries, including medical practices, not–for–profits, social services, law firms, and process manufacturers.  Visit our website at www.verticalsol.com or call 412.220.8460.

About B–Three Solutions
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, B–Three Solutions offers software consulting services to businesses, governments, and nonprofit organizations.  Most of our projects are completed on a fixed–fee, fixed–timeline basis, with a one–year warranty on the software developed.

06.04.2010

Pittsburgh, PA — Working under the guidance of two senior staff members from B–Three Solutions, three Western Pennsylvania college students recently completed a “real world” application to help companies maintain electronic communications with their customers.

The three students — Addison Mayberry, Aaron Mininger, and Chris Straw — attend Grove City College, a private liberal arts college located in Grove City, PA.  With the cooperation of their professor, Dr. Dorian Yeager, the students were able to use the work on the B-Three application to satisfy the project requirements of their Software Engineering course.

The application chosen for development by the student team utilizes technology that today’s students use extensively:  text messaging through mobile phones.  The application, known as B–Three Mobile Connect, will be implemented by B–Three as one component of a project for a client.

As conceived by B–Three and developed by the student team, the application provides an easily accessible Web interface that enables the client to sign up customers who have mobile phones, allowing those customers to receive updates from the client.  Customers can manage their accounts through their mobile phones, and through the client’s website.  Through the administrative module of B–Three Mobile Connect, the client can compose new SMS messages and SMS opinion polls, and manage the list of subscribers.

In early February, Jamie Schultz (Vice President of Operations) and Bob Elliott (Director of Project Management) set the project in motion in a kickoff meeting with the students.  They described the application and explained B–Three’s expectations for the project, outlining the major tasks to be completed and specifying the deliverables.  Schultz and Elliott worked with the students to define an appropriate role for each team member.

At each stage of the project, Schultz and Elliott reviewed the work in detail, culminating in a rigorous testing process.  The project concluded in early May, when the students demonstrated the completed application to a group of B–Three staff members.

The Mobile Connect project is the latest accomplishment in an ongoing relationship between B–Three Solutions and Grove City College.  B–Three has supervised two earlier application development projects, and three students have worked as interns at B–Three.

In a more detailed version of this press release, Jamie Schultz and Bob Elliott describe the stages of the project and the supervision provided by B–Three.

01.23.2010

Pittsburgh, PA — B–Three Solutions returned to TechVibe Radio on an auspicious occasion — the first broadcast on KQV, the program’s new station.  Co–hosts Audrey Russo and Jonathan Kersting invited Chuck Summerville, B–Three’s Director of Sales & Marketing, to join them for the January 23 broadcast.

During Chuck’s appearance, the discussion centered on the characteristics that set B–Three Solutions apart from its competitors in the software consulting field.  B–Three handles most software development projects on a fixed–fee basis, with a one–year warranty on the software developed.

TechVibe co–hosts Russo and Kersting, both of whom are affiliated with the Pittsburgh Technology Council, introduced their listeners to B–Three during a broadcast on May 19, 2009.  That program featured Summerville and B–Three President Michael Walton.

Now in its third year, TechVibe Radio is the Pittsburgh region’s only technology–exclusive talk show.  The program can be heard every other weekend on KQV (1410 AM).  It is broadcast on Saturday afternoon (1–2 p.m.), and then repeated on Sunday morning (8–9 a.m.)

Through the TechVibe program archive, you can listen to the January 23 broadcast featuring B–Three Solutions.   Clicking the link will take you to the TechVibe broadcast archive.  When you scroll down to the B–Three segment of the 01/23/2010 program, you can download the broadcast or listen to it online.

01.11.2010

Pittsburgh, PA — “Fixed fee / Fixed timeline / One-year warranty.”  At two recent conferences, representatives of B–Three Solutions, Inc., met with a very wide variety of businesses and nonprofit organizations, but their basic message remained consistent.  B–Three believes that its approach to software development is an excellent fit for any type of organization.

The first of the conferences — TechNow 2009 — took place October 29 on the campus of Robert Morris University.  Robert Morris is home to the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, which organizes the annual conference.  This year’s conference attracted nearly 100 participants from organizations throughout Western Pennsylvania.

Exactly two weeks later, on November 12, Duquesne University was the site of the fourth annual Pennsylvania Business Technology Conference, sponsored by the university’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC).  The conference brought together 178 registrants and 40 exhibitors for a day–long series of workshops and other presentations.

At each event, conference participants stopped at the B–Three table to view a PowerPoint presentation running on a high–definition television.  The slide show introduced B–Three Solutions and highlighted recent projects for high–profile clients like the City of Pittsburgh.  In particular, the presentation emphasized B–Three’s repeated success in extending the useful life of a client’s existing software, and in developing cost–effective mobile workforce solutions.

While visiting the B–Three table, each participant filled out a card for a chance to take the TV home!

At TechNow 2009, the winner was Chris Chambers, the Controller of the Frick Art & Historical Center in Point Breeze.

At the SBDC conference, the TV was won by Valerie Chittester, a Marketing Specialist for Penn United Technologies in Cabot, PA.

10.26.2009

B–Three Solutions has announced plans to once again participate as an exhibitor in a business technology conference organized by Duquesne University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The event will take place in Duquesne’s student union building on November 12.

The fourth annual Pennsylvania Business Technology Conference is designed to equip companies with the information they need to make smart technology decisions that will enhance their profitability, productivity, and market adaptability. In addition to the featured speaker (Adam Kmiec of MARC USA), the conference will include 12 workshops, a trade show, and a panel discussion.

During the 2008 conference, participants stopped at the B–Three table to view a PowerPoint presentation running on a high-definition television — and to fill out a card for a chance to take the TV home! The winner was Tania Bikerman of Bridgeway Capital.

For the 2009 conference, we have updated the presentation with information on four recent projects, and prepared a handout folder including descriptions of a number of projects. The presentation will again be shown on a high-definition television, and participants will again fill out cards for a chance to win the TV.

B–Three Solutions participates in the annual Pennsylvania Business Technology Conference because we support the SBDC in its mission to provide technical and management assistance to small businesses in southwestern Pennsylvania.

B–Three specializes in fixed–fee, fixed–timeline projects, and we guarantee the software we develop with a 1–year warranty. This approach to software projects is both cost–certain and cost–effective for B–Three’s clients.

10.08.2009

On October 7, 2009, Grove City College held its 11th annual Career Fair. As in 2007 and 2008, B–Three Solutions participated in the event. Representing B–Three at the Career Fair were Jamie Schultz, Vice President of Operations, and Bob Elliott, Director of Project Development. Over the course of the day, they met with approximately 50 students.

This year more than 100 organizations — businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, graduate schools, and branches of the armed forces — brought career information to share with Grove City students. At the B–Three table, printed materials were supplemented by a continuously running slide show that described B–Three’s fixed–fee approach and highlighted several recent projects.

When students came up to the table and introduced themselves, Jamie and Bob would describe B–Three’s internship program, which has included two students from Grove City. B–Three believes that an internship is an excellent starting point for a career in Information Technology. Two members of our current development team first came to B–Three as interns. They are now experienced IT professionals.

There were three Grove City students who had no need to introduce themselves to the B–Three representatives. Jamie Schultz and his wife Lois currently have all three of their children at Grove City!

 

 

10.01.2009

B–Three Solutions is again planning to participate in a major regional conference on trends and resources in technology for nonprofit organizations. TechNow 2009 will take place on October 29 at the Sewall Center, on the campus of Robert Morris University in Moon Township.

Organized by the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management — a unit of Robert Morris University — TechNow is an annual event that is unique in the Pittsburgh region. Leaders from a wide range of nonprofits participate in the conference, along with representatives of vendors offering information technology services.

At last year’s event, conference participants stopped at the B–Three table to view a PowerPoint presentation running on a high-definition television — and to fill out a card for a chance to take the TV home! The winner was Bill Rudek, the IT Manager of RiverQuest (an organization that operates education programs for students and teachers on Pittsburgh’s three rivers).

For TechNow 2009, we have updated the presentation with information on four recent projects, and prepared a handout folder including descriptions of a number of projects. The presentation will again be shown on a high-definition television, and participants will again fill out cards for a chance to win the TV.

We take part in the TechNow conference because the way we work is as advantageous for nonprofits as it is for businesses and governments. B–Three specializes in fixed–fee, fixed–timeline projects, and we guarantee the software we develop with a 1–year warranty.

This approach to software projects is both cost–certain and cost–effective for B–Three’s clients — including nonprofit organizations.

09.30.2009

Pittsburgh, PA — B–Three Solutions has received approval from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to add an additional category of information technology services to its credentials as a pre–qualified vendor under Pennsylvania’s Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) program.

The new service category is Modified Off–the–Shelf Software Services (MOTS). To be qualified in this category, an applicant must demonstrate its competence and experience by having executed projects that involved customized modifications to off–the–shelf commercial software. The applicant must submit descriptions and client references for three projects.

In the first of the submitted projects, B–Three created an image repository for insurance documents, by making custom modifications to the Microsoft SharePoint package.

In the second project, an image repository for tax documents was constructed as a combination of custom code, Microsoft SharePoint, and a third–party product with scanning, viewing, and annotation capabilities.

The third project involved writing custom code to achieve data integration between a large municipality’s crime information databases and a commercial off–the–shelf software package utilized by the police department’s crime analysis unit.

Officials of the ITQ program evaluated B–Three’s application and approved its qualifications in the MOTS category.

Pennsylvania’s ITQ program is a significant enhancement to the commonwealth’s procurement practices. Vendors apply to be pre–qualified by the state to provide specific categories of Information Technology services. Commonwealth agencies can then secure IT services from these pre–qualified vendors without going through an RFP process.

07.15.2009

Pittsburgh, PA — Michael Walton, President of B–Three Solutions, today announced that the company had gained approval as a pre–qualified vendor under Pennsylvania’s Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) program.

The ITQ program is a significant enhancement to the commonwealth’s procurement practices. Vendors apply to be pre-qualified by the state to provide specific categories of Information Technology services. Commonwealth agencies can then secure IT services from these pre-qualified vendors without going through an RFP process.

B–Three Solutions applied in the service categories of Software Development and Software Maintenance, and was approved in both categories.

For each service category, an applicant must submit descriptions and client references for three projects. The projects submitted by B–Three included:

• Mobile Workforce Solution for Major Metropolitan Police Department
• Image Repository for Insurance Documents
• Maintenance Upgrade for Crime Data Plotting Application

Concerning B–Three’s successful application to the ITQ program, Walton stated: “In order to gain pre–qualified status, we had to secure favorable evaluations from state officials and a number of clients. The ITQ approval represents a vote of confidence in our work.”

After securing the ITQ approval in the Software Development and Software Maintenance categories, B–Three recently submitted an application to add another category: Modified Off–the–Shelf Software Services. That application is currently pending.

05.19.2009

Pittsburgh, PA — Appearing on the “TechVibe” radio program, representatives of B–Three Solutions discussed the company’s distinctive approach to software development projects. Most B–Three projects are handled on a fixed–fee, fixed–timeline basis, with a one–year warranty on the software developed. This approach sets B–Three apart from its competitors in the software consulting field.

On the program, B–Three President Michael Walton and Director of Sales & Marketing Chuck Summerville were interviewed by TechVibe co–hosts Audrey Russo and Jonathan Kersting. Russo and Kersting are both affiliated with the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

Through the TechVibe program archive, you can listen to the May 19 broadcast featuring B–Three Solutions. Clicking the link will take you to the TechVibe broadcast archive. When you scroll down to the B–Three segment of the 05/19/2009 program, you can download the broadcast or listen to it online.

03.27.2009

Pittsburgh, PA — Using hand–held computers and software developed by B–Three Solutions, Pittsburgh’s building inspectors will be moving out of their central office and working from offices in the city’s six neighborhood police stations. A pilot version of this plan began March 17 at the Zone 5 police station on Washington Boulevard. The Bureau of Building Inspections (BBI) intends to scale up the program as the year goes along.

In a March 17 press release, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl explained, “The purpose of this initiative is two-fold: to increase public safety by creating a direct line of communication between the Police Bureau and BBI, and to provide the community with better access to BBI personnel. The Zone 5 neighborhood BBI office will make this neighborhood cleaner and safer and help our police prevent crime.”

In September 2008, Mayor Ravenstahl demonstrated the new technology at a media event in Bloomfield. Calling the City’s 311 Response Line, the Mayor reported an apparent violation. Within seconds, the complaint appeared on the BBI inspector’s handheld device. From the field, the inspector could then check on the violation, retrieve ownership information from the City’s property database, and transmit a completed report back to BBI headquarters. This mobile workforce solution from B–Three cuts the processing time on violations from four days to one.

Mobile Workforce Solutions
Many organizations — public and private — have begun the transition from a fixed–location work environment to a dispersed model where workers are deployed in the locations where they can be most effective. These changes require effective mobile workforce management.

In adddition to the building inspection application for the City of Pittsburgh, B–Three Solutions has created mobile workforce systems in such fields as law enforcement and home healthcare. The Remote Data Broker (RDB), a product developed by B–Three, is the key component in all of our mobile solutions.

Powered by the RDB, our mobile solutions stand out, because they do not rely on a persistent Internet connection. The entry of information by a mobile user is not affected by the loss of a connection — a very important feature in Western Pennsylvania, where hills and valleys create “dead zone” areas. The RDB senses the loss of the connection and automatically begins to queue the data for later transmission. This all happens behind the scenes, with no impact on data entry by the user. When the connection is regained, the system automatically resumes its transmission of data. This technology insures against data being lost, without interfering with the user’s work.

12.23.2008

“Reliability all the time” is the phrase used by the Pittsburgh Business Times to describe the business model of B–Three Solutions, Inc.

Writing in the publication’s December 19 issue, Anya Litvak reported on her recent interview with Michael Walton, President of B–Three Solutions. Walton described the extensive analysis B–Three invests in a software project before making a fixed–fee, fixed–timeline proposal to the prospective client.

Without this disciplined approach, B–Three would not have been able to establish its consistent record of on–time, on–budget completion of projects — a record that has resulted in a repeat customer rate of 100 percent.

As quoted in the article, Howard A. Stern, Director and Chief Information Officer for the City of Pittsburgh, explained that the fixed–fee model is a particularly good fit for government entities, where the budgeting process establishes a fixed cost allowable for the project.

B–Three has completed a number of projects for the City of Pittsburgh, including the software for the laptop computers in all the police squad cars and the software for the hand–held computers used in the field by building inspectors.

B–Three’s broad range of software expertise also includes healthcare, manufacturing, technology, finance, and telecommunications.

Read the article on the website of the Pittsburgh Business Times.

12.12.2008

Pittsburgh, PA — At a recent conference for Pennsylvania businesses, B–Three Solutions offered some answers to the question that was the theme of the event: “How Can Technology Revamp My Business?”

The third annual Pennsylvania Business Technology Conference took place at Duquesne University on Thursday, November 13. Sponsored by the university’s Small Business Development Center, the conference brought together 104 registrants and 40 exhibitors for a day–long series of workshops and other presentations.

B–Three’s two representatives had the opportunity to speak with 57 of the conference participants. Those individuals and many others were able to view a slide show introducing B–Three Solutions and highlighting B–Three’s recent high–profile projects for the City of Pittsburgh.

Printed material at the B–Three table described the company’s experience with fixed–fee, fixed–timeline projects, and the one–year guarantee on the software developed for those projects. Another handout described B–Three Protection (BTP), a new offering which delivers essential software protection, plus additional value every month in the form of substantial services for the client’s business.

Visitors to B–Three’s table filled out information cards and dropped them into a fishbowl for a chance to win a 32–inch high–definition television (on which the slide show was being shown). The winner was Tania Bikerman of Bridgeway Capital.

11.03.2008

B–Three Solutions played an active role in the TechNow 2008 conference held on October 30, 2008. TechNow is an annual event organized by the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management — a unit of Robert Morris University. It is a day–long conference devoted to important trends and resources in technology for nonprofit organizations.

This year’s conference, held at the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Township, attracted more than 100 participants from throughout Western Pennsylvania. B–Three helped support the event by sponsoring the luncheon.

B–Three’s two representatives at TechNow 2008 had the opportunity to speak with more than half of the conference participants. Those individuals and many others were able to view a slide show introducing B–Three Solutions and highlighting B–Three’s recent high–profile projects for the City of Pittsburgh.

Printed material at the B–Three table described the company’s experience with fixed–fee, fixed–timeline projects, and the one–year guarantee on the software developed for those projects. Another handout described B–Three Protection (BTP), a new offering which delivers essential software protection, plus additional value every month in the form of substantial services for the client’s business.

Visitors to B–Three’s table filled out information cards and dropped them into a fishbowl for a chance to win a 32–inch high–definition television (on which the slide show was being shown). The winner was Bill Rudek, IT Manager of RiverQuest, an organization that operates education programs for students and teachers on Pittsburgh’s three rivers.

10.10.2008

B–Three Solutions has announced plans to participate in TechNow 2008, which will take place on October 30, 2008. The event will be held at the Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry Township.

Organized by the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management — a unit of Robert Morris University — TechNow is an annual event that is unique in the Pittsburgh region. It is a day–long conference devoted to new and important trends and resources in technology for nonprofit organizations.

B–Three Solutions assists medium–to–large organizations — businesses, local governments, and nonprofits — to align their business goals, processes, and technology. B–Three consultants propose and implement solutions that are consistent with business logic and justified by cost–effectiveness.

Michael Walton, President of B–Three Solutions, explained: “This approach has been proven valid for our private–sector clients. We believe that it is every bit as valid for nonprofit organizations.”

In the nonprofit world:

• Project budgets are fixed. There are no additional funds available to cover cost overruns or change orders.

• Project timelines are fixed. A high–level version of the project schedule, including milestone–related progress reports, may be built into the grant which funded the project. The project schedule cannot be allowed to slip, because these reporting commitments to funding organizations must be kept.

Since the founding of the company, the majority of B–Three’s contracts for project work have specified fixed fees and fixed timelines. B–Three has clearly established that its team has the project management skills and experience necessary to meet the special requirements of project work in the nonprofit world.

In addition to participating in TechNow 2008 as an exhibitor, B–Three is helping to support the conference by sponsoring the luncheon that will be attended by all participants. Anyone interested in more information about this annual event should visit the TechNow 2008 website.

09.17.2008

Pittsburgh, PA — During a media event today in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl unveiled the latest product developed by B–Three Solutions and City Information Systems.

Built for the City’s Bureau of Building Inspection (BBI), the new Automated Code Enforcement application enables an inspector in the field to receive an enforcement assignment (often based on a citizen complaint received a few seconds earlier), and then file a report — complete and enforcement–ready — from the field after carrying out the inspection.

According to the City’s September 17 press release, the application “will cut the time it takes for inspectors to process code enforcement violations from four days to one.”

In a press release issued by B–Three Solutions, company officials provided details on the cost–effectiveness of the solution.

08.01.2007

Pittsburgh, PA – The City of Pittsburgh held a press conference today to announce the production rollout of the Automated Police Reporting System (APRS), designed and developed by B–Three Solutions. The system, which has completed a successful pilot program, allows the City’s police force to complete and submit the numerous reports they need to create in their squad cars from anywhere in the city. This will save time and labor, and improve crime–related data communication throughout the department.

The system leverages the Remote Data Broker, a software product created by B–Three Solutions, which allows remote PCs to continue to process data and submit reports regardless of the state of their wireless Internet connection. This component is especially important in the diverse geography of Pittsburgh.

APRS also helps the City catch the criminals. By enabling police officers to complete paper work in their cars, they can remain on the streets and no longer need to spend hours a day at the precinct. The extensive automatic data population and data validation allows the officers to fill out reports quickly and accurately. Reports are submitted for approval as soon as the officer saves them, thus improving the sharing of data throughout the department and helping police investigators identify crime patterns or similarities more quickly.

The City’s press release includes a photograph of the mayor participating in the field demonstration of APRS.