WPC Software of Keynsham near Bristol has just installed ARCHIE, an archive record management system, for Bristol & West plc. The system will make life much easier for the staff employed to keep track of items in their vast archive collection, where hundreds of thousands of files and boxes are stored. The system records details of each file, and logs all changes and bookings.

Archie's flexible design means it will work for organisations that disperse their archives across multiple sites. Individual files have an "address" which indicates the box, shelf, bay, rack, floor and site where they are located. The system allows users to configure both standard and custom storage bays and racks. It has been designed with the non-expert computer user in mind and presents information in a graphical way wherever possible. Routine reports and statistics detailing archive movements are produced without having to learn complex routines.

Archie always knows where the available storage space is and can tell archivists where new consignments can be stored. The system takes care of routine and administrative tasks such as the booking of boxes and files removed for inspection by departments in the organisation. Archie automatically prompts the archivists when bookings are overdue for return.

Archie is a client/server based system, that runs under all the latest Windows operating systems and can support different database types on the server. Bristol & West has initially installed the application on a single workstation, but it can be networked to give access throughout the organisation.

WPC Software's managing director, Alan Walker said, "It was an interesting product to design and develop. We have built the system to be very flexible and hope it will be of interest to other organisations with similar record management responsibilities. Archie fits in well with the company's plans to diversify out of the niche police and emergency services markets where WPC has previously specialised."

For Bristol & West plc, Peter Whitehead said: "Having considered several computer packages for our archives operation, we selected "Archie" as it best fulfilled our requirements. Apart from being easy to use, its flexibility will enable service levels to be increased without a proportionate increase in staffing levels. The ability to manage a multi-site operation will enable records which are retained at branches to be controlled centrally. In addition, it was felt that WPC Software is a company which is sufficiently small to provide a personal, flexible service yet still have the necessary expertise and knowledge readily available."