Toolkit News

ASP Toolkit Planned for Fall 2002
See it at the upcoming meetings

Improve Your Toolkit With Intranet Concepts

More To Come...

Previous Toolkit Information >>

Including More Intranet Tools, Elite 8.0 and Global Tips

Toolkit 98 is out...If you have not received it Call 804-674-4899

Please Review The Following Information To Prepare
For Your New Toolkit

Did You Install Your Toolkit 98 Yet ?
Test Your Knowledge
"The Toolkit Requires a Browser ?"
Yes | No
Float Your Mouse For The Answer

It's Very Easy To Install on a Network OR Stand Alone PC.
It only Requires a Browser - If You Can Read This - You Can Use The Toolkit !!!

The ARIAS Toolkit

Pre-Implementation Guide

Overview & Who The Toolkit Is Designed For

Thank you for renewing your Arias membership. The NEW for 1998 Toolkit will be en-route to you during May. You probably can’t wait for it to arrive and start using it. This guide is designed to help you prepare your agency for it’s arrival. Your agency ??? yes.

Like it’s predecessor it will provide you with handy systems administration support. It will also be "wrapped" in new clothes… specifically something called HTML. We have taken advantage of this technology to build in new features. Along with systems information are new sections discussed on the following pages to address the specific needs of your

CSR’s / Account Managers & Claims Staff
Producers / Marketing Staff
Accounting Department
Agency Specific topics like Human Resources.

Much of this is in the form of a "shell" just waiting for you to insert your information. That is why this guide is being sent to you One Month in advance as part of our implementation plan. We want you to read this entire guide before attempting to install or implement the software.

Overview | Welcome To The Intranet | What is HTML & Do I Need To Learn It ?
What Do I Need To Run The Toolkit | What’s In The Toolkit | Preparing for The Toolkit
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Welcome to the Intranet:

Wait was that spelled correctly….. isn’t it Internet ?…. not in this case. The goal of an Intranet is to help your firm communicate with itself. This is accomplished by housing information in one easy access place. The new Toolkit can be your first step in the direction of your agencies Intranet. The nature of an Intranet is for your agency to have a private network of information which could include everything from the agency newsletter to what your carriers are really writing this month. The first corporate Intranet’s included human resource manuals, benefits, a list of holidays etc.…. this has since grown as each department with a company begins to contribute their information as well.

Eventually your firm will have some form of Intranet, and from a technical side it may be far more advanced that this initial Toolkit, but an Intranet is only as good as what you put in it ( where have we heard that before?) so the Toolkit is the perfect excuse to begin the process today, and we have made it soooo easy. Already have an Intranet …. no problem you will have complete access to every page in the Toolkit to publish within your existing Intranet. Consider these files as food for your Intranet.

Overview | Welcome To The Intranet | What is HTML & Do I Need To Learn It ?
What Do I Need To Run The Toolkit | What’s In The Toolkit | Preparing for The Toolkit
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What is HTML & Do I Need To Learn It ?

HTML is what is used to create web sites. Using this type of programming allows every agency to edit this new TOOLKIT to include their own agency specific information. The Toolkit can be run on everything from a standalone PC to a Network. While Internet access is a plus it is not necessary for basic features.

The Toolkit has been designed to make your implementation simple. With the exception of the use of something called "frames, which we use to help in navigation (that’s the 3 boxes you see when the Toolkit starts) there are no special or proprietary coding, or other "add-ins". We have left the structure of Toolkit simple so you can jazz it up. Beginners and experienced HTML designers will appreciate this.

In each of the sections listed below (like CSR), we will include blank pages that already have a name and a link to them from the main page, so all you would need to do is "paste" your agency information onto those pages and store. In this example no HTML knowledge is necessary.

Although learning HTML is not absolutely necessary, we will provide you with a few simple HTML terms, used in the Toolkit which the slight more adventurous can use (even if it’s cut and paste) to create some of your own agency specific pages. This is not a difficult process, but does require some basic knowledge of MS Word, Word Pad, or Notepad. We will also provide a page of informational "links" which you can use to hunt down additional tools on the web and make yourself an HTML guru….

Overview | Welcome To The Intranet | What is HTML & Do I Need To Learn It ?
What Do I Need To Run The Toolkit | What’s In The Toolkit | Preparing for The Toolkit
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What Do I Need To Run The Toolkit

All that is required is for you to have a "Browser" installed that supports frames. Some browsers that can be used include MS Internet Explorer and Netscape. Both of these can be downloaded at no charge from their respective companies. Your PC requirements are simple…. If you can run the browser you can run the Toolkit, so follow the browser requirements for PC’s.

Although it sounds quite technical HTML shares much of it’s technical appearance with earlier word processing systems which worked like very much like the PAGEEDIT systems you first used before the introduction of MS Word.. Individuals experienced in Using Datamerge or Changing Fonts in Pageedit will find HTML easy to learn.

Overview | Welcome To The Intranet | What is HTML & Do I Need To Learn It ?
What Do I Need To Run The Toolkit | What’s In The Toolkit | Preparing for The Toolkit
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What’s In The Toolkit

The following diagram is designed to help you understand how the Toolkit has been designed.

The Toolkit is made up of Folders of Information shown on the left above. Your "webmaster" can access these files and edit them at any time.

Your Staff will access these files through the browser on their PC…. an example is shown on the right.

Essentially you will be managing a website within your office. Once you update a file (like what companies are hot today ?…) every employee with access can now view the most current information.

An Example of one of the pages within the CSR Section is shown below. In this example the Forms Processing menu has "Hotlinks" from each word to the actual process.
This can be used as a tool for learning or simply to refresh a rusty memory.

tkscr3.gif (45135 bytes)

Overview | Welcome To The Intranet | What is HTML & Do I Need To Learn It ?
What Do I Need To Run The Toolkit | What’s In The Toolkit | Preparing for The Toolkit
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Preparing For The Toolkit

Anyone can buy software, many can install it, some can even use it right out of the box, but few can implement it across an entire office. That is the greatest challenge of building an Intranet. It takes a combined effort of people who are generally busy doing one of a thousand other things. The Toolkit can only be as good as your agency decides to make it. Here is a list of things that you can do to prepare for the Toolkit:

Choose a Webmaster
This would be the person in-charge of learning about Intranet’s, and may also be the person now in charge of your Redshaw System. Either way please be sure to empower the individual to work with all of the agencies departments to gather information. They will also be in charge of making sure the Intranet is updated. The role of operations managers or IT staff is changing within our agencies, this is a good opportunity to capitalize on their knowledge and abilities to add to the agencies efficiency bottom line.

Install Browsers
on all your Desktop PC’s. If you are currently on the Arias Network you have a browser installed. Be sure that you are running Internet Explorer 3.0 or Netscape 3.0 or higher. To verify what version of software you are running, open you browser, select Help, and About….

Compile common office practices
(If you have not already done so) and procedures into MS Word documents. This should be quarterbacked by the webmaster. Included within the Toolkit are the specific PC Elite Functions to complete most tasks (see CSR forms menu on previous pages), you need to pull them together into a process. To assist we have also provided blank pages called New Biz, Renewal, Endorsement & Cancellation with links from Personal & Commercial Lines Home Pages. Use your imagination -here are some ideas:

� Personal Lines ( specific procedures for NB, RE, EN & CA)
� Commercial Lines ( specific procedures for NB, RE, EN & CA)
� Producers / Marketing (Hot Companies, Office Procedures for Submissions etc.)
� Accounting (what a great place for your company code list )
� Agency Information ( Human Resources, Directions, Office Parties / Functions etc.)

Decide what you want your employees to have access to.
There are some security measures built into the Toolkit which would allow you to install the entire Toolkit onto each PC, but you probably do not want everyone to have access to the system files.

Start Today - Time is Running Out
When you receive The Toolkit will you be ready ? It Finished Beta Testing in August and Will Ship in November1998. Learn How To Use The Toolkit Hands On at National User Group Meeting.

Overview | Welcome To The Intranet | What is HTML & Do I Need To Learn It ?
What Do I Need To Run The Toolkit | What’s In The Toolkit | Preparing for The Toolkit
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HTML Tools

There are thousands of tools to build sites. Some are very specific. Here are just a few major tools to get you started. Spice up your site, but don’t handicap it. Please surf these sites for articles and info. Editors shown in Red

Adobe – Pagemill - http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/pagemill/main.html
Corel – Webmaster Suite – http://www.corel.com/corelweb/index.htm
HomeSite & Cold Fusion - http://www.allaire.com

Lotus Intranet Solutions - http://www.lotus.com

Macromedia (Shock Wave) - http://www.macromedia.com

Microsoft - Front Page – 98 - http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/
Netscape Publishing Suite - http://merchant.netscape.com/netstore/clients/publish.html

Novell - http://www.novell.com/advantage/internet.html

Hint: For larger and more serious users, there are complete intranet suites available.

For More Intranet Tips Click Here

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	Representing Redshaw users on PC Elite, Master, Classic and Redshaw Users Migrating to cd.global and ebix.one 804-674-4899 Phone \| 804-276-1300 Fax