Gazette Chooses Datastream to Run IT Department

	Quick Facts 890 employees on 5 sites IT dept has 35 employees and 500 work orders per month Datastream software controls entire Gazette IT operation

Gazette Communications serves Eastern Iowa with The Gazette newspaper and FYIowa.com. The company has 890 employees operating from five separate facilities in two cities. Headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Gazette Communications' IT department has 35 employees and uses 500 work orders per month to service the entire corporation.

The Challenges of IT Maintenance
Gazette Communications wanted a proven asset management software solution to improve control of its IT department's maintenance efforts. The company needed a software package that could control purchase orders, equipment tracking, and parts inventory. They looked for a system that could efficiently track work orders and projects and would improve the overall efficiency of its IT operations.

"It was difficult finding a single software system that could handle such diverse tasks as inventory, purchasing, asset management, work orders, and personnel," states Steve Schmitz, computer systems manager at Gazette Communications. "We wanted a proven solution that offered an integration of all these packages."

Schmitz also wanted a asset management solution that offered complete control of Gazette Communications' IT help desk. As the point of contact between the IT technicians and the company's workforce, the help desk needed a more efficient method to control workflow.

Gazette Communications' past IT maintenance system was DOS-based, so they desired a software package that was easy to learn and offered simple access to information. Schmitz also wanted a enterprise asset management solution that could produce numerous analysis reports and graphs and would offer the functionality to monitor and compare all desktop information for upgrade purposes.

The Solution
Gazette Communications chose a Datastream asset management solution for complete control of its IT department's maintenance operations. The Datastream software manages all parts, requisitions, purchase orders, and work history of the IT department. The company also uses Datastream to control all work orders on computer equipment maintenance and IT projects, which include PC installation and front-end systems.

Datastream also helps Gazette Communications track all spare parts and equipment used by the IT department. The employees enter each spare part into the database, log the number of parts, and monitor locations. With Datastream's nameplate functionality, Gazette controls all desktop information by entering the different attributes of each PC into more than 90 custom fields. In addition, the IT department uses Datastream to inventory each PC's hardware configuration and installed software.

Using Datastream, Gazette Communications is able to effectively manage each site and track the company's PCs, desktops, file servers, and The Gazette's printing press. The software is also responsible for tracking the maintenance and spares for the control systems that run the press as well as the electronics of the motors that drive the press. Gazette Communications has the printing press defined in the software's equipment section along with the spare parts used on the machine.

Datastream software's Reports module sets the industry standard with more than 4,000 pre-defined reports. By using Crystal reports and nameplates, Gazette Communications creates custom reports specific to their needs as well. For example, the IT department can search for all PCs with 64 megahertz of memory and less than 1 gigabyte of hard drive space and receive immediate, customized reports.

"One reason we chose Datastream is because of the software's ability to use a SQL database, allowing us to tap into basic report packages," states Schmitz. "When we perform software upgrades or budget planning, we establish minimum cut-offs and allow Datastream's software to tell us how many machines are below that particular line. We can then budget upgrades according to that information."

Gazette Communications also chose Datastream for its ease-of-use. The software has a user-defined Quick Access Bar that puts maintenance employees one click away from the forms and reports used most often. And Datastream's user interface contains wizards that guide users step-by-step through the process of performing common maintenance management tasks.

"Our IT technicians find the entire maintenance process easier with Datastream, so they are more willing to enter complete information regarding particular projects. Therefore, I can get more informed reports and statistics out of the software system. Datastream's software is the heartbeat of our daily operations. "

The Results
Gazette Communications' IT help desk controls its operations exclusively through Datastream's asset management solution. The company offers a single number for the entire corporation to call regarding IT maintenance and questions. The IT help desk receives those calls and immediately opens a work order for each call. If the help desk can close the call immediately, they then enter the information into the work order and close the project. If the project needs maintenance, then the help desk will dispatch a technician with the proper work order number. The technician then completes the repair and enters the information into the software's database.

With Datastream, Gazette Communications monitors how the IT help desk is operating and how it is helping the IT technicians. The department also monitors the number of work orders and compares the figures with past weekly and monthly averages.

With the help of a Datastream asset management solution, Schmitz justified growing the Gazette IT department by 200% over the past five years. By using the numerous reporting capabilities that the software offers, the company makes better managerial decisions regarding IT operations. In fact, Gazette Communications plans to expand the use of Datastream software to control its building maintenance and the operations group that produces The Gazette newspaper and various commercial print products.

Gazette Communications also plans to incorporate Datastream's Web access functionality into its IT maintenance operations. With Web access, Gazette Communications personnel can use a standard Web browser to submit purchase requisitions and work requests from any workstation connected to either the global Internet or an intranet. Workers can then use Datastream software to track their work orders, view pending requests, and review, approve, and reject work orders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, the remote access technology of the Web effectively extends the functionality of Datastream software for Gazette Communications to anywhere in the world.