NLS Database Synchroniser - NLSync

for NLSVet Veterinary Practice Management Software

Enjoy the speed and convenience of accessing your local database when visiting clients while also making sure you have the latest clinic data. NLSync is a reliable way to keep both the clinic and the veterinarian in the field up to date with the latest data as it changes throughout the day.

Finding the Solution to the Challenge of Synchronisation

In the beginning of 2010 a veterinarian presented us with a challenge to develop a synchronisation system that would give him complete interchange of data between the database in his busy veterinary clinic and the database on his netbook operating as a mobile veterinarian. A working situation that is becoming increasingly typical in the operation of veterinary clinics today. The veterinarian had not been able to find a veterinary software with a synchronisation system that would meet the requirements of his situation.

Since the release of NLS Database Synchroniser, NLSync, and 40.000 synchronised changes later*, NLSync has established itself as a reliable synchronisation system succesfully meeting the challenge of synchronising interelated data records while the database is in use, without imposing data restrictions to speak of.

^{* this is just in one clinic using NLSync}

Jump straight to NLS Database Synchroniser features

The situation:

Busy animal hospital with 5 computers connected on a LAN, staff comprises a number of veterinarians and nurses. In addition the clinic is generating a substantial income from a mobile veterinary service provided to a large customer base in a wide geographical area, 8-10 consultations a day.

The need:

The veterinarian working in the field needs to have access to all the data that he/she would normally have access to at the clinic. Furthermore there must be the facility to bring the data up-to-date on demand throughout the day and be able to modify all data without restriction: adding new records, updating or deleting existing records: medical notes, client and patient details, adding consultation charges, issue certificates and invoices, set vaccination reminders, enter credit payment for coming consultations etc.

The veterinarian also need to be able to add products on the fly that needs ordering in for the client. The mobile veterinarian is on the road all day so it is important that the synchronisation is completely reliable.

Above all the synchronisation process must be fast: connect, upload/download records so the sync can be performed in the vehicle prior to the client visit or even at the client's house.

Responding to the Challenge:

The key to unlocking the challenge was to come up with the concept for a solid synchronisation model. Once working the veterinarian set his field laptop up to be synchronised with the clinic and each issue was addressed as they came to light in the practical sitation.

To this day we monitor the clinic's synchronisation live*. Monitoring this active, real life synchronisation scenario has provided an invaluable working surface to develop and fine tune a synchronisation system that is meeting the synchronisation requirements of a mobile veterinarian. Deliberately, a slow internet connection (256/64 kb) was used while developing NLSync to ensure the system would perform well, also over slower connections.

^{* courtesy of the veterinarian commissioning the NLS database synchroniser}

The Solution:

The success of NLSync is in large part due to the strong underlying concept providing a sleek and solid synchronisation model. A solid foundation eliminates synchronisation errors. In fact the system has functioned error-free to date. It also allows for the system to be expanded and adapted to other types of mobile devices that veterinarians may wish to use.

Tools are provided to catch and address any minor disrepancies that may occur so the user can be fully self-reliant in utilising and maintaining a working synchronisation system that will not only grow with NLSVet software upgrades, but also with expansion of their veterinary business. Up to 9 mobile devices can be synchronised with the one clinic. All having full data editing freedom and data interchangeability with the clinic.

Detailed synchronisation logs, session overview logs and feedback messages informs the user of session progress and imparts overview of the overall sync operation over a longer period of time. The full database comparison feature gives further insight into all individual record changes so you as the user can have complete confidence that the system is working successfully.

NLSync can be added to existing, as well as newly set up, NLSVet systems.