Press Releases
EarthSoft has a new Facebook page!
July 26, 2010
Be sure to follow us on our new Facebook page by clicking the “Like” button! You’ll see our status updates, with information on news, events and other exciting EarthSoft and EQuS updates (including photos!)
EarthSoft is Excited to Announce New Online Training Courses!
July 8, 2010
EQuIS Online Training Classes have been designed to help you develop the skills and techniques necessary to manage and analyze environmental data using EQuIS, EarthSoft’s Environmental Quality Information System.
EQuIS Training attendees gain hands-on experience working with environmental, geologic and analytical chemistry data.
Attendees learn how to use EQuIS Professional with industry-standard reporting, visualization and analysis tools – such as Microsoft Excel, LogPlot, EnviroInsite, RockWorks, GMS, EVS, Surfer, Google Earth and other packages.
Additionally, a site characterization exercise gives users experience accessing data in the ArcView GIS spatial environment. Automation and web techniques are covered using EQuIS Enterprise.
Want to hear more?
Contact us at training@earthsoft.com or 503-345-0212 or visit our EQuIS Online Training Course List and Registration Form for complete details and to register for classes!
EQuIS for ArcGIS & ArcGIS Server Supports ArcGIS 10
June 30, 2010
EarthSoft announced today support for ArcGIS 10 for the EQuIS for ArcGIS extension for ESRI’s ArcMap and ArcScene 3D Analyst applications and ArcGIS Server. In addition to supporting all of the existing EQuIS for ArcGIS features on the ArcGIS 10 platform, the next release of EQuIS (v5.5) will support these new ArcGIS 10-specific features:
ArcGIS 10 Time-Aware Layers
- The EQuIS EZView LayerBuilder creates time-aware layers – using the new ArcGIS 10 time slider control for creating temporal animations
ArcGIS 10 BaseMap and Templates
- Support for the new ArcGIS 10 locations for styles and map templates
- The Springfield tutorial site now includes ArcGIS 10 map template documents using the new basemap layers concept
ArcGIS 10 Metadata
- In addition to writing FGDC metadata for ArcGIS 9.3 users, EarthSoft supports the new ArcGIS 10 metadata description and updated the custom ‘Metadata’ layer properties tab using the new ArcGIS 10 styles
ArcGIS 10 User Interface
- 3D Preview Window for visualizing and interacting with a 3D scene of your layers in ArcMap
- Automatic setup of the Default Geodatabase when new EQuIS layers are added to documents
ArcGIS 10 Query Layers
- EQuIS EZView now supports creating ArcGIS 10 Query Layers – this creates ArcGIS layers with a live connection to EQuIS databases without any of the limitations with previous versions of ArcGIS
EQuIS for ArcGIS Server integrates the latest and most powerful ArcGIS Server web GIS tools with the EQuIS Enterprise EZView, making it easy to share mapping services and applications across the web. Web map viewers can build queries and generate graphs, charts, tables, crosstabs, statistics, graphics and other EZView exports, with intuitive web mapping and services tailored to the specific audience.
Combined with EarthSoft’s sophisticated EQuIS for ArcGIS module, these two EarthSoft modules extend ESRI’s product line with decision support and data analysis schemas and applications focused on groundwater, limnology, hydrology, geotechnical and other environmental and sample data management markets. EQuIS database schemas and EZView Pick Lists are available to the ESRI GIS users for vapor air, landfill gas, discharge water and other very specific sample types and markets tied to environmental and geotechnical samples.
EQuIS for ArcGIS Server demonstration videos are available at EarthSoft’s Community Center and their YouTube channel – http://community.earthsoft.com/ and www.youtube.com/earthsoft.
EarthSoft Releases Sample Planning Module (SPM)
June 18, 2010
EarthSoft announced today the first public release of the Sample Planning Module (SPM). SPM provides an automated planning and tracking tool for sampling events and field activities. SPM reduces repetitive, manual, error-prone data entry. EarthSoft tested eight beta versions of SPM prior to this first public release. SPM integrates into the EQuIS sample workflow and helps:
- Plan future sampling events and create field EDDs
- Prepare and distribute electronic pre-populated Chain of Custody forms and Bottle Labels
- Generate several Completeness Reports with lists of planned but uncompleted samples
- Pre-populate EQuIS EDGE IDEFs virtually eliminating manual data errors
SPM offers the flexibility to easily plan future sampling events. Users can schedule unique or repetitive events, such as daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual sampling events. SPM works in tandem with the EQuIS Data Gathering Engine (EDGE) field data entry application ensuring that sampling data from the field or the lab are gathered accurately and in a timely manner. EDGE minimizes keystrokes and errors.
Our clients tell us the majority of data management errors originate in the field. SPM can identify and help users remove most of these errors. A version of EDGE is available so that field data entry errors are flagged in real-time. The EQuIS workflow is closed loop, extending from SPM (task creation and scheduling) to EDGE, to EDP, and back to SPM (reports). This eliminates many human errors by exporting directly from SPM into a predefined EDD with sample, location and facility information that can be used in EDGE. EDGE and SPM greatly reduce manual data errors.
Once data are collected, users can generate a new EDD from EDGE. Finally, the EDD is reviewed in EDP and loaded into EQuIS. SPM provides reports to document this complete workflow cycle. SPM provides the ability to:
- Plan and Manage Field Sampling Events, including field samplings and laboratory analyses
- Prepare Bottle request forms (Bottle Orders) and Lab EDDs
- Prepare and distribute electronic chain of custody forms (eCOCs)
- Prepare EDGE Field EDDs and Field Summary reports
- Assure correct and complete sampling and analysis events
- Generate field and lab Completeness Checker Reports
- Greatly reduce data entry errors in the field and at the lab
- Import data to EQuIS from field sensors and data loggers
SPM’s growing list of reports includes Planned Analyte Group, Task Preview and Cost Summary, Bottle Requests, Bottle Labels (with bar codes), and Lab EDD reports. Similar to the Incomplete Samples Report, the Unplanned Samples Report generates a table of samples taken that were not part of the sample plan. With the Frequency Report, managers can see at a glance on a calendar what is being sampled and where over an entire year.
EarthSoft thanks the consultants and industrial clients that helped test and tune SPM, including Dave Van Vliet at AquaResource, Mike Plunz with Areva, Kevin Wilson with Cemex, Barrick Gold, and Frank Hagar at R Squared.
EQuIS Used on Gulf Oil Spill
June 9, 2010
Video Press Conference and short training from a Gulf Spill Response Team:
http://bp.concerts.com/gom_training/houmasampletraining_052810.htm *
*This video mentions EQuIS at approximately the 12:50 minute mark and again at 20:30
Video outlining a Data Management Workflow being used:
http://bp.concerts.com/gom/watersamples_22052010.htm
EarthSoft Provides Additional Support in Australia, Italy and Brazil
June 4, 2010
EarthSoft announced enhanced support and sales networks in Australia, Italy and Brazil.
EarthSoft appointed OneSphere Consulting Pty Ltd, based in Sydney Australia, as a Value Added Reseller (VAR). OneSphere Consulting will immediately offer local sales and Help Desk support for EQuIS clients within Australia and New Zealand. The OneSphere team has over 15 years experience in Australia, supporting private and public (state & federal) sectors with their technical, strategic and management capacities – particularly with large ESRI GIS implementations.
The recent expansion of EQuIS support was prompted by a rapid increase in EarthSoft sales to Australian organizations in 2008 and 2009. The appointment of OneSphere Consulting follows the recent purchase of server space at ICO in Australia, providing inexpensive and locally hosted EQuIS Online. Large Oracle, SQL Server and ESRI implementations use these hosted web dashboards and sandboxes for testing, training and phased implementations. EarthSoft clients in Australia can now enjoy the enhanced benefits of EQuIS Enterprise web data management as well as improved support and services. EQuIS Online sandboxes are available at no charge for all Enterprise clients on EQuIS Maintenance contracts.
In Brazil, three labs have employed EQuIS EDP, enabling them to check EQuIS EDDs. GeoKlock in Sao Paulo is implementing a large EQuIS system and can provide sales and support for EQuIS clients in Brazil.
In Italy, EQuIS software is now available through Golder Associates, who has successfully fulfilled the requirements and received approval to be listed in the Italian Registry of Software Providers for the Public Administration. Any Italian public institution has exclusive and direct access to the online purchases portal to purchase goods and services, at http://www.acquistinretepa.it.
EarthSoft’s Help Desk will continue its expansion in 2010 with increased capacity to provide additional support-hours to all EarthSoft clients.
EarthSoft CEO Mitch Beard, said “We look forward to supporting our new partners! Our goal is replacing the large base of low-volume, unique and proprietary systems that typically manage all these data sets today. EQuIS is inexpensive to maintain and EarthSoft will continue to innovate rapidly with new products and versions.”
EQuIS is all .NET and available in both Oracle and SQL Server. EQuIS is an advanced decision support system including a relational database schema and a large library of queries, reports, graphics and exports. EQuIS supports several specific scientific data types, including surface water, groundwater, air, sediment, limnology and other water and subsurface data. In early 2010, EarthSoft released EDGE for data collection and workflow. EarthSoft is a long-time ESRI GIS Business Partner.
Click here for downloadable version.
NYSDEC Announces the Implementation of an Environmental Information Management System (EIMS)
May 20, 2010
The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has implemented an Environmental Information Management System (EIMS) to facilitate the submission of environmental data in an electronic form and to create a centralized database that includes GIS information. The EIMS uses the database software application EQuISTMfrom EarthSoft® Inc. These products were selected in accordance with NYS procurement processes.
We are pleased to announce that some types of data can be submitted electronically to the Division of Environmental Remediation (DER). DEC recently completed development of a format that must be used for uploading data into the EIMS. This format file and additional information are on DER’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/62440.html. This page provides information for the data providers to assist them with providing electronic environmental data to DER. The data format and electronic data processor (EDP) download are linked from this site. Please check with your department contact to determine if data should be submitted this way.
The Northwest Regional Environmental Data Management Conference is coming in May!
March 31, 2010
The Northwest Regional Environmental Data Management Conference provides environmental data management professionals with a two-day opportunity to share ideas; tools and custom applications; brainstorm and collaborate on data workflow; and present data management success stories. The conference is limited to 30 registrants. There is a non-refundable registration fee of $35 per person for both days, which includes snacks and lunch and a participant certificate.
The schedule of planned presenters is still growing (see agenda here). Please contact Dan Higgins or Jennifer Rea if you have a suggestion for additional activities or presentations. We want the conference to represent a broad cross-section of data management professionals and will gladly substitute one of AMEC’s presentations for yours.
Dates: May 20-21, 2010
Location: McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale, Oregon 97060
A block of hotel rooms are set aside for conference attendees who want to spend the night. There are no special rates for attendees.
Registration Info: Send registration checks to AMEC at 7376 SW Durham Road, Portland, Oregon 97224, use this form to register with a credit card, or call Dan Higgins at (503) 639-3400 to register by phone.
Please call Dan Higgins of AMEC at (503) 639-3400 or Jennifer Rea of EarthSoft at (541) 686-3276 with questions.
Click here for the registration form.
EarthSoft Releases EQuIS Data Gathering Engine (EDGE)
March 15, 2010
EarthSoft announced today the release of their new EQuIS Data Gathering Engine (EDGE) software – for data collection and field data management. EDGE is a comprehensive collection of integrated environmental field tools ensuring accurate and complete data collection using modern software and mobile computing technologies. Software highlights include:
- COC / eCOC Generator
- Field EDP Interface
- Completeness Checker
- EDD Generator
- Sensor / Datalogger Manager
- GPS Support
- Electronic Sketchpad
- Integration with EarthSoft’s Sample Planning Module (SPM)
- And much more…
Using EarthSoft’s COC Manager, environmental field crews can easily generate, print and email eCOCs (Chains of Custody) or Excel COCs – directly from the field. EDGE currently supports the Promium eCOC format – with more electronic COCs under development. Furthermore, EarthSoft’s EDGE Excel COC source code templates are available so you can build custom formats to meet your business needs.
EarthSoft’s EQuIS Data Processor (EDP) is the most widely used software in the world for checking electronic data deliverables (EDDs). EDGE includes a field version of EDP, allowing users to easily check for accuracy and completeness as data indices are collected. According to EarthSoft, many clients have provided findings that indicate up to 70% of data errors originate with problems during field data collection. With this in mind, field EDD errors (formatting and valid values) are highlighted and flagged in real time, at the point of data entry.
EDGE imports data into EQuIS from field sensors and data loggers. Imported data are checked with EDP and merged with other field data. EDGE currently supports select data loggers from QED and Campbell Scientific, with more options on the horizon.
EDGE supports GPS receivers outputting NMEA data to a USB, RS232 or Bluetooth COM ports. EDGE features automatic detection of connected GPS devices and a user-friendly interface showing device status and current position.
Using the Sketch Tool, users can draw and mark aerial photos, site plans or custom templates. Transfer images to EQuIS with Field EDDs, using the EDP Sign and Submit feature – which provides a secure data submittal to EQuIS EDP.
Over the past several months, EDGE has been meticulously tested by several large clients and was successfully implemented and deployed in a major chemical company. Additionally, Dave Van Vliet, principal at AquaResource said, “EDGE and SPM will change how consultants conduct their field activities.”
EarthSoft’s EQuIS is the most widely used environmental data management system in the world. EQuIS is used by many government agencies, industrial property owners, over 300 consultants and over 450 analytical labs around the world.
For further information please visit http://www.earthsoft.cm or write info@earthsoft.com. For a PDF version of this press release, please click here.
EarthSoft featured in MicroSoft’s Case Studies
March 3, 2010
EarthSoft was recently featured in MicroSoft’s case studies due to EQuIS being specifically designed for SQL Server 2008.
“Manage and standardize all your environmental and sampling data — efficiently and cost-effectively.
In our increasingly ecologically conscious society, the demand for environmental data is growing rapidly. Regulatory bodies and government agencies require detailed and comprehensive environmental data, such as water, soils, sediments or air quality data collected from sampling events. However, it’s often time-consuming and costly for companies involved in generating, handling or receiving such large volumes of data. In addition, a lack of standardization means that this data can arrive in a variety of formats or with different valid values — for example, the same chemical may have numerous common names. What’s more, individual laboratories and consultants may report their data in different ways.”
Read the full case study on MicroSoft’s Case Studies site here: http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Case_Study_Detail.aspx?CaseStudyID=4000006592
