It's hard to make a definitive statement.  Do we have use cases defined?  I imagine we only have 2 real use cases.   1) export a single record to be imported into another EHR system 2) export a group of records to be imported into another EHR system.  I am not assuming you're not talking about a medical history report for a customer which would be a different use case. Assuming the above use cases, ideally I'd love to see them as an XML file with a XSD to validate the structure (XML is easy to mediate, transform and route in a SOA/integration world).   This XML and XSD file would be submitted to a country or international technical standards organization or would be a public OpenVPMS technical standard that other VPMS systems can implement.

>>2. The ability for these exports to be in a variety of data formats.If it's in XML, then it's up to various vendors to provide a "presentation" to the raw data.   Yet again, with XML, I can easy transform it to another format (PDF, email, etc etc) by putting it through a EAI/ETL broker. >>3. The ability to then have a defined method of delivery. I wouldn't define that from a standards point of view (transport mechanism agnostic.   spilt content and delivery into different pieces).   Within OpenVPMS, a simple import and export dialog box would work to start off.   In the future, I'd much rather see a range of delivery EAI/ETL methods implemented based on different qualities of service needed by the veterinary clinic. >>4. An area in the application that this export could be manged within.It would be nice to have a plugin interface to OpenVPMS.   As for the UI design, I would imagine it's just like any other import/export system.   We could follow similar design how systems like MS Outlook and Gmail exports and imports contacts. 5. (Optional) The ability for these exports to be scheduled automatically. I just got lost.   I'm confused on the use case for this.BTW, I hate to put additional work on people but a use case along with a set of business rules that the use case tries to address and a mockup of the potential UI would be nice. On Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 7:17 AM, <mpcosta@boroniavet.com.au> wrote:

I have some questions that require answers before we can consider development. I am going to refer back to the 5 listed points in the poast prior to this one. Ie,

1. The ability to define ad-hoc data exports. 2. The ability for these exports to be in a variety of data formats. 3. The ability to then have a defined method of delivery. 4. An area in the application that this export could be manged within. 5. (Optional) The ability for these exports to be scheduled automatically.   1. The ability to define ad-hoc data exports. So my vision for this is to use essentially the same method we currently have for report generation. That is, users capable of writing the queries that underly the report templates are used to create "export definitions". These definitions could be posted to the forums just like our current report templates and just as easily uploaded into openvpms.

These export definitions I think would need to contain the following properties: a) A name to easily identify the report in a list. b) The "query" or database request that underlies the report. It would be lovely to have a toolkit that allowed people not conversant in database languages to build their own queries but this is proabbly beyond the scope and budget of this project at this time. (Thoughts about this statement?).

c) The target format(s) that the data will be produce These might be spreadsheets, text files, XML files (a type of universal way to export data) or even pdfs Ok so my question is, given how similiar this is to the existing  reports section, are we just talking about an enhancement of the existing report section here?   2. The ability for these exports to be in a variety of data formats. Are there other formats people want?   3. The ability to then have a defined method of delivery. I was thinking; "email" (as a  file attachment) or "file". With file, the file would download to a specified directory. Each "destination" would need to be defined. Whether it is a email address, set of email addresses or folder or multiple folders. Are there other delivery methods people want?   4. An area in the application that this export could be manged within. I am imagining an interface just like reports. With the option to; a) Upload a new template/export definition file. b) Run the exports at the click of a button c) Mange/edit the exports schedule (see next point).   5. (Optional) The ability for these exports to be scheduled automatically. I was imagining a setup by which monthly reports or performance figures would be generated and automatically emailed to appropriate staff. Or even just batch donloaded to a folder for later review.   We do this currently using a seperate program and I find the best time to run some of these reports is when no one else is using the system so it does not slow it down. I also like that we can have reports and figures easily without having to remember to run them.  

I need comments guys, otherwise the developers will not be able to start even looking at a feasibility/costing.   Cheers, Matt C   _______________________________________________ OpenVPMS User Mailing List users@lists.openvpms.org To unsubscribe or change your subscription visit: //lists.openvpms.org/listinfo/users" target="_blank">http://lists.openvpms.org/listinfo/users Posts from this mailing list can be viewed online and replied to in the OpenVPMS User's forum- //tinyurl.com/openvfu" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/openvfu

-- Albert T. WongVetAnyware, Veterinary Business Software Solutions