Monitor-Pro 5 (MP-5) capabilities
This page details MP-5
specifications and functionality. For general information about MP-5
benefits, visit MP-5
home.
Click the links in
the table to jump to the section you're interested in.
Interface
It has an intuitive
interface, with either Windows-Explorer style or wizard modes. There is
built in functionality including reports,
Functionality
Data entry
MP-5 has 3 methods for data entry - fully automatic
(the user only need interact to resolve typos or erroneous data), single file
import wizard for systems with less incoming data and a need for more
flexibility & manual data entry for occasional ad-hoc input.
Stored
selections
Stored selections are queries that the user can
store for repeated use. They can be dynamic, so for example a user may
store a selection entitled "my quarterly groundwater report" - and they only
have to click this to retrieve the information they need.
Graphing
Of course we provide direct outputs to XL, but most
of the time, the simple double-click built in graphs are faster and more
presentable. We provide many types from time series to pie, diurnal,
variable vs. variable and several others. Reports also can contain many
types of chart and graph.
Reporting
Many report templates come provided. Double
click to populate with data. They
are also configurable to provide specific output (either by EHSData or by
the user). They are designed using
Crystal reports version 11.
Mapping
Our embedded GIS gives you the
power to display your data on maps, without having to learn how to use a GIS
system.
-
Display sample point locations
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Display thematics (coloured
dots) to show concentrations and threshold breaches
-
Accepts most map and image
types.
Contouring
This takes visualising data to the next step - the
generation of images like those to the left is incredibly easy.
Like mapping it uses your current selection to create the plot. A common use is
to generate a number of plots over time, and to animate them to show the history
of site readings.
Using a regular gif animator, a series of contour plots can easily be joined
together into a "movie" showing for example groundwater pollution movement,
leachate level change or methane migration across a site.
Click here to see an example (480k)
MapInfo
Link
For
those that have MapInfo, it can be automatically populated with Monitor-Pro data.
The MapInfo Link button opens MapInfo and populates it with currently selected
data. Thematics can be plotted with one click. Clicking on a sample point in
MapInfo takes you straight back into your Monitor-Pro package at the properties
of that point.
Similar functionality can also be provided for Esri products.
Exports
Direct to XL or .csv as summaries, cross-tabulated
or long list, Monitor-Pro mpr format. From tables and graphs - copy, paste
to word XL etc. From reports many from pdf to word to XL, RTF, HTML, DOC,
etc.
Hyperlinking
Hyperlinking links any object in your system
(sample points variables etc. to any other file you may have that is relevant to
it - e.g. to a site you may link the site license and an aerial photo - to a
sample point group (maybe groundwater boreholes) a consultant's report and
photos of the points concerned, etc etc.
Compliance
management
MP-5 has built-in compliance management.
Levels can be set per variable and sample point, so for example pH to a river
can be a different level from pH to a sewage discharge. Once set, levels
are automatically compared with incoming data and flagged. Information on
breaches is provided through summary tables, on raw data, can be displayed on
graphs, and on many reports.
Intelligent
data drill-down
This is one area that really sets MP-5 apart,
especially compared with spreadsheets.
The fact that all data is stored in one place with
a very intelligent interface allows the user to drill down on any location,
group of locations, variable or suite of variables, date, etc.
Spreadsheets require much copying and pasting to achieve this.
Data is provided first as a summary line per sample
point & variable (e.g. pH readings for discharge 1), and the user can either
drill down to raw data or create a graph directly.
Where high volume data is received, further monthly
summaries are created, so your top summary may say "flue 1, temperature, 40,000
readings from 2000 to 2005". In this case, a drill down will not give
40,000 readings but monthly summaries (which can in turn be drilled down on).
Direct graphs in this case show monthly min, max & average.
Database capabilities and
networking
MP-5 has a strong,
flexible database engine (Microsoft SQL Server or the desktop MSDE engine).
Because of this, it is suited to a large range of deployments, from single
desktop systems to large client/server networks.
It has a unique
summarising system that detects large volume data sets (e.g. 1/2 hourly weather
station records), and summarises the data automatically. This allows the
user to drill down in appropriate stages. Systems with thousands of sample
points and millions of readings are not uncommon.
The way it holds
data is so flexible that almost any monitoring data can be stored. The 2
main lists (user created) are locations and measures. Data is held against
these.
Data security, management and
integrity
Security is very important. From the
database side, SQL server security is strong. The MP-5 has its own login
system, with each user logging in with his/her own user name and password.
All data changes are logged against that user for auditability. User
levels can be set from admin (full control) to read-only.
Edits and deletions... Integrity is managed throughout MP-5.
When a record is edited, the latest version is used, however a history of
previous edits (and the user that edited the value) is stored and can be viewed
from a drop-down list. Deletions go to the recycle bin from where they can
be restored. There is no "empty recycle bin" option intentionally.
Physical limits... Variables (your list of things that are measured -
e.g. CH4, KWh, flow, pH etc) have a physical limits function. This blocks
data outside realistic limits and can be set by users. Examples of this
are pH - lower 1 upper 14, and atmospheric pressure might be lower 800 upper
1200. This prevents many rogue values from entering the system.
Threshold levels... Whereas physical limits block data from entering the
database, threshold breaches are of course allowed in, but the user can easily
produce reports detailing these.
"< values"... Lower than detection limit values present a big problem
for many applications as they are regarded as text, not numbers. MP-5 is
intelligent with these, and retains both a number (for numerical presentation)
and the text (for reporting). The number stored uses a "< multiplier"
system, set by the user. By default this is set to 1, i.e. a value of <0.1
is treated as 0.1.
Typos and varying terminology... A big problem with data management is
managing inconsistencies in recorded data. You need a consistent data set
to be able to produce a complete output. MP-5 traps typos on import, and
spellings that it doesn't recognise are held back for resolution by a user.
There is also an alias system for names, so for example methane could have
aliases of CH4, CH_4, Meth% etc. Meter 1 could have M1, Meter001, Meter-1
etc. When the importer matches an alias, the data is put in its correct
place.
Data calculator
The
calculator module very powerful as it can be used to create KPIs, to calibrate
data from instruments, monthly totals, verifying outliers and any other
calculation you might typically use. What distinguishes it is the interpolation
options - looking backwards and forwards through datasets for matching data to
calculate on.
Click here to download a
basic user manual detailing the above functionality
