Omics Lab

OMICS LAB represents the whole of the OMICS suite and includes a number of modules to manage and maintain your entire surfacing lab operation.  Our highly customizable, modular approach lets you create a software solution that meets your needs.  You can choose from the following five modules or steps:

Step One - Calculations and Device Interfacing
Step Two - Blank Selection and Inventory Control
Step Three - Invoicing, Pricing, and Accounts Receivable
Step Four - Job Tracking
Step Five - Report Writer

This section provides you with detailed information about each of these steps and ways that OMICS LAB can improve the efficiency of your lab.

FEATURES & BENEFITS

OMICS is a complete software management solution designed for surfacing laboratories and is suitable for both wholesale and retail lab environments of any size. OMICS is completely modular in nature allowing you to purchase  and  implement  only  the  software "Steps" or modules you need now, with the ability to add any Steps you had initially skipped at any time in the future. OMICS consists of five main Steps.

OMICS Step 1 is for surface calculations with dozens of user definable system settings for defining lab preferences. Step 1 also includes a frame shape database with on-screen 3-D lens and frame shape graphics and unlimited storage capacity, machine interfacing to most lab equipment, and unlimited storage of patient Rx's. Step 1 supports the latest technology in surfacing for various methods of tooling, fining and polishing, generating (manual, automatic    lenses sold. OMICS Step 1 must be in place before any other modules can be added.

OMICS Step 2 adds a comprehensive lens catalogue containing availability, technical data and bar-codes for most lens products, automatic blank selection, lens pick verification, bar-coded inventory control, automatic purchase orders and numerous management reports for lens usage, costing, breakage, and lens manufacturer reports such as AoSola Rewards, Varilux, Nikon, Crizal and Transitions. OMICS Step 2 also includes the ability to accept remote orders via modem transmission from OMICS POD or POF.

OMICS Step 3 covers order entry with automatic billing, invoicing, unlimited price lists for complete Rx, add-on's and stock jobs, credits, tax, accounts receivable functions, fixed and volume discounting, balance forward and/or open item billing methods, commission tracking, several invoice and statement form options, numerous financial reports; Account Payables and General Ledger software interfaces available.

OMICS Step 4 adds Job Tracking and customer service tools with instant access to all work in progress showing a complete history of all job movements from start to finish, quick job status information on a real time basis,  unlimited tracking stations, and work flow analysis reporting.

OMICS Step 5 is a Custom Report Writer intended for users who desire to create their own unique reports. Custom programming is available on request for all modules.

Overview of OMICS System Architecture

Operational Overview:

OMICS is a complete lab management package which is scalable for use by laboratories varying in size from a few dozen jobs a day to over 5000 jobs per day.  It includes a full suite of features designed for the lab.  While every lab management program offers some level of functionality for a lab, OMICS surpasses its competition in many areas:

- Up to date calculations for all new products, including mid and hi-index lenses.

- Minimum edge thickness calculations even on low-power lenses, ensuring that rimless and drill-mount lenses can be successfully mounted while still ensuring the thinnest possible product.

- Support for the latest ANSI safety standards in the U.S. (which came into effect August 2003).

- Support for frame combinations such as safety rimless (many packages cannot handle these types of frames).

- Support for casted (molded) lenses as well as traditional finished and semi-finished blanks.  This includes full consideration and thickness checks of these lenses for blank selection purposes.

- In addition to interfacing to all common optical industry devices, OMICS also provides interfaces to non-industry devices such as telephone systems and the GBI automated sorter.  Niche products such as Robotics & Automation equipment have also been interfaced to OMICS. 

- OMICS support full job flow checking throughout the lab.  This permits jobs to be marked for various processes and services, and ensures that not only are all required services performed on a job before it is shipped, but also prevents services from being performed on jobs that do not call for them.

- Overall, the best and most versatile blank selection logic in the industry.  Full control of blank selection parameters are provided to the lab, permitting automatic consideration of alternate materials and lens styles.

- Inventory re-ordering can be done by means of quantity replenishment, traditional min/max methods, or using forecasting, a highly accurate means of determining future usage based on past usage including seasonal and growth trends.

- Support for new features of lab equipment, including instructions for polish edge, beveling, grooving, clamp pressure, etc.  Support is also offered for robotic as well as manual equipment.

Customization:

One of the strength's of OMICS and Optical Software has been our commitment to helping our customers meet their technology needs through adapting our software to their needs.  Labs from the medium sized to the very large benefit from being able to have their lab system customized to their particular needs.  Whether that involves interfacing to a corporate accounting or inventory system, changes to work flow, customized report, or wholesale additions to the package, the result is a system which works with our customers' systems.  We recognize that one system cannot possibly meet the needs of all laboratories, and that laboratories should not be expected to change existing processes just to work with a piece of software.  In today's world, it is vital to partner with a lab software company that can respond quickly to changing needs, using modern technology.

OMICS and Laboratory Flow:

The starting point for jobs entering the lab is order entry.  OMICS permits jobs to be entered into the system in several ways:

- They may be manually entered, keyed in by an order entry clerk

- They may be electronically entered from our own Retail Remote Order Entry system.

- They may be electronically processed from a file produced by a third-party system using our published Generic Interface Format, or using a proprietary format for which OMICS has been adapted.

- They may be electronically transferred from another laboratory also using OMICS software.

Once the job has been received (in whatever manner), the optimum blanks to use are selected, the necessary surfacing and finishing calculations are done, and the job priced.  The laboratory has flexible control over selection, surfacing and pricing variables, permitting the system to work the way the lab does, instead of the other way around.  For example, OMICS allows the lab to set up their own base curve charts, rather than selecting curves by an arbitrary formula.

For jobs received automatically, blank selection, calculations and pricing all take place automatically, and produce a work ticket which is the first manual step in the lab.  For all jobs, the lab always has the ability to over-ride the system selection and pick their own lenses to use. OMICS supports traditional methods of using numbered trays, as well as methods of using trays with no numbers, where the barcode exists only on the work ticket.

To ensure the correct lenses are selected, the lab scans the trays and lenses in a verification step.  Lenses must be correctly selected before they can proceed to the next step (whether surfacing or finishing).  This step is not required for cast lenses (which have no OPC codes as they are manufactured in house).

For jobs not processed within the lab (to be farmed out), OMICS provides different options.  Jobs may be scanned out to an outside lab, and the lab can define which processes that outside will perform (AR, other services, edging, etc.).  Jobs may be electronically farmed out to an outside lab using OMICS - this permits transmission of frame shape data in addition to the Rx information, directly into the other lab's system, eliminating keying errors and shipping time to the other lab.  This process can take place on demand or as each job is farmed out, depending on the preference of the labs and the connection available.

Within the production process in the lab, OMICS interfaces to the standard optical devices, including many no longer manufactured.  Standard checks are done within the lab - for example, ensuring that a certain amount of time passes between surfacing blocking and generating.  Uncut jobs cannot be called up on a finish blocker or edger; finished lenses can't be called up on a blocker, etc.  If desired, surface QA can be made a required step.  Where devices are not interfaced to the system, scanners can be used to track the progress of jobs through the lab.  OMICS provides full support, via VCA format, for robotic as well as manual devices, and also supports polish instructions, grooving instructions, clamp pressure, etc.

Services are also tracked - these are under the control of the lab.  As many or as few services as desired can be tracked, and up to 20 user-defined job flow checks are supported. Two-way scanners can be used, which permit display of messages to the operator from the system (for jobs not requiring a service, for example).

The QA process, using scanners, will inform inspectors if services or steps have been missed for each job.  The lab may optionally choose to print the ANSI standards for the particular job right on the work ticket for easy reference by the inspector.  OMICS also interfaces to all QA equipment which is VCA-compliant, as well as to some other products (such as the Robotics and Automation Robotic QA machine).

Customer service personnel benefit from being able to access jobs in several ways, including order number, tray number, patient name, account number, and a user-defined field, all from one screen.  Complete details of the job, including the history of its flow through the lab, can be viewed from this one site.  Time at station reports can also be used to monitor jobs that haven't moved from any (or all) station within a specified period of time, permitting the lab to identify bottlenecks in the process.

The inventory section of OMICS ships with a catalogue of lens products, including nearly all lenses sold in North America, and many sold in the rest of the world by the major vendors.  The catalogue includes all technical specs of the lenses, as well as OPC codes.  Optical Software has an excellent relationship with all the major lens vendors, and actively solicit lens information in VCA format.  Inventory is automatically decremented as it is used, and all manual transactions are normally done by scanning OPC codes.  For physical counts, a lab can use either a Telxon inventory unit or a Symbol scanner using our own program and then upload the results to OMICS.  OMICS supports purchase orders either on paper or via modem connection to vendors.  In both cases the order can be reviewed and approved by the lab before committing.

Technical Overview:

Operating Systems Supported - OMICS is a Windows-based application, written primarily in AcuCobol extend6, with routines in other languages for specific purposes.  As a networked application, OMICS can be run using Novell or Windows file servers, either as a server-based program (residing on the file server, with workstations running the application from the server), or as a true client-server product (application installed on the workstation, accessing files on a server using a client-server engine).  Thin-client functionality is being explored currently.

Because OMICS has been an industry leader within the laboratory market for years, the user interface screens are a combination of classic interfaces and newer GUI technology.

File structures - OMICS makes use of Cobol-standard indexed (ISAM) files, line sequential files, and relative (record-numbered) files, using the most appropriate format for the type of data.  The bulk of the information is stored in ISAM files, with data separated logically by type of data.  So, for example, customer information is stored in one file, Rx and Stock orders in another file, lens style information in another, material codes in another, etc.  The use of native ISAM assures the fastest possible access.  Access to the data can be provided using ODBC, permitting any ODBC-compliant program to have read access to the OMICS data.

OMICS can use AcuServer client/server technology to optimize file access over even a large network.  In addition, AcuServer permits files to be shared over proprietary VPN and even over the internet, allowing many options for the transmission and sharing of information between labs.

Average volumes - laboratories using OMICS vary in volume from under 100 jobs per day to over 5000 jobs per day.  Labs also vary in the parts of OMICS they use - some labs (notably smaller ones) use only the Rx calculation and device interfacing portion of the software.  Other labs, including virtually all larger labs, use at least the Rx calculations, inventory control, automatic pricing and job/tray tracking.  Many use either the OMICS Accounts Receivable module, or some form of interface to their own accounting system.

Volume limits - limits within OMICS are very broad and are well above what existing users would ever approach.  Internal database limitations will restrict the system to 14,000 price lists, 1,000,000 distinct inventory items, several million customers, 100,000,000 Rx and Stock orders on file, etc.  The system is currently limited to 1300 concurrently-running workstations (subject to runtime licenses).  There are no built-in limits on file size; generally we are constrained by the limitations of the operating system - for example, limits on disk drives and file sizes imposed by file systems (such as FAT16), but these are resolvable by upgrading or solving the underlying limitation. 

Security Management - OMICS currently supports a "user-level" form of security management, where users are assigned a "security level" from 1 to 99, and menu options and functions within OMICS require a certain level to access.  Optical Software is developing a new security structure which will allow control of access to menu options and functions by user name.

Available Languages - OMICS is currently available in English, with some user reports (such as statements and invoices) available in French. 

LAN protocol - OMICS is not based upon any particular LAN vendor or protocol.  Our software runs on Novell networks, NT networks, and Windows peer-to-peer (for smaller systems).  In the past, we have had labs run Lantastic and Novell Lite, although we do not recommend these platforms.  There are certain functions in OMICS which make use of LAN-specific functions, such as (optionally) direct printing to Network print queues when running on Novell networks, or using LPT port printing on Windows networks (which relieves the user from having to have specific windows drivers on all workstations).

Communication with lab machines - OMICS prides itself on being at the forefront of communication with as many lab devices as possible.  Device interfaces run on a 32-bit Windows-based computer using any Windows-compatible multi-serial IO card for multiple ports.  Our most common multi-port boards are Digiboard and Rocketport, but we have also used other brands such as Lava multi-port serial boards.  OMICS is compatible with all common laboratory devices, including LOH, Weco, Gerber, Coburn, OMA, DVI-standard, National Optronics, Optek.  We have also developed custom interfaces to devices such as the GBI shipper/sorter and the Q&A and packing machines from Robotics and Automation in Europe as well as P@P ToolTowers.  Optical Software will also develop custom device interfaces for equipment required by our customers.

Already Existing Interfaces (Financial) - OMICS has accounting interfaces with a number of accounting packages, including SAP, PeachTree, AccPac, JD Edwards, and several prioprietary systems for customers.

Already Existing Interfaces (Remote Entry) - OMICS has published a "Generic Interface Format" describing a format with which any third-party software can send an order to an OMICS system.  This format has been used by Compulinks and several proprietary systems to feed orders to OMICS electronically.  This format supports single-eye frame tracing.

Another option for remote entry involves the use of Optical Software's "Direct Lab" components.  With these components, any developer of an existing Windows-based retail system can incorporate frame traces into their software and transfer the resulting order, with the trace, to OMICS.  This module uses industry standard OMA descriptions (with extensions) to describe orders and traces and is compatible with common tracers in the industry.

OMICS also accepts orders electronically from other laboratories running OMICS software.

Datawarehouse and Reporting Abilities - OMICS offers ODBC access to the underlying datafiles, which permits use of reporting tools such as Crystal Reports for user-designed reporting.  In addition, Optical Software is always willing to discuss reporting options with our customers, incorporating some reporting options into the standard product, and customizing others for particular needs.

Number of Versions Per Year - Optical Software releases patches to OMICS on a monthly or semi-monthly basis, as volume of enhancements and changes warrant.  Releases are issued approximately 1-2 per year, but are not released on a predefined fixed timetable.  Versions are released approximately every 12-18 months, and include major database or user-interface changes.  Optical Software is committed to keeping our customers up to date with enhancements, new features, and modifications to handle new products.

Assured Compatibility - OMICS is written using AcuCobol, a Windows-based, 32-bit version of the most widely-used programming language in the world.  Leveraging the strength of Cobol for business logic, we also use other languages such as C++ for specific purposes, but the end result is seamless to the lab.  As new operating systems and products come out, Optical Software evaluates them and makes any necessary changes to OMICS to ensure compatibility with systems, and we proactively keep our clients advised of compatibility and known issues with new systems.

Training Courses - Each installation of OMICS includes onsite installation and training in OMICS functions by one or more qualified installers.  The length of the onsite training depends upon the lab's volume, number of staff, and modules purchased.  Optical Software also recommends refresher training on a periodic basis to ensure maximum benefit is being obtained from the system.  The frequency of the training depends upon several factors, including changes in processes, growth of the lab, turnover of personnel, etc.  Training courses may also be given at Optical Software's offices in Moncton, N.B., Canada, and we are exploring the possibility of regional training sessions in different locations around the U.S.

Here is an Omics flowchart for your viewing.