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The NC Department of Agriculture Uses Mi-Forms e-Forms Software and Tablets to Streamline Field Inspection Data Capture

Mi-Co, the Mobile Information Corporation, today announced a new data collection process for NCDA&CS' Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division using Mi-Forms e-Forms software and Tablets, which converted a multi-week turnaround time into days, along with considerable cost savings related to eliminating paper.

Originally, the Pesticides team followed a paper-based process when conducting field inspections. It took an average of three to four weeks for the data to get from the actual inspection to their backend systems. In the old process, inspection reports were physically mailed twice, (first for the Managers' review, and second for the Process Analyst's transcription), a long queue of forms (bottleneck) stacked up at transcription, and correspondence via phone or email was required to verify the inspectors' written information. NCDA's Pesticides Division worked with Mi-Co to automate this data capture process.

Using electronic forms by Mi-Co's Mi-Forms on Tablet PC, inspection data from the field can now sync to NCDA's database in as fast as a day. Managers now have the ability to review field inspection data in realtime, and transcription no longer applies. Circling back to the inspector for data clarification is now at a bare minimum due to handwriting-to-text conversion that addresses legibility concerns. Data prefill and live validation rules addressed data accuracy and completeness concerns.

By eliminating the use of paper, the Division not only saved time, but significant costs related to paper as well, such as printing, mailing, faxing, and storage. In addition, Mi-Co created a reporting application which made it much easier for reviewers and managers to find and analyze data as they made queries.

"Using Mi-Forms on Tablet PC, we now operate with a much more streamlined process, and are able to generate better revenue streams as a result of readily available registration and license information." - Dwight Seal, Regional Manager, NCDA&CS SPCPD.

Media contact: Gautham Pandiyan, gpandiyan@mi-corporation.com or 919-485-4819 x 1973.

About NCDA&CS Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division:
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) - Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division protects the public health, safety and welfare, and promotes continued environmental quality by minimizing and managing risks associated with the legal use of pesticides. To carry out these responsibilities, the Field Operations Unit of the Pesticide Section carry-out, on a statewide basis, the inspection and investigative functions of all mandated pesticide programs. The inspection programs include, but are not limited to, registration, chemigation, pesticide product testing, storage, licensing, application, use, worker safety, ground water and endangered species protection, and disposal. For more information on Mi-Co, please visit http://www.ncagr.gov/SPCAP/.

About Mi-Co:
Mi-Co is the developer of Mi-Forms Digital Ink handwriting recognition and data cleaning technology and provides solutions for smart e-Forms data collection in a variety of industries. The Mi-Forms Software Suite enables flexible forms design and the capture, handwriting recognition, validation and automatic communication of forms-based data from handwritten source documents. Mi-Forms supports enterprise data capture using Tablet PCs, the Digital Pen, iPad, Android Slates, and other mobile capture devices. For more information on Mi-Co, please visit www.mi-corporation.com.