Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why should I use
Generations® instead of software "[x]"?
A: Because Generations®
is a mature, proven software used by over 600 home care agencies like
yours to make their business more efficient. We have a proven
track record in the industry, and have the support and training
infrastructure to ensure you are maximizing your return on investment. We constantly seek to improve Generations®
by listening to our customers needs - which is why we have been so
successfull.
Q: How can we access the program when away
from the office?
A: Generations® Hosted
Service enables you to access your database over a web browser. This is great for office staff
on-call or away from the office. Your clients and caregivers can be given a login to view their schedules
only.
Q: I'm a new agency, I don't need a system
yet... or do I???
A: Ask us about our special pricing options for
startup and small agencies. When asked what would they do
differently, most veteran home care agency owners responded by
indicating they would have systems in place from the start. Although you can do it manually, you miss out on the efficiencies a
system provides, and implementation can be more difficult later on.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: We do not publish prices on the internet, in part
because there are several different pricing options available. We'd like to hear more about you and your needs, so please contact us
and we can answer all your questions including pricing. We have a
small agency program which makes Generations®
affordable even for startups.
Q: Do you have after
hours support?
A: Yes, we have an on-call service for emergencies
after normal business hours and non-working days like weekends and
holidays. It's part of the standard service your receive when you
decide to go with Generations®.
Q: Can more than one person be working in
the database at the same time.
A: Yes, Generations®
always has supported multiple users working in the same
database. For example, if a user updates a client's phone number,
and you open that client profile, you will see the new number.
Q: My staff is already overloaded, how will
they find time to learn a new system?
A: That's what we are here for, to help you every
step of the way - from implementation to on-going training and support. On-demand training videos, live
webinars twice a week, and our
friendly support staff is available. We
have licensed technology that allows us to view your computer screen so
we can guide you through the entire setup process train you in the most
efficient manner.
Q: Our Agency has been using system 'x'.
Will I need to re-key all of my data into Generations®?
A: If your data is in QuickBooks®,
then you can import all of your clients, caregivers and rates of pay,
service items, other charges, payroll items, client type, and classes
into Generations®. If your data is not in QuickBooks® it may still be
possible to import some of the data into Generations®
depending on the system you currently use and the type of database it
uses.
Q: How do I obtain system updates and how
often are they released?
A: When a new update is available, Generations®
will alert you and automatically download and install the update when
you are ready. Updates are generally released
quarterly.
Q: What are the minimum system requirements?
A: Operating system must be Windows XP or higher. The QuickBooks®
interface requires QuickBooks® Pro 2003 or higher for
US and 2005 for Canada.
Generations®
Mobile Link interface requires Palm OS 3.5, Windows Mobile 2003 or
higher.
Q: Is Generations®
compatible with Windows 7?
A: Yes Generations®
is fully compatible with Windows 7.
Q: How many clients and caregivers can
Generations®
Handle?
A: There is no limit. Generations®
uses SQL Server 2005 as its database engine, which can scale up as much
as needed.
Q: What kinds of devices can run
Generations® Mobile Link?
A: Windows Mobile 5.0 (or 2003) and Palm OS 3.5 or higher.
Q: Do I need to purchase additional
equipment or server licenses to run SQL Server?
A: No, the majority of our customers use the free version that we
distribute and is automatically configured during the installation. If you already have SQL Server it can be configured to run Generations®. If you have more than 15 simultaneous users, we recommend you purchase
SQL Server 2005 standard or enterprise edition. For agencies without SQL
Server we distribute the SQLExpress database engine which can be used at
no additional expense.