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Vik, difficult to compare the hardware spec as I haven't a clue where to start with the thin client. Laptop reasonably good, i3 and 2 gb ram. I did not time the actual printing but on the laptop there was a definite gap between different pupil reports whereas on the thin client the printing was continuous.

Phil,Vik et al, I did a comparison between using the terminal server, XP and Word 2003 and a laptop with Windows 7, Word 2007. Printed 3 sets of reports with each and was surprised at the result. On the first 2 m 54 s to first page appearing from printer, on the second 1 m 50 s to first page. So I was wrong but the actual printing took twice as long on the second so I now need to look more carefully at the printer driver settings.

Hi Vik, just printed about about 170 reports that contain about 26 results plus 13 class teacher inserts. Used a terminal server XP session with Word 2003. My impression was that it was about 25% quicker but difficult to judge exactly as I was using a different printer setup. I will try to run a direct comparison and get more accurate figures later.

Whether the problem is with SIMS or our particular SQL setup here the last few sets of individual reports I have produced have been very slow. The point about reusing old reports again and again should not really make any difference if using result sets for the data being inserted and I do not even want to recreate the report templates. Like Sivadam we have been using them since the AM6 but unlike him I think that the problem is SIMS related.

Have you tried cloning the template, saving it with a different name and then trying to edit that?

I didn't think of using Google Forms, I will have a look. Had considered using Adobe X pro.

Does anyone use electronic forms? We email a lot of letters, using Schoolcomms, with reply slips etc and have been asked if it would be possible for parents to email them back. If you do then what do you do about signatures?

Vik, the idea of classifying the Capita supplied groups as a template group is to stop the problem whereby users, having modified one of the existing groups, had any changes they had made overwritten by a SIMS upgrade. All cloned groups will become custom groups so will not be affected when the the upgrade updates the template groups. I should have made this clearer in the original post.

I'm not quite sure what GREED means by giving a permission breaks something else but it is much easier to view and change the permissions for a group. And they are introducing the concept of Capita providing a 'template' group, eg Class Teachers, which can then be cloned and permissions altered. It is then saved as a custom group. I was on the testing yesterday as well and came away quite pleased with what I had seen in System Manager 7 and also relieved that we don't use SLG here as the problems with parent users and contacts seems to be a major one.

Just heard that I have a place on the 29th March, will any of the rest of you be there?

Hi Chunks, another obvious one but as well as all the academic stuff have you also set up the pastoral structure? Can't think of anything else to look at....

Agreed! We've found that having SIMS at the core and using TASC PARS for registration and TASC INSIGHT for parent access to reports isat least 50% cheaper than Capita versions. And I still can't believe that Discover is included in the core!

I've also applied for the first session. How many people are normally invited to attend?

I was signing up and then realised it is half-term and I will be away! Really annoying as I only live about a 20 min walk from the venue. Who decided the date?

I started as a maths teacher with a background in computing. In the mid 80's I used database software on Archimedes computers to keep track of exam entries and when SIMS was introduced in 1989 on 4 pc's I took over responsibity for it as well as continuing to teach maths. Continued doing this through the various versions of SIMS, assisting with the various timetablers, exams officers, office managers and bursars but being in overall control of all of the student data. I carried on in this dual role for 19 years until I packed up the teaching side (after 35 yrs!) and becoming the full time SIMS & Data Manager. Like Sivadam I also maintain a hands on knowledge of most of the procedures. To my reckoning I've been working on SIMS for over 21 years but I'm not sure if I'm younger than Sivadam!

We have been given one of these and are having problems getting hold of the power supply having been quoted a delivery time of 6 weeks from RM. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Don't try an HP 1020 nw. We got one, configured it near an access point and it worked fine. Moved it across the room ( 3 metres max) and it lost it's IP and contact with WAP. Got a replacement from PCWorld and had exactly same problem. Contacted HP support and got sent a replacement directly from them. It did exactly the same thing, ie only worked when within 1 metre of the WAP!! We must have wasted a good 10 or so hours messing about with it. If you have a WAP on the trolley with an inbuilt switch why not connect a printer directly to it?

We used Classlink and Ranger in the past but due to problems with both of them decided to move to regulating users actions by tailoring group policies in the AD ourselves (Win 2003 server in use). We have had few problems but have struggled to track users logging on and off PC's adequately. Unfortunately this has coincided with a major increase in the number of PC's the kids use and we are suffering more vandalism. I don't want to go back to Classlink or Ranger so does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

I've had a look at logmein, works fine on my laptops and desktops at home but when installed on a desktop in school it fails to connect. We are using SEFGL for our internet; does anyone know if this is blocking the connection?

It is a very impressive package and we use it but: It needs monitoring carefully and you need to decide what to do with all the violations. It is expensive and the leasing option does not include the support! (Guess who got caught out!) I've found the support very good, easy to contact by phone and they will come out if that fails. Kids hate it so it must be good!

If for IT staff you mean admin office staff I tend to buy Dell for the 3 years onsite maintenance and relatively good value if you go for their monthly education offers. As most run SIMS all the time they need to be reasonably quick and reliable. We don't keep many spare desktops For the curriculum/pupil use I tend to buy more on price and reasonable spec as they 'wear out' more quickly and very rarely run any really intensive applications apart from technology or media studies. Maintenance is ok if we have return to base as we do keep a reasonable number of spare machines. As to Intel or AMD we have been all Intel but......