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Welcome to Chronolator - the Chronology Toolkit

All the tools you need for an effective chronology, from setting it up to reviewing it

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Producing complex chronologies

Chronolator - the chronology toolkit provides tools to define, enter, integrate and review chronological data from diverse sources. Whenever you need to assemble a chronology containing events from many organisations - or even if you only need to review data from a single one - Chronolator can help.

It ensures that multiple contributors keep to a consistent format, specified by a central administrator, and makes merging chronologies together a simple task. This saves time for administrators and enables busy professionals to spend more time on analysis and less on administration.

When the chronology is complete, reviewers can use graphical timelines and powerful search capabilities to interrogate and analyse the information and discover the stories behind it.

Given the time constraints under which many chronologies have to be completed, can you afford not to use Chronolator - the chronology toolkit?

  • Speeds the process.
  • Saves time.
  • Improves accuracy.
  • Whenever you need to collect, collate, and analyse a sequence of events, Chronolator can help.

Reviewing interactions between different agencies and organisations often requires a comprehensive multi-agency chronology. Producing one can be a time-consuming task. Chronolator makes it easier.

Little specialist knowledge is required to use it. There are no new programs to learn or install; everything runs from the Chronolator Tools web site.

It is important to note that only the software resides on the Web. Your chronologies stay on your computer, completely under your control. Their confidentiality is not compromised.

Chronolator has something to help everyone involved in using a chronology, with four components:

  •  Define and Integrate for people who supervise and administer it
  •  Enter for the front-line staff who input the data
  •  Review for people who review it
FAQ
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Features

No software to install

Chronolator runs in any standards-compliant Web browser, such as Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.
It is important to note that only the software resides on the Web. Your chronologies stay on your computer, completely under your control. Their confidentiality is not compromised.

Flexible – column headings can be customised

Use the Define tool to specify exactly what data you want to collect for each case, what is optional, and what is required.

Ensures consistency across agencies

When you have decided what data you want to collect, you create a Chronology Document with the relevant column headings. The Enter tool makes sure agencies return a table with those same headings.

Simplifies data entry

Source records often become available in random order, and contain dates and times written in different formats.

Enter lets you enter them as you obtain them and puts them in the right order. You do not need to sort them manually before input or to hunt around in the table to find the right place to put them.

The same applies for dates and times - enter them as they are written in the original records (e.g. June 20 2017 10.38pm or 20/06/17 22.38) and let Chronolator put them in a consistent format, including the day of the week if required.

Prevents missing and invalid data

When agencies try to enter an event into their chronology, the Enter tool makes sure that it contains all the information you have deemed necessary and that it is valid. If not, the event cannot be added to the chronology.

A tool for reviewers

The Review tool provides graphical timelines and powerful search features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Requirements and Installation

What are the software requirements for Chronolator?

Chronolator runs in any standards-compliant Web browser, such as Chrome, Edge, or Firefox. It is important to note that only the software resides on the Web. Your chronologies stay on your computer, completely under your control. Their confidentiality is not compromised.

General Usage

Can I try before I buy?

Yes. All the tools are fully functional, but without a licence they are subject to some limitations.

Try them out here:

Define
Enter
Integrate
Review

Can I protect a Chronolator document with a password?

Chronologies are stored in a format that can only properly be understood by one of the Chronolator Browser Tools. If you open one in Notepad or any other text editor it s difficult to read or appears to be nonsensical. However, anyone can use one of the Chronolator Browser Tools to read it.

You can also password-protect the file, which encrypts it even further. A Chronolator Browser Tool will then require the password to be supplied before decrypting and opening it.

What kind of reviews is Chronolator suitable for?

Chronolator was originally designed to speed up the production of the Serious Case Review chronologies required by English Child Protection legislation. Thanks to its user-friendly design, it is now being applied in various other areas:

  • Case Management and Significant Case Reviews
  • Rapid Reviews for Safeguarding
  • Domestic Homicide Reviews
  • Child Death Reviews
  • Patient Safety Reviews
  • Practice Reviews - Children and Adults
  • Social work chronologies for continuing neglect cases
  • Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs)
  • Human Resources investigations
  • Litigation chronologies
  • Family court chronologies

Whenever there's a need to create and analyse chronologies, Chronolator proves invaluable.

Can I protect a Chronolator document with a password?

Chronologies are stored in a format that can only properly be understood by one of the Chronolator Browser Tools. If you open one in Notepad or any other text editor it s difficult to read or appears to be nonsensical. However, anyone can use one of the Chronolator Browser Tools to read it.

You can also password-protect the file, which encrypts it even further. A Chronolator Browser Tool will then require the password to be supplied before decrypting and opening it.

Can I print a Chronolator document in Word or as a PDF?

Yes. Please see the Help in any of the tools.

Can the tools be used / displayed in dynamic groups settings and training sessions?

Yes. The Review tool is particularly useful here, with its powerful search and timeline features.

Can the information be colour-coded?

Yes. In a multi-agency chronology, each agency is given its own colour. You can choose which colours are used.

Can I securely send chronologies via email?

Yes. The same considerations apply as when you share Word or other documents by email. You can add an extra level of protection by adding a password to the file.

Can you add this or that feature to Chronolator?

Please contact us at enhancements@chronolator.com if there is something that you would like Chronolator to do that is not included.

Known problems

These are the ongoing issues we are currently working to fix or circumvent.

There are no unfixed problems at present.

Testimonials

What customers say

The chronolator tools have been invaluable for my partnership. The ability to seamlessly organise chronologies at short notice across multiple agencies, no matter how complex the case, is always a relief. The accuracy and speed of the tool makes it a reliable, intuitive way to pull together reams of history into a single, clear, cohesive narrative of a case.

The chronolator’s functions and extras also make it incredibly useful. I particularly like the view function; allowing me or independent reviewers to sift through information with key search terms, filters and colour-coded searches for deep analysis.

The chronolator has saved me many times and I cannot see any other way for such vital work to be done when time is of the essence.

Morpheus Patfield

Multi-agency Safeguarding QA and Development Manager
London Borough of Sutton

I have been a Safeguarding Board manager for over 6 years and have used the Chronolator all that time. Collecting anything from different organisations in different sectors with different priorities and agendas and adding them together in a format that can be interrogated is almost impossible without the right tool. The Chronolator doesn’t require the installation of any software, runs on any web browser and with little guidance our partners can add huge amounts of information, that when combined in the Chronolator:

  • Saves significant time - streamlines the process of entering, merging, sorting, and formatting events.
  • Is consistent - ensuring all entries follow a consistent format, which is crucial when dealing with information from multiple sources.
  • Prevents errors (easy when dealing with large amounts of data / information) The tool checks for missing or invalid data, preventing incomplete or incorrect entries from being added.
  • Is adaptable - We can change column headings and data requirements to fit the review needs.
  • Meets data security requirements - data remains on your computer and is not stored on the web.
  • Has powerful tools for analysing and reviewing data, such as graphical timelines and search features.

Paul Hill

Business Manager, Children and Adults
Southend Safeguarding Partnership

Licensing

Chronolator is licensed software. You can evaluate its features without having a licence, but the number of events you can process is limited. If you want to remove those limits, you must purchase a Licence.

A licence also entitles you to comprehensive free support by telephone and email, and to occasional training at minimal cost.

Terminology

The Chronolator Define tool is used to create Chronology Documents in which agencies enter their data. Single Case Licences apply to Chronology Documents created by Berrick Computing for customers who do not anticipate regular use of Chronolator and who do not require the flexibility provided by Chronolator Define.

How licences work

A Chronolator Define licence resides in your Web Browser.

Chronology Document licences are held internally, being put there by Chronolator Define when they are created.

How long does a licence last?

Chronolator Define and Single Case licences are valid for a period agreed on purchase.

Chronology Documents are licensed for up to 6 months from the day they are created, subject to a maximum of 1 month after the Chronolator Define licence expires.

What happens when a licence expires?

When a licence expires, you will be prompted to install a new one when opening the tool or document. The tools continue to function, but with some limitations:

  • Most tools open in 'Read Only' mode, in which you cannot add or change events in the chronology. If you do not wish to install a new licence, it is still possible to export the complete chronology to another program using JSON.
  • In the Chronolator Define tool, it is not possible to create a licensed document.

Review deadlines can sometimes slip, so Chronology Document licences can be extended by using the Chronolator Define tool.

What does a licence cost?

The cost of a licence is easily recouped by the time Chronolator saves.

Please email sales@chronolator.comfor current prices.

How do I install a licence?

Please see the Help in one of the Chronolator Browser Tools,for example in the Chronolator Define tool.

Request a demo

Click below to send us an email. Please say why you are interested in using Chronolator.

demo@chronolator.com

Acknowledgements

Briony Ladbury

Briony Ladbury

Briony was the inspiration for Chronolator. At the time she was a Designated Nurse at a Primary Care Trust, and listening to her frustrations as she assembled chronologies for Health IMRs (Individual Management Reviews) amply demonstrated the need for something to simplify and speed up the process.

Briony now works as an independent Safeguarding Consultant. Find out more about her on her web site: safeguarding.ladbury.biz .

Other software authors

Chronolator incorporates software made by other authors, some of it freely available under Open Source licences. Thanks go to all of them.

Please see here for copyright details.

nib consulting

NIB Consulting

Founded by Nigel Boulton, who designed the MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) concept, nib consulting ltd is the UK's leading provider of specialist, experience based consulting, project management and training in relation to intelligence led safeguarding, MASH, and the essential connectivity to Early Intervention. The company designs and supports service improvement plans to provide better outcomes for children and vulnerable adults.

nib consulting strongly believes all investigative and case reviews should have a chronology at their heart. They recommend the use of Chronolator for its simplicity and effectiveness.

Find out more about them at www.nibconsulting.co.uk.