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IMS is not just a new lightweight bug-tracking system. It can be used to track and manage any product-related requests. The main advantages of the system are: carefully designed set of basic functions that can be extended and adapted to the requirements of any process; security features with extensive use of data encryption and control of function and data access by product and role; extensible and adaptable report generation system; flexible system of indicators to track and manage requirements; professional-looking Web-based user interface supporting access for multiple users and allowing flexible customization for each user; adjustable e-mail notification system with filtering capabilities; comprehensive administrative functions. The basic functions include the following: supporting the entire life-cycle of a request: creating a request, accepting it for processing, adding documents and comments, and finally implementing and closing it; accessing and sorting the database using diverse criteria, as well as creating customized, easy-to-use data representations; quick access to the representations frequently requested by the user; presenting summary information and statistics, providing quick access to the most important, recent, oldest, etc. requests; maintaining a detailed history of the request providing a comprehensive description of its life-cycle. IMS can be applied to a broad range of problems related to tracking various events in the life-cycle of any product, be it a software system or a sophisticated technical product, and in any phase (from engineering to after-sale service). IMS is already used, in particular, to track software bugs, and has been found to be a convenient tool for communicating to other company employees as well as to customers on the opposite side of the globe.
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