About Caseworker

What technology is Caseworker built on?

Caseworker is a modern, responsive web application delivered through modern web browsers, such as Google Chrome or Safari. It is developed against the .NET platform using Visual Studio in C# and VB.NET. The User Interface is built using mobile-first styles to deliver a responsive UX across a range of devices. Data is stored using Microsoft SQL Server in relational databases.

This technical platform will release the potential of your services and reveal insights and opportunities to transform your business. Solve modern data challenges set by funders, build business agility, and demonstrate value with compelling insights. Caseworker comes with the tools, processes, and solutions for intelligence over all your data.

Do I need any special IT equipment to use Caseworker?

No, you do not. Caseworker is known as “Software as a Service”. This means we handle all the hosting and infrastructure requirements. All you need as a user is a modern browser like Chrome and an internet connection. Caseworker even works over 3G so you can use it from a tablet with a cellular connection.

Some of our staff are volunteers or part-time, so it needs to be easy-to-use. Does it come with training?

We pride ourselves on building software that is not only beautiful, but intuitive and easy-to-use. Our screens and workflows are built around the exact needs of your service, so you will not see any fields that are not relevant to you. The features of Caseworker are mapped to job functions in your organisation so staff are not over faced with a myriad of different options. Easy-to-use navigation makes working with data simple and straightforward.

We do offer training and User Guides as optional features but you might not need them. We provide a series of video walkthroughs and encourage customers to create their own learning materials on the back of these. It is important that organisations create standard operating procedures that support Caseworker and the processes it helps manage.

How much does it cost?

Our costs are split into two parts: A one-time development charge for the design, build, test, and deployment of your implementation, and then a monthly support charge for hosting security, and access to technical support. As a guide, the monthly support charge is about £15 per user per month for up to 10 users. After this, the costs come down. The one-time development charge is harder to predict. If there is a good synergy between your requirements and our previous implementations, which there normally is, then we can build you something fantastic in 8-12 weeks.

How would you create a solution for us?

Our approach is to bring a framework for case management that does all the things case management software needs to do (logging on, navigation, reports, auditing, security), and then we work with you to develop a bespoke UI based on the data points you need to record and more importantly, report. Typically, we can cherry-pick a lot of the data from existing solutions, and then we top this up with custom development just for you; no two organisations are ever the same.

Can we host Caseworker Connect inside our own network?

Yes, we can deploy Caseworker into your own network, and integrate with your own mail, document management and reporting tools . The infrastructure requirements are straightforward, and deployments can be completed quickly. You can continue to use our hosted solutions for development, training, or test environments.

About Blue Door

Why are you called Blue Door?

It all started out from behind a Blue Door in the early 2000s when our principal, Chris Hill, was asked by his mother-in-law to create a simple Access database to help record information about vulnerable women and children.

What grew from that over the next few years was a growing  recognition that advocacy services supporting some of the most disadvantaged people in society were being given increasingly complicated contracts, coupled with KPIs to demonstrate and evidence the impact of service that were impossible to produce efficiently, sometimes then using pen and paper.

Blue Door was born in the third sector and understands the needs and wants of organisations that are missing a quality system to help them deliver the best possible service to the client groups they support. Caseworker fills this gap; for staff, for service managers, for trustees, and for the community in which they work.

How is Blue Door organised?

Blue Door is a limited company that was incorporated in April 2006. Our full company name is Blue Door Software Limited. Our Company Number is 05790036. We are registered for VAT and our VAT number is 987 8053 60. Our Address is Sension House, Denton Drive, Northwich CW9 7LU.

We are a core team of five, plus or minus two or three depending on the project. We have a Product Manager, a Technical Architect, three Developers (including a DBA), and an Office Manager to keep us in check. We have longstanding relationships with a design agency (for graphic design work), and Cyber Security consultants (for Cyber Essentials and Penetration Testing), as well as a network of well over 100 organisations in the third sector that we are delighted to have as customers.

Do you have a Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S® Number?

Yes, we do. It is 349950746

Security

Do you comply with any security standards?

Yes, we do.

We hold Cyber Essentials PLUS accreditation and our software complies with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Cloud Security Principles.

What cybersecurity tests do you undertake, and how often?

We perform annual cybersecurity testing as part of Cyber Essentials PLUS accreditation. Our independent auditor is Digital X Raid. We are also committed to regular penetration testing by an indepedent auditor. The next test is due before the end of Quarter 1  2021.

What disaster management process do you have in place?

Our software contracts include a Disaster Recovery option to ensure restoration of service in response to a catastrophic event

Where will my data be stored and how will this be protected?

We guarantee UK data sovereignty with respect to data storage locations, with information held on physical servers in London and Manchester.

Information security and related certifications and standards, including ISO 2700, ISO 27001, and PCI-DSS ensure the highest standards of data management and security.

 

How will my data be encrypted and how often will it be backed up?

Data is encrypted at rest using the inherent security tools of our database platform. All user requests negotiate a secure session using SSL, securing the data in transit. Weak ciphers are not supported.

Data is backed-up at least once every 24 hours. The backup storage system is designed to be highly available and fault-tolerant. A number of different measures ensure that the data is kept safe. First, all traffic between clients and the backup system uses SSL to establish a secure, encrypted communication channel. This ensures that any data (usernames, passwords, and content) cannot be intercepted and read by a third-party. Once authenticated with a valid account (username, password and API Access Key) a session authentication token is issued. These authentication tokens are used to validate all operations during the backup. Tokens automatically expire after 24 hours, forcing clients to resend their credentials every day

Is Blue Door compliant with GDPR?

Yes. As a Software-as-a-Service provider, we have many customers and users subject to the GDPR which means that its applicable requirements apply equally to us.

I've read of ‘data controllers’ and ‘data processors’. What’s the difference and which one is Blue Door?

To paraphrase the formal GDPR text: (a) a Data Controller is the owner of their information and decides how that information should be used; and (b) a Data Processor is a person or entity who processes the personal data of the Data Controller and carries out instructions of the Controller regarding this data.

Generally speaking, our customers will be the Controllers of their data, including any associated personal information they place or generate in our systems and Blue Door will be the Processor on their behalf. In some limited and disclosed instances, such as when we collect data from a customer to create a demo account, Blue Door will be the Controller. Formal definitions from the GDPR full text can be found here.

Do you offer a data processing agreement?

Yes! Blue Door is pleased to offer a comprehensive Data Processing Agreement (DPA) to meet the requirements for GDPR and beyond. The DPA incorporates industry-standard privacy and regulatory terms to meet comprehensive data privacy requirements for our customers, including those required by GDPR.