Forums

Gail,

I wish I could answer that one for you.  I usually send my files in pdf, so I don't know that I have sent any single report in excess of 4.6 MB in pdf.  I had to break the file into two files to send it to the carrier because their system would not allow a file that large.  I have never really checked to see what the whole file may be.  I just did a check of the claims I am currently handling and the biggest file is 46.1 MB.  The largest files are those that have high resolution scanned documents, because I try to keep the photo size smaller rather than larger.  I usually use the lowest resolution camera setting for just this reason.  The 46.1 MB file has 51 photos and several scanned documents.  I've handled a couple claims in the last couple years that were more than 750 pages -including 300 to 450 photos - when printed, but I never bothered to check how many MBs they were. 

One of the problems I frequently encounter, however, with reports in excess of 1.5 MB is that the spam filters or other filtering software used by some carriers will preclude sending a file that might include more than 30 photos.  Also, this software tends to screen out aol accounts (and possibly others) at a lower threshold than other domains.  For instance, there have been several times when I sent a report and the examiner has not received my email sent from aol.  I then will send it to a GAB clerical, who then sends the same attachment.  It goes through. 

Hope this was the type of input for which you were looking.  Being a computer blond, I sometimes miss the mark in discussing cyber stuff with you wizards of the web.

Gail,

I sent one out last night that was a little over 10MB, and it took me 3 attempts before it actually went.  I'm on AOL too, and even tried to send it via my IE explorer hoping it would send it quicker, but didn't.  Needless to say, I finally ended up and got it sent, but even with high speed it took me about 15+ minutes to get the thing to upload and sent.

I had decided that if the final attempt failed, I was going to break the file into two parts and send that way, fortunately I didn't have to do it.  But a PDF stacker is invaluable in these cases!!

I got desperate and downloaded a trial version of a PDF stacker, which I found pretty easy to use, not sure if I'll buy the program, (Nitro PDF Professional) but its only $99.00, far less than some of the stacker programs I've seen and it works! 

~M~

Gale as you know I work a lot of large liability claims. Just scanned in one word doc 3 pages 47kb and 4 pdf scanned into My Documents 8 page 904 kb, 60 page 9.88mb, 52 page 8.30 mb, 45 page 7.55 mb seems like the e files will overload some storage space in the days ahead, this only took about 20 min. or about the same lenth of time as a short trip to my post office if I could have sent paper. Is it me or my software or lack of knowledge ? I did not put them in PowerClaim as an attachment would this help ? Oh it was paper from a lawyer that I scanned in.

Printing to Adobe doesn't always reduce the file sizes to half, ...but does reduce them.   Other methods I've investigated, and would like feedback from others who might have used them are below, depending on the needs of the recipients of your claims:

Websites like www.yousendit.com that can bypass email entirely.  You upload the file to "You Send It" and then send an email to the recipient with the link that allows them to download the file.  Bypasses the size restrictions.   I've used this before, and it works well, but with the extra time it takes to set up your upload/download, would be cumbersome when doing multiples and possible internet speed limitations. 

Another option I heard of, but have not yet tried, was to send files using instant messaging.  I haven't tried this.  Both parties have to be online at the same time. One to send, One to receive.  I'm not sure about the security of either of this method or the Upload/download method.

I'm also restricted by using AOL, both with file sizes and the unpredictable spam screening that takes place, and set up a gmail account through google so I can handle the larger file sizes.  

Feedback anyone?   

AT&T/Yahoo have a 2 mb. limit for attachments to an email.  I found out the hard way last year when my tornado files went past that size and sending the email kept failing with no explanation as to why.  I changed the setting on my camera for the lowest pixel setting, insert them into a Word document photo sheet, then print it to a pdf file.  This usually keeps the size down below 2 m.b. for a large photo file.  If you can't set the camera low enough, use photo software to reduce the size of the photo.  If using Xactimate or Integraclaim and your are required to use the softwares photo sheet, use the same procedure using the software's photo sheet instead of Word.

If you are required to provide everything in one file, then you probably would be using XactNet and can upload instead of emailing.

The large file sizes are clearly due to the larger Image sizes

I use Irfanview (www.irfanview.com)  It batch reduces photo sizes in just a minute out of and into any directory

+ its free

Here's another wrinkle. Digital Voice Recorders make it possible to take a recorded statement and transmit it electronically to our clients with the file, or as a separate file. Last week I was attempting to do this. I converted a 15 minute statement into a wav file, a wma file, and into an MP3 file. In any form, the file was huge. The wma file was about half the size of the mp3 file, but the wav file was prohibitively large. I can see this requirement in the future on those files where a recorded statement is required. A digital recording is much clearer than a mini-cassette.

A few updates ago we added a feature to Simsol which automatically downsizes digital images loaded into claim files to 640x480.  This made storing files with multiple images in our data warehouse much more managable and allowed adjusters to transmit files faster.  Adjusters can still store their images in their original size if for any reason they need to enlarge them.  This is a great feature which is sure to pop up in the other adjusting/estimating platforms in future updates.

In 2005 we added the feature to down size all photos to 640x480 on the fly but gave the adjuster the option to bump it up if they preferred. Like John indicated it as much as for self preservation as anything because with adjusters buying cameras with the lowest setting of 1.8 MP a few years ago the file sizes became unmanageable. When you print out an estimate you can not tell the difference between a 640x480 vs. $5K camera set at the highest resolution.

The reason I started this thread was to get some feedback about file sizes some of you are creating today. PowerClaim Release 17 added the ability to move other brands of software estimates saved as a PDF over our web based PowerClaim Net Services CMS system and we were tying to determine how wide to make the gate so we tested up to 50 MB total estimate size to give us a little breathing room to get through this hurricane season.