Using Tracks at Your Aquarium or Zoo.
About the Tracks License
Tracks is a subscription based software package, renewed annually. The license fee is based on the number of full time employee equivalents at your institution. The yearly license includes unlimited user accounts at your aquarium or zoo, and no limit on the number of animals or records in your database. The license also includes all the program modules currently available - including the mobile app Pocket Tracks - and includes all program enhancements and updates released during the year. You'll also receive technical support, to help you make the most of the features in Tracks.
Most Tracks components are available to license on a per-module basis to aquariums and zoos that do not use Tracks to manage their inventory records. Available modules include: Welfare, Enrichment, Training, Ambassador Animals, Biofacts, Transactions, Collection Planning, Water Quality, Nutrition, Dive Log, Permits. Contact us to discuss a custom license agreement.
Hosted Tracks
Tracks Software is offered primarily as a hosted option, with the technical support now in place for the many advantages of this format.
With all the advantages of hosted Tracks, there could be instances when a local installation of Tracks is still a reasonable option. If so, feasibility, IT requirements and pricing can be discussed.
A Quick Look at Implementation
Tracks is a flexible program, and during the implementation process, Tracks staff will configure the program to best meet your aquarium or zoo's daily business processes. New software is a big change for an organization, and we strive to keep Tracks implementation a pain-free process.
You’ll work with the Tracks team to outline a plan that addresses the specific needs your organization has for changing systems, from importing your current data to configuring Tracks to reflect the unique needs at your facility.
Training – either on-site or virtual – is key for new users to get familiar with the program, make sure their work needs are met, and show them how to get help when they need it with online tools and technical support.
Your facility can expect software check-ins. Schedule a chat with someone from the Tracks team to discuss how the software can best support the work your facility is doing. Can we set up some specific training? Do you have questions as you embark on using a new feature? Are there data management challenges we can help you with? We want to know!
For questions and issues, there is also a ticket submission feature, with built-in tracking and prioritization.
Since we're always improving Tracks, you can expect regularly-scheduled Tracks releases throughout the year. Updates provide you with new program features, enhancements and fixes to problems. Of course, we take care of critical updates when necessary, regardless of the schedule.
The program's flexibility provides many customization options so that it best integrates and adapts to each institution's daily business practices. But no two facilities are the same, so we recognize the need for particular requests. Changes to the Tracks program for custom enhancement requests do become part of the core Tracks product and are available to all the facilities in the Tracks community.
Integrating data with the global zoological community
With the movement towards sustainable and collaborative population management, Tracks is taking a proactive approach to participation in global data sharing. Tracks Software has created a website, animaldatasharing.org to provide Tracks aquariums and zoos the option to share their animal inventories with the AZA community.
This website also hosts a free exchange of animal enrichment ideas in support of animal welfare.
From its inception, Tracks has facilitated data sharing for our aquariums and zoos. Many are surprised to learn that Species360 (formerly ISIS) accepted data out of Tracks between 1998 (when Tracks launched) until May of 2012, when Species360 announced that they would no longer accepts Tracks animal data.
In response, Tracks Software approached Species360 with a proposal, suggesting a tiered pricing model that would allow non-ZIMS institutions to submit data to the Species360 member database for a reasonable membership fee that supports the exchange of data, but does not include fees for the use and support of the ZIMS application. To date, Species360 has rejected this proposal.
Everyone agrees that pooled data is important for species management. As part of the community, we're ready to work together to come up with a way to solve this problem.
