ACOL Client Services Help
ACOL is an on-line information service that provides electronic access to a variety of government information maintained by the four provincial governments of Atlantic Canada. It uses electronic commerce technology adhering to stringent standards for security and confidentiality. It offers a convenient, single point of access to public information from your personal computer or the client-activated workstations located in participating government departments. ACOL has the ability to submit information for registration purposes in addition to the simple retrieval of data. Doing business with government is easier and more efficient than ever before!
This service is managed by Unisys Canada Inc. within a public/private partnership with the governments of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. It is based on a multi-year contract that was signed by the four premiers on May 10, 1996.
As a partner to government and to the business and consumer communities, ACOL offers the following:
Public Information Access
Secure Network Infrastructures
Electronic Commerce Functionality
Revenue Management Capabilities
Client Support Centre Services
Business Development Program
Information Product Development Services
Marketing and Communications Program
Professionals in law offices, government offices, real estate firms, banking institutions, automobile dealerships, commercial organizations, and individuals can use the ACOL service. These professionals can quickly retrieve and register information to help them make critical decisions or comply with legislative requirements.
Convenience - ACOL offers remote access from your office or home.
Time savings - ACOL is efficient because it eliminates time-consuming travel to government offices and labour-intensive manual searches.
Availability - You have immediate access to public information beyond standard business hours, subject to system maintenance and backup processes.
Single access point - You register for the service, and we take care of the details to give you quick access to one or more databases.
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) capability - EFT permits the automatic and secure transfer of funds to ACOL, which allows you to concentrate on serving your client's needs rather than on additional administration.
Common look and feel - The ACOL system provides a browser-based graphical user interface for user-friendly access to government information, contributing to a quick learning curve for improved productivity.
One user password - As a registered user of ACOL, you will be assigned a user ID with one password which will provide access to multiple sources of information, eliminating the need, confusion, and risk of managing multiple passwords for many systems.
See Technical Requirements for more information.
To acquire an account, review the Terms and Conditions and complete the ACOL Client Application and Financial Agreement forms that can be obtained from the ACOL Client Support Centre and web site. Return the completed forms and initial payment to Unisys.
Once your application has been received, we will create a master client account with user IDs for those individuals you have identified as users of the account. Each client account will receive the ACOL Welcome Package that includes a welcome letter with user IDs and initial passwords to access the system.
While connecting to Client Services is as simple as pointing your browser to the designated URL, telephone support is available from the Client Support Centre to help diagnose technical problems. On-line help is available from within the ACOL web site.
Each client account can have three types of users with different authority levels. Each account will have one Prime user, which has the highest level of authority. The Contact is the secondary level while the Basic user has the lowest level of authority. Each type of user will be granted subscription options that define the business functions the user can perform.
The basic features of the system include:
Change Another User's Password
Change Password
Submit an Electronic Cheque
Request an Account Statement
Request Account Status
Review & Update User Information
The Client Support Centre provides support to both prospective clients and to registered and casual users of the service. Simply by dialing the toll free 1-855-324-ACOL number, your inquiries will be managed by professionally trained client support representatives who are dedicated to responding to your inquiries in an effective and efficient manner. Each inquiry will be entered into the automated call management system and managed to complete resolution.
ACOL provides enhanced access to government databases where the fees are established by government within the legislation and regulations. The agreement with the provinces provides that ACOL requires a positive balance account where fees will be deducted. Prior to initiating a transaction, such as a search or a registration, the system will indicate the fee and request confirmation to proceed. Once confirmed, the transaction is completed and the fee is deducted from your account or charged to your credit card. At any time, registered users may request an Account Statement to review your transaction history and balance.
The electronic commerce and revenue management capabilities of ACOL offer the highest levels of functionality and security. Upon registration, Unisys establishes an account that must have a positive balance where fees for transactions completed will be deducted.
Payment to your account can be made through your choice of Electronic Cheque, EFT, VISA, MasterCard, Cheque, or Money Order, which is indicated in the Financial Agreement and selected by you at registration time. The Electronic Cheque function allows the approved user to "write" a cheque on-line and submit it for a transfer of funds from the user's bank account. The EFT method is an automated procedure to transfer funds from your bank account. The level of funds required in your account will be based on your anticipated volume of transactions, where maximum and minimum balances will be established. The system will notify you when your positive account balance requires additional funds, or when the EFT transaction has occurred.
For more information contact our ACOL Client Support Centre or visit the ACOL web site at www.acol.ca.
Unisys Canada Inc.
350-7105 Chebucto Road
Halifax, NS B3L 4W8
Tel: 1-855-324-2265 Fax: 1-902-422-1675
*ACOL and Atlantic Canada On-Line are registered official marks of the Provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.