Sensis denies database disaster

Telstra subsidiary Sensis has denied the veracity of an anonymous tip published in Crikey today that claimed its new iGen platform was a complete failure.

The tipster claimed Sensis had combined 19 databases into one, leading to the failure of the iGen system. Reps around the country are taking stress leave and quitting. Sensis can't send out any invoices, contracts, proofs or artwork. "Paper contracts are being faxed to Brisbane where there are about 8000 waiting to be input by hand at the rate of three per day per person," wrote the Crikey tipster.

But Sensis spokesperson Karina Keisler denied the claims, stating: "About the only truth in the Crikey article is the name of our new system." Sensis has undertaken a major upgrade of its system process, including a consolidation of its databases; however, Karina Keisler denied total system failure. She said today: "We have had some success and some teething problems during the process, like any systems implementation would."

These teething issues included moving the Sensis White Pages site back to the old legacy system; though the implementation period from 12 October included a planned system freeze, according to Keisler.

The Sensis Yellow Pages site is continuing to operate on the new system.