The setting up of a computerised index of tuberculosis notifications for one Health Authority is described. A Commodore micro computer, in conjunction with the Data Management System (DMS) package, formed the basis of the register. The age of the computer and the limited options offered by DMS meant that to obtain meaningful results the data had to be transferred onto the Local Authority's mainframe computer. Statistical analysis and the postcode mapping of each notification were then possible. The inflexibility of the census data to provide population figures by ethnic group, sex and age restricted the calculation of incidence rates for the various sub-groups of the population. An evaluation of the project is given and suggestions made to improve this process of information gathering.