"In looking at the reports, it's exactly what we wanted."
                   (Reviewing In-House Batch Costing System for
                      Custom Formulations (Requirements met totally))
                                                         Executive Director

As an off-shoot to our Web services, we have been asked to provide conversion, calculation and report programming functions that do not involve the Internet at all (at least in Phase I). Our services include converting existing MS Excel Spreadsheet(s) and legacy database systems to MS Access Database (or larger databases as needed).

We will custom design and code your sales, shipping and other functions exactly to your business's specification / requirements. In most cases, we will be able to program your customized needs within a software package you've purchased. And we can connect your E-Commerce needs by connecting to your database's Ole DB or ODBC connectivity, which means we can program applications for an in-house or online Web site.

  
We will work at your premise or ours and/or a combination as needed or preferred. We will do all we can to facilitate efficient use of our billable time and of your time. Our goal is an on going business relationship with you through thorough, valid requirements, human factored design and quality planning and programming.

Critical factors in any database system (in-house database or online for that matter) that we design and implement include:

1. Facilitate brainstorming to obtain the initial requirements at the beginning and as we progress (as you discover more efficiency possibilities with your new database system).
    
2. It is EASY to use a) intuitively, b) with instructions and c) with helpful system messages that lets the user know how to do something, when something completed successfully or why it didn't
   (See our display of Theatre Patron Comments as they purchased tickets in an online system we designed and implemented from initial database design)
    
3. Edits that help the user do the function correctly and protect the integrity of the database
    
4. Requirements that are created with attention to detail, are reviewed in the process of the project to be sure we are on target and are totally met
    
5. Tests to validate success - on our part (system tests) and on your part (user tests), along with our proactive assistance with your tests
    
6. Well commented code for easier and more cost effective ongoing maintenance of your database system

The conversion offers many advantages including potentially:

1. Time-saving method of creating reports over previous more manual methods.
2. Once you automate something that formerly was tracked on paper, you think of so many more ways that the system helps stay on top of the cost of goods sold.
3. Search capabilities - greatly enhance abilities to locate the MS Excel spreadsheet you need by putting them all in MS Access and being able to search on any field value, not just on an Excel file name.
4. Easily add multiple calculation and other business function possibilities once you have all of the data in MS Access.
5. Current limitations are removed - e.g. limits on being able to add fields, limits on number of records that can be included on your report, limits on report capabilities. These limits may be software related or it may be due to the inability to maintain an old legacy database (we will have to review and advise on a legacy system basis as to whether or not we can serve you).
6. Reduce redundancy of records and the errors that stem from redundancy (e.g. update one and not the other and using the wrong one next time)
7. Utilize MS Access and MS Word for mail merge and mail label functions.

Sample Custom Main Menu in MS Access Requesting a Report utilizing a "parameter" The various functions we program can be brought together in an easy-to-use main menu page with tabs as the application becomes more complex. The page automatically comes up when you open MS Access providing you with an immediate function choice with helpful hints on how to use the various reports and functions.

The smaller blue area is a parameter input area. This is an option meaning the same report is called upon with varying criteria that you set each time you run the report.

Sample Calculation Report This is a sample report that is created by putting in a quantity and a catalog number. Performing the report in Access can eliminate countless manual report building hours.

The report can exactly match the format you use now, with changes only where improvements are needed. Phase 1 on this form brought multiple Excel spreadsheets into a unified, easily searchable MS Access database. The form remained a printed form with the two lined columns to be populated manually. We are currently working on Phase 2 of this project which will automate this form totally.

Total Project
During the time we work with you, we can create requirements based on interviews with you and your employees that are most directly affected. We will design the database, create the system, train on its use and provide user documentation on its use, as desired. As we progress, we will work with you (e.g. system walk-throughs) to be sure we are still on target based on the requirements before we proceed to subsequent steps in the development stages.

Core Web Development Services
Our original core business also puts us in a position to provide business data online, as needed, now or in the future. The work can all happen in phases. You can get to know the quality of our work before traveling to the next phase together.

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