I developed database applications for the federal government and it surprised me how little even experienced IT folks know about database technology. The one thing the government did have was a true understanding of how beneficial a database-even a desktop one-could be to a project. Your business can, and should have a database to track and report data essential for your business success.
A database should at least allow you to enter data simply, store the data securely, and allow you to retrieve data quickly. But, a properly designed database can automate processes, monitor tasks and tell you when it is time to act, and report relationships between data to identify trends you may have never considered?
Database technology is available to you no matter what size of business you operate. Some are provided at no cost and some are less than $150.00. A few do not require the writing of complex code. While you may lose some advanced functionality not having to write and debug code will save you development time.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Databases: Not Just for the Big Guys
The word database can conjure up images of huge and expensive main-frame servers storing huge amounts of data that can only be accessed by writing cryptic code. This may be true for large companies especially if they are using older, legacy technology. Today, even very small business can employ database technology for very little cost. And, with the right application, the end-user does not have to be a techno-geek (my apologies to techno-geeks of the world). The federal government with some of their monster databases will use smaller desktop applications for special projects.
A database is a powerful tool that can improve your business in many ways. The standard use is store customer information and then create mail merges. Ah, but that is just scratching the surface. If you incorporate a database into your everyday business processes a whole new level of efficiency and functionality becomes available. A properly set up database requires you to enter information only one time. That information can used to populate all your business forms. Routine procedures can be automated and scheduled. Just by doing your business you can be collecting valuable data (see "Gold Mine" post below) that can be queried and loaded into reports with the click of a mouse.
What does this mean? It can mean more time growing your business and less time dealing with the paperwork. Standardized and automated processes can make it easier to train new employees and reduce the number of errors. Mailings, inventory, statistics, business trends, productivity, customer preferences can be made available with a push of a button.
If you are writing things by hand, recording data more than once, or otherwise spending too much time with administrative tasks it's time to embrace the database (sorry about the rhyming thing).
A database is a powerful tool that can improve your business in many ways. The standard use is store customer information and then create mail merges. Ah, but that is just scratching the surface. If you incorporate a database into your everyday business processes a whole new level of efficiency and functionality becomes available. A properly set up database requires you to enter information only one time. That information can used to populate all your business forms. Routine procedures can be automated and scheduled. Just by doing your business you can be collecting valuable data (see "Gold Mine" post below) that can be queried and loaded into reports with the click of a mouse.
What does this mean? It can mean more time growing your business and less time dealing with the paperwork. Standardized and automated processes can make it easier to train new employees and reduce the number of errors. Mailings, inventory, statistics, business trends, productivity, customer preferences can be made available with a push of a button.
If you are writing things by hand, recording data more than once, or otherwise spending too much time with administrative tasks it's time to embrace the database (sorry about the rhyming thing).
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