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Using Borland's rapid application development
tools allows us to produce programs at an affordable price.
We use Borland DataSnap to transport data between tiers and
Borland DBExpress and CtVCL or BDE components to talk to the
database. This way the system is database independent beyond
the application server
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The Database
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We
can write to any database, both local ISAM and Client-Server,
provided a Borland DBExpress or BDE driver exists
Our choice of database is Faircom
Server as its reliability is legendary and we know of no other
database which allows you to read and write via both SQL and server
based ISAM within the one application. Both Attaché and
MYOB use products from Faircom in their database structure. Faircom
Server is supported on close to 30 different operating systems
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Typically we would revolve around a concept
of Business Entities, People, Places, “Goods and Services”
and Operations. This is a somewhat different approach to the
traditional Customers and Suppliers with their independent support
files and the duplication and other issues built in to this
approach. We like to do all possible validation at the time
of completing each field to avoid frustrating users by failing
their entry on completion of the process
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Typical Business Entity
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Features: Business Entity may be any
combination of Sales Prospect, Customer, Supplier, Related Entity
or Other. Look up validation can be any mix of “cached
in-memory” tables or real time queries. Form may have
as many detail pages as required such as Credit Management,
Communications, Sales Info, Purchase Info and Transaction History
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Typical Transaction Entry
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Features:
Bottom half of form is a page control which can switch pages to
display various information as required. Page normally changes
with form type (Purchase Order, Invoice etc)
Note that as many transaction
forms of any type may be layered over the top of each other in
any state of completion
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Typical Transaction Grid
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Features:
Grid lies on a dynamic frame and is created differently for each
form type. There can be any number of available line configurations,
and any line configuration can have an enlarged (half screen)
zoom view showing extra detail. Once again, all validation possible
is carried out when leaving a field to avoid having to reject
the entire document on completion
Note the available document
delivery systems on this installation capitalise on Novell GroupWise
for email and Tobit Faxware fax server
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Typical Menu and Main Form
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Features:
Note the “Open Forms” button. This shows all open
forms, and is useful in peak periods when an operator may have
several incomplete transactions on the go simultaneously
We like to consume all available
screen real estate to allow forms to be easily read, even by sight
impaired people. Forms, pop-ups and lookup screens all resize
with the screen resolution
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