Database Solutions
Databases are a crucial part of most business information systems. Almost anywhere you turn - from employee records to online product catalogs, and marketing data to inventory management - you'll find database technology at work.
PipM.com has provided database solutions for various companies including a leading retail and distribution company (distribution services, fleet tracking and personnel), a major Utility company (used for customer billing and production of official reports), various Estate agencies (customer referral and property tracking), and small companies where a basic product or customer tracking system has been required.
PipM.com mainly uses Microsoft Access for its development, but can also provide solutions in dBase, Paradox or Microsoft SQL Server. Systems can be produced to operate on a single machine or a large networked system with data being entered from many terminals. Advice on networking requirements can be given.
Due to the complex nature of databases, this needs to be broken down into sections
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Some explanation of what a relational database is is required at this point. Most people have worked with a flat file database at some point, spreadsheets are a good example. This is a list of fields that contain information. To explain further an example is needed and we shall use the old favorite of a customer order placing system.
Systems analysis is a vital part of getting the solution for the client correct.
Consultation with the client will result in a Systems Requirement document being produced, i.e. what is it that is required, (what information is it required to capture, what does it need to be able to produce in the way of reports etc).
A full system analysis and design approach is used along with constant communication with the client. Rapid Application Development (RAD) is used so that a basic workable database can be produced within a couple of hours, normally on-site with the clients input. Further work is then carried out on the db system followed by frequent visits to the client until a fully working system that matches the criteria agreed in the systems requirement document is met.
Good analysis will find out how the clients process works at the moment (Current Physical), what paperwork is involved in the process and how information moves around from department to department. Once this information has been collated it can be arranged in a more structured way and a diagram showing this flow of information can be agreed with the client. At this point information that was missed first time round often comes to light - things that were assumed to happen often don't!
The information gathered for the Current Physical design is then arranged into a logical process of steps that can be translated into a computer program or database system (Required Logical).
During this process of analysis solutions to the problems percieved by the client can sometimes be found that do not even require a database system to be produced, thereby reducing your workload and saving the client time and money, good news on both sides.
Laying this information down into diagramatical format produces Data Flow Diagrams (DFD's) and is a valuable tool for identifying repeated processes and information stores. These information stores are the basis for the table set for the database.
Why would I want a Database?
What is a Database?