Today’s visitor blogger is Darren Myher. Darren is the VP Operations of Blue Link Associates Limited, a Gold Certified Microsoft ISV Partner. Blue Link’s flagship product: “Blue Link Elite” is a fully integrated accounting and inventory management system built using Microsoft Access and SQL Server. has attended several of our developer kitchen events over the last couple of years. I liked his perspective about Access and asked him if he would share his experience with our audience.
-- Clint
Every company has something that makes their business unique – a competitive advantage that needs to be supported and enhanced by the software they choose to run their business. Using Microsoft Access as the front end UI to a SQL Server back-end allows Blue Link to build and customize robust applications that meet the unique requirements of every client – at a cost, and in a timeframe that makes the solutions we develop both feature-rich and affordable.
Building Applications with Microsoft Access & SQL Server = Competitive Advantage
To me, building solutions in Microsoft Access is about giving my company – and my customers a competitive advantage. gain competitive advantage because I can offer my clients more functionality at a lower cost and in a shorter timeframe than any of my competitors. In turn, my customers gain competitive advantage by having custom-tailored software solutions that incorporate features that they just wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise.
Rapid Application Prototyping and Development
Access enables both rapid application prototyping and development. When I sit with a customer to build a user interface prototype, the result is a clear vision of what the software will look like and how end users will interact with the software. Having that clear vision reduces the time it takes to build and test the solution, and ensures that the client gets what was discussed during the specification stage.
You don’t realize what you get for “free” with Access until you try to use something that isn’t Access to do the same thing:
Recently,
Windows 7 Ultimate Key, I tried using .net development technologies (because that’s what everyone seems to wants you to do),
Microsoft Office 2010 Professional, to create a data-centric application. The project took months of development and went way over budget. What the experience taught me first hand is that you don’t realize just how much functionality you get “for free” with Access until you discover that you have to re-create it all from scratch in .net. Here are just a few of the things that Access includes that you don’t get with .net: Multi-column combo boxes Paging of data Record locking / concordance handling Different form types: Continuous, datasheet, etc. Right-click filtering and sorting Labels that move with controls
To work around the above, you end up either having to write your own controls, or purchase 3rd party controls. When you go with 3rd party controls, they come with their own set of problems – memory leaks, design issues,
Office 2007 Product Key, etc. With Access, you get everything right out of the box and can get busy solving the business problem.
Microsoft Access’ support for SQL Server means you can build enterprise-quality applications with rock-solid back-ends and still take advantage of rapid application development for the front-end UI.
Summary
In a matter of days, I can meet with a client, identify the business requirements, and build a prototype of the user-interface elements. Using the prototype I can estimate the time required to complete the project,
Microsoft Office Home And Business 2010, quote the client based on that time estimate and deliver a working solution at a fixed price and in a very short time frame.
The end result: More features, more functionality, less time, lower cost. That translates to competitive advantage for me – and my customers.
About Blue Link
Blue Link builds ERP software solutions for small (typically owner-managed) companies. Blue Link’s flagship product: Blue Link Elite is a completely integrated accounting system with full CRM, Lead Management, Quoting, Sales Orders,
Microsoft Office 2010 Product Key, Purchasing, Inventory Management, Work Flow Management, features and more. here to view a demo of Blue Link Elite’s Order Entry system:
To learn more about Blue Link products, visit www.bluelink.ca.
Windows 7 Ultimate Key Why Access works for Blue L
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