Any Custom Software Developers On Here?? (1 Viewer)

dazzer

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I run a small engineering company making roller shutters and industrial doors.

We are looking to automate our systems to reduce paper and manual time doing calculations and quotes etc.

Are there anyone software developers on her that can help me with this kind of thing?? If so please PM me so we can arrange to have a chat and see whats possible and the costs involved

Thanks :thumb:
 

Wildman

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Hey give them a chance to wake up and read the mail. Hee hee. Why not just set up an excel spreadsheet to do the work for you.

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john-A

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You can buy off the shelf package that will do it all for you try SAGE they have diffrent packages
 
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dazzer

dazzer

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Hey give them a chance to wake up and read the mail. Hee hee. Why not just set up an excel spreadsheet to do the work for you.

Ive tried but it starts to get very complicated very quickly, seems like a really straightforward job until you break it down into individual steps and add in the variables. It also needs to link to a database and quote system and the whole thing is beyond me im afraid :Doh:
 
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dazzer

dazzer

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You can buy off the shelf package that will do it all for you try SAGE they have diffrent packages

Thanks for that ill have a look at the sage website, we use sage for our accounts so it might be able to tie the whole lot together :thumb:

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john-A

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Many years ago the wife and I wrote our bespoke software in basic but it took us ages and to employ someone now would not be cosy effective you should be able to set the sage software up work out a quote for a customer the this will follow through and sort out your invoice and statement
 
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dazzer

dazzer

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Many years ago the wife and I wrote our bespoke software in basic but it took us ages and to employ someone now would not be cosy effective you should be able to set the sage software up work out a quote for a customer the this will follow through and sort out your invoice and statement

Its a lot more complex than that im afraid, ive looked at the sage stuff but its not suitable for what we are looking for :cry:.

Having looked on the web it seems that this kind of thing is going to cost thousands which is a bit of a scary thought :Eeek: and the cost would outweigh the benefits, guess its back to the pen and the calculator :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

But if anyone can help please PM me!!! :thumb:
 

Wildman

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maybe post a number of steps you need to do plus the problems you have had, programing in basic is still an option that may overcome the problems. give us more information

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sedge

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I have to say, as a long time lover of Excel yeah even to the matrix - that I found the Windoze database system "tward" to get my head round. And that was at college, and I only needed that missing part to complete my European Computer Driving Licence stickyfoot!

Bit like calculus over 40 years ago really - totally logical on the blackboard and even dare I say, fairly easy to understand the concept - but in the wild without the example - instantly lost.
 
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dazzer

dazzer

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Ok you asked for it so here goes (are you sitting comfortably :ROFLMAO:)

Sheet 1

All customers information linked to a database and given an individual job number that will tie into the job from start to completion :thumb:

Sheet 2

All information relating to the job including location, number of doors, height and width of door, manual or electric operation, see through or solid, plain finish or coloured and if so the colour needed, fixing details and fixing surfaces, control/locking options, location of door on the building, types sizes and styles of and covers or infills needed, old door type material and disposal information etc etc etc :Eeek:

Sheet 3

Taking all the info from sheet 2 produce a professional looking quote listing all the details required and options and extras available

Sheet 4

Using all the information taken from sheet 2 produce a manufacturing sheet including all calculations and sizes to actually manufacture the door as per customers requirements

Sheet 5

Using all the information from sheet 2 and 4 to produce an order form for materials needed to actually produce the door for ordering from the suppliers.

Sheet 6

Produce a job sheet with job details and location etc for the engineers to fit the door and get it signed on completion.

All of the above needs to work on Samsung Q1 Ultra tablet PC which has a pretty smallish screen but does accept handwriting input (which would be nice to use as the touchy keyboard thing is next to useless!!!)

The problem is getting the correct information to be dispalyed on the smallish screen of the Q1 on a spreadsheet as sheet 2 contains a lot of information but you could loose about 1/2 of it depending on the type of door needed, so if the customer wanted a manual door all the stuff relating to the electric side of things could vanish off the screen leaving more room for the relevent bits.

So there you go then, in a nutshell thats what i want, easy isnt it :Eeek::cry:
 

dealgan

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Nice & simple :Smile:

Doesnt sound too bad actually, but as with all things, the devil's in the details

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tonybrightspark

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dazzer

I'm sure you could achieve a lot of that with Excel. The databases on my Company's software are written with SQL but per licence is very expensive ,however you can use MSDE which is I believe a free version but without the support. I will run your questions by my son who is a Software Architect when I speak to him at the weekend, if he's not too busy.

tonybrightspark
 

N&K

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Hi

I have the MCSD qualification (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer) :active: its what I do for a living.

But you may not need something totally custom. Excel has already been mentioned, EXCEL MACROs are good for repetitive calculations and you can easily link in MS ACCESS database, all part of MS OFFICE. ACCESS FORMs are also pretty useful.

aha just seen your detailed post, I'll study it :)

I am not looking for extra work or money, happy to point you in the right direction/guidance for free

Cheers

N&K
 
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john-A

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I agree with N&K, I think a database with VB macros will be your way forward if you cant get a quote from N&K or someone else then go to your local tec collage they find the IT teacher they may be able to help and can make it a project if say you offered a small donation to thier Collage or if not he may be able to recommend a student that can do it as a project and get payed by you at the same time.
you will need to define your exact requirments because people do keep moving the goal post with these sort of projects

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JohnH

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I have also seen solutions to what you require written/created in Filemaker which uses a series of records on a relationship database and theoretically could give all you ask for. I have written such databases many times and when I did I researched what others were doing and I would suggest using Google to look up Filemaker Forum and see what options are available.
 
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Just a thought:

One problem with custom written software is maintenance. Once the developers have moved on who will support it for you? If you could get an Excel solution it would certainly make maintenance easier.

Regards

Phil
 

rainbow chasers

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Try posting on www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk There are lots of developers on there that would be able to talk you through it all. At least then you can work out the viability of doing it.

It will cost though i would have thought. I was quoted many thousands for doing a booking system for our website! I thought it would be easy - choose a week, check availability and then book - not that simple though! lol!

Have a word with the people on there, you may find it quite helpful.:thumb:

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dazzer

dazzer

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Well im still looking at the Excel route which seems by far the simplest and easiest option.

Most of the stuff involved is simple maths which is pretty easy but its the database stuff that is quite simply beyond me. Im sure the use of macros on a spreadsheet will solve most of the problems but ive no idea how to use them or to be honest even what they are.

On the plus side ive found a superb bit of software called ritepen http://www.tabletpc2.com/Software.htm which makes hand written data input on the Q1 simple and more importantly accurate!!! It knocks the spots of the rubbish handwriting recognition software from Microsoft packed with the Q1 and at thirty dollars wont break the bank :thumb:

The backup bit about custom written software isnt something I thought about but it does raise a very important point. Thanks for the heads up :thumb:

Im pretty sure I could develop 70-80% of what im after myself but just lack the know how on how to put it all together so it works the way I want it to, and if it wont work the way I want and make my life a lot easier theres no point in doing it is there??

Anyway ill keep plugging away at it, im not in any rush and if anyone on here knows how to drive macros (whatever they are!!!) on Excel and wants to help please get in touch :thumb:

Thanks for all the info and suggestions up to now and keep em coming :thumb::thumb:
 

wireman

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I used to look after the telephone system of a company that made (from scratch) centrifuges and they used filemaker pro for their systems to track the centrifuge from enquiry to order to production to fitting and for maintenance. I don't know how it worked but that was a fairly comprehensive tracking system it even ordered parts I think.

Essentiallly I am saying Filemaker might be worth a look.
 

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