The key stages in successful bespoke database design are:

• Finding out and understanding what you want and need from the database - The User Requirement Specification.
• Identifying the exact nature of the data that is required to be stored, and any validation or checking that can be done at data entry time.
• Developing and agreeing the Functional Specification. This document sets out detailed proposals for the way the system should work to meet your specific requirements. It should identify, as far as possible all the validation that is required at data entry time, the search facilities and printed ouput.
• Preliminary development and discussions on the 'look and feel' of the system ~ adopting the corporate identity ~ by the use of company logos and colours.
• Main product development and testing.
• Detailed testing with realistic data.
• Acceptance against the Functional Specification.
• Installation and commissioning.
• Training and documentation.
• Ongoing support.

Advice can also been given on hardware requirements to run the software and for backing up your system.

Common Features of a Bespoke Database:

• Fully menu driven to ensure fast access to the pages that you want: data entry screens, on-screen analysis, printed reports, graphs, etc.
• Use of easily configurable look-up tables to ensure that commonly used data items are quickly and consistently entered.
• Data entry checking to ensure, as far as possible, that all data entered is correct and sensible.
• Carefully devised selection of criteria to enable you to display information in the way that you want it.
• Professionally presented customised printed reports that meet the requirement of statutory or other regulatory authorities, financial institutions, or other interested bodies.
• Context-sensitive help to remind you about any specific features, requirements or operations.

Data Entry
Data entry into any form of electronic system can be time-consuming. Part of the design process of a good database is to determine the quickest, easiest and most accurate ways in which data entry can be accomplished.

Reaping the Rewards
The real pay-back for the time spent on data entry may be the use that you can make of it, over and above its main function of record-keeping, knowledge base, or whatever it is primarily designed to do.

In other words, if the database structure has been put together correctly then a whole raft of analysis may be performed on that data to let you see how your business is performing. For example, this might be identifying products that are selling well and profitably, while identifying others that are apparently doing well, but in reality are not as profitable as they should be. You situation could be one where you have a great deal of information, but need the right tools to understand what is really going on - to give you the 'bigger picture'. This could be likened to the way in the which a large number of pixels have been brought together to form the picture of the Kestrel at the top of this page.

Database applications are normally developed using Microsoft Access. This is a versatile platform suitable for small to medium sized databases - single or multiple users - and it can be interfaced very readily with other Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel and Outlook. Interfaces with web pages, automatic generation of e-mails and generation of PDF (Portable Document Format) documents is also possible.

Please call me on 01287 63623 or 07811 479303 or e-mail me at enquiries@billcolombi.co.uk to discuss your particular needs.

Rates are very reasonable and will depend on the complexity of the application, the need for subject research and the likelihood of the end product having a wider market to offset development costs.