Glossary

Custom Functions

A non-standard function added on request to your system

Data input, edit and output are standard on all our database systems. If you require special functions, for example automatically generated customer numbers or a database wizard that can update many records simultaneously we can provide a quotation for you.

Database

A collection of data organised and structured to facilitate searching and reporting

For the purposes of our solutions we use the term loosly to apply to the program which actually stores and manages your data and the data that it holds. We use Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express edition for this purpose, and supply it with our application.

Data Export

Data export in CSV (comma seperated values) format is included as standard in all our systems.

CSV format is very flexible and can be opened in most spreadsheet and database programs. For example it will open in Microsoft Excel where you can perform calculations on the data or produce graphs.

Output can be provided in other formats on request for extra cost.

Data Import

If you have data in an existing system, or even a spreadsheet that you would like to pre-populate your new system please contact us. We will review your data and give you some options on import.

In nearly all cases we can import your data; in many cases it is simple and cost effective.

Data Type - List

For our solutions we define a list data type as a data table only contains a list of items.

These will not be business objects in themselves but are typically lists used to populate drop-down lists within the application. We prefer to use drop-down lists with lists of items rather than free-text because it keeps your data more consistent and makes reports more meaningful.

If you download our demonstation project you will see that it has three list data types, namely "Advertising Sources" and "Customer Types" both related to the "Customers" primary data type and also "Marketing Action Types" which is related to "Marketing Actions".

See also Data Type - Primary and Data Type - Secondary.

Data Type - Primary

For our solutions we define a primary data type as a data table that can be referenced directly from our search engine and that is not dependant on any other data type to be meaningful in itself.

If you download our demonstation project you will see that it has one primary data type, namely "Customers".

See also Data Type - List and Data Type - Secondary.

Data Type - Secondary

For our solutions we define a secondary data type as a data table that contains real business data (not just a list), but that depends on a parent record to be meaningful. For example this could be a table of telephone calls made with a reference to a contact. The contact's details are not held in the table only a reference to them is.

If you download our demonstation project you will see that it has two secondary data types, namely "Contacts" - depending on "Customers" and "Marketing Actions" - also depending on "Customers".

See also Data Type - List and Data Type - Primary.

Front-End Application

This is the computer program that we have written to help you search and manage your business data. A copy of this must be installed on every computer that needs to search and edit the data.

On a single user system this program will be on the same computer as the database whilst on a multi-user system it may be on the same computer as the database or another computer on the network.

Relational Database

A database where the various kinds of data (e.g. customers, orders, projects, products etc) are related to each other.

For example each record in the project table has a field for the customer to which that project belongs. When a large database is fully relational the data can be queried for any number of different reports (e.g. which customers have projects starting between 2005 and 2008 using a particular product)

Relationship - One-To-Many

A relationship (reference) between two data types so that one record on one of the data types can reference many records on the other data type, but a record on the second data type will only ever have a reference to one record on the first type.

For example a "Customer" may have many "Orders" but the same is not true the other way around (an order can not have many customers).

Relationship - Many-To-Many

A relationship (reference) between two data types where a record in one data type may refer to many records on the second data type and visa versa also applies.

For example a "Customer" may have many "Staff Members" that know them and the each of those "Staff Members" may know many "Customers" (not necessarily the same ones).

Many-to-many relationships are more complex to set-up and are only supported on our double data system, where they can be maintained between the two primary data types. For more complex systems requiring more than one many-to-many relationship refer to our Bespoke Solutions page for our full consultancy service.