mrc's Cup of Joe Blog

Join us in exploring the world of modern development, evolving technologies, and the art of future-proof software

m-Power’s AI Update: Bring AI to Your Data, Applications, and Workflows

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Over the last year or so, we’ve focused on one big goal: Bring AI to your business data, applications, and workflows…on your terms.

We’ve just released a new m-Power update that makes this goal a reality. m-Power now lets you build:

  • AI Assistants that understand your data and your rules
  • AI Workflows that automate multi-step processes
  • AI-powered Chatbots that live inside your applications and provide assistance using live data and company documents
  • AI Content Retrievers that turn documents and knowledge bases into live, searchable AI knowledge
  • AI Tool Functions that connect AI directly to your applications and live business data
  • AI Agents that can coordinate tasks, call tools, and move work forward within your rules

All of this runs over the systems you already use, with IT in control of data access, security, and deployment.

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Coming soon: AI that understands your business

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Can you believe that ChatGPT isn’t even 3 years old?

Yet, AI is everywhere now. Since ChatGPT burst onto the scene, AI adoption exploded. It’s in everything now, from physical products to business software.

We’ve been following AI’s evolution closely, asking two questions on repeat: How do we bring AI to your business data, applications, and workflow? How do we make it useful in your environment, under your rules?

Over the last few years, we’ve noticed something. Many of the “AI features” added to business software stop at a chat interface. Sure, it’s handy for quick answers. Less helpful when you need to advance a workflow, act on a record, respect role based security, or perform tasks autonomously. 

You need AI that understands your data, calls the right systems, and fits the way your team already builds.

That is the bar we set. Bring AI to the business. Plug it into your applications and workflows. Keep IT in control. Deliver value on day one.

The good news: It’s almost here.

Coming soon to m-Power.

Stay tuned.

Want to be notified when m-Power’s AI Enhancement is released? Enter your email below.

MS Access Modernization: Why (and How) to Move to the Web

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Key takeaways from this article

  • What’s wrong with MS Access?
    There’s nothing inherently wrong when it’s used as intended. The real issue is that simple Access apps can quietly balloon into complex, mission-critical systems that Access wasn’t built to support.
  • When should you not use Access?
    MS Access falters in multi-user environments, in projects that require integration, apps that require mobile access, or once your database grows past its 2 GB limit.
  • Can we just build web apps directly over our Access database?
    Not reliably. Access has no native web deployment and its file-based engine isn’t designed for web concurrency. While you can connect a web server to an Access file for very light scenarios, it’s fragile and doesn’t scale. For web apps, you need to move the data to a server database (e.g., SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL).
  • How can you migrate Access to the web?
    As demonstrated in the below video, moving Access data to a relational database and building web applications over it is pretty straightforward with the right tools.
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Choosing a Web Query Alternative: One Consultant’s Methodical Approach

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When IBM announced the end of Db2 Web Query for i, it caught many businesses off guard. Web Query was the go-to reporting tool for IBM i shops. Suddenly, those companies were left asking the same question: Now what?

Rick Flagler, an experienced IBM i consultant, heard that question from his clients almost immediately. They depended on Web Query for reporting and needed a reliable replacement that wouldn’t compromise functionality.

Rick approached the challenge with the precision you’d expect from a seasoned consultant. First, he created a “shopping list” of features that a Web Query replacement should include. He then dove into the landscape of BI tools built for IBM i, narrowing the field to those that ran natively and aligned with his clients’ needs.

From there, Rick didn’t rely on vendor claims or promises…he put each option to the test. He reviewed report designs, requested proof-of-concept demos, and evaluated each product’s ability to meet his criteria.

While I’m happy to say that his search led to m-Power, I’m just scratching the surface here. Rick wrote an article on the whole process, and goes into more details on his approach and criteria. You can read it here: “Life After IBM Db2 Web Query for i: Finding an Alternative.”

If you’re looking for a Web Query replacement, this article is well worth the read. It provides great insight into a thoughtful software evaluation process, what to look for in a BI replacement, and how an experienced consultant approaches this task.

To learn more about m-Power and how it can replace Db2 Web Query, check out this page: IBM Db2 Web Query Replacement

Internal Tools: How to Build Apps That Streamline Your Business

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Imagine being stuck in an endless email chain…just to get a simple approval. Or worse, imagine wasting hours pulling data from disconnected spreadsheets only to realize it’s already outdated. 

The fact is, most internal processes are a mess.

Teams jump between tools. Spreadsheets do things they were never meant to do. Manual workarounds become the standard. Everyone knows it’s inefficient, but…no one knows how to fix it. Or, they’re just used to it.

That’s where internal tools come in.

Internal tools are custom apps built to solve problems inside your business. They help your team work faster, cut out repetitive tasks, and replace duct-taped processes with real solutions.

Better yet, they fit into your own infrastructure and unique business processes. When done right, these custom internal tools are invisible. They just work. They streamline processes and never get in the way.

The best part? Creating internal tools isn’t that hard. You don’t need a huge development team or a massive budget. With the right plan (and the right tools), anyone can build internal tools that make a real difference.

In this article, I’ll walk through how to do it. You’ll learn what works, what to avoid, and how to make internal tools a real advantage for your business. 

Sound good? Let’s get into it.

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How to Build a Web-Based Dashboard (+ Video Guide)

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Dashboards should make your life easier. Many don’t.

What happens? Some try to show everything at once…without really showing anything useful. Others take months to build and still don’t have the right data. Yet, making a change might take weeks. I could go on.

The good news? Dashboards have come a long way. They’re accessible from anywhere. They update in real time. And with the right tools, you can build one in a day—not a quarter.

In this article, you’ll learn how to build web-based dashboards in minutes that actually help people do their jobs. We’ll cover different types—like KPI dashboards, executive dashboards, and other business dashboards your different teams might use. You’ll learn some best practices, mistakes to avoid, and the best approach to development. 

Sounds good? Let’s get started.

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How to create a custom, web-based scheduling calendar in 12 minutes

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developmentLet’s be honest: There’s no shortage of web-based calendar tools these days. You’ll find dozens of off-the-shelf scheduling calendars that you can set up and deploy in your business.

The problem is, they’re all generic and every business is different. While these off-the-shelf scheduling applications might fit most of your needs, they won’t provide a perfect fit. They might do some things very well but lack key features in other areas.

But, what if you could create a custom scheduling application…faster than it takes to deploy a generic solution? What if you could create a data-driven, web-based calendar that was 100% tailored to your business…in a little over 10 minutes? It’s possible, and we’ve created a video to show you how it’s done.

Want to try it for yourself? Set up an m-Power Test Drive.

What is a CRUD Application (And How Do You Build One)?

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Let’s talk about the unsung hero of business web applications: The CRUD application. They’re everywhere, whether you realize it or not. Your customer database? It’s a CRUD app. Your company’s inventory system? Also a CRUD app. Even when you’re posting updates on LinkedIn – you guessed it – you’re using CRUD apps.

But what exactly makes these applications “CRUD,” and why should you care? In this article, we’ll cut through the technical jargon and explore:

  • What makes an application “CRUD”
  • Real-world examples
  • Important tips for building them (the right way)
  • How to build CRUD apps quickly

Whether you aim to replace that aging system or build new applications, mastering CRUD apps allows you to understand your development project better and ultimately make more informed decisions about them. 

Sounds good? Let’s dive in.

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What is a CRUD Application (And How Do You Build One)?Read More »

How to turn a spreadsheet into a web app in 6 minutes

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EducationI’ve mentioned the dangers of spreadsheet misuse on many occasions, and explained why it’s so important to put that spreadsheet data into your database. However, I realized that I’ve never showed you how to turn your spreadsheets into database-driven web apps.

So, we created a video to do just that. The following video explains why you should convert your spreadsheets into web apps, and even shows you how it’s done. You might be surprised to learn just how simple this process is.

Note: This video is best viewed in 720p(HD) resolution at full screen. Click the “gear” icon below the video to change the resolution.

To learn more, please visit this page: https://www.mrc-productivity.com/solutions/spreadsheets.html

How to create a customer portal in 11 minutes

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developmentA customer portal provides a secure, customer-only area on your site where customers can purchase products, view information, submit support requests, update account information, and more. They help businesses improve customer satisfaction, streamline customer support, and even drive revenue.

But…building a customer/vendor portal is a tricky task. One portal must display different data to different users. If one user logs in and sees data that they shouldn’t see, you’ll have a big problem on your hands. You need a way to not only build all of the applications in your portal, but ensure they have at least 3 types of security set up:

1. User security: The most basic security option, user security limits portal access to only registered users.
2. Application security: Once a user logs in to the portal, application security controls which applications they can access.
3. Multi-tenant security: This type of security controls user access at a row level. That means different users can access the same application but only see the data that they’re authorized to access.

Here’s a question: How long does it take to build a secure customer portal and populate that portal with applications for your customers? A few weeks? Months?

How about 11 minutes?

We just created a video to show you how it’s done. This video walks you through the process of building a few applications, setting up security, and creating a customer portal. We walk you through everything from start to finish so you can see just how easy portals can be (with the right tools).

Want to try it for yourself? Set up an m-Power Test Drive.

Want to read the video transcript instead of watching the video? You can find it here: How to create a customer portal in 11 minutes.