mrc's Cup of Joe Blog

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

Author name: Joe Stangarone

Joe Stangarone is a 40+ year veteran of the IT industry and president of mrc—the software company behind the award winning development platform, m-Power. Joe shares his leadership and technology insights through the Cup of Joe Blog, focusing primarily on ways businesses can save time, money, and increase productivity using technology.

How to build a secure extranet in one day

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EducationAn extranet is an extremely useful resource for many companies. For those unfamiliar with the term, it is a computer network that allows controlled access from outside the company. For example, here are a few ways extranets are used:

1. Extranets can be set up for customers to log in and view important data.
2. Extranets can be set up for employees to log in outside the office. For example, your sales force could log in to the extranet and view their sales numbers.
3. Extranets can be set up for distributors to log in and view orders, purchase more products, and view new products. . …

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How to reduce the risks of modernization

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EducationWe recently published a couple of educational white papers which aim to reduce risk for companies beginning modernization projects.

The white papers address a common problem: While many companies recognize the need for modernization, few completely understand their options, the hidden risks, and the steps involved. An uninformed company heading into a new modernization project stands to risk significant sums of time and money. …

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Five essential elements every Business Intelligence solution should include

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EducationBusiness intelligence is a confusing subject. Generally speaking, when a company realizes they need business intelligence (BI), they aren’t clear on everything a BI solution should include. Why not? BI isn’t the same across the board. As a result, comparing BI solutions is like comparing apples and oranges. Each solution contains different elements.

So, how do you know which elements to look for in a BI solution? I think a few elements are pretty standard, like simple ad-hoc reporting, the ability to use multiple databases, and exporting data to Excel and PDF. Besides these basic elements, I’ve put together a brief list of 5 essential elements that every good BI solution should include: …

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Critical questions to ask before buying a report writer

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EducationReport writers are pretty easy to understand, aren’t they? If your company stores data in a database (as most companies do), you need reports. To create all these fancy reports, you need a report writer.

However, beyond the basic features like exporting to Excel and creating pretty graphs, you’ll find that report writers vary in capabilities. While they may all address the same problem (your need for data), each one offers different features. Figuring out what’s best for your company can be difficult if you’re unfamiliar with essential report-writing capabilities. …

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6 reasons why IT projects fail

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Save MoneyA successful IT project is one that is delivered on time, at or under budget, and working as originally planned. According to the Standish group, only 32% of IT projects are considered successful. Believe it or not, that’s an improvement over years past.

Why are most IT projects unsuccessful? I found a nice article entitled “Why IT projects fail” which lists 6 of the most important reasons for failure. I couldn’t agree more with the first point: Lack of user involvement. If your project will be used at all by end users, they must be involved early on. After all, a new system or application that end users can’t (or don’t want to) use is a waste of money. …

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Keys to a successful BI implementation

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Save MoneyBusiness intelligence (BI) can provide incredible advantages when implemented correctly, such as agility, better decision-making, and even increased profitability. BI is not without risks, however.

How can you implement a BI solution with the greatest chance for success? Let’s take a look at our options. In the past, there were really only two: Build it yourself or buy a pre-packaged solution. …

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Where is the best place to outsource?

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Save MoneySomeone in one of my LinkedIn groups asked this question: “Where is the best place to outsource?” Now, he was from an outsourcing company and was only trying to raise awareness for his company, but the responses made me smile.

Most responses mirrored my advice: Avoid outsourcing if at all possible and keep it in house. I understand…many companies outsource because they feel it’s their only option. They can’t afford to keep the work in-house and outsourcing makes perfect financial sense on paper. …

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How much does free really cost?

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Save MoneyThe web is changing perceptions about what should be free. Companies are giving away software for seemingly nothing. Some of it actually looks like good, quality software. But…is it really free? What does “free” actually cost? Answer: A lot more than you might think. Let me explain.

While “free” products may not cost money upfront, you typically end up paying in one of these three forms: …

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Keep your skills current and stay productive

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ProductivityAre you struggling to keep up with tech trends? Are you finding a declining demand for your aging skills? I understand the dilemma. How do you pick up a new skill or programming language and remain productive at the same time?

This story on ITJungle.com is inspiration for all those struggling to keep up with the ever-changing tech trends.

Basically, it showcases an RPG programmer with some ingenuity. He designs Java-based web app and recently created an iPhone application for his company. The best part: He doesn’t even know Java, yet is a very productive Java developer. Want to learn how? Check out the article for the whole story.

4 Benefits of Web-Based Reporting

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When asked about his decision to move from character-based to web-based reporting, one of our clients recently said, “The bottom line is this: The world is going to the web.” He understood the benefits of web-based reporting, and the positive impact it would make on business. What are those benefits? Here are just a few:

Security: Password-protection, and a secure validation process, limits viewing and downloading to only your authorized staff – ensuring privacy and security.

Accuracy: Web-based reports run in real-time. There are no outdated copies of data-bases or spreadsheets floating around, guaranteeing that your reports will be current.

Time savings: Do you have staff that spends countless hours and days formatting, printing, faxing, and mailing daily, weekly, or monthly reports? Web reports allow your staff to focus on more mission-critical tasks.

Convenience: Web-based reports run from anywhere, and at anytime.

Want to see a live example of a web-based report? This example starts you off with a high level view of your data and lets you drill down as deep as you wish. Feel free to test it for yourself.

If you like what you see, just fill out this short form and tell us what your interested in. We’ll be happy to build a “proof of concept” web report for you.