mrc's Cup of Joe Blog

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5 canned reports that take the reporting burden off of IT

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analyticsIf end-user reporting is a burden on your IT department, you’re certainly not alone. The question is…how can you reduce the amount of time your IT department spends creating end-user reports?

One way to fix the problem: Create canned reports with run-time options for end users. This lets your users quickly access the data they need, while reducing the time your IT department spends creating reports.

Here’s how it works: Your IT department creates the initial reports with run-time filters for the users. The users can select which data to display, or filter their data however they wish when they run the report. With the right run-time filters, users can use a single report in many different ways. …

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Case Study: Breaking the application delivery bottleneck

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EducationSummary: Many businesses face an application development bottleneck. Application development efforts can’t keep up with business demands. As a result, business users are often stuck waiting around for the applications they need. Learn how one company solved this very problem, and how you can do the same.
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The surprising benefits of custom ERP reporting

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EducationSummary: ERP systems rarely provide a perfect fit for your company’s unique reporting needs. While this may seem like a minor problem, it leads to serious issues. These issues not only waste time, they can even halt business growth. Learn how one company created custom reporting over their ERP system–and the surprising benefits they saw as a result.
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How can web apps improve the voting process?

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EducationSummary: The next presidential election is just around the corner. Soon, voters will file through polling locations–waiting in long lines for their chance to cast their vote. But, what if there were a way to simplify the process? What if there was a way to streamline the voting process, and reduce the inefficiencies? Learn how one county government accomplished this very task–simplifying the voter check-in process and eliminating long wait times.
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Build enterprise web applications without programming (New and improved)

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Save TimeIf you’re looking for a way to improve your application development speed, create mobile web apps, or just build enterprise web applications without programming, you should really check out the all new m-Power Trial. It’s recently been revamped with the new m-Power interface we released last month, making application development simpler than ever.

What will you find in the m-Power Trial? Using a simple, on-screen tour, the m-Power Trial will guide you through the process of building enterprise web (and mobile web) apps…all without any programming. Feel free to explore the interface in depth, and even experiment building applications over your own data.

If you’d like to check out the m-Power Trial, just fill out this short form.

Is enterprise software slowing down your IT department?

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Save TimeEvery year, CIO.com honors the top 100 CIOs who drive innovation and business value within their companies. The theme among this year’s winners: Speed. CIOs that use IT to improve overall business speed.

I believe this is the future of IT departments. IT can no longer afford to make the business wait for solutions. If the business views IT as an impediment to progress, they’ll find another way. Rather, the modern-day IT department must make the entire business operate more efficiently.

Now, I realize that many CIOs and IT professionals recognize this fact…but feel it’s out of reach. Why? While the reasons vary, the most common reason is this: Their company is locked to outdated enterprise software. Adding new features to their enterprise software is anything but fast. Delivering new solutions that work with their enterprise applications is anything but easy.

How can IT departments in these companies drive innovation and speed up the company when they’re locked to outdated enterprise software?

Here’s one solution: Build web applications over the outdated enterprise software. It’s not about adding another piece of software to the mix, it’s about integrating open standards and new features with the technology the business already uses. It’s about making your existing software better.

Turn your green-screen apps into web apps (in 3 minutes)

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Save TimeIs your company still using those character-based, green-screen programs like this?

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If so, what’s keeping you from moving to the web? Are you holding off because your company relies on these old programs? Are you worried that the project is too difficult and/or expensive?

If so, here’s a short video you’ll want to watch. It walks you through the process of turning a green-screen program into a modern web app…in under 3 minutes! Breaking free from your green screens may actually be easier than you think…

New feature helps you automate manual processes

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Save TimeIn a recent article, I outlined 5 common IT practices that waste your time. One such practice listed in that article: Repeating manual tasks. If you find yourself repeating the same task on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, you should ask yourself this question: Can this task be automated? Chances are, automation could save hours of time.

The question becomes…”How?”

If you’re an m-Power user, we recently released a new feature that will help you with automation: The Messaging and Scheduled Tasks enhancement. It lets developers build applications that perform tasks or send email and/or sms messages based on a predetermined schedule or event. While this is useful in all types of ways, here are a few tasks it could automate for you: …

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5 common IT practices that waste your time

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Save TimeHow much time do you waste at work? It might be more than you think. No, I’m not referring to blatant wastes of time like talking on the phone all day, surfing the web, or even sleeping. I’m referring to work-related practices that keep IT professionals busy, yet ultimately unproductive.

Here’s the tricky part: They aren’t easy to identify. They look like work, they feel like work, but they keep your IT department from accomplishing important tasks.

So, how can you avoid these time-wasting practices and focus your efforts on essential tasks? The first step: Identify the culprits. To help you out, I’ve compiled a list of 5 of the most common, yet unnecessary IT practices that waste your time. If you can think of any others, feel free to share in the comments. …

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Turn procedural character based programs into event driven web apps (in 3 minutes)

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Save TimeIs your company still using those outdated character based programs? If so, here’s a short video you’ll want to watch. It explains the limitations of character based programs, a couple of different approaches to modernizing those programs, and even walks you through the process of turning a character based program into a modern web app. All that in under 3 minutes! I hope you find it useful.

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

This mobile strategy might inspire you

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Save Time“But…how can we use it in our business?”

That’s the biggest question surrounding every major tech trend. How can it help my company? Smart companies know that while big tech trends may get a lot of press, that doesn’t make them useful. They must understand the business value before jumping on board.

Rather than try to explain how certain tech trends can help your business, I prefer to take a look at real-life examples. Today, let’s check out a company that’s using a major tech trend (mobile) to save time and money.

What are they doing? They’re using off-the-shelf gadgets (instead of expensive business equipment) combined with simple mobile web apps to dramatically reduce the time it takes to log inventory. If you’d like to read the whole story, you can find it over on ibmsystemsmag.com. …

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Here’s a new way to save time on development (and more)

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Save TimeWhat if you could save time on development, gain more control over your applications, and make your users happier…all at the same time? Sound interesting? Let’s learn how you can make this happen.

I’m going to tell you about a relatively new feature called “user rights and privileges”. It might sound technical (and a little boring), but it’s insanely useful. What is it? Here’s a basic definition: It lets you assign custom variables to any user, and then use those variables in any application.

Does that sound too technical? Here’s another way to look at it: Think of it like a data table or a spreadsheet that contains a list of user names. You can create and assign any variable to any user, and then access those variables anywhere. For example, take a look at the image below: …

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Are legacy applications holding you back?

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Save TimeCloud computing and mobile are getting all the press these days, and with good reason. These two trends really offer businesses some great benefits: Mobile devices can improve employee productivity and let businesses reach more people than ever before. Cloud computing promises to cut costs and improve business flexibility.

What company wouldn’t want all of that?

Unfortunately, many companies are in no position to take advantage of these trends and the benefits they offer. These companies are still stuck using outdated architecture and legacy applications. Before they can even consider the latest trends, they must first address their outdated systems.

If your company is stuck in that situation, here are a couple of things that will help: First, here’s a free white paper that outlines the modernization basics and explains your modernization options. If you’re considering modernization, it will get you started in the right direction.

Secondly, if you’d like to learn how to replace your legacy applications with cloud-ready web (and mobile web) applications, we can help. Our development platform, m-Power, will let you create modern web (and mobile web) apps that can be deployed to the cloud, or hosted in-house. To get started, just fill out this short form and let us know what’s on your plate.

How one IT department completed a 1,000-hour project in 300 hours

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Save TimeHere’s an inspirational story for any IT department facing impossible project deadlines. It’s about an IT department that had a huge web development project with an immovable deadline…but faced one big problem.

They weren’t sure how they were going to do it.

They estimated that it would take 1,000 hours, but with only one web developer on staff, completing the project on time seemed impossible.

What did they do? They found a way to let the rest of their staff develop web applications, and managed to complete the project in just 300 hours. To learn how, you can read the whole story right here.

A quick way to modernize with a small IT staff

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Save TimeWhat’s keeping your company from modernizing those legacy applications? If our 2011 survey is any indication, the answer is “There’s not enough time.” In fact, the survey results show that modernization is the biggest need, but a lack of time keeps most companies from addressing that need.

If your company lacks the time required to modernize your legacy apps, you’ll certainly want to read this story. It explains how one very small IT staff with limited time and resources managed to modernize their legacy green-screen interface quickly. You can read the whole story here.

How to build a secure customer portal in one day

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Save TimeBuilding a customer/vendor portal (also called an extranet) is a tricky task. Typically, 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.

For example, suppose that your product pricing varies by customer. If one customer logs in and sees pricing meant for another customer, you’ll have problems. Or, suppose that your customers have different levels of users which require different permissions. For example, the CEO must see different data than the salespeople, and the salespeople from one region must see different data than those from another region, and so on…

All in all, it’s an extremely complicated application. Fortunately, extranets are actually easy to create with the right process. If you’re planning on building an extranet/portal, this video explains how to build a secure extranet in one day.

How application architecture can save time and money

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Save TimeA few months into owning our first house, we learned something: The builder took some short-cuts. Unfortunately, you don’t recognize architectural defects when you buy the house. They become apparent after you’ve lived in it for some time.

Business applications are the same way.

If you’re building/buying new business apps, or buying software to build new business apps, be careful. It’s easy to fall in love with the interface and features without paying any attention to what really matters: The architecture. …

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Meeting immovable deadlines

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Save TimeDepending on which research firm you believe, anywhere from 50-90% of IT projects are completed late. While I could rattle off any number of reasons for this, I think that (much of the time) it boils down to one problem: Being late is an option. The deadline is viewed merely as a suggestion…it’s not the end of the world if it’s missed. We’ll just inform management that the project is running behind schedule and then set a new deadline.

But, what if being late wasn’t an option? …

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Create business reports in under 5 minutes

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Save TimeSome people request them from the IT department. Others lock themselves in their offices for a day or two and go crazy with spreadsheets. Others delegate the task. Whatever the method, everyone has a process for creating business reports.

But, what if your process wastes time? What if the hours you spend running reports or analyzing data are unnecessary?

Here’s a good test: Does it take longer than 5 minutes? If so, you’re wasting time. Within a matter of seconds, you should be able to see any piece of data you wish to see. For example, applications like this interactive report or this web pivot table report give you a high level view of data, but let you “slice-and-dice” it however you want. …

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