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If they were clear and unconnected services I would agree.
Today we have several major platforms. We use a CRM, a task/project management software suite, a file sharing application, a chat program, and email etc.
For right now the file sharing, chat, and email are individual needs I have no intentions of trying to change over from.
However, the challenge is we are a project based company. So our business development team has to log all types of information about the CRM. And our opportunities have several different phases all of which have different revenue opportunities attached to them. I have yet to find any CRM that can handle this so we have to duplicate tons of information.
When the deal is signed it flips over to our project management / task management platform. All of that history, all of that data, all of that information is essentially lost or has to be recreated. The systems dont talk to each other. It is like trying to learn the project all over again.
Our bus development team has to CONSTANTLY be updating and uploading and modifying and tweaking in both. On top of all of their other activities. It is a bear for responsibility. Nothing out of the box starts to merge those two pieces.
Seperately, we are not an architect or engineer so software geared for those individuals does not work out of the box for us. But much of our process is replicated from them so we need the functionality of certain tracking elements. but again nothing out of the box has this since we do not fit into a typical industry platform.
It yields a lot of inefficiencies and duplication of data and information.
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Solve the problems, don't write code.
Based on this post, you might investigate SalesForce.com. I am not sure which CRM you are using. I have not used SF. You could probably contract someone to help you implement what you do need on SF if it does not have it. Having business development and business execution on two different platforms sounds like a WTF.
As a COO, hire someone to help you figure it out and design a solution for your company. If there is sure ROI, then execute it.
If you do want to learn to program, write a few projects for a hobby or something. I would not experiment on your company. Check out MIT App Inventor for a way to get something up and running quickly on Android platform. My kid implemented a sports statistic tracking program with uploads to Google Fusion Tables (combined stats with queries) in 30 hours. They also implemented a 100% non-code solution for a medium complexity problem given as a homework assignment. The school rolled out the solution for teachers to use.
As a side note, someone mentioned using GIT for versioning documents. If your file sharing service does NOT support versioning and history, then ditch it for a service that does.
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microsoft access database.
you have some vb knowledge so this could be a good bridge. start with this as a tool. (i'm with the posters who caution against writing (too much) code before trying a few things.) you can create a database with a front end for users (yourself only, to start) then decide if a db/ui is a good approach. experiment with data models to see if a db will hold what you need, the way you need it. i bet it will. access can be very underrated. but you do have to understand data table relationships. even playing around with tables with no ui/forms, etc could be very beneficial.
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Member 13044355 wrote: Just looking to slowly integrate our tools into one platform so people one day could have one place to go for things.
Ah...one app to rule them all!
Sounds like a noble cause, perhaps a decent web front end that talks to everything else via web services. For some services, that might be easy, for others, good luck! But I get what you mean now. 
Marc
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TBH, I think you should start by studying how your data should be stored in a database or databases (the "back end").
Starting by looking for ways of entering and processing the data (the "front end") will leave you staring into an abyss full of complications, if you don't get your database structure right, before you begin.
I'd suggest that you have a google for database tutorials, until you find one that you like.
MySQL is free for the kind of requirements you're talking about, and the amount of MySQL usage information on the Internet is immense, in varieties to suit all tastes and needs.
Once you've got your database structure(s) sorted out, the front end will be a lot less stressful -- it's a lot easier working out how to get data in and get data out if you know where and how it's going to be stored.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Mark_Wallace wrote: MySQL is free for the kind of requirements you're talking about, and the amount of MySQL usage information on the Internet is immense, in varieties to suit all tastes and needs.
It's free, but that's about all that speaks for MySql. Why does nobody use a postgres database? In my opinion it's the better database that you don't need any money to buy. Add PgAdmin, so that you don't need to configure it with the console and then you are ready to go. There also is a .Net database connector, but I must look what its name was.
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a f***ing golf cart.
"I don't know, extraterrestrial?"
"You mean like from space?"
"No, from Canada."
If software development were a circus, we would all be the clowns.
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Postgres, then.
I ain't here to advertise anything; it's the tutorials element I was waffling on about.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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I did not mean to advertise. Many years ago I grew out of MySql and ended up with Postgres, Since then I have written a lot of code that uses the database and have not hit any restrictions. It supposedly also stick close to the SQL standard, so that there should be no trouble finding tutorials or literature.
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a f***ing golf cart.
"I don't know, extraterrestrial?"
"You mean like from space?"
"No, from Canada."
If software development were a circus, we would all be the clowns.
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Downloaded.
I'll give it a whirl on my next new project.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Great! Don't forget PgAdmin and I will look what the .Net connector was called. I think the installer will suggest some tools and download them for you if you want.
The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
This is Javascript. If you put big wheels and a racing stripe on a golf cart, it's still a f***ing golf cart.
"I don't know, extraterrestrial?"
"You mean like from space?"
"No, from Canada."
If software development were a circus, we would all be the clowns.
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Their own web-site was an absolute nightmare to use, so I downloaded it from a freeware site. I'll probably do the same for any non-automatic extensions.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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So....no Mongo love?
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- Benjamin Disraeli
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I'm tempted -- I mean I just adore the default high-security settings!
It needs a good poke.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Default settings are for victims.
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- Benjamin Disraeli
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Nathan Minier wrote: Default settings are for victims.
Literally, given the number of bots poking mongo installations.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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So the general thought is PostGres or MySql for a database back end?
If, and that is a big if, this ever became something we really were able to roll out and use we could be talking about 40 people accessing data. So not thousands, but not two. I have done visual basic connections to access in the past, and thought about that route (as this is a simple application at least at the onset) but figured if I start with a bit more capability, I might be WAY better off long term in terms of conversion.
I also was tempted to just look into azure or something like that so it is a hosted scenario elsewhere and I pay Microsoft to handle the BS. I just need to connect to it and that way people that travel dont need VPN to connect to the software and if I get web based I dont have to deal with hosting and security issues.
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 You still have to deal with security issues, regardless of where your data is hosted.
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Member 13044355 wrote: Recommendations?
If you think it's expensive to hire a professional, wait till you hire an amateur.
Great that it's your hobby - keep it that way and get a real pro in to do a proper job - it will save you money and heartache in the long run.
If you do insist on going down the road, use c#.
Good luck.
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Absolutely. Great that you have an interest in programming, definitely go for it as a hobby if you have the time.
But do NOT write software for your company that it will depend on, or whose failure could cost the company time. The company is not only YOUR source of income, it's the support for your staff. Do not lumber your "baby" with software written by a beginner. You'd no more do that than take time out building offices for your staff with no prior experience. Either hire a permanent, experienced staff member or work closely with a reputable freelancer. Get as involved as you like (but don't take your eye off running your business). Learn from them and by all means get involved in the process.
Otherwise, not only do you risk your business but you also probably lose your hobby, as you will be frustrated and come to hate software development as you see the damage it's doing.
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Well the challenge is purely the cost. Exploring the custom software route looks like a FORTUNE.
Again, will this ever be something the company really utilizes. I dont know. Just something I have always enjoyed doing and wanted to learn more. So rather than dabble on just bs tutorials out there I thought it might be a bit more enjoyable and a learning experience to attempt to do something useful and purposeful for my "day job"
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A understanding of data relationships and database structure is critical. If you get this wrong you will come up limitation and pain later on.
However you will want to play in both the database and development app side so I would recommend c# rather than VB.Net. There is nothing instrinctly wrong with VB but c# does provide a better foundation to other languages and techniques in the future. The learning curve to C# will be slightly more thn VB, but will be worth it in the long run.
Start small and concentrated on the basics first and if you're learning from scatch, be prepared to rewrite it later with the better coding and database structures etc you pick up over time.
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Member 13044355 wrote: very unique
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As others have intimated, study your data and get that correct first, then hire a professional to do the job.
I would recommend that you pick a smaller hobby project, or even an obscure but small part of the overall project to do your learning on. Use your growing knowledge to learn from and oversee the professional.
As the COO of the company you should have neither the time nor experience to do this job, it will never come to fruition and you will have wasted your time to no benefit to the company.
If you have identified a need for an integrated system then budget it and move forward, don't piss about trying to fiddle it yourself.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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Learn C# maybe with the focus on Xamarin for mobile platform. The are a lot of tutorials in web - some for free but think about a paid plan to get serious.
The all important question is for what or whom do want to make software?
Press F1 for help or google it.
Greetings from Germany
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Member 13044355 wrote: Recommendations?
Angular 24 would be a good start. It should be out by the time you make coffee.
"It is easy to decipher extraterrestrial signals after deciphering Javascript and VB6 themselves.", ISanti[ ^]
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