| Author | Message | ||
| Ben Cannon (Artherd)
Member Username: Artherd Post Number: 838 Registered: 6-2002 |
A true database is simply that, a repositroy of data. Sometimes LOTS of data. There are great free databases out there, but all they do is sit on the data, and listen for queries. Some examples: MYSQL; PostegreSQL, etc. They all NEED interfaces to be of any use at all. You really want Data-mining or data-management SOFTWARE, with a database backend. (much more complex, and needs to be custom tailored.) ACT (contact manager, with a very very very crude non-SQL database deeep inside.) Should still be OK for your needs. Best! Ben. | ||
| David R. (Rodsky)
Junior Member Username: Rodsky Post Number: 242 Registered: 3-2003 |
Des - Act is a contact manament software application. It is an application program that stores its data in a database. Examples of databases are MS SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, Informix - with MS being the cheapest. Your question is mixing up applications and databases. ACT 2000 is not the latest version of ACT - I think it is ACT 6. While I am not intimately familiar with it, I think you can add custom fields which may address your needs. Plus the data will easily migrate to it from ACT 2000. When you start taking about moving to a new database, you are opening up a whole can of worms. With ACT someone wrote the program for you - you just use it. If you try and use a database for what you are trying to do, you will have to write the applications to perform the functions you want to do. That is a whole different ballgame. You will need a programmer and it starts to get real exoensive - different league. I would suggest you document your needs and compare them to ACT 6 - as that will be your lowest cost alternative. If it doesn't meet your needs, look at other contact management solutions. I seriously doubt that you are at the technical limits of ACT. If you find that your needs are not met by contact mgmt solutions, you may be branching into new applications. Get some specialized help at that point. | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 6067 Registered: 8-2002 |
Chris, i thought of you at 3 specific times today - each time i had to restart my computer; and i didn't get in until 11AM...! Looking for Microsoft Access, i realized i couldn't find it but stumbled on Microsoft Works Database; i opened it, took a quick look and closed it... then some error thingie popped up; that's the type of crap i have to expect with this sorry excuse for a business computer. With regards to your comments: 1). i'm always aware that another program or another field of business just looks better for me, but i'd love to be able to not struggle like this, everydamnday... 2). Asking the salesperson if ACT! would/could/should in any way correspond with their product was MY FIRST question. However corrupt, it's still my baby; unfortunately, though, their product was not compatible with ACT! and a time constraint kept us from exploring a broad scope of other options... From the choices present at the time, their program was the best-suited for our needs... 3).
You have no idea how much that applies here... even beyond this crappy machine. Sigh... | ||
| Chris D (Prohydro)
Junior Member Username: Prohydro Post Number: 79 Registered: 11-2001 |
Des, Good man, backing things up. You have no idea how many people don't do that with important data, and then don't understand why they can't just bring it back... No matter on the network, you have what you have. It is good to vent, but also this does present an opportunity for you, in three ways. One, you will learn a new product. More importantly, you will learn how to import data into this new product, and also how to install and support it. Trust me, that looks VERY good to a potential employer, especially if you tell them how you migrated your database to this new application. Second, you can still work to get them to do what you want. Act and the new product may be able to coexist together a little more friendlier than they are now. Start asking lots of questions of your sales reps that you bought the products from, or a tier 2 tech support person from the company. Make them your friend. Tell them what you want to (although, I would say "must") do with the two programs, and have them start helping you figure out some fixes. While everything may not work out perfectly the way you dream it would, you may be better off than before. And again, it looks good on the resume. Vendors want to do this (although it does sometimes cost extra), and I have even had vendors incorporate those types of things into the next release of their product. Three, you still may be able to go at it on your own, and up your worth. I know you mentioned that you don't know a ton about computers, but looking at the immense info you know about Ferrari's now (I don't post much, but I lurk a few times a day...), I know that you can pick things up in a snap. So, start reading. I would pick up a book on Microsoft Access, and start building some sample stuff on your own. It will be good experience so that you learn down and dirty how databases work, and you might be able to start to build some useful things for your company. Like, say, a tool that imports and exports data between the two programs...that might be useful, so you don't have to do it by hand, or do it better than the programs currently do it. Again, your worth goes up signifigantly. Just a few thoughts. Hope the new software goes well, I know what a pain it is to work with things that aren't what you need them to be. | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 6048 Registered: 8-2002 |
Chris, i back it up pretty regularly - we're screwed if this thing goes down and won't come back up... The problem is, the whole computer is corrupt, INCLUDING the database... So yeah, i can back it up and restore it on another computer if worse comes to worst, the catch there, though, is that i'd just wind up corrupting whatever computer it gets restored on... Another big problem is that i'm no computer whiz - i turn it on, i turn it off, i play with buttons, that's it - so, i have no idea how to even search for an answer for your question regarding our network; i just know it's peer to peer and i'm running Millennium (so is my boss) and the other two machines are running 2000. (That and everyone i talk to who hears me say i'm running 'a peer to peer network off of Millennium' blurts out, "Holy ••••! That's baaaaad!") i'd love to modify ACT! to do what i need to do along the lines of running insurance certificates and so forth, but i'm fed up with the "life support" that continues to go into this database since it's reproachingly corrupt... At this point, this thread is nothing more than a b!tch session since we've already purchased and began using the other database for certs; now i have two to contend with, one corrupt and one i can't use for everything... In the long run, if i'm still here in, let's say, 5 years, we'll be up ••••'s creek without a paddle if we're still running ACT! (on the same machine no less!) with it being corrupted the way it is... i'm firm in my belief that it's essentially beyond repair; it gets the job done for now, but one day i think it's gonna lay down and not get back up... i don't wanna be here that day. | ||
| Chris D (Prohydro)
Junior Member Username: Prohydro Post Number: 77 Registered: 11-2001 |
Sounds like there's all kinds of issues that are causing your problems, not just the DB/DB application software... I would start by trying to move your DB off of that machine (or at least back it up right away), and reformat that box. Start fresh. What kind of network are you running? You may be able modify ACT to do what you need to do. I used to manage a SQL-based contact program called SalesLogix, and working with the vendor I was able to modify the program to fit our needs, including hold forms and such. Give that a shot. You might also think about switching over to MS Access, and building what you need yourself. You seem pretty sharp, and could pick up Access and VBA fairly quickly. I'm sure there's enough talent here on FerrariChat to help you out when you got stuck. Just a thought. But first, I would get your PC situation cleaned up. Try and get your boss to pony up for a couple of more machines (heck, I saw a few at Fry's for $500) to ease things up, and back up your data constantly! | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 6040 Registered: 8-2002 |
Michael, Chris, Rodney - the way you guys are talking, i'm starting to wonder if the database we have is okay and that it's just the systems (and users) that are @#$%ed up... When i started here, i was given the database, told to load it and get information into it as fast as possible, learning it on the way... That plus the fact that this is a home computer being used as a business machine (all sorts of mindless children's software clutter up the C drive), more than a few people use this computer (incorrectly), it's the brain of a peer to peer network (on Millennium OS) that's always freezing up - the problem is not the database at all, it's the @#$%ing people...! Including me...! Sigh... & people wonder why i don't do drugs- i kill more than enough brain cells trying to keep things up and running at work...! | ||
| Rodney Haas (Icars)
Member Username: Icars Post Number: 422 Registered: 3-2002 |
DES, You can purchase a limited 5 user MSSQL license fairly cheap. You can dump the current ACT data to a SDF or CSV file, then use a DTS package in SQL Server Enterprise manager to import the data to SQL server tables in your new Database. You can basically do the same thing in Access, just not as robust. It really depends on what you are trying to do. Yes you can pump the data into another database easy enough, but what you really want is all the UI that lets you put data in, query etc. I would look @ some of the canned solutions. I would not doubt that there is a canned PHP/Mysql solution that would do what you want. | ||
| Chris D (Prohydro)
Junior Member Username: Prohydro Post Number: 75 Registered: 11-2001 |
I'm a SQL Server DBA, and it is easy to get up and running. You will run into more issues with it than Oracle, but for sheer ease of use for a robust DB, it's the way to go. Take another look at MS Access also, it's better than you think. I have built some serious apps using Access and VB (talking multi-thousands of rows, and a couple dozen columns), and it handled a lot of info just fine. | ||
| Michael Davidson (Cabrio_fan)
Junior Member Username: Cabrio_fan Post Number: 69 Registered: 3-2002 |
Hi DES, I'm a Senior Oracle Database Administrator. I have a bias towards Oracle but I've always worked in large corporations with the $$$ to spend on Oracle. Our large record sets (tables) run in the multi-million counts. From your description of budget constraints, I think an Oracle solution is out of the picture. Oracle Standard Edition (small business) is $15k. I have worked with a few individuals who have used Microsoft's SQL Server and have liked it very much. There is a large number of users. It's point and click administration (versus Oracle is typing in commands). It's supposed to be considerably cheaper than Oracle. I have never used MS SQL Server myself but a gentleman in our department installed it on his workstation in one afternoon and was up and running. Oracle, SQL Server, mysql, PostgreSQL, and Access are examples of database software (or database engines). Database Applications are when records and fields and reports are pre-built for you and allow you to customize them to a degree. ACT! and Maximizer are two examples of Database Applications. BTW, I'm sure that you are already familiar with acord.org and their database application search function on their web page. If not, here is a link: http://www.acord.org/spd/spd_search.aspx Good luck DES. Let me know if I can be of any assistance. Mike | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 6018 Registered: 8-2002 |
Yoshi... That sounds good... Other, related and extended problems include that the database needs to be networked, peer to peer; one major thing i didn't learn until i after i did it was that there are certain default fields in ACT! you cannot delete or alter- this corrupts the database and is a big no-no... That (BIG) error has certainly contributed to the less than stellar performance of our database... Also, our network doesn't seem to be strong enough to hold all of us when we're all on it at the same time, causing lock-ups, freezing and thus resulting in improper shut downs and restarts- another factor contributing to the databases deterioration... As you mentioned, i run things off through the database; faxes, letters, mass mail merges etc. Unfortunately, my templates will not copy over the network - that's just one of a long, long list of problems... Also, two of the computers on our network have Windows 2000 while the other two have Windows ME, an unstable operating system to run a database off of... The 'brain' of the network is on my computer (since i'm there more than anyone else) and two of the 'peers' are lap tops, which need to be docked and synchronized (importing and exporting info) when they return... This is yet another problem that we've not been able to foster a solution... At this point, i'm just rambling; i'm stuck with the database unless i can find a new one whole abilities are all-encompassing to what we've been doing as well as what we just began doing... If i'd had the chance to read the manual fully (does anyone do that...?) before i just started learning how the database worked as we went along, i probably wouldn't have some of these problems... i guess i know for next time. | ||
| Yoshi Ace (Tiger_ace)
Junior Member Username: Tiger_ace Post Number: 215 Registered: 5-2003 |
I understand your situation is relative to the cost willing to be paid and the volume of data. I wish Rich's solution was there in 1989, but it would be too expensive then. My solution cost me less than $300. I run 12 files in Filemaker to manage all orders & contacts, which exceeds 5,000 new data entry annually. My contact is about 700 (supplier, customers, administrative, etc.), and relatively small. It all depends on what you need to do. I made flow chart of my data, and how I want it to be stored & managed to generate all paper works. Based on this, I contacted data base makers (Fox Pro, 4th Dimension, etc.) & visited software stores in 1989, and picked out Claris Filemaker. You can do basically anything you want with field in this software. Current softwares let you import data from another software, so it is much easier. When I made a switch to Filemaker, I had to manually transfer (w/ help of beautiful assistant then. I miss her...) One suggestion: I used to run whole operation in 1 file, but that bloated out too much to back-up or download to lap-top in 2-3 years. I then split this file into 12 files (like Sales, Purchase, Contact, PO No., Shipping, etc.) This way, you can lighten your file information, and if necessary, you can correlate some files. My solution is cheap, but not appropriate for big business. You can always consult software makers by sending e-mails now, too. GOOD LUCK! | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 5986 Registered: 8-2002 |
Yoshi, i tried the database program that comes with Microsoft, but it wouldn't let me get intricate with information retention the way ACT! does... We've looked at other things, too, but with some 3,000+ prospects and an existing book of 300+ clients, moving all of that information from one database to another is not something i want to do on a whim... We're gonna need to seriously check something (sample) before we'll drop money on a database (plus the money that'll go into paying me for the info transfer)... Rich... You seem like someone i'd like to talk to further about this, but unfortunately (insert heavy sigh here) due to a time constraint and a HUGE account, we were forced into purchasing a database yesterday afternoon - now i have TWO i need to contend with... i know there are many programs that i can import my ACT! database information into if we decide on a new database, the big thing now is finding a database we can put EVERYTHING into... Our new database lets us run certificates of insurance (commercial/personal lines: auto, property & casualty, general liability, etcetera and so forth)... If there were a contact manager out there that could do that PLUS let me add in and personalize my own fields (about 150 minimum) then i could probably run it by the boss and get the go-ahead (read: Amex) and then we'd (meaning me) be set... Thursday, we need to go attend a class on issuing auto ID cards, running certs, processing all that silly nonsense and whatever... Looking into a database that can do that PLUS all the other crap i mentioned is always an important item on my agenda, but still on the back burner right now... Geez, i thought i was swamped with work, before... Can't wait for this whole world o' crap to begin (it already has)... Where's that bottle of wine...? | ||
| rich stephens (Dino2400)
Member Username: Dino2400 Post Number: 572 Registered: 10-2001 |
I've worked for companies that just bit the bullet and paid Oracle. But these days I run everything in the "open-source" (i.e."free") mysql database on a server and use custom php code or perl to access and add data however I or my clients wish. For web stuff I just write simple form type web pages (password protected of course) they can use to add to the database or edit it's content and since they are familiar with filling in webforms, it's a piece of cake (and they can't screw anything up). If it's on a "live" server, they can edit and have access from any internet connected computer in the world. Piece of cake. I'm curious about the comment "but we can't cram all our existing stuff in there." If you can export your current data and have a good map of what gets used by what, it can be set up again in a new database. BTW, what is your budget for this project? I could put you in contact with my database guru (aka my business partner) and he could recommend a good solution. He's worked with many systems. | ||
| Yoshi Ace (Tiger_ace)
Junior Member Username: Tiger_ace Post Number: 213 Registered: 5-2003 |
I think I know what you mean by "bloated". That's what happened with my Contact management, too. First extensions, fax, and cell phone, then e-mail address..... Almost every few years, each contact increased more information for "the field". Please note that I am not specialist nor sales consultant for softwares. I learned mainly by experience & readings. I don't know what ACT! does. (I just reviewed software catalog, and it listed under Business software) If you search their site, there may be some quick solution for your problem, too, like Noel suggestion of Maximizer. (I also don't know Maximizer does.....) Does ACT! have a way to partition expanded information to slim it down? How I used FileMaker is to create several files to manage information on business routine procedures, and store data. Each file contains "field" which I assigned information such as name, office number, cell number, e-mail add, etc. You can create many fields as you want. These fields can be correlated (did I spell right?) between files. Once you update field info in File A, the same field info in other Files will be also up-dated. I don't use this as old info is important such as old P/N to new P/N, old company name to changed company name, etc. I think I can go on here. So if you would like, DES, you can PM questions, and I will try my best to answer. I like database software, as it can be expanded the way you want. I know some people does the same thing I do w/ Excel, but I don't like the way to manage memory size of records. BTW, some people uses MS Access for database, too. I only use MS Office, so I don't know what Access can do. I learned one thing is to use softwares by major companies as it has benefit for more resource (how-to, shareware tune-ups, etc.) | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 5926 Registered: 8-2002 |
Noel, i took a look around, but then was interrupted by silly office stuff... Damn work, it's always getting in the way...  Yoshi, can you go into some detail with regard to what you said about database software; i was under the impression that ACT! is database software; i've molded beyond repair (literally) and it's beginning to lose it's flavor as we get bloated (read: expand)... Maybe you know something i don't (which a lot of people do) and you might be able to point me in a new and refreshing direction... | ||
| Yoshi Ace (Tiger_ace)
Junior Member Username: Tiger_ace Post Number: 210 Registered: 5-2003 |
I manage clients, orders, contacts, and misc info by File Maker. They are easy to modify, work with, etc. Instead of using contact managing software, create the way you want with Database software. It's more manageable than switching contact softwares, export/importing data to another. | ||
| Noelrp (Noelrp)
Member Username: Noelrp Post Number: 310 Registered: 8-2001 |
Hey Des, Check out Maximizer ( www.maximizer.com ). I dont know much about it but our Sales team migrated from Act to Maximizer so many years ago. -n | ||
| Jeremiah M. Burke (Bullfrog)
Junior Member Username: Bullfrog Post Number: 83 Registered: 6-2003 |
Smack them around. Then you flip them, rub one out and then smack them again. | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Senior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 5912 Registered: 8-2002 |
Ok... Currently, we're running ACT! 2000 in our office, as a contact manager (with a WHOLE LOT more than just contact information)... With commercial health, dental, life, disability and so on, we're now biting off a piece of the P&C (property & casualty) world to call our very own... We'll be dealing with Acord forms, etc. We're looking for a database that can help us manage all this new stuff in addition to all of our existing information... Anyone know of any database programs out there that can help with this...? Just got off the phone with Choices Software who has a good P&C-based contact manager, but we can't cram all of our existing stuff in there; that's what we need to do... Any suggestions...? i'd really, really appreciate some. Thanks... |